In an interview published in Britain’s Observer Sunday, former Prime Minister Tony Blair tried to claims that he reads the Qur’an on a daily basis. The politician who became the Quartet’s envoy to the Middle East said that he also reads the Bible. He said he reads them “partly to understand some of the things happening in the world, but mainly just because it is immensely instructive”.
Blair earlier reportedly praised the Muslim faith as “beautiful”. He said Prophet Mohammed had been “an enormously civilizing force”.
The former prime minister said the Qur’an was a “reforming book, it is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance”.
Mr. Blair says that he has read the whole Qur’an three times. In his statements, he often mentioned his admiration for the Qur’an’s moral teaching. On March 29, 2000, the BBC reported on Blair’s admiration for the Qur’an in a feature entitled “Blair: Qur’an Inspired Me.” He was reported to have said that Islam was a good and peaceful religion, that he owned two copies of the Qur’an, and that he was quite inspired by it:If you read the Koran, it is so clear… the concept of love and fellowship as the guiding spirits of humanity. (BBC News, 29 March 2000.)In an interview on Al-Jazeera television Blair said that had read the Qur’an. He also added:”I read the message of the Koran, insofar as it can be translated. And I read about Islam and I enjoy doing that. And I think that I have learned things about the Koran that I never knew before and I think a lot of Christians would be interested.”