Ricoldo, a 14th century Dominican monk, studied the Qur'an in Arabic before refuting it. In 1542, Martin Luther translated the Confutatio Alcorani from Latin into German. In 2002, Thomas Pfotenhauer translated Luther's German version of Ricoldo's book and added copious notes.
Ricoldo went to Baghdad in order to present the case for Christianity to the Muslim intellectuals. Overwhelmed and depressed by the task, he wrote the Confutatio to persuade those misled by the Qur'an to return to the true God. Martin Luther shared Ricoldo's desire to recover the straying. Luther asked, "How is one to proceed in an attempt at converting these Muslims?" If Muslims could not be converted, Luther at least wanted Ricoldo's book to guard Christians against the teachings of Muhammad.
In seventeen chapters, Ricoldo attacks the authenticity, accuracy, and ability of the Qur'an to reflect either the will or the gospel of God.
Pfotenhauer's notes balance some of the statements of Ricoldo and Luther with portions of the Qur'an and Hadith.
