[Maceman]

The dress code for Muslim women is derived from the holy book, the Quran.

So the holiness of the Quran is a fact, is it? Not "what Muslims call the holy book," not "the Muslim holy book" -- just "the holy book." No qualifier needed.

AP won't call the Islamic terrorists "terrorists" because that designation is a matter of opinion. But they have no problem reporting that the Quran is the holy book as if that assertion were an undeniable truth of the universe.

I'll look forward to an AP article that refers in the same manner to the Bible as the holy book.

[Bob]

So the holiness of the Quran is a fact, is it? Not "what Muslims call the holy book," not "the Muslim holy book" -- just "the holy book." No qualifier needed.

We should probably consider ourselves lucky that the next sentence wasn't:

The so-called "Bible" has no such provisions.

[Aarchaeus]

"I'll look forward to an AP article that refers in the same manner to the Bible as the holy book."

They can't do that. It terrifies their demon-masters too much.

[sweneop]

i think they say 'the holy book' because some people might not immediately know what the quran is?

its probably actually more indicative of the acceptance of the bible in the society in which ap is based that they might just say 'the bible'.