The Koran Interpreted: A Translation

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 708 pages
• Published by: Touchstone
• Edition: 1st Edition December 11, 1996
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0684825074
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0684825076
• Book Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Weighs: 1.7 pounds

Product Description
The Muslim holy book, presented in Arberry's forty-year-old authoritative and lyrical translation, brings the fundamental principles and concepts of the Muslim religion to the English language. Reprint. 10,000 first printing.

About The Author
Arthur John Arberry, as Head of the Department of Classics at Cairo University, acquired a firsthand knowledge of literary and social conditions in the Islamic Middle East. Between 1947 and 1969 he served as Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic at Cambridge University. He published some twenty books in Islamic studies during his lifetime, many dealing with mysticism and poetry. Professor Arberry died in England in 1969.

Reader Reviews
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.