Why It Is Forbidden To Read The Deviated Books?

Question: When Islam is the religion of knowledge why does it forbid reading deviated books?
Answer: Without any doubt Islam is the religion of learning and knowledge and it encourages people to acquire and spread knowledge. The progress of a person or society depends upon acquisition of knowledge but side by side Islam pays attention to the basic point that just as there are dangerous factors of materialism in society e.g. to protect from it, it is necessary; in the same way to protect the mind and spirit from factors of going astray is also necessary.
In today's culture people are free, to accept any belief or view with the only condition that it should not be against the material principles of the society. This is not so in Islam. Islam wants that such a society, which comes into existence, should progress spiritually and ethically. This aim will not be realized unless and until it fights against the factors against ethics and spirituality, and that it should not have effects on the lives of the people.
By paying attention to this basic point, we come to know that those books which are strayed and which spoil right thinking, faith and healthy ethics have been banned. If all the people are given the freedom to read these types of books what is the guarantee that their thinking and ethics would be safe?
We should not underestimate propaganda and the power of propagation. There are many youths who after reading strayed books, and novels based on love, sex and crime have fallen in the pit of bad manners and unethical practices.
That is why Islam has not permitted publishing of strayed books freely so that all can read them. Although Islam encourages knowledge and its acquisition, it has not forbidden those people who have the ability to differentiate between right and wrong with the help of their powerful intelligence.
Islam has not banned the learned people from reading these books but it is wajib for the scholarly and learned people so that they can understand the logic of those people and then refute them. By acquainting themselves with the ways of propagation and logic of the enemies and they can find appropriate ways to rebut them.
There were many discussions in the history of Islam between the religious leaders and followers of other faiths. The author of Ihtejaj Tabarsi[30] and many other authors have collected such types of discussions in books. This is itself an example that Islam has not banned the strayed books for the learned people and has not opposed knowledge. The religious leaders have always answered this type of faith not by killing those who follow that faith but by logic and free discussion.
Notes:
[30] Ahmad ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib's writing who died approximately in 550 Hijri. This book was published many times and shows one aspect of knowledge of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Why The Holy Qur’an Cannot Be Given To Any Non-Muslim?
Question: Our heavenly book, Qur’an is a spiritual guide and mentor to different kinds of people and human societies. To achieve this purpose it is essential that it should accessible to all the people of the world (irrespective of their faith), so that he can benefit from its teachings and move on the path of truth and sincerity. But we find in Islamic Jurisprudence that Qur’an cannot be given as a present to non-Muslims nor it can be given into his custody.
Answer: When the purpose of giving the Holy Qur’an in the possession of the non-Muslim is to guide him and make him aware of Islam and convey its message to him and make him attached to it, and if this purpose cannot be achieved by its translations, then in this situation there is no prohibition in giving the Holy Qur’an to a non-Muslim, but if no purpose is in view then it is prohibited, because the greatest witness of righteousness of Islam and everlasting miracle of the Prophet of Islam is the Holy Qur’an, which is shining on the peak of the times in the form of a living document and to get benefit from it there is one way that it should be printed in a nice way and should be distributed in the whole world, so that people seeking the truth, may acquire knowledge of Islam in the light of its verses. This itself is witness on the verses of Qur’an that this is put in front of the people of all times and everywhere in the world and invites mankind to ponder and study it.
The Holy Qur’an commands the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that in the middle of war also if a non-Muslim tends to listen to the words of Allah (the Holy Qur’an) then it is a must for the Prophet that he permits him to come among the Muslims and listen to the words of Allah and if he tends to go back, he should be allowed to go to his former position.[31]
To the extent it is necessary for every Muslim that he protects the honor of the Holy Qur’an, and whenever there is apprehension that a non-Muslim may act or do something regarding the Holy Qur’an, which can be termed as insulting, in such a situation we should not give him the Book of Allah.
And if he had the Book with him beforehand, then by whatever possible means it should be recovered from him. When Muslim Jurists say that Qur’an cannot be entrusted to non-Muslim their opinion is based apparently on this kind of situation and not in the situation when guidance of a non-Muslim is intended.
In short the Holy Qur’an should remain away from the reach of polluted hands, with this exception when there is likelihood of their guidance it can be presented to them.
Notes:
[31] Surah Tawbahh 9:6