Madonna has been studying the Quran.

The 'Like a Prayer' singer - who practices Kabbalah, a form of Judaism - is keen to stretch her knowledge of various religious texts as it will benefit her charitable endeavours, such as providing education to underprivileged children across the globe, and has now begun reading the Islamic scripture.

She told Harper's Bazaar magazine: ''I am building schools for girls in Islamic countries and studying the Quran. I think it is important to study all the holy books.''

The 55-year-old pop star, whose full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, was raised in a strict Roman Catholic household, but it is believed she took an interest in Kabbalah in 1998 and began learning about the faith - which is considered a form of mysticism - at the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles.

The blonde beauty often faces backlash for her practice of the Kabbalah and has been accused of using the religion to add to her celebrity status.

However, the singer remains unfazed by the uproar caused by her interest.

She explained: ''You would think that studying the mystical interpretation of the Old Testament and trying to understand the secrets of the universe was a harmless thing to do. I wasn't hurting anybody; just going to class, taking notes in my spiral notebook, contemplating my future. I was actually trying to become a better person.''