HOUSTON -- The distribution of Qurans in a southwest Houston neighborhood has some residents worried about the motives of the group who dispersed the Islamic book.An English translation of the Quran began appearing two weeks ago on the doorsteps of hundred of homes in the BraesTimbers neighborhood. The books came in plastic bags with a note attached from the ‘Book of Signs Foundation’ asking recipients to accept the Quran as a gift from the Muslim community.
But some residents, like Greg and Sue Ann Pieri, said they feared the group is imposing its beliefs on non-Muslims and found the gesture offensive. “If we went into a Muslim country and left a bible, we would be in prison and then decapitated a few years later,” said Sue Ann Pieri, who chose not to destroy the book like other neighbors did.
However, Houston's Council on American-Islamic Relations President Tarick Hussein said although his organization did not partake in distributing the books, he believes that the Muslims behind the distribution only wanted to educate non-Muslims about the religion.
The Book of Signs Foundation claims to have distributed 30,000 Qurans in Houston, targeting neighborhoods believed to be most receptive of the Quran or in need of a better understanding of Islam.