Islam/The Quran

Has anyone here ever read an English translation of the Quran? Or maybe someone who knows Arabic and has read the arabic, original version?

I've personally never read the translation, but I've heard a lot of subjective, biased opinions from both Muslims and non-Muslims about the Quran.

I was wondering if anyone could provide me with an objective view.

I'm just asking this in general. It's something I've always wanted to discuss. Especially with all the horrendous prejudice Muslims are subjected to these days. Has anyone actually REALLY bothered to try and understand the faith? And please don't refer me to Peaches Geldof's documentary about Islam... that was just pathetic. LOL. ;)

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Originally Posted by Miss Madison

I've personally never read the translation, but I've heard a lot of subjective, biased opinions from both Muslims and non-Muslims about the Quran.

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Then you should read them yourself and rely not on others opinions.

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I was wondering if anyone could provide me with an objective view.

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Can you not do that yourself by reading them?

After all this is the internet age - the info is at our finger tips ;-)

I've read chunks but I fear the translation wasn't that good as my impression wasn't very positive.

Im sorry Miss Madison what is it you are asking exactly?
:confused:

The very very best positive translation is by Muhammad Asad

http://www.geocities.com/masad02/

Its modern and called The Message of the Quran. It has extensive commentary.

huh?? Ive never heard of muhammed Asad. Usually I recomend Yusuf ali, whose transaltion is very good taking in account neither rabic or English were hiis first languge.
this site is analright source someone recommened it to me a while back as it puts 3 transaltions side by side http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ read the introduction to the transaltions first though.

The problem with korantic transaltions is that for the most part people agree that the kuran has very little that has only one meaning and by transalting it you then choose a specific less flexible meaning for the word. Then again most would argue you cant transalte it and thus it is only an Interpritation http://www.websmileys.com/sm/sad/533.gif.
:D

Do a little reading. Here's a site. http://www.quran-islam.org/93.html Decide for yourself.

http://www.theholyquran.org/

You can find several translations of Qur'an in this webpage.

The site that Turk and night posted is good i think, you must find the right site not the sites that translate it badly claiming that its the Quranic translation. The site that kiobe posted is not accepted. Yousof Ali translation is the best and the accepted among others even if there are little notices.

Do you know who is the reader on turks link??

I searched about M.H shakir and didnt find alot, And found different sayings about him.
I think this site here is well known and every one trust it, it contain Quran for download> islamtomorrow.com/downloads/index.asp
Meanings of noble Quran> http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?opt...000&Itemid=178

I've read the Qur'an in both arabic and english, the best translation i found was an old penguin published one..

What I was asking, perhaps I didn't make myself clear [sorry!], was what were others opinions of the Quran?

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Originally Posted by Shield&Sword

The site that Turk and night posted is good i think, you must find the right site not the sites that translate it badly claiming that its the Quranic translation. The site that kiobe posted is not accepted. Yousof Ali translation is the best and the accepted among others even if there are little notices.

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Why? Could you explain exactly what it is that is unacceptable about this english version?

Sometimes some people translate and explain it wrong to show İslam like something bad.

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Originally Posted by Turk

Sometimes some people translate and explain it wrong to show İslam like something bad.

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I've read it and it seems to be an unbiased, nonleaning translation.

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Originally Posted by kiobe

Why? Could you explain exactly what it is that is unacceptable about this english version?

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I am going to assume it is not accepted due to the fact that it was translated by Rashad Khalifa, who is apparently considered to be a heretic by some muslims: see here. Of course Shield could probably explain this better

Do you think the overall message of the Quran is the same, it's just a few details are left out or changed?

Yes, it's clear Qur'an is unchanged. Not even a word. Because it's completely poetic, and even a 7-8 years old Turkish child who doesn't know Arabic can memorize it. I am trying to tell, when Hz. Muhammed died; there was many friends of him who memorized Qur'an word by word. Also it was written when he was still alive.

Now, I should probably leave this to a muslim to answer. But I'll take a short stab at it anyway.

I think that the difference regarding the Qu'ran is treated a lot more seriously then the way christians regard the Catholic Apocrypha. The Qu'ran (by the way is this the preffered spelling or is it Koran) is seen as the divine word of God/Allah and has remained unaltered since it was given to Muhammed, as such it may be considered divine(not suggesting here that muslims actively worship the Qu'ran however) in itself. No additions have been made and nothing has been deleted. This is in stark contrast to the Christian bible which contains writings of people, such as the many epistles of Paul, and whilst Christians believe these writings to be divinely inspired there is a slight but important distinction for muslims on the matter.

I found this site too, if you like to visit it.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/

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Originally Posted by kilted exile

Now, I should probably leave this to a muslim to answer. But I'll take a short stab at it anyway.

I think that the difference regarding the Qu'ran is treated a lot more seriously then the way Christians regard the Catholic Apocrypha. The Qu'ran (by the way is this the proffered spelling or is it Koran) is seen as the divine word of God/Allah and has remained unaltered since it was given to Muhammed, as such it may be considered divine(not suggesting here that muslims actively worship the Qu'ran however) in itself. No additions have been made and nothing has been deleted. This is in stark contrast to the Christian bible which contains writings of people, such as the many epistles of Paul, and whilst Christians believe these writings to be divinely inspired there is a slight but important distinction for Muslims on the matter.

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In this respect, I want to add a story that proves Qur'an is divine, and that Moslem's (Mohammed's friends) memorized each single word in it.
So, after Mohamed died, they looked for some one who has the ability to write with beautiful font, and found one but he was not a Moslem, they gave him the text and while writing it, he tried to change a word, (I don't remember the exact word) but it will convert an important meaning, and when he finished, they read it to fix any mistake, if there were any, and when the reader came to the changed word, everyone said (in one voice) the right word, so the man who wrote it was surprised that they all memorized all the Qor'an, word by word.

And as an Arab, and a Moslem, I read the whole Qur'an in Arabic, but was not able to read the translation, and yes you have to look for the best translation that is to have the exact meaning, and I think if the Qur'an is to be memorized, we should memorize the Arabic, of course.

Rashad Khalifa is not scholar, he studied chemistry, and continued in America, so he has no knowledge in Pure arabic language or islamic teachings, he also claimed to be a messenger of God (and with this saying he already contradicted Quran). So his translation is not accepted by muslims.
Kiobe you can read the translation of Yusof Ali or teh copy that you will find in my previous post, they are the accepted copies.
In Wikipedia Ahmed Deedat said after that about him that he is a deceiver, no works of Rashad's works are accepted by muslims.
I didnt talk about it because i dont want to enter in other subjects.

Pinkmoon the person who read your story will think that non muslims copied the Quran not the companions of prophet. The companion of prophet copied the Noble Quran and every muslim know this, but the story you wrote i heared that happened once in Baghdad alot of years after prophet's death pbuh, a muslim man went to someone who was working as a copier (was jews) and asked him to make another copy of quran for him and the jews man tried to check if its easy to change Quran because he already tried it with other books of other religions but the muslim man discovered what the writer made and throw the book on him, the jews man became muslim.

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Originally Posted by Miss Madison

What I was asking, perhaps I didn't make myself clear [sorry!], was what were others opinions of the Quran?

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Again strange request. You need to read the translations yourself first...if you ask for others opinnions you will approach it with preconceptions.

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Originally Posted by Shield&Sword

Pinkmoon the person who read your story will think that non muslims copied the Quran not the companions of prophet. The companion of prophet copied the Noble Quran and every muslim know this, but the story you wrote i heared that happened once in Baghdad alot of years after prophet's death pbuh, a muslim man went to someone who was working as a copier (was jews) and asked him to make another copy of quran for him and the jews man tried to check if its easy to change Quran because he already tried it with other books of other religions but the muslim man discovered what the writer made and throw the book on him, the jews man became muslim.

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You are right, I was not sure about the exact incidents of the story. :)

salam alykum and hello:)
How are you all? I haven't been around lately and obviously I've missed alot of things:(

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Originally Posted by kilted exile

I think that the difference regarding the Qu'ran is treated a lot more seriously then the way christians regard the Catholic Apocrypha. The Qu'ran (by the way is this the preffered spelling or is it Koran) is seen as the divine word of God/Allah and has remained unaltered since it was given to Muhammed, as such it may be considered divine(not suggesting here that muslims actively worship the Qu'ran however) in itself. No additions have been made and nothing has been deleted. This is in stark contrast to the Christian bible which contains writings of people, such as the many epistles of Paul, and whilst Christians believe these writings to be divinely inspired there is a slight but important distinction for muslims on the matter.

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I like the way you put in Kilted.

such an intersting discussion everyone.