As regular readers will recall, there has been quite a brouhaha over the fact that Representative Keith Ellison wishes to use the Koran, his Holy Book of choice, at his private swearing-in ceremony this week. This move has outraged Virginia Representative Virgil Goode.
We now learn, via WaPo that the book in question is Thomas Jefferson’s Koran proving that Ellison has a sense of humor and some political savvy.
“He wanted to use a Koran that was special,” said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison’s 5th District, was happy to help.
Jefferson’s copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson’s collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn’t the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies — the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.
Can you imagine? Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of the Koran? And in America (Virginia!) no less. What’s Goode to do? Too bad that his immigration plan wasn’t in effect back then!
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I’m no where near being an expert on Islam but Jefferson’s Koran might not be considered a “real” Koran. The words in the book are divinely-inspired in a way greater than the Christian Bible. Think of Jefferson’s Koran as a fax copy.
I think it’s brilliant politics. Ellison wraps himself around a patriot, makes his detractors look like fools, and the mention of his possible ties to Islamic radicals vanishes.
Comment by Sean Hackbarth — Wednesday, January 3, 2024 @ 10:35 pm
Ellison Wins Controversy with Koran Choice
Incoming House freshman Keith Ellison pulls off some brilliant politics and stagecraft by deciding to use Thomas Jefferson’s Koran for his swearing-in ceremony. With that he crushes opponents like Dennis Prager and Rep. Virgil Goode who complaine…
Trackback by The American Mind — Wednesday, January 3, 2024 @ 11:02 pm
[...] Other Bloggers Weigh In: MemeOrandum (great collection of links!); Wonkette (another “must read” Wonkette report on Rep. Virgil Goode HERE); Political Animal; Hot Air; DownWithTyranny; Riehl World View; Daily Kos; Think Progress; PoliBlog ™; AMERICAblog; Don Surber; Crooks and Liars; skippy the bush kangaroo Technorati Tags: 2006, Civil Liberties, Congress, Current Events, Democrats, Elections, Headline News, Headlines, Hipocrisy, Keith Ellison, Koran, Muslims, News, News and Politics, Politics, Religion, Religious Right, Republicans, Senate, Separation of Church and State, Virgil Goode [...]
Pingback by Gun Toting Liberal ™ » Blog Archive » Despite Republican protests, first Muslim elected to Congress insists upon swearing in on a Koran… THOMAS JEFFERSON’S Koran. — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 1:11 am
I love it. I absolutely love it.
Comment by Dan — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 1:46 am
This is absolutely HILLARIOUS!!!!!!! “Poetic”, and perhaps, even BRILLIANT.
Good job, Mr. Ellison!!!! Kudos to YOU, Sir…
Comment by Gun Toting Liberal — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 1:54 am
I’ve posted on Jefferson’s library. The Sale’s Koran was published in 1734 not the 1750’s. Jefferson bought his copy from a print shop in the 1760’s—part of his library on religion and ethics.
The Sale’s Koran was the first genuine translation of the Koran into English. It’s been criticized by Muslims as being excessively paraphrasistic and consistently translating ’struggle’ i.e. jihad as physical struggle.
It wasn’t that odd for Jefferson to have a copy of the Koran. He was a true son of the Enlightenment and had a lively interest in religions other than Christianity.
Comment by Dave Schuler — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 8:16 am
It is indeed ironic, and it is clever politics by Ellison.
Probe a bit deeper, of course, and we should remember that the events leading up to the Barbary Wars (America’s first wars with Islamic polities) took place when Jefferson was Ambassador to France. More importantly, President Jefferson initiated the US attacks on the shores of Tripoli. Did Jefferson get a Koran to learn about the other side? If so, to his credit. But it might mean that Ellison’s use of Jefferson’s Koran has an even deeper irony than we realize!
Comment by MSS — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 1:27 pm
I think the whole idea of oaths are stupid, but it is true that Ellison’s utilization of TJs Koran is entirely political and not based on his Islamic faith.
Unlike the Bible, the Koran is holy because it is viewed as the ACTUAL WORD OF GOD. ANY translation is a pale imitation of the original. The learning of Arabic is essential for any convert. In fact, most scholars of Islam dont refer to non-Arabic renderings of the Koran as “translations”–but rather as “interpretations.”
Thus, if Ellison was using the oath as something related to his religion, he would have used an actual Koran, rather than an English interpretation.
Comment by Ratoe — Thursday, January 4, 2024 @ 4:01 pm
It’s outrageous that anyone says he has to sware in on a Bible. The U.S. government is of all religions. Absolutely insane.
Comment by Simmons — Friday, January 5, 2024 @ 8:27 pm