The Qur'an

‘Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful one who taught by the pen, who taught man what he did not know.‘The Qur’an, believed by Muslims to be the word of God, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago. It is the supreme authority in Islam and the living source of all Islamic teaching; it is a sacred text and a book of guidance, that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of the Islamic religion. It has been one of the most influential books in the history of literature. Recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, it has nevertheless remained difficult to understand in its English translations.This new translation is written in a contemporary idiom that remains faithful to the original, making it easy to read while retaining its powers of eloquence. Archaisms and cryptic language are avoided, and the Arabic meaning preserved by respecting the context of the discourse. The message of the Qur’an was directly addressed to all people regardless of class, gender, or age, and this translation is equally accessible to everyone.Find the eBook on VitalSource.FeaturesA major new translation of the supreme authority in Islam, published at a time of intense interest in the Islamic religion and the Muslim world.The translation is accurate, easy to read and free from the archaisms, incoherence, and alien structures that mar most existing translations.Includes features such as: dialogue addressed to the Prophet is identified to avoid confusion; paragraphing and punctuation have been added to assist meaning and sentence structure; and the beginning of each verse is marked in small superscript type in order not to interrupt the flow or distract the reader.The introduction offers a brief history of the revelation and compilation of the Qur’an, its structure and stylistic features, and considers issues of interpretation in relation to militancy, intolerance, and the subjection of women.Provides notes that explain geographical, historical, and personal allusions and cross-referencing within the Qur’an.Concludes with an index that arranges Qur’anic material into topics for easy reference.ABOUT THE SERIESFor over 100 years Oxford World’s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford’s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Author Biography

M. A. S. Abdel Haleem was born in Egypt, and learned the Qur’an by heart from childhood. Educated at al-Azhar, Cairo, and Cambridge Universities, he has taught Arabic and Islamic Studies at Cambridge and London Universities since 1966, including courses in advanced translation and the Qur’an. He is now Professor of Islamic Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He is also working on An Introduction to the Qur’an and English Translation London Qur’an Studies series.