“The Quran”- Why is it the Best Translation of Quran

The Quran (Oxford World’s Classics)-Book Review

The Quran Oxford world’s classic is one of the best Quran translation in english and the best selling book of 2015. It is also the best english translation of Quran for non Muslims  as,itis written in a very very easy to Understand language .It has earned high reputation in a very short time.Let us see what makes it different from Other translations of Quran.

Get it at $6.47 from Amazon

Subject:

The Oxford Quran is the result of a seven-year effort by a University of London professor  Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem . It is written  in contemporary English.

Author:

 The Quran Oxford world’s classic is written by Muhammad A. S. Abdel Haleem

The author HM. A. S. Abdel Haleem is educated at al-Azhar, Cairo, and Cambridge Universities, he has taught Arabic and Islamic Studies at Cambridge and London Universities since 1966, including courses in advanced translation and the Qur’an. He is a Professor of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is also working on An Introduction to the Qur’an and English Translation London Qur’an Studies series.

How is “The Quran ” different from other translations:

It is the Best English translation of Quran

The English translation of the Quran by Professor Abdel Haleem is a unique work because its author is an Arabic  speaking Muslim who has been living in England since 1966.No other translator of the Holy Quran has such mastery of both languages.

This superb new translation of the Quran is written in contemporary language that remains faithful to the meaning and spirit of the original, making the text crystal clear while retaining all of this great work’s eloquence.

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It is the most accurate english translation of the quran

• The translation is accurate and completely free from the archaisms, incoherence, and alien structures that mar existing translations.
• Haleem includes notes that explain geographical, historical, and personal allusions as well as an index in which Qur’anic material is arranged into topics for easy reference. His introduction traces the history of the Qur’an, examines its structure and stylistic features, and considers issues related to militancy, intolerance, and the subjection of women.
• His rendering manifests originality which is lacking in many other translations.  Abdel Haleem‟s translation is in modern and plain English that flows nicely. Such language is easy to read and comprehend. He always opts for contemporary usage and sentence structure and avoids confusing phrases .His translation is an attempt to covey the timeless nature of the Qur‟an.
• He provides an excellent analysis of the context of certain verses and points out a fact that is still unknown to many scholars: that the terms Islam and Muslim in the Quran refer not to the reified constructs of later Islam but to devotion to God, and that as such, earlier prophets are described as Muslim.

It is the Quran in English without Arabic

The Abdel-Haleem translation comes without accompanying Arabic text. This can actually be a positive factor since it allows Muslims to take this version anywhere without having to worry about ritual protections for a sacred document that the Arabic version would mandate.

How Is  “The Quran Oxford world’s classic” different from Yusuf Ali’s Translation and Pickethall’s Translation,(Critical study by Dr Muhammad Sultan Shah)

Abdel Haleem has translated the Quran on the basis of his own understanding and has not relied on any previous translator. His rendering is entirely different from other translation at many places.

For instance, he translates verse16:67 as follows:

“From the fruits of date palms and grapes you take sweet juice and  wholesome provisions. There truly is a sign in this for people who use their reason.”

The translator has translated the word “sakar” as “sweet juice” ,elaborating in footnote that it means „wine‟, „juice‟, or „vinegar‟.While Other translator translated it as:

• Pickthall translated it as “strong drink” ;
• Abdullah Yusuf Ali as “wholesome drink” and
• Asad as “intoxicants”.

Abdel Haleem is very careful in translating word “ohilla” in verses

2:173 and 5:3.

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍۢ وَلَا عَادٍۢ فَلَآ إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌ ١٧٣

His translation of both these verses is as under:

“He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, pig‟s meat, and animals over which any name other than God has been invoked.

• Pickthall has translated the first part of verse 2:173 as follows: “He has forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swine flesh, and that which has been sanctified to (the name of) any other than Allah.”
• Abdul Majid Daryabadi translated it as follows: “He hath only forbidden unto you the carcass and blood and the flesh of swine, and that over which is invoked the name of other than Allah.”
• Sayyid Abul A„la Mawdudi‟s translation runs as: “Allah has only forbidden you to eat what dies of itself, and blood and swine flesh and what has been consecrated to any other name than Allah.”
• Abdullah Yusuf „Ali  and Muhammad Asad also failed to translate it accurately.

Among the English translators, Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Dr.Muhammad Muhsin Khan has translated correctly this verse as follows: “He has forbidden you only the Maytatah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a scrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)

Ref : Dr. Muhammd Sultan Shah’s critical study on “The Quran”

Inside the book “The Oxford Quran”:

• It starts with  a short history of the compilation of Quran
• The  introduction contains:- the life of Muhammad (peace and blessings  upon him) and the historical background of the surahs
• It talks about  the structure of the Quran: Suras and Ayas, Meccan and Medinan Suras
• There is an introduction in the beginning of each surah that gives a contextual sense to the reader before the study of that surah. He has summarised every surah without missing any important theme of it. His introduction opens with the information whether a surah is Makkan or Madinan. He has also told the period during which it was revealed. He has discussed the nomenclature of each surah pointing out the verse from which it derives its name
• There are various sub headings so the text is clear and concise.
• He has given a chronology of the Quran and selected bibliography.
• There are footnotes where there is extreme need of clarification or further explanation. In footnotes he refers to Arabic grammar and lexicography
• In the end there is an eighteen-page index that is helpful for researchers

What is the opinion of other buyers:

• Haleem’s work is a fine all-around volume, suitable for anyone approaching the Quran for the first time or continuing a deeper study of the book.
• This is one of the best translations of the Quran on the market today
• It is the easiest reading Qur’an I’ve seen yet but it does not take away from the impact of what it says. It really flows nicely and I find it reads so much more quickly than some others.
• The best translation of the Quran to date in terms of accuracy and reflecting the meaning of the Quran. Not as flowery as Yusuf Ali’s translation but vastly more accurate and easy to ready and understand.

Product Details:

• Series: Oxford World’s Classics
• Paperback: 502 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reissue edition (June 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• Price : Very cheap and affordable (in amazon you can get it starting from 6~8 $ only

When I first saw this book,it was like oh! an another translation of Quran. But when I read about it ,I have become a fan of this book.It stands out from all  translations and is quite different from Yusuf ali and Pickethall translation.If you have not read this Book, you must read it once. It is already a bestseller.

You can get this book : Here

If You are Looking for A Simple Quran with English translation Side by side You Can Read This :

The Qur’an: English translation and Parallel Arabic text.

Here is a sample Page of this book.The best Part of this translation is that It tells you the meaning in an easy to understand Paragraph format.Unlike Other translations which translate the Verses line by line.This is an interesting read.

And If you are searching for detailed Tafsir Al Quran in English and you are confused it ,Read the analysis of the writing format of different available Tafsirs .You can Check this : Review of Different Tafsirs of Quran 

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