Rep.-elect Rashida Tlaib Rashida Harbi TlaibAhead of swearing-in Dem lands at same airport where she arrived as a refugee Ocasio-Cortez, progressives express disappointment with climate panel Israel boycott fight roils Democrats in year-end spending debate MORE (D-Mich.), one of the first two Muslim congresswomen elected in the U.S., will be sworn in to Congress on Thursday using Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the Quran.
Jefferson’s copy of the Quran, which was translated by George Sale into English in 1734, currently resides in the Library of Congress, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Tlaib will join incoming freshman Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar Ilhan OmarAhead of swearing-in Dem lands at same airport where she arrived as a refugee Ocasio-Cortez poses with incoming female members of Congress Israel boycott fight roils Democrats in year-end spending debate MORE (D-Minn.) as Congress's first two elected Muslim congresswomen. Tlaib also will make history as the lower chamber's first Palestinian-American congresswoman.
“It’s important to me because a lot of Americans have this kind of feeling that Islam is somehow foreign to American history,” Tlaib told the Free Press. “Muslims were there at the beginning … Some of our Founding Fathers knew more about Islam than some members of Congress now.”
Tlaib told the paper that she is not using the Quran simply to make a religious point.
“My mere existence, that I’m even of Muslim faith, is going to be a problem for them with or without me swearing in on any Quran,” she said. “I believe in secular government [and] my swearing in on the Quran is about me showing that the American people are made up of diverse backgrounds and we all have love of justice and freedom.”
“My faith has centered me. The prophet Mohammed was always talking about freedom and justice,” she added.
There is no requirement for members being sworn in to use a Bible or any other book. The Quran has been used before for other representatives being sworn in.
Rep. Keith Ellison Keith Maurice EllisonWebb: Trump critics — look beyond the one-liners, focus on his actions Democrats must stand up for Israel Ilhan Omar calls her election to Congress a rejection of ‘religious bigotry’ MORE (D-Minn.) also used Jefferson’s copy of the Quran 12 years ago for his swearing in, the paper noted.
In an Instagram post last month, Tlaib said she would be wearing a traditional Palestinian gown when she is sworn in.
She will be using the Quran during the ceremonial swearing in at the Speaker's office.
Baron62 on January 3rd, 2019 at 16:54 UTC »
Never really understood why Christians swear on the Bible when the Bible itself commands them not to.
But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
James 5:12
TooShiftyForYou on January 3rd, 2019 at 16:21 UTC »
Here's Congressman Keith Ellison doing the same. We have religious freedoms in America. You can get sworn in on a comic book if you so choose.
DeathDealerSquadron on January 3rd, 2019 at 15:56 UTC »
That's going to trigger the evangelicals something fierce.