Translations of the Quran

The Quran is divine in origin. The way Classical Arabic of the 7th century (as used by the Quraysh tribe of Makkah) has been employed in the Quran is unique. As the values and principles described in the Quran embrace all aspects of human existence - physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual - the Quran uses sublime, semi-poetical language to transcend the limitation of words, in places introducing its own semantics. 

Too many translators of the Quran fail to grasp the idioms and expressions used in 7th century Makkah and produce literal translations which make little sense, the original meaning and beauty of the Quran lost in the translation. Apart from outright distortion this allows emphases and nuances to creep into the translation which were not in the original. It is said that the Quran is untranslatable: the best you can do is to present an interpretation with as much honesty as you can muster.

Then there are the dishonest translations where Islam-hating "orientalists" deliberately set out to misrepresent the Message of the Quran. A translation widely used by Islamophobes is by N.J. Dawood, a Jew, published by Penguin. In their book "Distorted Imagination", Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies describe N.J. Dawood's translation as "one of the most inaccurate, misleading and distorted versions on the market (and the preferred choice of Salman Rushdie)".

Authentic renditions of the Quran

The Quran severely rebukes the priest class. Having read translations of the Quran by various so-called doctors of religion, I can see why. An authentic interpretation of the Quran will be free of contradictions and it will appeal to one's common sense and sense of justice. I have found the following three renditions, by men with wide experience of life, of immense help in acquiring an understanding of the Quran:

1. The Message of the Quran by Muhammad Asad

2. The Quran As It Explains Itself by Dr Shabbir Ahmed (the Urdu version is  قرآن خود اپنی نظر میں )

It can be read or downloaded from the free library, here

3. Mafhoom-ul-Quran by G A Parwaiz  (in Urdu) مفہوم القرآن 

(an English translation, "Exposition of the Holy Quran" is also available)

Tailpiece (added 26/02/2017)

Islam derives naturally from the Quran. An introduction to Islam can be read here

Who or what is DAJJAL?

Most Muslims are aware of a hadith/hadees, a narration attributed to Messenger Muhammad, Rehmatul-lil-aalameen, which speaks of a one-eyed phenomenon emerging from the earth in the future. Blind in one eye, Dajjal would have mysterious powers which would enable it to hear and see all that is going on in the world, amass treasures of silver and gold and control nature, causing rain to fall and plants to grow, and have powers of life and death. People with weak faith would prostrate themselves before it but those with strong faith would see through this deception.

An excellent explanation of this hadith was given by Muhammad Asad in his book "The Road to Mecca". I am reproducing it here, in Asad's own words. You may find this explanation useful when faced with a zealous Muslim who insists on taking the story literally, completely missing its figurative meaning, "the parable of modern material civilization" [matter = earth].

Muhammad Asad speaking to an Arab sheikh: 

"Dajjal is one-eyed: that is, it looks upon only one side of life - material progress - and is unaware of its spiritual side. With the help of its technical marvels it enables man to see and hear far beyond his natural ability, and to cover endless distances at an inconceivable speed. Its scientific knowledge causes 'rain to fall and plants to grow' and uncovers unsuspected treasures from beneath the ground. Its medicine brings life to those who seem to have been doomed to death, while its wars and scientific horrors destroy life. And its material advancement is so powerful and so glittering that the weak in faith are coming to believe that it is a godhead in its own right. But those who have remained conscious of their Creator clearly recognise that to worship the Dajjal means to deny God."

The sheikh replied to Muhammad Asad, excitedly striking his knee:

"Thou art right, O Muhammad, thou art right! It has never occurred to me to look upon the Dajjal prophecy in this light. But thou art right! Instead of realising that man's advancement and the progress of science is a bounty from our Lord, more and more people in their folly are beginning to think that it is an end in itself and fit to be worshipped."