Customer Reviews

The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary (English and Arabic Edition)

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I ordered this Koran translation for a gift, but it turned out that the quality of the printing was very disappointing. I wish Amazon would give better attention to the printing quality of books offered. I already have Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation of the Holy Koran, but from a different publisher. For this particular translation of the Koran, I personally recommend the one published by Saba Islamic Media, or by Amana Corporation. Apart from the printing quality, I strongly recommend this translation of the Holy Koran (by Abdullah Yusuf Ali) for English-speaking moslems or non-moslems who'd like to know more about Islam.

The size of type (2 or 3pt) used in this book makes it very very difficult to read. I purchased the book because it appears to be an excellent work. Perhaps it is, but the print size is most difficult to see and I, regretfully, had to return the purchase.

First off, I'd like to get started by quoting from Caesar Farah's book, "Islam". On page 103
he says that Abdullah Yusif Ali's translations, though widely used, is not authorized by the
Umma, nor is it endorsed by any major and/or creditable Islamic institution. It's not
because it is a translation, since, Shakir, Arberry, Pickthal, Dawood, Fakhry, etc. have all
done translations that are accepted by the Umma (Fakhry's is endorsed by the Al-Azhar
University), but, rather, because it's a bad translation of the text. Yusif Ali's version is a
rouge translations with no credibility outside of Ali's words.

Aside from the fact that his mistranslates things to hide and cover up mistakes in the
Qur'an such as in Sura 4:12 when he translates the Arabic word for "Children" as "child"
to avoid the overdraft of a husband dying with a wife, two daughters, a mother, and a
father and it adding up to 27/24 of the available estate (every other translator translates it

"children" and an Arab mathmatician in the 9th century wrote a book trying to figure it
out and then ultimately gave up in confusion). Ali also thinks Zul-qarnain, or, "The Two
Horned One" in Sura 18:89-98 is Alexander the Great. Another good one is his trying to
cover up Mohammed's lack of correct information on the Christian Trinity in Sura 5:73
when he writes adds "...in a Trinity" to "Unbelievers are those who 'say Allah is one of
three'" as in, Christians believe God is one of three different gods or something
uneducated and incorrect like that.

Rather than purchase this one, I would buy the Dawood, Fakhry, or Arberry translations
because they're accepted and endorsed by the Umma.

I just have to write this to Khaled Mahmoud Al Anani, the reviewer who commented on
being given a copy by Amad Deedat (the only great thing Deedat ever did was die),
apparently he doesn't know much if he trusts Ahmad Deedat, or rather, implies he thinks
of him as a great person. Deedat wrote a book called "The Choices" with such atrocious
scholarship and horrendous lies in it, it can hardly be called a work at all. Among his
many, many, many mistakes, twisting of words, and outright lies is his lie concerning what
the Greek texts says in the New Testament in John 1:1 (I read Koine Greek so I know first
hand) and claims "TONTHEOS" in the beginning of the Gospel of John means "A god".
Aside from the fact that TONTHEOS isn't even a word, (it would have to be "ton theoN"
and it's the accusative case of the noun "theos" meaning "God") saying "ton theos" is as
incorrect in Greek as saying, "Ain't got none" in English, it would be ruggedly and
outright incorrect. As I recall, he even makes up a story about how a minister who read
Greek was forced to admit to him how "TONTHEOS" means, "a god" and that it's the
first occurrence when any person with even basic knowledge, let alone a professor knows
very well that can't be. Another one of his is claiming that Muhammed is the "paraclete"
spoken of in John 14, 15, and 16 and that it is "proven in the Greek because it has been
mistranslated", trust me, as a reader of Greek, that is an outright lie; Deedat's books are
worthless outside of being used for toilet paper and fuel for the fire.

I have nothing against Muslims; I do, though, have a problem with those who lie (i.e.
Deedat), regardless of religion (one of the many reasons I don't care for Jerry Falwell and
his lackeys). I completely agree with the first reviewer about Rattemause, for God's sake,
get some correct information, whether for or against Islam. There are few things I despise
more than lies, blatantly incorrect information stated as absolute fact, and stupidity. I
disagree with Omar Badri on one point, though (aside from this version of the Qur'an),
"ALL MUSLIMS DO NOT SUPPORT THE ATTACKS ON SEPT. 11", there are a large
amount of Muslims in the Middle East who support it greatly. Most Muslims in North
America do not agree with it, and, in fact, condemn it; but the fact that no major Islamic
Institution in the Middle East has issued a Fatwa (condemnation) on the suicide bombers
in the attack, but have remained largely silent either way, when they have no problem
issuing one on the state of Israel is rather alarming. I know that by saying this I risk being
called "Anti-Islamic", "politically incorrect", and a "racist", all of which are wrong, but
facts are facts. I have many Muslims friends and I can say from personal experience, most
Muslims are peace loving people, an alarmingly growing number, though, mainly in the
Middle East are just bad people stirred on by hate and inadequate knowledge to persecute
Copts, Jews, and other Muslims who don't agree with their ideology.