Best English Translation of Koran

[freudianslip]

I am looking to see if anyone familiar with Koran can tell me which, of the many, English translations is the best. Thank you.

[hoope]

Hi there ,
Am really so sorry for replying u late. i never went by this thread .. My apology i see its been two days now .

This is the book i believe is having a good translation and easy for readers..
Some are really using tough English but some not..
Hope this one gives u any help..

Besides there are online websites were u can download the translations.. and online websites that have good translations.

The book
http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Translation-Commentary-English-Arabic/dp/0940368323#_

A website
http://www.jannah.org/qurantrans/

Downloads
http://www.muhaddith.org/quran.html

Regards ,
Hoope

[stlukesguild]

The Abdullah Yusuf Ali seems to have been long respected as a quality English translation. There is a translation by Ahmad Ali that is also highly regarded. The one that strikes me as most interesting, however, is the recent translation by Tarif Khalidi which has been highly acclaimed and praised as the first English translation to attempt to capture the structure and poetry of the original:

http://www.amazon.com/Quran-New-Translation-Tarif-Khalidi/dp/0143105884/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283699039&sr=1-5

The Qur'an is probably one of those books like Dante's Comedia, the Bible, Homer's Odyssey, etc... that is best served by multiple translations.

[hoope]

The Abdullah Yusuf Ali seems to have been long respected as a quality English translation. There is a translation by Ahmad Ali that is also highly regarded. The one that strikes me as most interesting, however, is the recent translation by Tarif Khalidi which has been highly acclaimed and praised as the first English translation to attempt to capture the structure and poetry of the original:

http://www.amazon.com/Quran-New-Translation-Tarif-Khalidi/dp/0143105884/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1283699039&sr=1-5

The Qur'an is probably one of those books like Dante's Comedia, the Bible, Homer's Odyssey, etc... that is best served by multiple translations.

Yea i have been through this one also ..
Great choice .. and i would also agree with stlukesguild on it ...
However.. the Holy Quran was revealed in Arabic... which presented a huge pride to the Arabic language ... Better be read in Arabic.. but to non -Arabic speaker there are translations to every language which is good. Yet.. i always think that its different when u read it in Arabic...

As when you say .... Bis Milaah El Rahman El Raheem ( that is in arabic )
In english it says " In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful "
Now the word Rahman and Raheem .. has a vast meaning in Arabic .. other than merciful and gracious which is not felt in these two english words...

Anyway ... :D don't wanna make ttoo complicated for you ..... this two translation are highly recommended...

Good luck freudianslip :)
And thank you stlukesguild for adding that book

[aliengirl]

I too agree with stlukesguild. I have read the translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. It is really very good.

[.Kafka]

Ideally, read it in Arabic - only then will it truly overwhelm you. Not a single word has been altered in the Holy Qur'an since the first revelation nearly 1400 yeas ago. The first word revealed to the Prophet (PBUH) was IQRA, or READ! If not Arabic then Urdu is a good substitute. There are numerous and excellent Urdu translations. For English, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, all the way. For example, here is comparison between Ali and Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, the first is by Ali, the second is by Pickthall. Ali's translation is less true to form, but it presents the meaning clearly.

The lightning all but snatches away their sight; every time the light (helps) them, they walk therein, and when the darkness grows on them, they stand still. And if Allah willed, He could take away their faculty of hearing and seeing; for Allah has power over all things.

Holy Qur'an, Surah 2:20

The lightning almost snatech away their sight from them. As often as it flasheth forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Allah willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.

Holy Qur'an, Surah 2:20

[Mona ..]

http://quran.al-islam.com/Loader.aspx?pageid=738&BookID=15&page=1




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[whatsername]

You might want to also check this one out:

Oxford Classics, Qur'an a New Translation by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem