I am writing this on 9/11 when there has been so much in the news about the controversy of building a Muslim Cultural Center and Mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center and even talk about burning the Koran. There have been letters to the editor in our local paper about what the Koran says and what various religious beliefs and practices are. I want to encourage everyone who has questions about the Koran to come to the Steele Library and select a book on Islam or the Koran itself.
Mark Twain said “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness” but so is education! A good factual book can make you a life long learner, someone who knows the facts and issues and whose opinions reflect that knowledge. Some books on display on the second floor ready to be checked out are:
Understanding Muhammad and the Koran: Islam for the Western Mind by Richard Henry Drummond
Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity by Seyyed Hossein Nasr
What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam by John L. Esposito
There are more in the Nonfiction section under Dewey Number 297. And if you have questions about any other religion, please stop at the reference desk so we can direct you to the appropriate area.
Phyllis Rogan, Reference Librarian
Steele Memorial Library