Since the events of September 11, the Qur'an and the religion it inspired have been on trial. In Islam's current political conflicts with the West, the major problem is not Muslims' sacred book but how it is interpreted, writes Religion Editor Kenneth L. Woodward in Newsweek's February 11 cover story, "The Bible and the Qur'an: Searching the Holy Books for Roots of Conflict & Seeds of Reconciliation," (on newsstands Monday, February 4). Muslims everywhere are plagued by a crippling crisis of authority. The Qur'an envisioned a single Muslim community but as subsequent history shows, Muslims have never resolved the tension between religious authority and Islamic governments.
When Islam was a great medieval civilization, jurists learned in the Qur'an decided how to apply God's words to changed historical circumstances. Their fatwas (opinions) settled disputes. But in today's Islamic states, authoritative religious voices do not command widespread respect. Like freewheeling fundamentalists of every religious stripe, any Muslim with an agenda now feels free to cite the Qur'an in his support. Osama bin Laden is only the most dangerous and obvious example.
Like the Bible, the Qur'an is a book of divine revelations. Between them, these two books define the will of God for more than half the world's population. Woodward examines the differences and similarities in the two books and attempts to answer questions that have been raised since the terror attacks against the U.S. in the name of Islam: Is Islam an inherently intolerant faith? Does the Qur'an oblige Muslims to wage jihad -- holy war -- on those who do not share their beliefs? What common ground -- if any -- join Jews, Christians and Muslims? Does the battle of the books, which has endured for centuries between Muslims and believers in the West, ensure a perpetual clash of civilizations?
Western impressions of the Qur'an as a call to violence are exaggerated. Though few in number, the aggressive verses have fired Muslim zealots in every age. The Bible, too, has its stories of violence in the name of the Lord. But these stories do not have the force of divine commands. Nor are they considered God's own eternal words, as Muslims believe Qur'anic verses to be. But compared to the few and much quoted verses that call for jihad against the "infidels," the Qur'an places far more emphasis on acts of justice, mercy and compassion, Woodward writes. In fact, in the latest Newsweek Poll, 71 percent of Americans think that suicide attacks and other violence by some followers of Islam represents a perversion of Islam by extremists (only 19% think they reflect an important part of Islam's teachings).