Jefferson acquired the Quran in 1765 CE while still a young law student, over a decade before the American Revolution. His choice of George Sale's translation—an edition that included extensive commentary and a lengthy preface defending the scholarly study of Islam (see note 1)—reflects the Enlightenment-era approach to comparative religion, legal pluralism, and the philosophical underpinnings of governance. The Alcoran remained in Jefferson's library throughout his life and gained renewed public attention when it was used in 2007 CE by Congressman Keith Ellison during his ceremonial oath of office. Today, the copy is preserved in the Library of Congress as both a historical artifact and a symbol of religious inclusion in the American political tradition.

Today, Thomas Jefferson's Quran is preserved in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress. The copy is housed in a climate-controlled environment and is not generally available for public handling. Digitized versions of the volumes are accessible through the Library's online catalogue, and high-resolution images have been used in both academic and public education contexts. The volumes occasionally appear in curated exhibitions related to the Founding Fathers, the Enlightenment, or the history of Islam in America.

circa 1734 CE

The copy in question is George Sale's The Koran: Commonly Called the Alcoran of Mohammed, printed in two volumes by C. Ackers for J. Wilcox in London, 1734 CE. The translation is preceded by Sale's substantial preface and his explanatory notes, intended to aid English readers in understanding Islamic scripture within a historical and theological framework. Jefferson's set is bound in contemporary leather and shows no extensive marginalia or annotations. It bears his initials (inspect) at the bottom of pages. The two-volume copy of the Alcoran included a number of gatefolds or foldout pages that contained additional information, including maps, illustrations and etchings of the Masjid al-Haram (inspect).

It was part of his personal library, later sold to the United States Congress in 1815 CE following the burning of the Capitol Library by British forces during the War of 1812 CE. The volumes are now housed in the Library of Congress, where they are preserved under controlled archival conditions.

circa 1734 CE

Jefferson purchased this Quran in 1765 CE, at the age of 22, while studying law in Williamsburg, Virginia. Although the ledger entry is known for the purchase, there is no surviving documentation of his motives (see note 2) for the purchase, and the acquisition fits within his broader intellectual project of comparative religious study. Jefferson's library included not only Christian texts but also writings on Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. His choice of George Sale's translation—then regarded as the most scholarly English edition available—suggests that his interest went beyond curiosity, aligning instead with Enlightenment ideals of empirical investigation and legal anthropology. The Quran may have served as a reference in Jefferson's exploration of natural law, ethics, and governance across civilizations.

circa 2000 CE

The most prominent resurgence of interest in Jefferson's Quran occurred in 2007, when Congressman Keith Ellison—the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress—used the Quran from Jefferson's personal library during his ceremonial swearing-in. The act prompted both criticism and acclaim, igniting debate over national identity, religious tolerance, and historical precedent. In that moment, Jefferson's personal copy of the Quran became a symbol of the pluralistic ideals inscribed into the American experiment, illustrating how Enlightenment curiosity could be reframed as a foundation for multicultural civic life.

Since then, the Quran has featured in numerous exhibitions, articles, and public discussions as a touchstone for America's complex and often contested relationship with Islam.