except that they are mentioned in later bibliographical compilations. (1)

The next stage in the development of European Qur’ânic studies was related with the Reformation Movement. In launching it Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) aimed not really to reform Christianity as such but to do away with the claims and pretensions of the Pope of Rome, raising the slogan: "Prove it from the Scriptures." Luther was equally alive to the danger of his movement developing into one for dismantling Christianity and paving the way for the spread of Islam in Europe. Hence he undertook, on the one hand, to translate the Bible into German in order to make it accessible to his people and, on the other, to find fault with Islam and to publish Peter the Venerable’s "Refutation of Islam" together with the Latin Translation of the Qur’ân made at his instance. In this task, Luther was assisted and encouraged by Theodor Bibliander (1504 - 1564), a Swiss orientalist. Luther himself wrote an introduction to this Latin translation and it was published, together with Luther’s introduction and Peter the Venerable’s "Refutation", by Bibliander from Basel and Zürich between 1543 and 1550. Through his speeches also Luther made his followers aware of the "evil" of Islam, comparing Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) with the Pope as "slaves of Satan and enemies of Christ". (2) Conscious of the force and appeal of Islam, however, Luther warned himself as well as his fellow Christians as follows: "The abominable Muhammad almost became my Prophet, and both the Turks and Jews were on the way to sainthood ... So take my advice, do not celebrate too soon. Watch out that your skill does not desert you. Be concerned, be humble, and pray that you may grow in this art and be protected against the crafty Devil." (3)