The Quran is the holy book of Islam and was once in the possession of one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. President Obama has acknowledged on various occasions that he first became acquainted with the Quran through Thomas Jefferson. The Quran is now securely housed in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Jefferson’s English translation of the Quran was purchased from a store on Duke of Gloucester Street while he was completing his legal studies at The College of William and Mary. The Quran and its translation were once bestsellers and represented the most comprehensive English translation of the Quran at that time.
The Quran in Jefferson’s possession was prefaced by George Sale, who wrote:
“If the religious and civil institutions of foreign nations are worth our knowledge, those of Mohammed, the lawgiver of the Arabians, and founder of an empire which in less than a century spread itself over a greater part of the world than the Romans were ever masters of, must needs be so.”
George Sale was also a lawyer. The preface he wrote for this translation underscores the Quran’s role as a legal guide. As detailed in earlier articles, the Quran and its English translation inspired Thomas Jefferson on numerous occasions.
Among the influences of the Quran on Thomas Jefferson, who was known as a distinguished writer and legal scholar and had drafted several pieces of legislation concerning religious tolerance, was the drafting of over 100 statutes for the State of Virginia between 1776 and 1779. One of his most celebrated statutes was number 82: The Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom, known as the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom.
“Neither Pagan nor Mahometan (Muslim) nor Jew ought to be excluded from the civil rights of the commonwealth because of his religion.”
Jefferson was also quoted as saying:
“No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer, on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.”
This statement by Jefferson reflects his deep understanding of the contents and principles of the Quran. It is not surprising that during his time, there were even rumors about him being a presidential candidate of the Islamic faith.
Many writers have commented on Thomas Jefferson’s familiarity with the Quran. Among them, Denise A. Spellberg, a professor of history and Islamic studies at the University of Texas at Austin, wrote in her book, Thomas Jefferson’s Qur’an: Islam and the Founders, (2013).
This book connects the influence of Islam, as derived from the Quran, in American policy, from the drafting of the Declaration of Independence to various other regulations and legislation. It is incorrect to claim that the United States is a country entirely opposed to the teachings of the Quran. According to Prof. Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, a professor of history at Georgetown University, Washington D.C., the principles of human rights, religious tolerance, and gender equality found in the Western world are significant contributions from Islamic teachings. Islam introduced these values to the Western world during the Islamic Golden Age, when the West was still in ignorance. Haddad even argues that without Islam, women might still be unliberated today. (See, YY Haddad, Contemporary Islam and the Challenge of History, 1982).
