Jefferson, the nations third president and a collector of books. Library papers show early tolerance for muslim faith. The story that it tells ought to be familiar to most americans, and is familiar to historians of the nations. Sort featured price, low to high price, high to low alphabetically, az alphabetically, za date, old to new date, new to old best selling. Hutson, writing in 2002 as chief of the library of congresss manuscript division. The dome library of congress thomas jefferson building. It was one of the 6,500 jefferson books archived in the library. Thomas jefferson and other primary documents to discuss the relationship of islam to the new nation.
The twovolume work, which resides in the library of congress rare book and special collections division, is one of nearly 6,500 titles sold to. Quran oath controversy of the 110th united states congress. Muslims believe that it was revealed by god through the archangel gabriel to the prophet muhammad. He used the money, millions in todays dollars, to buy more books instead. Spellberg knopf in the smear campaign before the election for the presidency of the united states, one candidate was accused by his. Why thomas jefferson owned a quran at the smithsonian. Nov 06, 20 in 2006, keith ellison, a newly elected congressman from the state of minnesota, and the first muslim elected to congress, took his oath of office on a quran from thomas jeffersons personal library. To date, the library of congress has located over 4,000 exact replacements that have the same publisher, date, and edition for the 4,324 volumes that belonged to jefferson which. I stopped in at the library of congress to visit the thomas jefferson s library exhibit. Til that thomas jefferson studied the quran as well. Ellison borrowed it from the rare book section of the library of congress. Housing more than 160 million books, manuscripts, photographs, recordings, and maps, its the largest library in the world. When it was finished, it was the largest and costliest library building in the world.
After the official swearingin ceremony, he took a ceremonial oath using a quran owned by thomas jefferson and acquired by the library of congress in 1815. This marked only the beginning of his lifelong interest in islam, and he would go on to acquire numerous books on middle eastern languages, history, and travel, taking extensive notes on islam as it relates to english common law. Jeffersons library thomas jefferson library of congress. Container or reel number, thomas jefferson papers, manuscript division, library of congress, washington, d. Since 1998, dimunation, the rarebooks and special collections curator for the library of congress, has guided a slowmoving, yet successful search for the 4,324 jefferson titles that were destroyed. Thomas jeffersons quran examines the intersection during the nations founding era of two contentious themes in culture warsthe relationship of islam to america, and the proper relationship between church and state. Walk east into the library of congress rare book and special collections reading room. Contributed by endrina tay i cannot live without books, thomas jefferson declared in a letter to john adams on june 10, 1815. In this article, manuscript division chief james hutson draws upon the papers of washington, thomas jefferson and other primary documents to discuss the relationship of islam to the new nation. In a very strategic move he succeeded in taking his oath of office, using thomas jeffersons own copy of the holy quran.
Jan 31, 2018 thomas jefferson s twovolume personal copy of george sales 1734 translation of the quran is now in the collections of the library of congress. In the midst of the american revolution and while he was united states minister to france in the 1780s, jefferson acquired thousands of books for his library at monticello. Like many collectors of the time, jefferson not only cataloged his books but also marked them. Bookprinted material the koran, commonly called the alcoran of mohammed. Jan 25, 2007 it once belonged to thomas jefferson, third president of the united states and one of americas founding fathers. To the man who had authored the declaration of independence and the virginia statute for establishing religious freedom and founded the university of virginia, books and reading were a necessary of. January 30, 1815 thomas jefferson sells his monticello library, which numbers more than 6,500 volumes, to congress to replace the library that was destroyed when the british set fire to the u. At one point, he sold a substantial part of his collection to congress, to start the library of congress, to pay his staggering debts. When keith ellison was sworn into office as a congressman, he wanted to swear on a koran instead of a bible, so they used thomas jefferson s koran, which they borrowed for the occasion from the library of congress.
Library of congress press release, january 3, 2007. The holy koran in the library of congress 4 corners of. Since 1998, dimunation, the rare books and special collections curator for the library of congress, has guided a slowmoving, yet successful search for the 4,324 jefferson titles that were destroyed. The koran, commonly called the alcoran of mohammed library of. Thomas jefferson library collection library of congress. Jeffersons response to muslims in 1801 is more important today than ever in the history of mankind. Mark dimunation, the chief of the library of congress rare book and special collections division walked the quran. A fivevolume work, the catalogue of the library of thomas jefferson, was published between. The complicated history of thomas jeffersons koran the. The holy koran or quran, according to the library of congress transliteration system, is the divine book of islam. A selection from jeffersons autobiography where he expresses satisfaction over. Jan 02, 2019 the complicated history of thomas jeffersons koran. When keith ellison was sworn into office as a congressman, he wanted to swear on a koran instead of a bible, so they used thomas jeffersons koran, which they borrowed for the occasion from the library of congress.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading thomas jefferson s quran. Library of congress searches for missing jefferson books. Jefferson s library, which developed through several stages, was always critically important to him. In 1980, the building was renamed the thomas jefferson building in honor of the man whose. While jefferson was president from 1801 until 1809, he took a strong interest in the library of congress and its collection, personally recommending books and appointing the first two librarians of congress. Ellison, the first muslim elected to congress, requested to take the oath. The 17671770 volume, on deposit at the library of congress at the time the microfilm was made, is now at the university of virginia. With more than 55 million items, the library s manuscript division contains the papers of 23 presidents, from george washington to calvin coolidge. The purpose is to guide scholars and the general public in the use of significant books and journals pertaining to the quran and koranic studies. In 1942, as part of the bicentennial commemoration of jeffersons birth, the library of congress commissioned e.
Congressman uses thomas jeffersons quran at swearing in. Jefferson sold his 6,487 books to create a new collection but his was different it included a latin translation of euclid geometry and a book on beekeeping. Americas first war with islamic terrorists needs to be remembered. Thomas jeffersons copy of the koran to be used in congressional. Manuscript division, library of congress, washington, d. Islam and the founders, author denise spellberg draws parallels between the beliefs of the founding father and religious tolerance in the united states today. Thomas jefferson and the long history of defending muslims. Throughout his life, books were vital to thomas jefferson s education and wellbeing. Thomas jefferson lent to him by the rare book and special collections division at the library of congress.
Library of congress thomas jefferson building, washington, d. The founding fathers and islam may 2002 library of congress. Dec 04, 2014 the books title references thomas jeffersons quran, now held in the library of congress. By the time the war happened, jefferson was retired and living at his home in monticello.
Jefferson bought his quran in 1765, 11 years before writing the declaration of independence. Jefferson had a bit of an addiction when it came to books. The story behind jefferson s koran, and what he did with it, is an instructive look at the power of accurate knowledge. Thomas jefferson s twovolume personal copy of george sales 1734 translation of the quran is now in the collections of the library of congress. Table of contents of thomas jefferson s library, edited by james gilreath and douglas l. Thomas jefferson was instrumental in rebuilding the library of congress when he sold the bulk of his book collection to the united states government in 1815.
Five surprising places to find islamic history in the united states. From his youth, thomas jefferson read and collected a great number of books, and a wide variety of them. This reconstructed library of the books jefferson sold to congress in 1815 was unveiled on apr 12 this year as part of the new library of congress experience, exhibits that allow users to interact with primary sources from american history. What thomas jefferson learned from the muslim book of jihad. Spofford wanted a domed reading room at the librarys center, surrounded by ample space for the librarys various departments. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Volumes on africa and the middle east were part of thomas jeffersons personal library, which was one of the first major purchases made by the library of congress in 1815. If you wish, you can read the actual letter from thomas jefferson.
Spellberg reveals a littleknown but crucial dimension of the story of american religious freedoma drama in. Thomas jefferson and the covenants of the prophet muhammad. Did thomas jefferson believe that islam was a halfway point. When thomas jefferson replaced the books in the library of. Tadros, area specialist, near east section, african and middle eastern division. Millicent sowerby to compile an annotated bibliography of the over 6,500 books jefferson sold to congress. For many muslims the election of keith ellison to the u. As the library of congress recognizes, books were vital to thomas jefferson s education and wellbeing. In 1765, eleven years before composing the declaration of independence, thomas jefferson bought a quran. Intended to restock the library of congress after its previous. Throughout his life, books were vital to thomas jeffersons education and wellbeing. It covers north africa, the arab world, turkey, iran, afghanistan, the caucasus, central asia, and islam.
It may have been thomas jeffersons koran, but jefferson. A mustsee while visiting the library of congress is the collection of thomas jefferson. May 29, 2014 staffers at the library of congress have been looking for 250 books that belonged to thomas jefferson. Oct 23, 2008 the quran ellison used was no ordinary book. Recognizing the ever growing scholarly interest in the quran, in 1993 the library published an illustrated bibliography, the holy koran in the library of congress. Jun 26, 2018 jeffersons opinions on religious liberty were heavily influenced by john locke, as noted by james h. Sale of books to the library of congress 1815 thomas. Jeffersons books at the library of congress thomas. Thomas jeffersons library library of congress shop. The library holds thomas jeffersons original personal library. By 1814 when the british burned the nations capitol and the library of congress, jefferson had acquired the largest personal collection of books in the united states. The collection he eventually sold to the library of congress comprised 6,487 volumes, ranging in subject from classical philosophy to cooking. The view of islam common among the founders, including thomas jefferson, came from two main sources. He gave these books and several thousand more to start the library more than 200 years ago.
It once belonged to thomas jefferson, third president of the united states and one of americas founding fathers. On the ceiling of the lantern, which rises above the highest part of the dome, is. At the time, the 22yearold law student probably perceived the sacred text as a book of law, a perspective common among christians since the 12th. During the war of 1812, british forces entered washington, d. It is a permanent exhibit in the thomas jefferson building. Did thomas jefferson believe that islam was a halfway. As he himself confessed on june 10, 1815, i cannot live without books. The founding fathers and islam library of congress. Since 1998, officials at the library of congress have been looking for the exact books jefferson sold to the library after 1814 that had been lost in the fire of 1851. When his family home, shadwell, burned in 1770, jefferson deeply lamented the loss of his books.
Ellison represents the 5th congressional district of minnesota. Thomas jeffersons response to muslims in 1801 is exactly. Jefferson offered to sell his library to congress as a replacement for the collection destroyed by the british during the war of 1812. Islam and the founders kindle edition by spellberg, d. In 2006, keith ellison, a newly elected congressman from the state of. Spofford wanted a domed reading room at the library s center, surrounded by ample space for the library s various departments. Commonplace books, 17581772 thomas jeffersons legal commonplace book, 17621767, compiled while he was studying law, contains notes and extracts on important legal cases and precedents. The holy koran in the library of congress 4 corners of the. Table of contents of thomas jeffersons library, edited by james gilreath and douglas l. There are those who might claim that the fact that thomas jefferson. Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information. One president, thomas jefferson knew this and he showed the world exactly how to deal with the muslims.
If you put its bookshelves together in a single line, they would extend 838 miles. What thomas jefferson learned from the muslim book of. It is about islam book by glenn beck official publisher. After the burning of washington in 1814, the original library collection was destroyed. In a very strategic move he succeeded in taking his oath of office, using thomas jefferson s own copy of the holy quran. History of the collection from index to the thomas jefferson papers washington, d. Apparently, the library of congress puts these original sources on the internet for anyone to read. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading thomas jeffersons quran. The library holds thomas jefferson s original personal library. It is about islam introduction jeffersons quran one block from the u. During the reformation, islam featured heavily as a rhetorical tool in which it could be compared unfavorably with catholicism, and carried with it a strong identification with the. The story behind jeffersons koran, and what he did with it, is an instructive look at the power of accurate knowledge.
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