Pinocchio, Heidi Get Islamic Makeover in Turkish Books By Scott Rank Religion News Service ISTANBUL - The latest victim in the rising tensions between the West and the Islamic world didn't want to become an international symbol for the clash of civilizations; in fact, Pinocchio's only wish was to become a real boy. Book publishers in Turkey, reacting to controversy that arose over inclusion of such titles in the Turkish government's recommended reading list for schoolchildren, have reprinted several of the classics with Islamic elements inserted into the storylines. In "Pinocchio," when the wooden puppet arrives at the end of his quest, he exclaims to his maker, Geppetto, "Thanks be to Allah, I am a real boy!" Earlier in the book he says, "If Allah wills it, please give me some bread." In Alexander Dumas' "The Three Musketeers," as D'Artagnan is en route to Aramis' house, he is told on the street that he can't visit his friend because Aramis was in the company of religious men since he had converted to Islam following the recovery from his illness. When Johanna Spyri's "Heidi" asks if there is a benefit to prayer, she is told that praying to Allah is comforting. Turkish Minister of Education Huseyin Celik blasted the publishers of the Islamicized books, threatening them with a lawsuit since the publishers put the Ministry of Education's logo on their books without government approval. "If you like Heidi, then write your own `Heidi.' Don't work to Islamicize her," he said in the Turkish newspaper Radikal. Celik said the government only approved the book titles, not the altered versions printed by the publishing companies. While proponents of the books argue that "Allah" is simply a translation for "God," others say the word is used specifically with an Islamic connotation. Turkish columnist Ismet Berkan said publishers had a religious motivation because "Allah" was a special title only employed by Muslims, and not even Arabic-speaking Christians use it in their traditions.