Finally, an analysis of a pernicious interpretation of Jefferson's possession of a Quran. Your characterization and summation of the tyrannical nature of Islam is spot on. There is nothing in Islam that provides freedom of thought, of religion, of association, or anything other than what is prescribed and mandatory for the "umma."
I know a man who is an architect, raised Christian, who converted to Islam in his early 30s. A few years later, he left Islam, and came back to his church. Some time later, he bumped into a former friend who was Muslim. The Muslim man said, "You know, I should kill you on the spot as an apostate. Don't ever speak to me again." The last I heard, the architect returned to Islam, for reasons unknown to me. But never believe that Islam is "the Religion of Peace." Nothing is further from the truth.
Almost no serious historian claims Islamic theology shaped the Establishment Clause. The real, modest claim has always been.
Dragging out jizya, apostasy law, and Islamic supremacy is a category error — the Founders weren’t borrowing theology from any religion, including Christianity!
Bottom line:
Jefferson wasn’t inspired by Islam .....but he absolutely used Islam as proof that liberty must apply even to beliefs you dislike.
Islam, as a political and legal ideology, is incompatible with modern constitutional democracy. Its traditional jurisprudence fuses religion, law, and state power, rejects freedom of conscience, denies equality before the law, and abolishes any real separation between church and state. That’s not opinion—it’s doctrinal structure. This is a critique of an ideology, not of people. End of discussion.
Franklin puzzled in his letters over a widespread problem, the net loss of colonists to go live permanently among the native people. Though all people had more freedom among the tribes in contact with the colonies than under any European or British system, women in particular had a far greater degree and also had political power of their own, among the Iroquois.
It’s hard for me to believe in this environment that the founders were only influenced by English common law, Christianity, Locke, etc, which didn’t lead to the evolution of ‘American style’ rights and freedoms in the UK or Europe, even today, as can be demonstrated by the current brutal crackdown on speech there.
This lie survives because it’s useful, not because it’s true. I’ve written before about the modern impulse to retroactively Islamize the American founding—an oath-law sleight of hand meant to subordinate constitutional meaning to present politics.
Jefferson’s references to Muslims were stress tests, not source material. They were designed to strip power from the state, not import foreign religious authority into it. Pretending otherwise isn’t scholarship; it’s ideological laundering. The Quran mandates supremacy, not pluralism. The First Amendment disables theology from governing law. Confusing the two isn’t inclusive—it’s an attack on the constitutional firewall that protects everyone, Muslims included.
There are so many ways to distort this history. Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States. So what? At the same time, anyone want to talk about President Jefferson and the Barbary Wars? Such as “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”?
The Barbary Wars were the underpinnings of the creation of the US Navy. Jefferson would want to understand an enemy’s history and motivations before spending the capital creating the fleet of six frigates it would take to defend the U S merchant fleet and defeat the Barbary nations.
ISLAM is a CANCER
Finally, an analysis of a pernicious interpretation of Jefferson's possession of a Quran. Your characterization and summation of the tyrannical nature of Islam is spot on. There is nothing in Islam that provides freedom of thought, of religion, of association, or anything other than what is prescribed and mandatory for the "umma."
I know a man who is an architect, raised Christian, who converted to Islam in his early 30s. A few years later, he left Islam, and came back to his church. Some time later, he bumped into a former friend who was Muslim. The Muslim man said, "You know, I should kill you on the spot as an apostate. Don't ever speak to me again." The last I heard, the architect returned to Islam, for reasons unknown to me. But never believe that Islam is "the Religion of Peace." Nothing is further from the truth.
🤨💯🎯‼️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thomas Jefferson owned a Quran and inscribed in it "To better know our enemy." Read the history book "Power, Faith and Fantacy".
Almost no serious historian claims Islamic theology shaped the Establishment Clause. The real, modest claim has always been.
Dragging out jizya, apostasy law, and Islamic supremacy is a category error — the Founders weren’t borrowing theology from any religion, including Christianity!
Bottom line:
Jefferson wasn’t inspired by Islam .....but he absolutely used Islam as proof that liberty must apply even to beliefs you dislike.
Islam, as a political and legal ideology, is incompatible with modern constitutional democracy. Its traditional jurisprudence fuses religion, law, and state power, rejects freedom of conscience, denies equality before the law, and abolishes any real separation between church and state. That’s not opinion—it’s doctrinal structure. This is a critique of an ideology, not of people. End of discussion.
I'm on board with you 90% Steve. However Judeo-Christianity is the backbone of our founding documents and principles.
Biblical scripture adorns many buildings in Washington, DC, including the halls of SCOTUS.
A fun study is the Black Robe Regiment.
As always, well done. Thank you, Alex!
After you tear down the statues, the ideas are next. The nexus of the Left and Islam is deadly to our civilization.
If I'm not mistaken, he was more influenced by Native culture at the time.
Franklin puzzled in his letters over a widespread problem, the net loss of colonists to go live permanently among the native people. Though all people had more freedom among the tribes in contact with the colonies than under any European or British system, women in particular had a far greater degree and also had political power of their own, among the Iroquois.
It’s hard for me to believe in this environment that the founders were only influenced by English common law, Christianity, Locke, etc, which didn’t lead to the evolution of ‘American style’ rights and freedoms in the UK or Europe, even today, as can be demonstrated by the current brutal crackdown on speech there.
As Paul Harvey famously would say tell us his informative insightful cliffhangers, and Now the rest of the story!
The Quran is not compatible with our Constitutional Republic with the Rights and Freedoms of the People have the power not our Religious Leaders!
One Nation under God. Not Mohamed. Not Islam.
This lie survives because it’s useful, not because it’s true. I’ve written before about the modern impulse to retroactively Islamize the American founding—an oath-law sleight of hand meant to subordinate constitutional meaning to present politics.
https://luthmann.substack.com/p/american-muslim-oath-law
Jefferson’s references to Muslims were stress tests, not source material. They were designed to strip power from the state, not import foreign religious authority into it. Pretending otherwise isn’t scholarship; it’s ideological laundering. The Quran mandates supremacy, not pluralism. The First Amendment disables theology from governing law. Confusing the two isn’t inclusive—it’s an attack on the constitutional firewall that protects everyone, Muslims included.
There are so many ways to distort this history. Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States. So what? At the same time, anyone want to talk about President Jefferson and the Barbary Wars? Such as “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute”?
The Barbary Wars were the underpinnings of the creation of the US Navy. Jefferson would want to understand an enemy’s history and motivations before spending the capital creating the fleet of six frigates it would take to defend the U S merchant fleet and defeat the Barbary nations.
As usual - so well put. Your use of the language is efficient, direct, and incisive. Should put these misdirected musings to rest. Thanks Alex!
Alexander, your a Moran who has obviously never read the Quran.
TOTAL BULLSH*T !
Have the people claiming this READ the quran? (I have)
Fix your title. Great research and explanation- love your writing topics.