new church life: jan uary/february 2016
The first Latin translation of the Quran, overseen by Robert of Ketton, was
produced in 1143, more than five centuries before Swedenborg’s birth.
In the early 13th century, Mark of Toledo produced a more accurate Latin
translation. In the 15th century, Juan of Segovia produced another. In the 16th
century, Juan Gabriel Terrolensis and Cardenal Eguida de Viterbo produced
yet another. In the early 17th century, still another was made by Cyril Lucaris.
In 1698, ten years after Swedenborg was born, Ludavico Marracci, a
teacher of the Arabic language at Sapienza University in Rome and confessor
to Pope Innocent XI, issued a Latin translation with the Arabic text, plus
comments and notes from Islamic sources. This was the result of 40 years of
exhaustive research and labor by Benedictine monks. Various Catholic centers
of learning throughout Europe had been studying the Arabic language since
the 13th century.
Although Swedenborg apparently did not own a copy of the Quran, he
could have had access if he wanted – from an educated acquaintance or the
National Library of Sweden. He could have discussed the Quran with the
Ottoman ambassadors, their retinues or Muslim creditors living in Sweden.
If the Quran was not legally available, he could have found it on the black
market or on his travels to Holland, England, Germany, France and Italy.
3. Is the God of the Quran an idolatrous or illegitimate God?
The author says the God of the Quran is indeed a god, as the Writings state, but
that He is not the God of the Old and New Testaments. He says that the one
God of the Quran is similar to that of sun worshipers.
The Writings state that the God of the Quran is one:
“A Mohammedan sees from the Quran that God is one.” (Apocalypse Explained 1180;
see also True Christian Religion 8)
The Quran emphatically agrees:
“La ilaha ill-Allah.”
“(There is) no god but God.” (Quran 47:19) “And your God is One, there is no god but
Him, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.” (2:163)
The Writings state that Islam acknowledges God as the Creator of the
universe:
“The Orientals acknowledged God the Creator of the universe.” (Divine Providence
255)
The Quran agrees:
“Such is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but Him, the Creator of all things. Worship
then Him alone, for it is He that has everything in His care.” (6:102)
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