Toernaes says teaching Qur’an will help the Danes know more about Islam

By Yahia Abu Zakariya, IOL Correspondent

STOCKHOLM, September 20 (IslamOnline.net) – Secondary school students in Denmark can study the Noble Qur’an along with the Christian scriptures as of the school year 2005-06, the Education Minister announced Sunday, September 19.

Ulla Toernaes said at a press conference that teaching Qur’an will help the Danes get acquainted with Islam, given the fact that an increasing number of them want to know more about the faith, and is also a sign of goodwill.

The Muslim community in the western European country welcomed the initiative as a step on the right path towards a multi-ethnic society.

But the right-wing Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti), a traditional anti-Muslims party, criticized the government’s good vibes.

The Danish government decided last year to teach Arabic in state-run schools.

Another problem facing some 200.000 Muslims in Denmark, which has a population of 5.5 population, is also to be resolved in the not-too-distant future.

The community is set to buy a piece of land in for 3.2 million Danish Krones to set up separate graves. Danish authorities are expected to discuss the Muslim bid next month.

By teaching Arabic and Qur’an, Denmark follows in the footsteps of other Scandinavian countries like Sweden which has been teaching Islam for years in secondary schools.

In Finland and Norway, orientalists are assigned with the task of explaining Islam and Arab civilization to willing students.

Islam is Denmark's second largest religion after the Lutheran Protestant Church, which is actively followed by four-fifths of the country's population of 5.3 million.