The ‘True Furqan’ Qur’an Hoax

by Sheila Musaji

I was recently made aware of a supposed translation of the Qur’an called The True Furqan by Al Safee and Al Mahdy printed by Omega 2001 and Wine Press.  I was notified about the book when a Christian group called TBN encouraged people to donate for sending copies of this book to Iraq to be passed out by Christian soldiers to local Iraqi civilians. 

I did some background checking to find out a little more.  The text of this book is available online on a site called Islam-Exposed.

Each sura begins, “In the Name of the Father, the Word, the Holy Spirit, the One and Only True God,” an echo of the Koran’s “In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.” 

The government of India has banned the book from entering the country.  No: 78/ NT (07-Sep-05) Govt prohibits import of book titled ‘The True Furqan’, subtitled ‘The 21st Century Quran’ published by USA-based publisher
The Central Government, for the maintenance of security of India, absolutely prohibits import of the book entitled “The True Furqan”, subtitled “The 21st Century Quran” published in the United States of America by Omega, 2000 and Wine Press, including any extract there from, any reprint or translation thereof or any document reproducing any matter contained therein.

Anis Shorrosh’s site praises the book, and in an article about the book he said:  The prophet of Arabia challenged the entire world to compose a book equal to the Quran. We accepted the challenge as stated in Surah 17:88. The outcome is The True Furqan. Our second purpose is to present the Good News of Jesus the Christ to our fellow Arabs in the prose and poetic style of the classical language of the Arabic Quran.

John Mark Ministries praises the book and here are a few quotes from the description:  “The True Furqan,” a 368-page book mirroring the Qur’an, or Koran, in language and style, but challenging its teachings and divine authority”  ...  “The purpose of The True Furqan is a tool of evangelism, because so far we have not found a breakthrough way to reach the Muslim world for Christ”  ...  “Now, The True Furqan not only presents the gospel message in classical Arabic, but moreover, it seeks to become a key to reaching the Muslim world for Christ by answering a 1,400-year-old challenge from the Qur’an:
“Say: ‘If the whole/ of mankind and Jinns/ Were to gather together/ to produce the like/ of this Qur’an they could not produce/ the like thereof, even if/ They backed each other/ With help and support’” (The Holy Qur’an, Surah 17:88).

The U.S. Information site published an article in April of 2005 which provides a lot of information about this book.  It is produced by an Evangelical Christian group that seeks to convert Muslims to Christianity, but contrary to some allegations the group has no connection with the U.S. government.  The True Furqan was written in Arabic and translated into English by Anis Shorrosh.

So there indeed is a Qur’an mockery being handed around. It is available online as well. It is not a translation of the Qur’an or even a rewrite, but an attempt to confuse some ignorant people by giving the Christian Gospel message the appearance of a Qur’anic style.  However, anyone who has read the real thing, the original or the english translation will soon see that this thing does not have the arrangement, the style, the confidence, nor the unique content found in the original.  It is a desperate measure to find some way to convert the infidel Muslims since a few hundred years of concerted effort have brought so little success.