Rome: Muslim Holy Quran for Pope Benedict XVI, an Islamic tradition

Odeh’s presentation of the Holy Qur’an is fitting in the long tradition of Islam dating back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was the practice of Muhammad to send invitation letters with verses of the Holy Qur’an to leaders of the known world.

Shareef Odeh of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community meeting with Pope
Benedict XVI‏ and presenting him a copy of the Holy Quran

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: St. Louis Islam Examiner
By Basiyr Rodney | November 29, 2011

With the great deal of controversy we see in the news concerning Islam, we often forget that Islam is at it’s heart a spiritually transforming tradition. Islam is designed to transmit the message of the Holy Qur’an. As a result of this, it is always good to see when the message of the Holy Qur’an is explained or delivered to a wide audience.

In November of 2011 the head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Haifa, Israel presented a copy of the Holy Qur’an to Pope Benedict XVI. The Amir of the Ahmadiyya Community in Haifa Shareef Odeh is deeply involved in the faith community of Israel. In fact the Kababir mosque and community has existed in Israel before the establishment of the country in 1948.

Odeh’s presentation of the Holy Qur’an is fitting in the long tradition of Islam dating back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was the practice of Muhammad to send invitation letters with verses of the Holy Qur’an to leaders of the known world.
Letters of invitation from Muhammad the Messenger of Allah” were sent to the rulers of Egypt, Persia, the Eastern Roman Empire and Ethiopia. Three of these letters have survived.

In the 20th century, this tradition of openly presenting the Holy Qur’an and letters of invitation were continued by Ahmad of Qadian the latter day Messiah and Mahdi from his home in India. Ahmad’s followers have continued this tradition intelligently and poignantly since the late 1800’s. Odeh’s recent presentation is a part of this rich tradition of sharing the book openly to all.

The Holy Qur’an is not a secret nor is it a closed book. It requires Muslims to share it with others. In fact it calls those of the theistic tradition “Ahle Khitaab” or “People of the Book”. It urges Muslims to share the book and not to conceal it. It reads: “...You shall make this Book known to the people and not conceal it” (3:188). Nowhere in the annals of Islam has it been recorded that the Holy Qur’an was withheld from the common people. All people, Muslim and non-Muslim are to have access to the Holy Qur’an. For 1400 years Muslims of all ages and races have studied it, critiqued it and shared it. Today this tradition is maintained by modern Muslims.

Here in the United States the Ahmadis as well as other Muslim groups have distributed the Holy Qur’an accross the nation. People who wish to have a copy can view the book openly on the world wide web at websites such as alislam.org or www.quranexplorer. com.

Muslims have presented copies of the Holy Qur’an to university presidents, congressional representatives, intellectuals and even to Presidents.

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