Here is what phpmyadmin says I should do ...
$sql = 'SELECT `id` FROM `jos_modules` WHERE `module` = \ 'mod_quickicon\' LIMIT 0, 30 ';
	
for this....
	$query = "SELECT id"
	. "\n FROM #__modules"
	. "\n WHERE module = 'mod_quickicon'"
	;



I don't know what this line below does.

	$database->setQuery( $query );
	$id = $database->loadResult();