Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called on the country's leading Muslim scholars on Monday to examine Thai translations of the Qur'an to make sure they accurately reflect the teachings of the Islamic holy book. His remarks followed reports that Thai translations of the Qur'an circulating in southern Thailand advocated a "jihad" against Thai authorities and the establishment of a separate country in the country's southernmost, Muslim-majority provinces. "This is not religious reform," Thaksin told reporters. "We just want experts to confirm the text. The Qur'an is very holy. We don't want ill-intentioned people to twist the meaning of it to suit their own ends. Some people are abusing the real Qur'an." | It all depends on the definition of "real". |
Thaksin called on the country's highest Muslim cleric, Sheikul Islamic Sawat Sumarayasak, and other scholars from the Islamic Centre of Thailand to check the Thai text of the Qur'an to ensure it accurately reflected the teachings of the original Arabic text. Some Thai officials have blamed bogus translations of the Qur'an for misleading some southern Muslims into the separatist ideology and violence. | Sigh, they still don't get it. |
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