serendipitous journey Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 (edited) I am wondering if y'all have preferred translations of the Quran: preferred for spiritual insight/clarity, for poetic language, powerful language, academic integrity, and so on. I'd like to find two good translations so that I can tackle reading the text. Here is my starting list: The Gracious Quran (trans. by Hammad) This is probably my current highest-ranked for clarity/personal experience. The Study Quran (trans. and commentary by Nasr et al.) Second choice for translation, first for general use b/c of the commentary and breadth of scholarship. Oxford World Classics Qur'an (trans. by Haleem) Not a translation, but this seems a worthy study to have on hand: The Cambridge Companion to the Quran (edited by McAuliffe) Also, if a version of the Hadith seems outstanding, I would be glad to know about it. Thank you for your thoughts & help! Edited December 30, 2017 by serendipitous journey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 okbud, thanks so much for your recommendations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 No problem :) have you decided what to go with! I'm leaning toward: Gracious Quran, Study Quran and Approaching the Quran. But your rec. for Oxford has me thinking of switching something out for it, or maybe trying to add it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaNZ Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 I like the gracious Quran translated by Hammad (your first link). It reads easily, and is a solid translation. Another option I like is this one: https://www.amazon.com/Noble-Quran-Rendering-Meaning-English/dp/1842001280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514838998&sr=8-1&keywords=Bewley+Quran I don’t like the Oxford version you linked to - I find the English too old fashioned. The study Quran you linked is an enormous book - you definitely will need to ‘study’ it, not just read it iykwim. I dip in and out, but I can’t take too much in one go. Also, my own teacher (mainstream western Islamic scholar) has said that there are parts that are factually incorrect - tread carefully with it. There is much good in it, but be aware that not all Muslim scholars will agree with it (as if such a thing existed anyway!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryam Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 I like this translation: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/9960792633/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515183134&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=quran+sahih+international&dpPl=1&dpID=51onV5NWh5L&ref=plSrch The English has actually been simplified a bit to make it more clear to understand. It is accurate. But as for the poetic part, the original Arabic is your best bet! [emoji28] No translation can quite capture that unfortunately. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLucy Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I want to mention The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an in Today's English: Extended Study Edition by Yahiya Emerick. It was given to my father, who was a retired minister and very active in civil rights, by the Muslim Community Center of his city after a "Burn the Quran Day" back in 2010. I do not remember this event (?), but I inherited this book after my parents downsized to move into a senior living community. I am not sure how it would fit the OP's needs but I think it must have insight and clarity due to the origin of the gift. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 I like this translation: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/9960792633/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515183134&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=quran+sahih+international&dpPl=1&dpID=51onV5NWh5L&ref=plSrch The English has actually been simplified a bit to make it more clear to understand. It is accurate. But as for the poetic part, the original Arabic is your best bet! [emoji28] No translation can quite capture that unfortunately. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I used to have this goal for myself and the children: to learn Arabic along with our Latin and Greek. It turns out to have been an overly ambitious goal! We'd have to abandon either our rigorous math, or our excellent composition, or our great books/great books prep. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 (edited) I want to mention The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an in Today's English: Extended Study Edition by Yahiya Emerick. It was given to my father, who was a retired minister and very active in civil rights, by the Muslim Community Center of his city after a "Burn the Quran Day" back in 2010. I do not remember this event (?), but I inherited this book after my parents downsized to move into a senior living community. I am not sure how it would fit the OP's needs but I think it must have insight and clarity due to the origin of the gift. Thank you very much for adding this to the thread: I've added an Amazon link to the above quote. This is very much in keeping with the spirit of my inquiry: I'm especially concerned to develop an understanding of the Quran that will help me build a culture of accepting and affirming Muslims and Islam. I posted after hearing, second-hand, some disturbing and bigoted concerns around "Islamism" (which is a whole 'nother set of issues). The bright side, from my perspective as a Christian, is that the people in my own circles who voice these concerns are being confronted; and also, these same people think Christianity is at best idiotic and at worst toxic. So it is easy to place myself into the same circle of concern as my Muslim brethren relative to this belief system. I have some tools available talk about my Christian understanding of the Bible as consistent with a divine tradition that teaches us to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8) but am poorly educated regarding the Quran. I don't have resources to present a convincing view of the Quran as supporting the Muhammad's work for justice, for mercy, for authentic relationship with God. Regarding pluralism and difficult conversations, I've enjoyed this "debate" -- conversation really -- between secular moral psychologist Jonathan Haidt and pastor Tim Keller on "The Closing of the American Mind" -- they present strategies for building a more pluralistic society. I've also recently come across William James' "The Varieties of Religious Experience" (that link is to Gutenberg; you can read the book for free) and just in the very introductory pages James gives an extremely cogent explanation of how people of faith interpret their texts, and how they can reasonably take religious texts seriously despite the surface contradictions and even moral flaws (here referring to what I know of the Christian Bible). I'm hoping to internalize his presentation as the foundation for nuanced & productive conversations. Edited January 7, 2018 by serendipitous journey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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