The Austrian government has proposed a new law to regulate the affairs of Muslims in Austria. While it is worthwhile that Austrians are looking for ways to update their 1912 law governing Muslim affairs, the proposed reform requiring, among other things, a single German translation of the Quran is ill-conceived.
This proposal for a government-mandated single German translation of the Quran reflects gross ignorance about Islam, ignorance about the factors contributing to violent extremism, and obliviousness to the nature of modern media. Last but not least, it smells of cultural imperialism.
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