Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
BILIMNAME, cilt.43, sa.3, ss.213-245, 2020 (ESCI)
The most basic way to understand a religion is through examining the texts which are considered sacred. This approach adopted by the history of Religions as an epistemological necessity is also one of the demands of modern science. It was possible to reach this seemingly basic understanding only at the end of a long process. One of the most important factors behind this change is the mentality transformation that emerged as a result of bloody struggles in Europe. Until the Renaissance and Enlightenment, Europeans did not see other religions and Islam as a religion because they saw Christianity as the only and true religion. Since Islam was seen as a heretical Christian sect or its holy book the Qur'an as "delusions" invented by a "false Prophet", this faith deserved not to be understood, but to be eradicated and destroyed. For this struggle, it was not necessary to understand, but only to know this religion in detail in order to direct sound arguments against the enemy. Peter the Venerable who commissioned Robert of Ketton to translate the Qur'an into Latin or Theodor Bibliander who printed this version were all churchmen believing in the truth of Christianity alone. The Qur'an represented for them the senseless words of false and heretic prophet.