A history textbook for sixth graders has riled-up people on the Quran quotations used in it. Christian students feel like there is no need to study it, while Muslim students are worried that the chosen excerpts may leave the other students with a negative opinion on Islam and its teachings.
Docent Alexander Nikolov is one of the authors of a sixth-grade history textbook, which has added some rather controversial quotations from the Quran. Before Bulgarian media, the historian from Sofia University defends his work by saying that these are exact quotations from the Quran, things that are written in the book in the way they have been presented. Changing these quotes is unallowable by all ethics and conventions of objective science.
The quotations included in the sixth-grade textbook involve statements on the subservient position of women, polygamy, the meaning of jihad and other topics. Alexander Nikolov added that the reason these excerpts have found a place in his textbook is to draw a parallel between Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Even if it is hard for the children to understand it, they are not alone in school. The teacher knows his lessons and has a teacher’s handbook to help explain the tougher parts, including that all of these quotations cover the thinking of people who lived over 13 centuries ago. Nowadays, most Muslims do not abuse their wives, nor do they practice polygamy, a point in which Turkey is a good example.
The Deputy Chief Mufti of Bulgaria Birali Mumun said that he disapproves of the lessons. After classes in which these lessons have been discussed, Muslim children have been called jihadists, Islamists and other terms. Birali Mumun called for the intervention of the government and establishment of a national standard for religion related classes, as according to him, all of the texts have been taken out of contest.
Prof. Hristo Matanov opposed the statement of Deputy Chief Mufti Birali Mumun. He said that in the same textbook, the topic of the inquisition has been covered. This holds the threat of Christian children being called inquisitors. What should be most apparent is that the quoted texts have been written in the 7th century when different people with a different mind-set have lived. He added that as much as people may not like it, the quotations used are a direct citation of the original texts and not some personal interpretation.