Did you know that Martin Luther (1483-1546) was responsible for the first printed Koran In German? Why did he do that? Because he wasn't interested in false stories and rumors about the Muslims who came to Europe in his time. He wanted to know their Tickles - find out what drove them. He believed that access to the sources would help to spiritually distinguish between true and false and equip them with faith - rather than remaining i naiveity and blindheat.
In Luther's time, 16th century Europeans were under pressure from several sides: Plague in several waves, economic exploitation, Poverty, social unrest, peasant revolt, Repression of the Protestant minorityis, strife between France and Spain - and perhaps the greatest threat of all: the gigantic army of the Muslim Ottoman Empire, headed for Europe and already knocking on Vienna's eastern gates. Europe faced an apocalyptic crisis - paralyzed by fear and helplessness.
Luther was ahead of his time
When it came to knowledge of Islam, Luther was way ahead of his time. He had absorbed knowledge and intelligence from pilgrims, former prisoners, travelers, diplomats - even Arabs and Turks who visited Wittenberg. Throughout his life, he studied the foreign religion in depth and sought credible information about Muslim teachings and practices. He often complained that contemporary research in the field was biased and did not honestly seek to uncover and understand Islam.
Luther desperately wanted access to the original sources of the Quran, and it wasn't until late in life - in February 1542 - that he managed to get his hands on a 12th-century Latin translation of the Quran. Reading it inspired him to share his new knowledge and prepare people for the spiritual challenge that would face them in Islam. Luther wanted to translate and publish the Quran in German so that common people could understand it. However, he quickly realized that his advanced age would cause problems. Instead, that same year he published a German translation of what he considered to be the next best thing, both trustworthy and authentic: Rewriting the Quran of Riccoldo da Monte di Croce - a recognized expert on Islam who had lived in Baghdad for many years. He preferred this work to the more dialog-oriented Filtering the Quran by Nicolaus Cusanus, which weighted mitigation higher than authenticity.
When Luther heard that year that the printing of a Koran had been prevented in Basel and that the printer had even been imprisoned for "printing a dangerous book", he immediately wrote to the city government. He asked them to reverse the decision, as publishing the Quran could help priests understand and preach the truth, strengthen faith among Christians - and maybe even convert some Turks. Basel's city council changed its mind and allowed the publication with the condition that the city was not mentioned.
I dream that the gospel will reach the Turks. Maybe it will - but probably not in my lifetime. - Luther
Christians should be brave
In the preface to this Koran, published in 1543, Luther urged other pastors to read it, as Islam "must not be regarded as an insignificant matter, especially not by us who preach in the church. We must fight on all fronts. Let us now prepare ourselves to resist Muhammad by fortifying our people." In this context, Luther also thought of Christians living among Muslims - either as prisoners, oppressed or under Muslim occupation - that "by reading this book they may be able to fight even more courageously on behalf of the Gospel." Luther went on to write: "Daniel and the other captives convinced the king of Babylon of what was the truth about God. Perhaps God will also now call some of the Turks out of darkness through their Christian captives."
In general, Luther was concerned with winning the souls of Muslims for Christ. In 1542/43 he wrote: "I dream that the Gospel may reach the Turks. Maybe it will happen - but probably not in my lifetime."
Because Luther assumed that he was in the end times and God's judgment was near, he was not so directly concerned with proselytizing among Muslims. He was more focused on preparing Christians to be preserved in the faith and grace of God. Still, he saw Christian prisoners as potential missionaries who in their captivity could "influence many Muslims through their commendable work and way of life." He makes it very clear that service among Muslims "should never harm or compromise our fellow Christians or God (Apcheese steers Gerations 5.29)" so that they "should not be found guilty of the same anti-Christian endeavors as the Turks." With this argument, Luther - unlike other leading Protestants - clearly opposed any military alliance with the Muslims. Luther was also skeptical of any Christian who sought refuge with the Muslims, whether forced or voluntary. "They make themselves roommates with those who deny our Lord and our faith."
In contrast to several contemporaries - including Protestants - who "actually wanted the Turks to come and rule," seeing Ottoman rule as relatively tolerant and superior to the papacy, and who "praised the ruler of the Turks because he allows everyone to believe as he likes as long as he [the ruler] retains temporal power," Luther was critical: "This reputation is not true because they don't allow Christians to meet in public," argued he. "If a free and public religion is not allowed, this actually threatens our salvation according to Romeletter of honor 10:9-10, and the greatest danger for Christians living under an Islamic state is that they may lose their spiritual health."
When Luther heard in the fall of 1529 that the Turks were already besieging Vienna, he wrote his Preaching against the Turks and called for fierce resistance against the dangerous regime. He said he would "rather die than be captured."
In response to some Protestant pacifists who would refrain from any use of force, Luther pointed out that when the Turks attacked a territory that was not theirs, their motive could not be either self-defense or a desire for peace. In 1529, he wrote the book About the war against the Turks so that Christians would not be "deceived into thinking that we must not fight the Turks" and become completely defensive.
Martin Luther always criticized the Crusades and insisted that the special spiritual duty of Christians is repentance and prayer - "not physical combat against the Turks."
Martin Luther always criticized the Crusades and insisted that the special spiritual duty of Christians is repentance and prayer - "not physical combat against the Turks."
For Luther, it was clear that Christians needed to fight against Islam as a spiritual adversary that is "the enemy of their Lord Christ." They should pray for themselves and their country not to lose their identity and "hold fast to Christ, his word and the faith."
Martin Luther called on his fellow Christians and Europe's political leaders to confront Islam both spiritually and politically, but to make a clear distinction between the "struggle of Christians" and the "struggle of government" - between Muslims and Islam - between most wicked people and their hostile religion.
Matthias Schwab is German and studied Oriental Studies (including Islamic Studies) and Theology at the Eberhard-Karls-University in Tübingen and Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen from 1985-1992. Matthias also studied archaeology in Jerusalem and Arabic studies in Amman.
He is involved in our projects to help persecuted Christians in the Middle East to show God's love in word and deed to Muslims and minorities.
Source references and further explanations can be sent by contacting the Danish European Mission. Luther's works are also freely available at lutherdansk.dk.
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