One of the most influential books in the history of literature, recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, the Qur'an is the supreme authority and living source of all Islamic teaching, the sacred text that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of Islam. Yet despite the growing interest in Islamic teachings and culture, there has never been a truly satisfactory English translation of the Qur'an, until now.
This superb new translation of the Qur'an 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. The translation is accurate and completely free from the archaisms, incoherence, and alien structures that mar existing translations. Thus, for the first time, English-speaking readers will have a text of the Qur'an which is easy to use and comprehensible. Furthermore, 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.
Clearly written and filled with helpful information and guidance, this brilliant translation of the Qur'an is the best available introduction to the faith of Moslems around the world.
The best available English translation of the Qur'an (Rating 5 of 5)
» Simply a reader
As a reader of the Qur'an in several languages, I have found this translation of the Qur'an to be an outstanding one and the best English translation available at this time for the common reader. I hope there will be future editions of this particular translation with the Arabic text side by side, and hopefully with commentaries on the finer vocabulary and grammatical aspects of the original Arabic in such a future bi-lingual edition. If you are considering reading a translation of the Qur'an in English, you absolutely need a copy of this translation before anything else. Thank you Mr. Abdel Haleem, and thank you Oxford University Press for a great printing job, although a hard-bound copy would be very nice to have too
great book (Rating 5 of 5)
» Kenneth D. Ward
It is just what I expect from Oxford press very well writen and a qulity product
Excellent (Rating 5 of 5)
» anonymous
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem has given us a superb, easy to read translation of the Holy Qur'an. Those who are new to Islam will be relieved to learn how well Haleem's introduction prepares the reader for the actual text. Without the intro, many readers would have a hard time making their way through the rest of the book.
Haleem's translation is replete with footnotes providing some much needed clarification on points of history and etymology. The notes are helpful without bogging the reader down in too much detail.
This is the translation to get if you are new to the Qur'an. I think, upon reading it, Westerners might feel a little more comfortable with this holy book than the one with which they are already acquainted. The Qur'an is 100x more readable than the Bible. Many people, I think, get discouraged when they look for spiritual sustenance in the Bible - very few people have read the book cover to cover. The Qur'an may have what a lot of people are looking for. Haleem's translation is easy to read and the Qur'an itself is an incredible source of spiritual sustenance. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Islam
The Qu'ran (Rating 5 of 5)
» Veronica Hill
This is an excellent translation of the Qu'ran. It is easy to read and comprehend. It explains about the previous messengers and makes clear the message that Muhammad brought to the world
An excellent translation (Rating 5 of 5)
» Clarence Larkin
The Qur'an can be daunting for those unfamiliar with its style, construction, and language. And truly no translation can convey either the poetic beauty of the original Arabic or the complex meanings embedded in the Arabic grammar. However, Haleem has succeeded in making a very comprehensible and flowing English translation.
The language is contemporary, eliminating the need to puzzle over awkwardly translated idioms or outdated English phrasing. For all its accessibility, Haleem does not skimp on poetics; the language moves easily and wonderfully, retaining some of the grace of the Arabic original. Moreover, concise footnotes regarding matters of context, translation, and grammar illuminate aspects of the text that might not be obvious to those unfamiliar with the Qur'an. The number and verse system also make it easy to find a given piece of the text, provided you know what you're looking for beforehand.
I would also recommend this as a companion to Arberry's The Koran Interpreted. Arberry's English, while not contemporary, is truly masterful, and his translations accurate. However, his translation lacks grammatical/contextual notes, and somewhat cryptic at times. A reading and understanding of Haleem's translation does much to clarify some of the cloudier bits of Arberry's translation, making it seem a fuller text
(Rating 5 of 5)
