Al-Qur'an (Paperback)

~ Ahmed Ali (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In one of the most popular English versions of the Qur'an, Ahmed Ali has succeeded in bringing all of the subtlety, depth, and spiritual power of Islam into his translation of this peerless scripture. Without distorting the English, Ali, a highly regarded author in his own right, renders the poetry of the original Arabic into lines of elegance and rhythm. And not wanting to leave the reader with a false belief in the ability of one language to fully capture another, Ali retains the Arabic side by side with the English, exhorts the reader to refer to it, and offers explanatory notes where necessary. For the curious, the convert, or the devout, Ahmed Ali's Al-Qur'an will bring all readers closer to the glory of God. --Brian Bruya

Review

In one of the most popular English versions of the Qur'an, Ahmed Ali has succeeded in bringing all of the subtlety, depth, and spiritual power of Islam into his translation of this peerless scripture. Without distorting the English, Ali, a highly regarded author in his own right, renders the poetry of the original Arabic into lines of elegance and rhythm. . . . For the curious, the convert, or the devout, Ahmed Ali's Al-Qur'an will bring all readers closer to the glory of God. -- Review --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press; 2nd Rev edition (September 1, 1988)
• Language: English, Arabic
• ISBN-10: 0691020469
• ISBN-13: 978-0691020464
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,408,753 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A translation of the Qur'an that can be read for pleasure., August 13, 2000

By	H. Bahr (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Serious study of the Qur'an requires an understanding of Arabic and the Arabic text. There is simply no substitute for the scholar. Even the most literal translation will never be precise enough.

But to read the Qur'an and be impacted by its message, one only needs a faithful translation. The English of this translation is the best. Having read many translations of the Qur'an, this is my favorite. While reading this Qur'an, I find it possible to forget that it is a foreign book. I find myself reading the Qur'an because I enjoy it. With other translations I had to force myself to read out of a sense of duty.

One note of caution. The English of this book is scholarly. This is not a translation for young children. A well read adult will find it a pleasure to read. A middle school child may need to have an English dictionary nearby.

Another review attacked this translation for not being literal enough. I find this attack groundless. We already have the Qur'an in good Arabic. Now, thanks to Ahmed Ali, we have it in good English.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant and Sparkling Work, February 17, 2000

By A Customer

Those who know Arabic, and who can read the Qur'an in Arabic, should simply read Qur'an in Arabic, as all Muslims know there is no substitute for Al-Qur'an. However, the millions of readers who know no Arabic at all will likely find this to be the most readable, insightful, and hopefully inspiring English translation of The Holy Qur'an. Personally, as I unfortunately seem to have no facility whatsoever for other languages besides English, Ahmed Ali's translation has served me well as a guide to a greater and deeper understanding of a faith and way of life of which I would otherwise know virtually nothing. As the best translators know, absolute accuracy of translation is irrelevant if the end product is clumsy and unnecessarily difficult. I am not in a position to determine whether Ahmed Ali's translation is entirely accurate -- I must leave that task to great masters of scholarship -- but I do know what I like, and the elegant English is simply superb.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully rendered translation of the Qur'an, June 22, 2000

By	Natasha Abed (Johannesburg, South Africa) - See all my reviews

When I first read Ahmed Ali's translation of the Qur'an, I was awed by the poetry and fluidity that he rendered in English. I had read A. Yusuf Ali, Pickthall, etc, but this translation was by far the easiest to read and understand. In comparing his translation with Asad's, as well as Maurice Beaucaille's 'The Bible, The Qur'an and Science', I found a parity within their translations that made sense to me, personally. This translation does not satisfy 'mystics', in that it clearly explains certain 'miracles' and 'inexplicable phenomena' with rational and logical meanings attached to the Arabic verses. This translation is well worth the price! I bought five, and distributed them among my family members.