“The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad instructs that any of you see a mistake. Let him change it with his hands if he is not able, then with his tongue if he is not, then with his heart,” said Biden. (Nov 8, 2020)

“A mistake” refers to a violation of religious precepts or blasphemy.

“Change it with his hands” refers to actually laying your hands on a person to “correct” them for a blasphemy against Islam.

Aside from the problem of state piety, the cultural appropriation of religious ideas without actually asking people of that religion what it means inflames those who are negatively affected by those quotations.

Biden is not the first to make this mistake; President Obama quoted a verse from the Qur’an referring to Allah telling his believers not to kill. In context, it comes immediately before the verse that says to crucify those who spread corruption (heresy).

It would be a whole lot better if the politicians of what is supposed to be the beacon to the world of secular governance would lay off quoting scriptures.