Assalamu aleikum. "The Cleveland Public Library has a Quran that may have been bound in the skin of its previous owner, an Arab tribal leader. Pam Eyerdam, head of the library's fine arts and special collections department, said he may have wanted to immortalize himself. 'People kept their family histories written in Bibles, and what is a Quran?' she said."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2006/01/07/some_of_nations_best_libraries_have_books_bound_in_human_skin - Over 400 web news outlets are currently repeating this outrage. See: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&lr=&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&q=Quran+skin&filter=0 - Suspecting an internet hoax, Islamic Community Net contacted the Cleveland Public Library for verification that they actually had made such a claim and received the following cavalier response from Pam Eyerdam: - [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: --------------------------------- Hello -- my name is Pam Eyerdam, Head of Fine Arts & Special Collections. In regards to the article, if you read it carefully the sentence clearly states that the "Quran that MAY have been bound in the skin of its previous owner" is the best verification that has been documented with the item when the library acquired it decades ago. The AP was not incorrect in its statement. We are just not absolutely sure since there is no way to test it. Pam Eyerdam - A member of Islamic Community Net responded to Pam Eyerdam's email as follows: " ... the 'Quran that MAY have been bound in the skin of its previous owner' is the best verification that has been documented with the item when the library acquired it decades ago." - Then why do you continue to assert and communicate to the public such an unverified claim, especially while Muslims continue to be the targets of all kinds of outrageous claims and violent abuse in this country? I could announce with equally stupid facility a claim that based on previous writings, Jews "may" turn Christian babies into matzoh. Try that on for size and announce it to the public and see where that lands you. Telling the public without verification that a Quran "may" be bound in human skin is just another kind of blood libel targeting a vulnerable minority in general. Additionally your establishing an unverified association of the Quran with human skin "may" impede the general public from studying the Quran in particular. I thought librarians were supposed to encourage research and literature, not obstruct it with gruesome unsubstantiated charges. The burden of proof is on the proponent of a claim, as a cloning researcher in South Korea recently discovered to his loss. You owe the public a direct and forthright explanation that you have absolutely no verification of your blood libel and issue a full retraction accompanied by an apology without reservation. - Note: Please contact all the following email addresses to make known your outrage at the bestial claims made by Pam Eyerdam. Contact information for the Cleveland Public Library: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fine.Arts (at) cpl.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] peyerdam (at) cpl.org [EMAIL PROTECTED] Planning (at) cpl.org The Cleveland Public Library can also be contacted as follows: Planning and Research Dept. Cleveland Public Library 325 Superior Avenue, N.E. Cleveland, OH 44114-1271 U.S.A. 216-623-2936 216-902-4957 Fax [EMAIL PROTECTED] Planning (at) cpl.org http://www.cpl.org JazakAllahair. ISLAMIC COMMUNITY NET http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamiccommunitynet ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Join modern day disciples reach the disfigured and poor with hope and healing http://us.click.yahoo.com/lMct6A/Vp3LAA/i1hLAA/TXWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** {Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125) {And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33) The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." 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