An English Interpretation of the Holy Quran With Full Arabic Text

Rating:
Summary: Very helpful translation ....
Review: After the events of September 11th, 2001, I became very interested as a seminary student in learning as much as I could about Islam, since there seemed to be so many untrue rumours about it floating around after these tragic events. First on the list of items that I wanted to purchase was a Qu'ran, to go right to the primary source. I looked at many different traslations to see which would be the most helpful for me as I started to read this important work, and of all the ones I looked at, this one by A. Ali Yusuf was the best.

I cannot comment on the quality of the tranlsation per se because I do not speak Arabic, but I will say that the way this translation is laid out, with the English and Arabic right next to each other, makes for very relaxed and focused reading; just the visual asthetics of Arabic is breathtaking, and the English is organized and simple to work through. A reading plan at the beginning of the text explains the way in which the Qu'ran is usually read over time: a pronunciation guide is also available in front of the book.

Rating:
Summary: be an atheist
Review: Guys, can't we all just give up our religion? Or at least see it in perspective? Science has tought us so much. Religions have been cause of many wars and strife, and now chistianity is being feared in Muslim countries and Islam is being feared in Western countries.

We all already understand the reasons holy books and religions exist. I for one think there is no physical god, I try to create norms and values for myself the best I can.

Perhaps the best thing western society could do is to be able to make it official to be an atheist (if it's not already possible), this is a bit more modern approach. You could still read these books, but in perspective.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ FOR ANYONE
Review: I find the koran to be mixed with no sense of order, intolerable of other faiths, especially those of the Jewish and christian faiths. Im still having a hard time wondering how anyone could justify the meaning, or twist the meaning of the jihad being a personal struggle. The real meaning would be to make "holy war" on the infidels, and degrade woman into nothing more than sex objects. In short the koran is twisted, full contradictions.

Rating:
Summary: A Creative Reinterpretation
Review: In this translation, as evidenced from the quotes below, the author (yes, the author ... read on) has reinterpreted the Quran to suit Western values and sensibilities. Many passages which have been abhorrent to Westerners have been creatively rewritten - thus Yusuf Ali is not strictly speaking a translator, but a reinventor. This may make for a kinder, gentler faith for new believers, but raises the question: before the mid 1950's, was the translation wrong for 1400 years? Were Muslims of old simply terribly mistaken? Ali does not address this issue. And even with his efforts, we are left with fatalism, a God who is distant and the source of all good and evil, and strangely still very much like a 7th-century Arab male. The many internal contradictions still remain, including the obvious confusion which renders Aaron's sister and Jesus' mother as the same person.

Some interpretations are truly hard to believe, and even amusing, especially those dealing with spousal discipline, but the author is clearly struggling to reconcile his faith to modern times, and should be applauded for trying to obscure the passages which have been used throughout history to incite violence and hatred - although all that effort can be readily undone by simply going back to the Arabic. However, one should be wary of the lengths to which he sometimes goes to justify his interpretations; it would be a good idea to compare it with earlier, more accurate translations, and alongside an objective history of Islam (i.e. nothing written by Karen Armstrong).

Ali also glosses over the many grammatical errors in the original Arabic, which is a disappointment. Perhaps in a later edition this will be corrected.

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Summary: muslima
Review: Peace be upon you.

I would like to share with you my understanding that out of all the translations of the Qur'an into English, Yusuf Ali's is considered the best by not only muslims at large but also those who have very carefully studied the Qur'an (in Arabic of course), and have taught it for years and years. It is taught of being the most straight forward and clear one so far.

I've also read Asad's translation. He is a smart man, no doubt and in fact initially I was very impressed by his translation due to its intellectual approach. However, later I found that he makes certain mistakes regarding the aqida (the basic belief system) e.g., denying the existence of the jinn, and at times he seems to fit the translation of the words of God to the only way he understands them.

In any case, we should keep in mind that an unveiled access to the words of God is only possible by reading the Qur'an, and not its translation (i.e, by reading it in its original Arabic).

Peace be upon you.

Rating:
Summary: A Creative Reinterpretation
Review: The translation is excellent, and -- if you know a little Arabic -- the fact that the Arabic text is presented along with the English is very helpful. (If you doubt the translation, you can check the original Arabic, by yourself or with a teacher.)

Fortunately, the translation is so accurate that this type of checking is rarely or never needed. Instead, the book can be used to teach yourself Koranic Arabic.

Rating:
Summary: Great version
Review: What I mean is, this is not a study-Qur'an, with lots of useful but often distracting footnotes. I've read much more of this Qur'an, and read it more deeply, than the Tahrike Tarsile edition by the same translator, Yusuf Ali. I'll turn to that edition when I need something explained or clarified, but for pure reading and inspiration, I will read this volume.

A few comments on the physical book itself. It was printed and bound in Pakistan, the pages are thicker than the Tahrike Tarsile edition, which makes for easier reading, and the cover, while thin, is nicely embossed, and the pages are edged in a handsome blue-green-gold marblized design. There is no index in this edition, which might have helped when I wanted to look something up, but that's why I will turn to the Tahrike Tarsile edition.

Reading this English interpretation of the Qur'an along with the book Approaching the Qur'an gives me a new respect for this holy text, and now I know why you can't ever really translate it from Arabic to another language: the SOUND of the words themselves provides much meaning.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reading
Review: Yusuf Ali's translation of the holy Quran is well received andaccepted by all mainstream Muslims.

In 1997 Amana published a newversion of "The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an" by AbdullahYusuf Ali...

The new edition features Arabic Madinah script facingEnglish text in a newly compiled comprehensive index with revisedcommentary. It is easy to use and I strongly recommend it for allreaders, students, laymen, and scholars.