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The Message of The Qur'an [Hardcover]

Muhammad Asad
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)


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Book Description

December 2003
A fresh look at Muhammad Asad's classic English translation and explanation of the Qur'an is offered in this redesigned and updated edition of his work. A new typeset and index is complimented with a prologue by the distinguished British Muslim Gai Eaton and original artwork by internationally renowned artist and scholar Dr. Ahmed Moustafa. Asad's translation is widely considered to be the foremost in conveying the meaning and sensibility of the original Arabic text, making this edition a must-have for English readers with a budding interest in Islamic studies and veteran scholars alike.


Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Muhammad Asad was a Polish-born journalist, writer, translator, and diplomat. He was the author of The Road to Mecca.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 1200 pages
  • Publisher: The Book Foundation; Bilingual edition (December 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1904510000
  • ISBN-13: 978-1904510000
  • Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.7 x 2.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,949 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
238 of 251 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The Best May 5, 2005
Format:Hardcover
I have compared key passages of Surah 2,40,36 and other important intepretations like dealing with al-muqattat as well as dealing with root words in forming the meaning of various translations they include:

Professor Abdel Haleem (fatal mistakes in translating key words, which he does not reference to either explanations by the Prophet or any proper source).The text is good to introduce concepts to people unfamiliar with the Islamic context however it does significantly deviate from the Islamic context by incorporating the ideas of another religion in its translation. Haleem in another text (Understanding the themes of the Quran by Haleem) mentions and forwarns of comparative translations; an error that he is susceptible to himself. However considering this is the first edition I am referring to, I would think it would be somewhat lacking of intense revision.
I found lacking in the translation of the first 19 verse of Surah Gaffir/Mumin and also Key verses of Al-Baqarah such as the Aayat-Al-Kursi and even verses of Surah Al-Anaam. I like his explanations, his tranlsation is more about explaning key issues of the Quran in a very basic way to suite a person reading the Quran just to get an Idea of what the scripture teaches and what in means in "Plain English". However all generalizations are susceptible to serious error.

Al Amana version of Yusuf Ali and also Dar-Ul Furqan version
(OK but once again has a lot of lakings and errors). THese individuals are too arrogant in their tranlastion where they interpret certain surahs with absolutely no authentic basis. They claim that the Surah Ikhlas was to debase the Christian trinitarian beliefs...
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77 of 82 people found the following review helpful
By Sinan
Format:Paperback
I have read the translations by Yusuf Ali, Arberry, and Dawood. Muhammad Asad's translation and interpretations stands above all. It is the Quran translation I reccomend to non-Muslims to get a true (in my view) understanding of Islam.

I am an American born Muslim (Pakistani descent). I have been raised here, and schooled here, and so have a western perspective of events and history. What I like about Asad's translation is that it is written by a "westerner," who was formerly a Viennese Jew. As such, he carries the gestalt of the West (rationalism, the Enlightenment, evolution, etc.).

In contrast, Yusuf Ali, carries a certain cultural baggage derived from his experiences in India. The effects of British colonialism probably colored his world view, and my recollection (I read his translation many years ago) is that this coloring displays itself in his translation. I guess I would characterize his translation and commentary consistent with liberation theology-which is fine, but is of a certain view that many in the West may not identify.

Asad's translation and commentary, on the other hand, incorporates many of our modern understandings of the world into his explanation. So for example, evolution is considered a natural process operating as part of the ordered universe just as the laws of gravity, electricity, etc. These are the signs of God, that Muslims are required to believe. Many Muslims who are not from the West, cannot reconcile modern understandings of science with faith. Just like the fundamentalist Christian community, they cannot integrate evolution (and its theological ramifications) into their faith (as a corollary, it is worthy to note that many scientists-call them darwinian fundamentalist- cannot integrate religion into science)....

Asad's explanations and commentary are illuminating. He explains phenomenon, like miracles, in a way that don't require the reader to suspend his belief in the normal physical laws of daily experience. You are not required to believe in phenomenon that run contrary to objective experience. For example, in the Bible, Jesus is said to have healed the blind and raised the dead to the living. Ordinary experience tells us that physically these things are impossible, but you are required to have faith that these suspended laws of physical reality actually occurred. Asad's explanation is that in Islam, people who are closed to the God's spiritual message as relayed through the prophets, are blind to the obvious truth of God. They are spiritually dead. Jesus's miracle, was to pass his grace onto his followers, and make those whose hearts were hardened against God (blind and spiritually dead), to see the truth and to become spiritually alive. I find this explanation much more satisfactory than having to believe in a miracle. The explanation is far more simple and straightforward.

I highly recommend reading the Asad translation in conjunction with William Chittick's book Visions of Islam, and the Self-Disclosure of God, to really appreciate the sublime spirituality inhering to Islam. To my mind, it bestows on the reader how your conduct today carries with it spiritual and metaphysical dimensions.

In this post 9/11 world, where every "expert" on Islam opines on the violent nature of Islam as revealed through Quran, Asad's translation dispels these absurdities. Extremists in the Islamic world and the Western world would do well to read this, as well. For all reasonable people seeking to truly understand what Islam is about, read Asad's translation over any other. Read more ›

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35 of 36 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely the best! October 22, 2005
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Wow!! I just finished reading The Message of The Qur'an and am blown away by the amazing quality of this translation. It took Muhammad Asad 17 years to produce this work, and it shows in the depth of the translation, notes and appendices. He has an incredible talent for taking any obscure passage and explaining its meaning and significance in a plausible, logical, and moderate way. This edition contains extensive footnotes, with liberal alternative explanations of key passages from other leading Islamic scholars. Every surah also has a brief introduction into the historical context and/or the significance of the revelation. This is BY FAR the best translation I've read, and has given me a greater depth and understanding of the Qur'an than I've ever had. If you want to learn more about the Qur'an, I'd highly recommend this edition to anyone.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The best translation for non-Arabic readers November 5, 2006
Format:Hardcover
If you're sincerely after an understanding of the Qu'ran, either learn Arabic and read it (translations are not technically "The Qu'ran"), or buy this book! Like many of the translators of the Qu'ran, Asad was not born into the religion and was not a native speaker, but unlike the rest, he spent many years living among the Bedouin who are the only ones still speaking the Arabic in which the Qu'ran was written down. Modern Arabic is taught in schools and spoken by millions, but many of the words in the Qu'ran have fallen out of common usage, so even the best of scholars may almost be forgiven for not always getting it quite right. But in translatin the Qu'ran, it HAS to be right. The multiple meanings of the original words of the Qu'ran make faulty translations and confusion altogether too prevalent for Western readers. Asad was born a Polish Jew who discovered Islam and spent most of his life researching Qu'ranic language. He became a highly respected scholar, even in the Islamic world. He was a close friend of King Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud), a confidant of the Indian poet Iqbal, and was appointed to represent Pakistan to the United Nations after India's partition. His translation and abundant footnotes are invaluable to anyone who is really looking to penetrate this 1400 year-old text. The Prologue by the English Islamic scholar Charles Le Gai Eaton is fascinating, the footnotes are a joy to read and extremely helpful in understanding the nuances of the words and context in which the verses were brought forth, and the book itself, with its gorgeous insertions of calligraphic art, is beautiful to look at. In many footnotes, Asad compares his own translations to that of Pickthall and several other translators and explains his choices and leaves the decision to the reader to accept or reject them.... Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best translations of the Holy Quran.
It is hard to find a Quran which has good legible Arabic, English Translation and English Transliteration. Read more
Published 1 month ago by S. Shahriar
5.0 out of 5 stars First Kindle Book I Purchased
Undoubtedly the best translation of Quran that is out there for the curious and thinking mind and the Kindle version is way cheaper than the hard copy. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Yasir Sepah
3.0 out of 5 stars Not sure
I looked up 4:51 for the translation of jibt and ṭāghūt and wasn't satisfied. Other translations were closer to the Lane Lexicon and Encyclopaedia of Islam discussion of word... Read more
Published 2 months ago by rs
5.0 out of 5 stars The Message of the Qur'an
This translation of the Qur an is thourough, complete, enlightening and satisfying.

I can now comprehend what the Muslim's believe. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Donald James Nilan, Sr
5.0 out of 5 stars At Last Some Answers
A complete illumination. It talked to me and goes a long way in creating a bridge in the the gap between Arabic and English which has always been a huge obstacle for me. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ms Christine Beers
5.0 out of 5 stars The Quran
I received this Quran right on time. It is in excellent shape for it not to be new. I am impressed I must say. I will order again. A nice experience!
Published 4 months ago by Michelle Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good Translation
Very good translation, but you still have to have Knowledge of the Quran or have somebody Muslim to guide you through... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mohamed
5.0 out of 5 stars Asad's interpretation od the Quran is among my favorites.
His footnotes are enlightening and offer a different perspective than some other translations. Sometimes I read them all, and sometimes I just read the Quranic text. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Tom Zegar
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent
the message of the quran is a massive book with the English translation, the English transliteration, Arabic and the footnotes. Read more
Published 4 months ago by rr
4.0 out of 5 stars Good translation but a little stilted language
This translation appears to be traditional in that it adds in brackets language that would be implied in the original Arabic. Read more
Published 6 months ago by John F. Rothermel
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