Customer Reviews

The Koran Interpreted: A Translation

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If someone wants to read a version of the Koran in English, s/he ought to read one that has some literary qualities, and reads like a book ought to, rather than some kind of reference text full of odd punctuation, awkward and unusual expressions, brackets etc. To be sure, no one can give us a translation into English that will capture every nuance or connotation of the original Arabic, and no amount of bracketed dictionary entries inserted next to words will really help. These kinds of things detract more from the reading than add to it. I am very dismayed by the awkwardness of many of the other translations available for us, including that of Yusuf Ali, whose popular work, while praised for it accuracy, leaves a lot to be desired in the realm of style, enjoyment and ease of understanding.
Arberry's work, however, is simple, direct, formal and hits a mid-point between poetry and prose; in other words, tries as much as possible to present the Koran for English speakers the way the Koran would have functioned for listeners of Arabic.
To enhance the clarity of the translation, Arberry distinguishes between the second person plural and second person singular by making use of the word 'thou' and its accompanying grammar for the singular. This distinction is critical for determining when God is speaking about others and when He is speaking to the Prophet directly. This is surely the only sensible way to render the distinction, in a translation that wishes itself to be readable. Arberry does not use any other archaic words, such as 'ye' or archaic grammar such as 'he hath', but uses fully modern English throughout.
It should be noted that people who are bilingual and have actually taken the time to read through Arberry's translation have found it to be very accurate.
The fact that Arberry has no religious axe to grind makes the translation more reliable than the many sectarian translations put out more for the sake of publicizing particular beliefs than for the sake of producing accurate, well-written texts.
The educational value of this book is far greater than that of the awkward translations, since it presents a style worthy of emulation rather than one unnatural or strange.
Reading a good translation such as this one can help us not only gain wisdom, but also articulate this wisdom for others. The Koran is a work of divine rhetoric, and the more we can apply its lessons into our own lives and language, the more useful it will be for us.
I encourage you to read this translation above all others, if English is your native tongue.

A.J. Arberry's translation of the Koran has taken pre-eminence among religious and world literature scholars. Although Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation of the Koran has pride of place in many English-speaking Islamic households, Arberry's work above all others renders the Koranic language in suitably appropriate, easily-comprehended, English.

Unlike any other translation before or since, Arberry's work adheres closely to the original Arabic syntax, meaning that this translation can easily be used in tandem with a recitation in Arabic of the Koran. Arberry's language is striking and beautiful, comparable to more recent offerings from N.J. Dawood and Thomas Cleary. Note, for example, the striking immediacy and rhythmic flow of this passage:

"He is God;
the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper.
To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful.
All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him;
He is the All-mighty, the All-wise."
(Surah 59 'Hashr' v. 24)

Arberry eschews the Elizabethan intricacies of Abdullah Y. Ali and the reader will not find themselves fighting a river of parenthetical entries, as are found in Muhammad Asad and the infamous "Wahhabi Koran" of Muhammad Muhsin Khan.

All that being said, there are problems with the presentation of the translation. The verses are not numbered individually, although the paragraphing on each page helps in determining where verse divisions are. Arberry opts to adjust the layout of the text in accordance with the action or commands in the words themselves. This is a unique approach, but does tend to make difficulties for the reader hunting down a particular verse. Also, especially in the longer chapters ('Baqara' and 'Imran'), the numbering of the verses is off by about four.

The introductions to the two sections of the volume are fine discourses from the translator on the actual act of translating this book, but don't offer the first-time reader any introduction to the Koran itself--what it is, the purpose it serves, etc. There are also no footnotes at all in the text.

Overall, Arberry's work is a magnificent achievement, but one that is more suitable to the scholar than the casual reader. He is especially useful as a second Koran (with Oxford's Abdel Haleem offering being the first) or as a reference in English for one studying either the original text itself or the recitation of the Koran. For sure, Arberry's work belongs on the bookshelf of all who are interested in digging deeper into Islam, the Koran, or the great works of world literature.

If you want to pick up a copy of the Qur'an to learn about Islam, this is not the book to get. It is the only interpretation (Muslims do not accept that the Qur'an can be translated) that tries to keep the poetic, grand, glittering, rhythmical and rhetorical flavor of the Qur'an, but the text is not terribly accessible and there are no footnotes to explain anything.

If you want to just get a flavor for what the Qur'an reads like, this is good, and the preface is enlightening. ...For sheer poetry, Arberry's text gets five stars, but I gave it four because of the total lack of explanation.

Arberry's interpretation is both elegant in its expression and quite literal with respect to the original Arabic. The only other translation I would recommend is that of Pickthall, also excellent, but much less readable; in fact, most people I know who started Pickthall gave up on it because the language was so dry and tedious. Arberry's is a work of art by comparison.

This translation is quite literal when it is compared to the original Arabic codex of the Quran, the definition of words, syntax and rhetoric do not stray much from the original tongue and it's a fair translation by a non-Muslim.

I feel honored to state that this, in my opinion, is the best English translation of Al-Quran. Especilly, though, by a non-Muslim.

Any body who reads this translation, please also (try to) read between the lines (within the translation) as well.

Aman

This interpretation of the Quran is quite good- however much is lost in terms of meaning as a result of the translation, which is often the case when translating a book like the Quran. For instance, one word in Arabic may have multiple meanings. Much is also lost in terms of the sounds of the Quran and it's beautiful rhetoric. This is even what A.J Arberry said himself:

In making the present attempt... to produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of the Arabic Koran, I have been at pains to study the intricate and richly varied rhythms which-apart from the message itself-constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the greatest literary masterpieces of mankind... This very haracteristic feature-"that inimitable symphony," as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book...-has been almost totally ignored by previous translators; it is therefore not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the splendidly decorated original.(17) (From Arthur J. Arberry's book, The Koran Interpreted)

I would suggest another translation along with this one for comparative analysis.

In answer to `The Mistake in the Quran' comment, I would like to suggest that Amazon is not a place for polemics, so that should be left for the appropriate websites. Nonetheless I will say a quick word- on analysis of the verse you will see the word `Wajd' is used, which means to perceive something- in other words it appeared to Zul Qarnayn that the sun was setting in water. This is similar when you go to the beach- you PERCEIVE (it appears to you) that the sun is setting in the water, but obviously it isn't. Furthermore, the word used is `balagha' is used in this verse, which is used metaphorically and not literally throughout the Quran. The alternative words are `yudrik' and `tudrik', which are used literally, but aren't used in this verse of the Quran; this is the same throughout the Quran. See books on Arabic grammar and Arabic dictionaries (a good one in the Hans Wehr dictionary of Modern written Arabic). It is clear from this that there is no suggestion that the sun literally went into the water nor is there a suggestion that the earth is flat.

I own many versions of the Quran and I can safely say that A. J. Arberry's translation is the most poetic Quran in English. Arberry is full of passion for the non-Arabic speaker and his 'interpretation' is a plea for the truth of Islam. As well as being beautiful in English, the feel of Arberry's Koran is impressive too. To use one example, the penguin is printed on grey paper with a small print, the text feels squashed inside a heavy book. The penguin feels like a cold textbook, rather than the fingerprints of God. Most books these days have this cheap flavour to them. Arberry's is printed on luxurious yellow paper to make the pages warm and the word of God in a beautiful font; also, Arberry's Koran Interpreted is now considered and old translation, it is very affordable. This book is an absolute gem and a bargain!

"The Koran Interpreted" is the best translation of the foundational text of Islam on the market. AJ Arberry, in his introduction, talks about translating Islam's sacred text as he lived in Egypt and listened to the melodic call from the muezzin. He brings this poetic sense into his translation, though the Koran frequently condemns poets. Arberry accents the repetitive, chant-like nature of the texts. He understands that for most Muslims, their text is only holy when it's in the original Arabic... not unlike some Catholics who believe the Mass can only be celebrated in Latin, or some Protestants who insist on using only the Holy Bible: King James Version.

"The Koran Interpreted" shows the surreal aspects of Islam's most important text. The boy Jesus brings clay doves to life.. a story that is also in The Gospel of James In the Biblical Christmas story, the expectant Mary and her husband Joseph seek a place of rest in Bethlehem. In the Koran, the expectant Mary is on her own, save for an angel who her consoles her when she leans against a fig tree as she gives birth. Mary is the only female whose name is given to a Koranic sura. For Christians, it's a shock to see Marian devotion in a Muslim text. There is the mysterious Night Journey, whose nature is never fully explained. While the Bible has only a few references to the issue of homosexuality within its density- the Koran refers to it more, using the story of Lot. This condemnation of homosexuals is shown in A Jihad for Love At one point, Christians and Jews are praised as People of the Book. At another, they are condemned. There's also the fact that the Medina and Mecca periods differed for Mohammad.

"The Koran Interpreted" is essential reading for those who want to better understand the controversy and importance of Islam.

It is a somewhat difficult read and does not give a whole lot of insight into the Muslim religion as it appears to be practiced today. As I understand it, the Koran, as it is written in the origional Arabic, is very poetic, and Arberry did his best to convey this in his translation. It is worth reading if just to gain a little insight into the beliefs of Muslims as compaired to Christians and Jews. I was quite suprised at the frequent references to Jesus, Mary, Moses, Abraham and numerous other individuals found in the Old Testament.