Average customer rating:
- Solid translation, lacking in style
- Is there an objective review of this book???
- Has its goods and bads
- a review of the reviews
- Qur'an Translation lays forth in plain English some of the shocking and provocative "revelations" God allegedly gave Mohammed!!!
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The Qur'an Translation
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ASIN: 1879402297 |
Book Description
This English translation of the Qur'an is a compilation of the Muslim faith's Final Revelation from God to mankind through the last Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon Him. The Qur'an has a wealth of information--both worldly wisdom and intellectual concepts--providing a code of life for humankind generally and Muslims in particular. Indeed, the Qur'an's miracle lies in its ability to offer something to non-believers and everything to believers. This edition is fully indexed.
Customer Reviews:
Solid translation, lacking in style.......2007-06-08
This translation of the Qur'an is marketed as a pure English translation without the Arabic or commentary by the translator - and it is exactly this. BUT, there were a few things about this book that I was unaware of when I bought it:
This translation by Yusuf Ali (a great translation by the way) was updated by someone other than him to fit "contemporary" language and style. That is, instead of "of Ye we asketh" it would say "we ask You." Also, it is not written in meter or "biblical" style, but rather in plain sentences like a novel. I feel that this takes away from the enjoyability of the text greatly.
Also, you may want to get a version with the Arabic side by side with the English. Technically, since God spoke to Muhammad in Arabic, to understand the true meaning of the Qur'an, you must know Arabic. It's good to have the "original" text in case you have a question so you can ask an Imam or scholarly Muslim who speaks Arabic and they can derive an answer from the true text rather than from the Anglicized version.
Is there an objective review of this book???.......2007-04-28
I frankly don't give a damned about anyones religious opinion. All I want to know is if the book is easy to read, clear in its content, reasonably accurate in its interpretation. and a good value. I will make up my own mind about what I believe and if I am wrong, then God and I will sort it out at my judgement.
Has its goods and bads.......2007-02-26
I set out to read the entire Koran but only finished one-third of it. At that point, most of what was being said was being said for at least the second time, and I really just wanted to get the gist of it. I think I did. I can see how it inspires terrorism, but I can also see how the Bible inspired the Inquisition, colonialism and the Ku Klux Klan. But I can ALSO see how both books inspire love and peace.
The Koran is just as beautiful AND ugly as all scriptures. You yourself can decide which parts are beautiful and which are ugly. Some parts will probably bring the entire thing down for you, but you'll find real truths in others. But you can say the same thing about a thousand other great literary works, even if they're by Shakespeare, Milton, Dante...
And just to say... One passage really stuck out. I wish I'd written it down. It said, basically, to live in peace with your neighbors(non-Muslims), but if they take your land, don't stop killing them until you get it back. I know they want Isreal, but I'd never heard their view put so simply. I hope I'm not misquoting it too badly!
Read it, if you're used to a demanding read. It's educational for being written from a non-Western point of view, it's poetic(my translation was, but it wasn't this one), and it's creating our history.
a review of the reviews.......2007-02-09
All I want to know is if the book in questiob is an accurate translation of the Koran (Quran, whatever). There is way too much arguing and posturing in these reviews about the Koran in general and not enough discussion about the individual translation itself.
Qur'an Translation lays forth in plain English some of the shocking and provocative "revelations" God allegedly gave Mohammed!!!.......2007-01-11
The Koran--or, the Qur'an (the recitation) as the Arabs call it--is believed by Muslims and diehard sheeple/believers to be the literal word of God as recited through Gabriel to Mohammed. However, the Koran--as demonstrated no better than in this post-911 world of incremented Muslim terrorism--has many, irreparable faults within, the chief one being that it's susceptible for the use of encouraging violence, brutality and terrorism!!!! There's a reason Osama is, sacrilegiously, a very popular name these days in the Muslim community and why the Muslim world in general scarcely protests against terrorism, or the extremists they claim only make up a "fraction" of their worshippers. The ordeal with Islam is that a larger-than-tolerable number of their practitioners believe that violence is essentially Islamic and Islamic terrorism is only religious terrorism and therefore true Islam. Aside from these already inexcusable sins of the Koran, there are also irrecoverable problems relating to misuse of science, inconsistency, historical inaccuracy and a failure of providing context for verses.
Because of all these flaws within the Koran, it's hazardously susceptible to misinterpretation by Islamic fascists and terrorists, something the Christian Bible, as an example, obviously isn't. That's why Christianity hasn't produced any extremists or fanatics who use the name of their God to kill, murder, dictate, terrorize, or otherwise harm other human beings.
The most infernal predicament with the Koran, not just extremist Islam, is that some of its own verses glorify and preach violence (leading to terrorism). One of the most infamous verses in the Koran appears to shamelessly endorse brutality, (2:194):
"The Sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)."
This provocative verse glaringly endorses a revenge culture which, of course, dominates the minds of the Islamic terrorists who hate the West. The same sura where the above verse is featured also endorses that fighting for Allah isn't optional (2:216). Other verses implicating Islam as the opposite of the "religion of peace" include verse 4:95--which says that those who fight please Allah more than those who don't--and verse 9:19-20--which says that those who take up arms for Islam rank highest among believers!!!! The call to terrorism and violence in Koranic verses is by no means limited to these; these are just a couple of examples.
Another direly distressing feature of the Koran is its moral backsliding as practiced by Mohammed, which is a moral relapse based on the moral traditions of Judaism and Christianity and also just basic conscience. For instance, the Koran unabashedly and explicitly encourages supposedly "light" beatings to disobedient wives, with even Islamic scholars generally agreeing on this interpretation of verse 4:34. For the Muslim apologists in obstinate denial over Mohammed's endorsement of domestic violence and spousal abuse, the verse goes henceforth:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For God is Most High, great (above you all)."
By this staggeringly disquieting verse, we can see that amoral backsliding is advocated in the Koran; Judaism and Christianity have no such call to battery.
Other irremediably terminal dilemmas with Islam concern the intractable punishment of death for apostasy, the rejection of Islam by a believer; the stoning-to-death of adulterers, particularly women; the advocation of cutting off the hands of thieves; the death penalty for homosexuals; and permitting/advocating slavery. Islam has no defense against the charge it condones slavery since the "best" Islamo-apologists like John Esposito and Yusuf Ali do is admit Islam permits slavery, but also the "good treatment" of slaves!!!!
Aside from these morally distasteful encroachments by the Koran, it's also infected with historical irregularities versus what the Bible contains, but the arrogant Muslim believers justify this by denouncing the Bible as being blurred by human interference, which presumes the perfection of the Qoran. The science misused in the Koran is also unpardonable--confirming its primitive sickness--as some verses literally bait the reader into thinking the Earth is flat and that the moon gives off light instead of reflecting sunlight!
With all these irretrievably baneful ordeals in the Koran, it's no wonder that former jihadists like Walid Shoebat have had to RENOUNCE Islam and convert to Christianity to leave terrorism behind!!!! With all this putridness in the Koran, no hardline Muslim could become moderate!!!!
Book Description
This is a new 11th edition of the best-seller translation of the Meaning of The Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, published by Amana Publications.
Customer Reviews:
My Favorite English Translation.......2007-08-23
I have read several translations of the Quran, and this is by far my
favorite. It is written beautifully and the commentaries are very
helpful. I highly recommend this version.
Good translation but is it Yusuf Ali?.......2007-07-21
This is a pretty good translation (transliteration) well put together and a little easier to read than that of Pickthall and includes an exellent comentary to the text which I have to say, is prtty important as the Quran is a difficult book to read.
My only problem is that just how much of this transliteration and comentary is that of Yusuf Ali and how much of it has been revised, changed, altered etc...... Recent editions have been published in Saudi Arabia or with Saudi money with the title 'Revised edition' would be interesting to read the original.
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THESE CUSTOMER "REVIEWS".......2007-07-05
I have plowed through almost 60 of the (at this time) 69 "reviews" of this translation. SAVE YOURSELF THE TROUBLE!
Amazon.com sometimes lets the "customer review" section become nothing more than a chat room for a bunch screeching polemicists who give no indication of having read the book being reviewed and who certainly give no useful information about it. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS.
Continue only if your taste for screed, invective, and (yes) threats of physical violence is high.
If you wanted a review, this is NOT the place.
I came here because the paperback edition of this same translation was reviewed by one person as being inferior in print quality. If it is so, nobody here seems to care.
I suggest that you read the reviews at The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary
The best Koran for somebody learning Arabic.......2007-02-16
The Arabic script is big enough to actually read! The choice of script is also good, in that it is not overy ornate and very much like that used in popular books for learning Arabic. There is also some interesting commentary that does not seem over the top.
Error In Quran?.......2006-10-09
S18 v86 when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."
This is to the error in quran ...................its is simple if you go to any beach and observed the sun you will see it setting in water(appearance) so it says in Quran that HE Zul-qarnain! found it set in a spring of murky water, it has nothing to do with creator and there is no mistake.
The Quran talks about Zul-qarnain not the shape of earth.
Read the Quran and find out shape of earth,creation of humans,plants,animals much much more. the Quran says there is not a quation that it can't answer if you have difficulty ask a muslim to help
There are more than 1000 verses in Quran dealing with science. challenge to any one to prove them wrong with proven scientific facts not assumptions
Other scriptures I could write a book, Atheism refer to the Quran you will find what, the term God means.
Book Description
A fresh look at Muhammad Asad's classic English translation and explanation of the Qur'an is offered in this redesigned and updated edition of his work. A new typeset and index is complimented with a prologue by the distinguished British Muslim Gai Eaton and original artwork by internationally renowned artist and scholar Dr. Ahmed Moustafa. Asad's translation is widely considered to be the foremost in conveying the meaning and sensibility of the original Arabic text, making this edition a must-have for English readers with a budding interest in Islamic studies and veteran scholars alike.
Download Description
The Message of the Quran is one of the most respected translations and commentaries of the Quran in existence in any language. The commentary is drawn from classical Islamic sources and contains in depth linguistic and historical information. Muhammad Asad was born in Austria in 1900 as Leopold Weiss and went on to become one of the foremost Muslim intellectuals of the 20th Century, as well as Pakistan's first ambassador to the UN.
Customer Reviews:
Unsurpassed English Interpretation.......2007-06-18
Just a short review as others have expressed better than I the unsurpassed job of interpretation of the Holy Qur'an into English which Asad was able to achieve - his interpretation and footnotes are far, far better than any before.
The layout of the book is also a gift to those who are learning Qur'anic Arabic: with English, Arabic, and a transliteration on one page (along with the all-enompassing guide to pronouncing the transliteration) Asad has provided a powerful tool to those who are students of Arabic.
A wonderful, wonderful work. The best interpretation of the Holy Qur'an in English that I've read, and a book of beauty printed on fine paper and with exceptional typography. This should be the standard text for all English speaking Muslims as well as any English speaking person desiring to raed the Qur'an in the very best interpretation.
My only complaint, and the reason I 'deducted' a star, is that the book with its fine heavy paper does not have a proper heavy-duty binding. After 2 or 3 weeks I had to have my copy re-bound as the cover began to tear off and the signatures began to break the stitching. I would hope that in subsequent editions the publishers would provide a better binding so that this text would not unravel after a short period of heavy use,
This is the best translation of the Quran in English.......2007-04-24
Of the translations I've read (Yusuf Ali, Dawood, Dr. Mohsin, Pickthall), this one by far contains most insight into the meaning of the Quran, command of both langauges (Arabic and English), ease of understanding, and authenticity of commentary (much of it is supported by classical commentators). While the Quran is impossible to truly translate, this is the best you'll find in English.
It's also interesting to note that the dude spent 6 years living with the Arab Bedouins, you can't get a more authentic Classical Arabic than that! He also knew Aramaic (the predecessor to Arabic) and Hebrew (a sister of Aramaic), which facilitated the creation of this translation (it took him 17 meticulous years).
An incredible translation and work of art!.......2007-03-05
Determined to find out the truth about Islam myself rather than rely on other people's impressions, I decided to read the Quran for myself. Over the last 2 years or so, I bought and tried about 3 different translations. I tried several times to get through the Quran, but found it difficult to wade through. I have read the entire Bible in the past, in the NASB translation, so I am not used to having trouble reading religious texts. I still needed to read the Quran, though. I found a website that discussed different translations, and the one by Muhammad Asad got good marks. So I decided to order a copy. I was not disappointed. The translation itself is wonderful - very readable and so much clearer to my American ears. Not only is the actual English translation of the Arabic excellent, but each page also contains Muhammad Asad's very learned and helpful commentary. I am grateful for this. In addition, the book itself - the physical book and its pages - is a work of art. I don't say this lightly - The book is filled with gorgeous calligraphy throughout. The pages are not thin onion skin like so many bibles - the paper is heavy and has a gloss which really shows off the art work and renders the text (the original Arabic, the English translation, and even the transliteration which is provided to help you sound out the Arabic should you so desire) crystal clear. This edition also contains essays and basic instruction on the Arabic system of writing. There is also an attached ribbon to keep your place. This edition is pure class - full of beauty both visual and textual. Definitely worth the cover price - especially if you are a native speaker of English trying to read the Quran for the first time. Also: this edition is promoted by CAIR, so I trust its orthodoxy.
The Message of the Quran by Muhamad Asad.......2007-03-02
Beautiful translation and explaination.
Use of classical commentators of the Quran was very helpful.
Clarifies many misunderstood concepts of the Quran.
I read and re-read again and again.
I do find this 'Message of the Quran' refreshing.
The best translation for non-Arabic readers.......2006-11-06
If you're sincerely after an understanding of the Qu'ran, either learn Arabic and read it (translations are not technically "The Qu'ran"), or buy this book! Like many of the translators of the Qu'ran, Asad was not born into the religion and was not a native speaker, but unlike the rest, he spent many years living among the Bedouin who are the only ones still speaking the Arabic in which the Qu'ran was written down. Modern Arabic is taught in schools and spoken by millions, but many of the words in the Qu'ran have fallen out of common usage, so even the best of scholars may almost be forgiven for not always getting it quite right. But in translatin the Qu'ran, it HAS to be right. The multiple meanings of the original words of the Qu'ran make faulty translations and confusion altogether too prevalent for Western readers. Asad was born a Polish Jew who discovered Islam and spent most of his life researching Qu'ranic language. He became a highly respected scholar, even in the Islamic world. He was a close friend of King Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud), a confidant of the Indian poet Iqbal, and was appointed to represent Pakistan to the United Nations after India's partition. His translation and abundant footnotes are invaluable to anyone who is really looking to penetrate this 1400 year-old text. The Prologue by the English Islamic scholar Charles Le Gai Eaton is fascinating, the footnotes are a joy to read and extremely helpful in understanding the nuances of the words and context in which the verses were brought forth, and the book itself, with its gorgeous insertions of calligraphic art, is beautiful to look at. In many footnotes, Asad compares his own translations to that of Pickthall and several other translators and explains his choices and leaves the decision to the reader to accept or reject them. I never enjoyed reading introductions or footnotes until I got Asad's book. It's not exactly portable, since the original Arabic, as well as transliterations are presented along with the English, but it's worth its weight in gold. If you're trying to get an idea of what the Qu'ran is all about, this is the one for you.
Amazon.com
Geraldine Brooks spent two years as a Middle East news correspondent, covering the death of Khomeini and the like. She also learned a lot about what it's like for Islamic women today. Brooks' book is exceedingly well-done--she knows her Islamic lore and traces the origins of today's practices back to Mohammed's time. Personable and very readable, Brooks takes us through the women's back door entrance of the Middle East for an unusual and provocative view.
Customer Reviews:
Love this book.......2007-10-09
Everyone woman in the USA should read this book to understand how very lucky we are. The book was written well before 9/11 and I think I finally understand what was in the mind of the terroist.
a masterpiece of journalism and good writing.......2007-09-13
The author conveys immense respect, honour, and friendship towards her subject, and towards the individuals she writes about. Very fine journalism, one has to admire the courage and hard work it took for her to put this book together.
It was an enjoyable and informative read. It saddens me to learn of those who may not simply be trapped by a literal veil, but who are trapped in such entrenched cultural dogma that they would come to accept or even welcome abuse and suppression as a norm, and who would even fight against efforts to have freedom. I see this sort of phenomenon also in those who have grown up in an abusive home, who come to expect mistreatment as a norm.
The reason that the average rating for this book is not "5 stars" is naturally because of the various extremely low ratings, which are entirely predictable given the subject matter here. I would invite the reader to take a look at those reviews, which are for the most part fundamentalist rantings; it will make them easy to dismiss.
A Window into Women in Islam.......2007-04-03
When I picked up this book, I could not put it down. Everything about this book fasinated me: the connections to ancient Islamic hadith, the lives of specific women, and the overlying comparisions on treatment of women in the Middle East. One by one, Brooks takes issues she encountered while living there and address each on its own. She laces individual stories with greater events and observations, trying not to make judgments - until the end. Then she sets forth with a fury and I can't help but admire the way in which she puts forth her arguments.
The book was clearly written for a Western audience unfamiliar with most Islamic traditions and that happened to work out nicely for me as I just happened to be that kind of audience. This book was not meant for people very familiar with Islam and the Middle East, if you are and plan to read this book, I would suggest patience as Brooks explains many things you might already know.
The biggest flaw is the structure of the book, which seems to jump around alot and isn't bound by a central theme or string (other than Islamic women, of course). Each chapter stands on its own and address a different topic, which makes it nice to read, but negates the impact of the conclusion. The other problem is one of age. The book was written over ten years ago and most of the interviews took place during the late 80s, early 90s. This impacts the discussion of nations in the book, especially for Afghanistan and Iraq (of course). However, I did not find it that distracting as most of the book discusses the women and their every day life.
In all, I would recommend this book, especially to people interested in Women's Studies or the Middle East. It's light reading and fasinating, so anyone interested in those topics should get around to reading it sooner or later.
Balanced Account Of Life Among Women In The Muslim World.......2007-04-02
I have read many books related to Islam and this is one of the best. Many writers approach Islam with a political axe to grind, either intentionally seeking to defame the entire Muslim world or serving as apologist's for the religion's tendencies towards misogyny and violence.
But Brooks, in contrast, comes across as an open minded journalist attemping to report honestly on her experinces living and working in the Middle East for six years. Yes, she's a Western secular feminist and she makes no secret of that being her personal perspective. But still she strives to maintain her journalistic objectivity and report on the wide range of differing opinions among Muslim women themselves. For instance, she describes her conversations with Muslim women that prefer to stay veiled as well as her talks with Muslim women that see veiling as oppressive and confining. She doesn't offer a blanket condemnation of the women who prefer to be veiled. But instead explains the cultural and religious basis for veiling while articulating her own liberal Western perspective that finds it to be a disturbing practice. She doesn't pull any punches in explaining some of the worst excesses of Middle Eastern Islamic culture, such as the Saudi Arabian father who murdered his own daughter for not being a virgin on her wedding night. But she also recognizes that early Islam, at least while under Muhammad's leadership, generally improved the status of women in the Arab world.
Still Brooks makes it clear that it isn't so much what a religion claims to believe in but rather the real life actions of it's followers that truly matters. Islam has some admirable beliefs, such as its emphasis on helping the poor and needy. But still it's indisputable, at least from my liberal Western perspective, that women in the Muslim world are far too often treated as second class citizens and Brooks does a fine job of articulating this as well as many other aspects of life for women in the Middle East. Highly recommended!
Islamic gender politics through the eyes of a secular feminist........2007-02-20
As its subtitle suggests, Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist Geraldine Brooks' (Year of Wonders; March) fascinating study, NINE PARTS OF DESIRE, reveals the "hidden world" of Islamic Women. Having spent six years covering the Middle East for the Wall Street Journal, and two years living in the Middle East as a news correspondent, Brooks (a secular feminist) immersed herself in Islamic culture, studied the Koran, and interviewed both fundamentalist and feminist women to reach a well-informed understanding of the often confusing and seemingly incomprehensible Islamic practices that have disempowered women from Mohammed to the present. In her examination of Islamic gender politics, Brooks not only explores why Islamic women are prohibited from wearing any clothing that would arouse desire in men and why they are prohibited from praying aloud in public, but why they submit to such practices. This book will provide readers with an informed understanding of Islamic practices relating to women.
G. Merritt
Book Description
Containing the full Arabic text of the Qur'an, an accompanying English translation, and extensive commentary, this is a compilation of the Muslim faith's Final Revelation from God to mankind through the last Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon Him. The Qur'an has a wealth of information--both worldly wisdom and intellectual concepts--providing a code of life for humankind generally and Muslims in particular. Indeed, the Qur'an's miracle lies in its ability to offer something to non-believers and everything to believers. This elegantly-packaged edition includes a ribbon marker and is fully indexed.
Customer Reviews:
To Understand Islam, One Must Read the Qur'an.......2007-10-01
This is a beautiful book, containing the full text of the Qur'an, in Arabic, a full translation in English, as well as commentary in English.
I purchased this translation of the Qur'an, that I might read "The Truth About Muhammad" by Robert Spencer, with greater facility. According to Spencer, "Qu'ranic verse numeration is not standard." To be able to lookup the verses mentioned by Spencer, one must have a copy of one the translations which he used as a reference. This translation of the Qur'an is one referenced by Spencer.
better understanding.......2007-09-30
I reverted to Islam about a year and a half ago and a friend who is also an American Muslim recommended this translation to me. I had been reading from a different translation ("Al-Qur'an: A Contemporary Translation by Ahmed Ali"). Although I found that translation sufficent, this translation helped me gain a better and more thorough understanding because of the depth and detail of the commentary on each Surah. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read Qur'an in English.
excellent translation.......2007-09-16
The translator Yusaf Ali did a wonderful job with the translation, and the commentary was a great help. The commentary provided much needed reasoning behind the scripture, and laid it out wonderfully for all to understand.
Thanks again,
Ronnie Hustead
Reviewing the quality of this edition, not the Quran itself........2007-06-02
I bought this edition some months ago from Amazon.com and for most purposes it is a fine edition however it has many printing errors and typographical errors. letters left out (for example 'lood' where 'blood' is obviously intended). The paper is rather thin, so you see the printing on the backing page when you are reading, this can be distracting.
It is well bound, and the print quality is good. On the whole it is a good production but the publishers need to do a much better job of proof-reading before they go to the presses.
The Qur'an: Text, Translation & Commentary.......2007-05-13
Don't know enough about this item to rate it. But according to other reviews, it said to be the best.
Book Description
every endeavour has been made and steps have been taken, as far as humanly possible, to avoid any error in this Holy Quran. In spite of this, there is the likelihood of errors, havig inadvertently been overlooked, to err is human
Customer Reviews:
Almost Perfect........2007-05-13
Anyone with an interest in understanding true Islam, but unable to read Arabic, should try this book. The English translations come very close to the original Arabic text, and are presented side by side. If you are considering conversion to Islam or merely interested in learning more about this often maligned, yet fascinating and increasing important religion, this is an excellent resource. My only disappointment was that the beautiful Arabic calligraphy that so richly adorns the original Quran is not present. On the upside, also not present is the media hype and propaganda that so often, in recent years, tries to blacken the eye of Islam. It is Islam in its true form, read it and decide for yourself what this worldwide religion is all about. I would recommend this to any reader of any faith.
A Must read.......2007-02-03
I read the book, front to back. I'm perplexed as how muslims can claim to be peace loving, non-violent, non-male domineering, while within the text of the book there are specific "commands" to the contrary. The writings itself are very contridictory. "scripture" here does NOT interpret scripture.
I would recommend every non-muslim read this book, to see for themselves what it contains. Compare it to The Bible, the Torah, then come to your own conclusions.
Some Verses in the "Holy" Koran regarding the "Religion of Peace" are really provocative and will be abused by extremists!!!!!!!.......2007-01-16
The Koran--or, the Qur'an (the recitation) as the Arabs call it--is believed by Muslims and diehard sheeple/believers to be the literal word of God as recited through Gabriel to Mohammed. However, the Koran--as demonstrated no better than in this post-911 world of incremented Muslim terrorism--has many, irreparable faults within, the chief one being that it's susceptible for the use of encouraging violence, brutality and terrorism!!!! There's a reason Osama is, sacrilegiously, a very popular name these days in the Muslim community and why the Muslim world in general scarcely protests against terrorism, or the extremists they claim only make up a "fraction" of their worshippers. The ordeal with Islam is that a larger-than-tolerable number of their practitioners believe that violence is essentially Islamic and Islamic terrorism is only religious terrorism and therefore true Islam. Aside from these already inexcusable sins of the Koran, there are also irrecoverable problems relating to misuse of science, inconsistency, historical inaccuracy and a failure of providing context for verses.
Because of all these flaws within the Koran, it's hazardously susceptible to misinterpretation by Islamic fascists and terrorists, something the Christian Bible, as an example, obviously isn't. That's why Christianity hasn't produced any extremists or fanatics who use the name of their God to kill, murder, dictate, terrorize, or otherwise harm other human beings.
The most infernal predicament with the Koran, not just extremist Islam, is that some of its own verses glorify and preach violence (leading to terrorism). One of the most infamous verses in the Koran appears to shamelessly endorse brutality, (2:194):
"The Sacred month for the sacred month and all sacred things are (under the law of) retaliation; whoever then acts aggressively against you, inflict injury on him according to the injury he has inflicted on you and be careful (of your duty) to Allah and know that Allah is with those who guard (against evil)."
This provocative verse glaringly endorses a revenge culture which, of course, dominates the minds of the Islamic terrorists who hate the West. The same sura where the above verse is featured also endorses that fighting for Allah isn't optional (2:216). Other verses implicating Islam as the opposite of the "religion of peace" include verse 4:95--which says that those who fight please Allah more than those who don't--and verse 9:19-20--which says that those who take up arms for Islam rank highest among believers!!!! The call to terrorism and violence in Koranic verses is by no means limited to these; these are just a couple of examples.
Another direly distressing feature of the Koran is its moral backsliding as practiced by Mohammed, which is a moral relapse based on the moral traditions of Judaism and Christianity and also just basic conscience. For instance, the Koran unabashedly and explicitly encourages supposedly "light" beatings to disobedient wives, with even Islamic scholars generally agreeing on this interpretation of verse 4:34. For the Muslim apologists in obstinate denial over Mohammed's endorsement of domestic violence and spousal abuse, the verse goes henceforth:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard. As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For God is Most High, great (above you all)."
By this staggeringly disquieting verse, we can see that amoral backsliding is advocated in the Koran; Judaism and Christianity have no such call to battery.
Other irremediably terminal dilemmas with Islam concern the intractable punishment of death for apostasy, the rejection of Islam by a believer; the stoning-to-death of adulterers, particularly women; the advocation of cutting off the hands of thieves; the death penalty for homosexuals; and permitting/advocating slavery. Islam has no defense against the charge it condones slavery since the "best" Islamo-apologists like John Esposito and Yusuf Ali do is admit Islam permits slavery, but also the "good treatment" of slaves!!!!
Aside from these morally distasteful encroachments by the Koran, it's also infected with historical irregularities versus what the Bible contains, but the arrogant Muslim believers justify this by denouncing the Bible as being blurred by human interference, which presumes the perfection of the Qoran. The science misused in the Koran is also unpardonable--confirming its primitive sickness--as some verses literally bait the reader into thinking the Earth is flat and that the moon gives off light instead of reflecting sunlight!
With all these irretrievably baneful ordeals in the Koran, it's no wonder that former jihadists like Walid Shoebat have had to RENOUNCE Islam and convert to Christianity to leave terrorism behind!!!! With all this putridness in the Koran, no hardline Muslim could become moderate!!!!
First time reader.......2006-11-09
This is the first time I have read the Holy Quran. I find that this is an
excellent copy and easy to read. It was beautifully bound and makes a very attractive addition to my collection of books.
I would encourage anyone interested in learning about the Quran to purchase and read this. If everyone would open their minds to reading about our different cultures and religions we would all have a better understanding of each other.
Peace be among you!
Good translation.......2006-07-16
I am no authority on Quran translations, but was told by a Christian who has spent his life ministering to Muslims and studying Islam that this is the best English translation out there. Many translations put the Quran into Western-acceptable terms; this version does not. If you want to read what Arabs read, this is probably the closest you will get.
Book Description
'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 the Islamic 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 that remains 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 of class, gender, or age, and this translation is equally accessible to everyone.
Customer Reviews:
The best English version of the Qur'an.......2007-02-22
No other translation of the Qur'an is as accurate, elegant, or readable. Behind this translation, I would choose the Yusuf Ali translation, although the language style is archaic in that it imitates the King James Bible; this makes it rather tough to read through, although it is still pretty accurate and beautiful. This translation, however, is far superior, in my opinion. The notes and introduction are both extremely helpful, although it is not as complete as a full commentary would be. Before I read this translation, I had a strong contempt for Islam and its teachings. But after reading Haleem's English rendition of the religious text, I have developed an understanding and even a respect for Islam that I had not before. I highly recommend this translation to all English speakers who wish to learn about the Qur'an.
Best translation ever.......2006-11-04
Most readable, easy flowing accurate to the largest possible extent. I unse it all the time. Highly recommended.
Good translation of the Q'uran.......2006-10-23
With relations between the West and the Islamic world worsening rapidly, a better understanding of Islam and its roots is badly needed in the West.
One major barrier between understanding Islamic culture is the key sacred text, the Q'uran, has been little studied in the West, and until recently, good translations were unavailable. Many Qurans were translated into the same sort of english as the King James Bible, and not a glint of the Quran's revevered poetic beauty was reflected in such translations.
Thankfully, better translations in modern English are being made by leading Islamic scholars who have a more sensitive ear to the poetry of the Quran, as well as a better understanding of the influence and appeal this text has for believing Muslims.
Like all great works of literature, especially a poetic one like the Quran, its power and beauty can only be appreciated in its original language. This is why Muslims often say the Quran is untranslateable, but when one hears a verse of the Quran being sung aloud with a little knowledge of Arabic, the beauty (while unfortunately not fully understandable) does start to become apparent.
But, even in translation, when read carefully the Quran still has great beauty from a literary viewpoint. The most beautiful part of the Quran in my view is the 'Light' surah, which compares God to a light whose glory fills the entire cosmos. This surah has been a favourite with Sufis, Islamic theologians like Al-Ghazzali, and also Muslim philosophers as well.
While the Quran does contain descriptions of violence and its style is often difficult to read for the Westerner, it is important to study this work with patience and try and see it as an organic whole rather than a fragmented jumble of poems. It is in this sense the deep underlying unity of the Quran and its theology (which reflects the unity of Allah, the divinity in Islam) becomes apparent, especially in the names of God.
A good knowledge of this religious classic is becoming indispensible in a world where Islam is becoming more important to understand from a global perspective.
Good all around.......2006-08-17
I own multiple translations of the Qur'an, including those by N.J. Dawood, J.M. Rodwell, A. Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Asad, and Thomas Cleary. Each has its strong and weak points (for example: Dawood's is clear and readable, but heavily edited and incomplete). This translation strikes a fine balance in terms of both the translated text and the features accompanying it.
Abdel Haleem's translation is, even more than N.J. Dawood's, a preservation of the thunder and power of the original. His work is full of startling immediacy. A large reason for this effect is the language Haleem employs in his translation. Unlike other translations that seek to place the Qur'an in a King James idiom (Rodwell, Ali, Pickthall), Haleem opts for more contemporary usage and sentence structure. This means that, in some part, the poetic feel of the original Arabic is lost. However, as a useful work for study of the text, Haleem's translation is easily accessible.
He provides short introductions for each surah containing information on where that surah was revealed along with key background information on its content. Discreet notes throughout guide the reader through difficult historical allusions and religious concepts.
Haleem also provides a comprehensive introduction that covers the basics: what Islam is and what the Qur'an is, but also finds time to discuss Islamic-Christian relations in the Qur'an and the line of English translations leading up to Haleem's. The introduction also tackles contemporary issues of interpretation, such as the infamous 'Verse of the Sword,' demonstrating how these issues can be resolved in translations.
Haleem's work is a fine all-around volume, suitable for anyone approaching the Qur'an for the first time or continuing a deeper study of the book.
Mindset makes all the difference.......2006-05-09
In response to the person who claims that there was a mistake in the Qur'an: you are bending God's words to fit your own close minded point of view. God did not say that the Sun did set in a pond, but rather, that is how the man (Alexander the Great) saw it. If you read the Qur'an without the intent of finding faults in it, you would not find any; that's because there are none! However, tests of faith such as these are set up throughout the book so that if you do try to find fault in them, you will.
However, if you start the book from a neutral standpoint, and read from other sources from BOTH viewpoints, you will find that there are only flaws in the arguments of those who don't believe the Qur'an. Their views are based up on biased subjects such as how women should be treated, where the arguments for the Qur'an are compromised very largely of facts. The Qur'an is a book of signs, so if you take the time to look for them there is no doubt you will change your views for the better.
Book Description
Few books in history have been as poorly understood as the Qur’an. Sent down in a series of revelations to the Prophet Muhammad, the Qur’an is the unmediated word of Allah, a ritual, political, and legal authority, an ethical and spiritual guide, and a literary masterpiece. In this book, one of the launch titles in Atlantic Monthly Press’ “Books That Changed the World” series, the distinguished historian of religion Bruce Lawrence shows precisely how the Qur’an is Islam. He describes the origins of the faith and assesses its tremendous influence on today’s societies and politics. Above all, Lawrence emphasizes that the Qur’an is a sacred book of signs that has no single message. It is a book that demands interpretation and one that can be properly understood only through its history. Bruce Lawrence’s work is a beautifully written and, in these increasingly troubled times, invaluable introduction to and exploration of the core sacred text of Islam.
Customer Reviews:
Very disappointing.......2007-09-30
Non-Muslim readers - and some Muslims also - may be put off by the simplistically written first two chapters dealing with the life of Muhammad, in which no distinction is made between facts which have been generally accepted and legends. But we learn from this and the following chapter on Aisha, the Prophet's favourite wife, how many verses of the Qur'an refer very specifically to personal dilemmas in which Muhammad found himself at various times of his life.
While the text of the Qur'an is immutable, it has to be interpreted. After the first four chapters, the book describes some of these interpretations, which are of course controversial. So the Shi'ite Ja'afar as-Sadiq (702 to 765) claimed that certain verses of the Qur'an allegorically referred to the Shi'ite imams and to the obligation to follow them - a claim hotly denied by Sunnis like Abu Ja'far at-Tabari (ca.839 to ca. 923), whose work is described in the following chapter. Lawrence often refers to the Qur'an as `the Book of Signs'. Both Sadiq and Tabari had distinguished between Clear and Ambiguous Signs in the Qur'an: Clear Signs are those `whose meaning the reader, with the proper background, can readily decipher'; Ambiguous Signs are those difficult passages of which `God alone knows the interpretation', and which invite imagination and intuition for their interpretation by those few who have access to the Qur'an's esoteric meanings. But whereas the Shi'ites had declared almost a quarter of the Qur'an to consist of Ambiguous Signs, giving them considerable flexibility in innovative interpretation, Tabari restricted the Ambiguous Signs to only a few passages, which did not include those which the Shi'ites had interpreted as referring to their Imams.
Then there is the mystical experience of the Qur'an such as that acquired by the Sufi masters like Muhyiddin ibn Arabi (1165 to 1240) and expressed in his magnum opus, `The Meccan Openings', or by Rumi (1207 to 1273) in his Mathnawi, 27,000 couplets of meditation on the Qur'an.
Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817 to 1898), living in the Raj, thought that Sadiq and Tabari had been preoccupied with what in the 19th century, when science seemed to challenge religion, struck him as secondary problems. Instead of distinguishing between Clear and Ambiguous Signs, Sayyid Khan distinguished between verses that were essential and those that were symbolic. As a believing Muslim, he regarded as essential the verses describing God as omnipotent and as Creator, and the revelation of the Qur'an to Muhammad. He took as symbolic those passages in the Qur'an (like, for example, the Night Journey) which in their literal sense conflicted with science, and he felt free to dismiss hadiths and earlier commentators on the Qur'an as historically but not divinely conditioned. As a modern man, he also laid stress on those verses in the Qur'an which had been ignored in practice by Muslims in the past, such as those condemning slavery and injustice to women (such as he saw also in polygamy, since he thought it impossible for a husband to treat all his wives equally as the Qur'an enjoined.)
There is a chapter on Osama bin Laden, whose interpretation of the Qur'an is well known: he focusses entirely on the most violent verses (`slay the idolators wherever you find them' - 9:5) to proclaim militant jihad as the obligation for Muslims second only to the commandment to believe in Allah; and, especially since Americans and Zionists have dominated Muslim lands, he sees jihad as essentially defensive.
In the last chapter Lawrence shows how the physical imbibing of Quranic verses dissolved in water is used by professional healers, with instructions how the use them available on a Sufi internet site from Indonesia.
I have found this book very disappointing and ultimately not very informative. Professor Lawrence is fervently in praise of the Qur'an, and apparently convinced that it was in fact revealed by God to Muhammad. Nothing wrong with that in itself, though a non-Muslim reader looking for a `biography' of the Qur'an would prefer a rather more detached account. In any case we have here an extremely limited `biography'. It deals only with what devout Muslims have seen in the Qur'an. And even in this narrow respect, where there have been the conflicting interpretations Lawrence does mention (as, for example, between Sadiq and Tabari) there is remarkably little detail in these admittedly very short chapters. There should surely have been very much more about Sunnis and Shi'ites. And although the book is about the Qur'an and not about the hadiths and the sira, the opening chapters in particular do not make this distinction. Then, one cannot imagine a `biography' of the Bible, for example, without taking Biblical Criticism into account. The equivalent of this does exist in Quranic studies, but there is no reference to it in this book. There is, for example, nothing on recent scholarship, even if controversial, on what the sources of the Qur'an may have been, or on the suggestion by John Wansborough that in its present form it was committed to writing not ca. 650 but about 150 years later; and he questioned whether it actually consists entirely of the revelations claimed by Muhammad. Also I would have expected from a `biography' to have learnt something more about the diffusion of the Qur'an, first in calligraphic and then later in printed form. That is obviously not the book Professor Lawrence wanted to write.
A good introduction........2007-07-26
This is a very simple attempt to explain the Qur'an. I personally don't think it should have been called a biography, for it isn't. However, the book is very well written and easy to read, and will introduce the reader, whether Muslim or not, to how Muslims have used and interpreted the Qur'an throughout the centuries.
The first chapters are on Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his followers, his wars, and on one of his youngest wives, A'isha. These chapters will introduce the reader to how and why the Qur'an descended to the people of the world. The rest of the chapters are about how Muslims have used and interpreted the Qur'an.
I did enjoy the chapter on the use of the Qur'an for healing. According to the author, Muslims have used the Qur'an to heal themselves from diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Qur'anic verses have also been used to adorn murals such as in the Mosque of the Dome and the Taj Mahal, and the author does a great job explaining their history.
The author points out that not all Islamic scholars or Imams interpreted the Qur'an in the same way. This caused branches in Islam, among which are the Sunnis, Shiites, Sufis, Wahabis, Dancing Dervishes, and Nation of Islam, to name just a few. The author goes through some of these branches of Islam and he does a great job explaining their origins.
I did also enjoy the chapter on jihad, a subject captivating the minds of everyone after 9/11. Some Muslim scholars view Jihad as a means of fighting your enemies (e.g. Osama Binladen), while other scholars view Jihad as a spiritual struggle within oneself.
The author talks about prominent Muslim figures from the United States, India, and Pakistan, and about their differing views on how one should approach the Qur'an. Those chapters were fascinating.
Overall, this is an excellent book for both Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
What About...?.......2007-06-26
This is more a question than a review. If you do not brook independent thought, skip what I have to say. It will offend you.
This book is typical studies type fare that has been coming from US professors who "study" other countries and cultures, regions outside the United States of America. Unlike similar professors elsewhere in the world, I began noticing in the early 1970s that in USA to be a professor of Asian, Arab, Russian studies was to be a defender of these people and a cultural snob to the American people.
Lawrence is no exception. His book de facto "promotes" Islam & Muslims. A controlling theme of his book is how much we misunderstand Islam, muslims and in effect Arabs. I have seen much of the world. I could not find the foreign American Studies professors who write to their people how misunderstood are the Americans. What gives? Perhaps American professors are an American elite part of the Oligarchy that dominates today?
Beware the professors who insist what we read and see is not what is truly there or written. Clergy elites used claims to special comprehension to the invisible as horsewhips to ride dominant over people; Professors are elites who use invisible claims to supreme comprehension of all things material and invisible to horsewhip us.
Excellent "biography" of the Qur'an.......2007-04-12
Bruce Lawrence provides a "biography" of the Qur'an that is well designed to introduce the significance of the Qur'an before one attempts to wrestle with the text itself. Lawrence is a serious scholar of Islam and Sufism who here has found a way to simplify that does not oversimplify and is therefore extremely useful for those new to the study of Islam and also others with much more familiarity to get fresh perspective. It is well worth reading by a fairly broad range of readers, Muslim and non-Muslim.
After two chapters on Prophet Muhammad and one on A'isha (the `favorite' wife of his later days in Medina after a long monogamous marriage to Khadija), chapters are about the Qur'an and its interpretation, introducing issues in simple and effective terms via those who have written about and been inspired by the Qur'an.. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Taj Mahal have extensive quotations carved into them, one emphasizing the oneness of God and the other the character and image of Paradise.
Others chapters introduce writings and inspiration for the likes of Sayyid Ahmad Khan and Iqbal in India, Ibn Arabi the mystic and philosopher, and still others. In this way one begins to see "life story" -- the role of traditional interpretation, the critical importance of in depth study to understand, as well as the place of "science" and inspiration. One Another chapter discusses Osama bin Laden's warped use of the Qur'an - so very like the selective quotations to portray Islam by its detractors. Of course detractors and bin Laden "feed" off each other.
This well written "biography" is about interpretations and many important people moved by the Qur'an.
(There are other books in the series - major books of Plato, Darwin, Marx, Thomas Paine - and more to come. The first reviewer missed the point of the series and yet still enjoyed this book.)
The Qur'an..........2007-04-11
I bought this book, hoping to learn more of the Qur'an. While I did learn and did enjoy the book, I felt as though it covered more of the history after the Qur'an. Specifically how different people interpret the Qur'an. I wanted to dig into the Qur'an more I guess.
Dan
Book Description
This collection of classical essays, some translated here for the first time, provide an objective, critical commentary on the traditions and language of the Koran, discussing its grammatical and logical discontinuities, its Syriac and Hebrew foreign vocabulary, and its possible Christian, Coptic, and Qumranic sources. Included among these essays are a comprehensive commentary on the discussion of the expression 'an yadin in Sura II; a discussion of the possible meanings of Sura IX.29, the longest sura in the Koran; and selections from the late Koranic scholar Richard Gell's INTRODUCTION TO THE QUR'AN and A COMMENTARY ON THE QUR'AN.
Customer Reviews:
the koran really is garbage and he says it like it is!.......2007-09-20
The koran is the most violent, disgusting pieces of garbage ever written by lunatics who were child molesters, caravan raiders, murderers and bandits. Islam, is a fanatical, cult-like belief that doesn't allow anyone to convert out and yet forces people in. Ibn Warraq, like myself, a former muslim, sheds excellent light, as usual, on the truth behind this demonic, cult-like evil ideology known as islam, not through his own opinion as these islamic lunatics will claim, but by the word of the koran itself. It is predictable taht the average mohammedan will sink into rage simply because mohammedans, being largely ignorant and uneducated, cannot stand having their ideology exposed through the very tenets fo their faith, which most don't even know how to translate into their native language. As predicted, muslim lunatics jumped on the opportunity to bash him and insult, which is what muslims always do since they are ignorant.
The truth of the matter is that the vast majority of muslims learn the koran's tenets by heart, as was also the custom in my familly before they left islam too. After reading and understanding that islam advocates murder, racism, genocide and war for an arabian moon god, many like myself and Ibn warraq leave islam. One thing the reader must appreciate aobut the author in general and in particular this work, is that he is trutuful, scholarly, honest and not critical for the sake of denouncing a violent cult.
He uses the koran ITSELF and tenets from it in order to expose its fallacy and violence, and correctly talks of the experience of millions of Persians, Turks, Indians and others who were made into obedient puppets, forced to accept an arabian cult withough really understanding the principles of hate towards other beliefs and the constant advocacy of war and strife against other communities. The review of lunatic, spiteful ignorant mohammedans on this book pretty much exposes their stupidity and ignorance, as Ibn warraq so eloquently does without resorting to name calling and hate as the mohammedans usually do. Ibn Warraq's extensive knowledge of the koran and its tenets, along with its meaning, make him an excellent authority on islam today as when he first published "why I am not a muslim".
Not at all scholarly.......2007-07-25
Herbert Berg has labelled him as polemical and inconsistent in his writing.[5] Fred Donner, a professor in Near Eastern studies, notes Ibn Warraq's lack of specialist training in Arabic studies, citing "inconsistent handling of Arabic materials," and unoriginal arguments. Donner also criticizes Ibn Warraq for what he describes as "heavy-handed favoritism" and "the compiler's [Ibn Warraq] agenda, which is not scholarship, but anti-Islamic polemic." -Wikipedia
This book is not at all interesting. It uses recycled material from other polemics. Not only that, his arguments have a weak base and are simply not at all scholarly. Taking a look at this other books, its no secret that Ibn Warraq is not in search of anything other than having people come to his side.
Since ibn warraq has an "inconsistent handling of Arabic materials," how can we accept this book as sound, seeing how the Quran is in Arabic?
weakly constructed arguments.......2007-07-18
I am not impressed... I was looking for something that was comprehensive in its argument and found this to be rather malicious and agenda-driven. If his arguments are indeed true in regards to Islam, intolerance, and jihad, then historically we must have lived in another world because applying these principles, as stated by the author, by the Muslims when they ruled the civilized world for 100s of years would have resulted in a much different world, not one where the European enlightenment got its spark and source of knowledge from.
I'm an American Muslim, Hamid Rasool, and here's what the Koran says:.......2007-06-14
I converted to Islam in Islamabad on 9/24/2000 and I have carefully read the Koran (King Fahd edition) twice, taking notes of the contents. The heart of the Koran is to enjoin the good and forbid the bad and to have faith. The Koran says, over and over, that these three things are required of an obedient Muslim (Islam means simply submission to the Will of God):
1. To show God that you love him, you must be constantly on the lookout for opportunities to do good deeds for your fellow man. The best good deeds are those that only God himself knows that you did. These deeds will help add weight to your storehouse above referred to as your "treasures in heaven" in the bible. The Koran says that one angel records each human's good deeds and another one records the person's bad deeds. The extensive record of the good and bad actions of the person will be examined on the last day of the existing systems to determine whether the person qualifies to enter into the renewed Garden of Eden where there will be no sickness or death, and where old people will become young, and waters will flow under the garden watering each living thing as necessary.
2. To show proper fear of God, you must avoid doing the acts which he has prohibited, such as illegal sexual intercourse, stealing, murder, etc. as per most religions, and most of all, not worshipping anything other than God himself; and
3. You must have strong faith in the munificence of God. This means you truly believe He is a good God with plans for good things in the future for his obedient ones such as mentioned in #1 above.
Read the Koran yourself and you will see this is the substance of the Koran.
Critique of 'What the Koran Really Says'.......2007-05-07
Tedious, academic, rarely really says what the Koran really says, just history of translation difficulties allowing much room for 'alternate' interpretation cop-out. More than a little disappointing, but scholarly veneer.
Book Description
The Holy Qur,an was the revealation given to Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) from Allah (God)by way of the Angel Gabriel (S.R.A.) approx. 1400 A.D.
Customer Reviews:
Holy Quor"an.......2007-05-08
This is the best translation into
English Holy Quor'an in my opinion. I bought this as a gift for a friend of mine.
Excellent Translation of a Death-Cult's Unholy Writs!.......2007-04-03
This is an excellent translation of the "unholy" book of the death-cult commonly known as "Islam". In this book, you'll learn that: Jews are pigs; infidels should be beheaded; a woman's testimony in court is worth 1/4 of a man's testimony; jihad (struggle) against the infidels is mandatory, until the infidels all are either killed or converted; and much, much more!
Recommended!
If only all versions of the Qur'an were this beautiful.......2006-04-22
I will preface this note by referring to the other comments here about how well researched this translation is and mention that probably about 900 of the 1300 pages of this volume are the translator's detailed explanations of exactly why he translated things the way he did. You'll see in other reviews as well that not only Ahmadis (the author was one of the immediately followers of the founder of the Ahmadi movement) but many others consider this to be without doubt the best translation of the Qur'an into English.
All I can say is I wish the world would read and understand the Qur'an as translated here. I am not a Muslim but a long-time student of early Christianity, and I came to read this Qur'an in an effort to try to understand the increasing number of comments by many Western scholars in recent years that, of all the world's present religions, that which probably represents Jesus' actual teachings is Islam. I can now see why they say this. Islam, as embodied in this translation of the Qur'an, is nothing short of a noble, highly ethical, and peaceful religion.
In case these comments should be seen as "Christian-bashing," I should mention that not only are Ahmadis, from whose ranks Maulana Muhammad Ali came, generally not recognized as Muslims by the bulk of Muslims, but they are even outlawed and actively persecuted in some Muslim areas. And yet, even mainstream Muslims seem to agree that this is the best translation!
In our presently very troubled world, if the scholars are correct that indeed the actual teachings of Jesus are most similar to at least Qur'anic Islam, as revealed in Maulana Muhammad Ali's translation, it would appear that Jesus' teachings are equally misunderstood by a very large number of both Christians and Muslims.
read quran.......2006-02-10
Slave of Allah, the bigot islamophob. Your tactic is akin to when the KKK was scaring white People about Blacks moving next to them and marrying their daughters, You and Mustafa are the same. But your plan is weak .
You can read the Quran and see that Allah wants people of all different races to know each other and cooperate with each other. You on the other hand, with your racist and xenophobic attitude will not succeed in your plan.
I got a copy of the koran and tried to read it...........2006-01-16
Could someone help me? I tried reading the Koran...but I could not understand it? Who is the prophet talking to? Who is speaking at times?...it it Mohammed or Allah? There are terms and expressions that I do not understand AT ALL!! Where is the organization to this book? I tried to read it logically but there seems to be no order in the material translated here?
Is there a book that explains the Koran? I have never read a book so hard to follow or understand before in my life...what is trying to be said here?
I find it amazing that people are willing to kill and maim over this text...it has no clear message to mankind.
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- The Sacred Tree
- The Secret Power of Speaking God's Word (Meyer, Joyce)
- The Sparrow
- The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
- The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire: Harnessing the Infinite Power of Coincidence
- The Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ: or How to Philosophize with a Hammer (Penguin Classics)
- The Upanishads
- The Way of a Pilgrim
- The Yoga Deck: 50 Poses & Meditations for Body, Mind, & Spirit
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