Free Republic

Sebastian Faulks has moved quickly in an attempt to avert criticism over his comments about the Qur'an, which he was quoted describing as "just the rantings of a schizophrenic" with "no ethical dimension" in an interview with the Sunday Times yesterday. "While I believe the voice-hearing of many Old Testament prophets and of John the Baptist in the New might well raise psychiatric eyebrows today, it is absurd to suggest that the Prophet, who achieved so much in military and political – quite apart from religious – terms, can have suffered from any acute illness. Only a fully cogent and...

alling Koran the 'rantings of a schizophrenic' Sebastian Faulks, the best-selling author, has risked angering Muslims after claiming the Koran has "no ethical dimension" and dismissing the words of Muhammad as the "rantings of a schizophrenic". He said the Islamic holy scripture was a "one-dimensional book" that has little literary value, and added that when compared with the Bible its message seemed "barren". Faulks, who is known for his meticulous research, has recently read a translation of the Koran to help him write his latest novel, A Week in December, to be published in September.