
'Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful one who taught by the pen, who taught man what he did not know.'The Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the word of God, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago. It is the supreme authority in Islam and the living source of all Islamic teaching; it is a sacred text and a book of guidance, that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of theIslamic religion. It has been one of the most influential books in the history of literature. Recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, it has nevertheless remained difficult to understand in its English translations. This new translation is written in a contemporary idiom thatremains faithful to the original, making it easy to read while retaining its powers of eloquence. Archaisms and cryptic language are avoided, and the Arabic meaning preserved by respecting the context of the discourse. The message of the Qur'an was directly addressed to all people regardless ofclass, gender, or age, and this translation is equally accessible to everyone.
Publisher:
New York : Oxford University Press, 2004.
ISBN:
9780192805485
0192805487
0192805487
Characteristics:
xli, 464 pages :,map ;,21 cm.
Additional Contributors:



Opinion
From the critics

Community Activity

Comment
Add a CommentThis is the best translation into Modern English that I have seen of Islam's sacred, eternal, and unchangeable text. The introduction, while useful, skirts the question of WHEN the original was actually written down, trotting out the "traditional" ("it is claimed/believed that....") view that it was compiled within months of the death of Muhammad in 632 CE. There is at least a footnote, steering attentive, less credulous readers in the direction of modern, mainly German, attempts to enquire into the historicity of the Qur'an. Introductory notes to each Surah give some context, and footnotes elucidate this inconsistent, opaque, repetitive set of oral revelations further. A sketch map of Arabia is of limited utility, but better than nothing. The index is far from thorough, but is better than some translations with NO index.