Proper use of Qur'an translation

[sojourner]

I come from a Christian background, where it is not uncommon to highlight and make notes in the margins of our bibles.
I'm now reading through an english translation of the Qur'an, which i know is not a true Qur'an since it is not in Arabic (or so i read in the introduction to it).
If that is the case, if i am carefully handling it as a written translation of the word of God for me to understand...what is allowed and not allowed; such as with the highlighting, etc.

Thank you for your assistance on this. The more i read, the more i am drawn to Islam and i just don't want to do anything incorrect.

[Snowflake]

Hi Sojourner,

It is good that you are being careful in your handling of the translated Quran.
Why not use a sticky notepad to make notes and stick them on the relevant pages of the Quran. I find it helpful and when I'm done with them I can remove them without having marked the Quran.

[SeekingOne]

Sojourner, I think this is something that could lead to considerable discussion.

I also came from a Christian background and even served as a pastor for a few years. And my favorite Bible shows signs of wear from all the use it received. And one doesn't have to look through very many pages before seeing signs of underlining and/or high-lighting.

Was this showing disrespect? I do not believe that it was, I was simply marking passages that held special meaning to me. I wasn't doodling or marking the book in a malicious or disrespectful manner. And while I always showed respect for the Bible, I always liked to see one that showed obvious signs of use, as it told me the owner wasn't storing it on a shelf, only to pull it out on special occasions.

Here's some food for thought -

While we would never think of placing the Qur'an on the floor, how should we handle pamphlets, brochures and notebooks that contain passages from the Qur'an? I have a pamphlet on the desk before me, that contains a passage from the Qur'an. Is not this single passage worthy of the same treatment as the entire Qur'an? Should I perform ablution before handling this pamphlet? Should I make sure to never place anything on top of this pamphlet? What are the thoughts of others?

[sojourner]

A former pastor, really? I'm currently serving as a Baptist pastor...which makes my discovery of Islam very tricky for me. I'm learning that it is a truly beautiful way of life that requires nothing short of a total commitment; which is what i expected in Christianity.
I would love to hear more of your story.