By Dr. Basheer Ahmad Mohyidin

764 Pages·2009·2.56 MB·English

This file is downloaded from the site
Quran: The Living Truth i
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Quran
The Living Truth
AN EFFORT TO CONVEY ITS MEANING
ii Quran: The Living Truth
Quran: The Living Truth iii
Quran
The Living Truth
AN EFFORT TO CONVEY ITS MEANING
Basheer Ahmad Mohyidin
M A N A S
FOUNDATION
December 2009
www.quran4world.org
iv Quran: The Living Truth
Quran
The Living Truth
AN EFFORT TO CONVEY ITS MEANING
by
Basheer Ahmad Mohyidin
First Edition 2003
First ‘MANAS’ Edition 2009
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Quran: The Living Truth v
PREFACE
A
ll praise be to Allah - the Creator of all things in the Universe. We,
human- beings, are believed to be the most intelligent of all creatures
He created, and hence, the most susceptible to various worldly temp-
tations.
Such undesirable temptations may be warded off by having faith in Allah, none
worthy of worship beside Him with complete submission to His will, and act-
ing righteously in accordance with the teachings of His Message so as to seek
His pleasure - and this, in fact, is the essence of Islam.
Islam is a Universal religion and dates back to the time when religion
was necessary for the guidance of mankind. In order to propagate this reli-
gion, Allah selected Prophets and Messengers among men. The number of
these Messengers and the places where they preached are not clearly known
to us, but it is believed: that Allah has sent them among every set of people
whenever it had been necessary. Some of them, though, are known to us
along with the Scriptures they had left behind. It is believed that most of these
Scriptures were misinterpreted by certain; unscrupulous people from various
parts of the world, from time to time to suit to their life-styles, thereby giving rise
to numerous sects.
However, (praise be to Allah), there is one existing manuscript, sent by
Allah to the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which has been
preserved; in its unaltered form, both in letters and contents and stands out as
the only Eternal living truth - The Qur’an.
Earlier, most Muslim scholars did not attempt a translation of the Holy
Qur’an, for fear that the exact interpretation was not possible. Since the Qur’an
proclaims that it conveys its message to the whole of mankind, it became
incumbent on those who understand the Noble Qur’an in its revealed form
(Arabic) to translate it into various languages. To this end, many scholars (may
Allah shower His mercy on them), attempted complete translations of the Holy
Qur’an into various language.
In 1966, while I was working for the Ministry of Religious Affairs ( Darul-
Ifta), Saudi Arabia, I was asked to make a report on two English translations of
the Holy Qur’an. (Incidentally, this happened when I, along with others were
discussing with the Grand Mufthi of Saudi Arabia — Late Shaikh Muhammad
Ibrahim Alu-s-Shaikh — the need of an English translation of the Noble Qur’an:
One translation was by Allama Abdullah Yousuf Ali, and the other was by Allama
Abdul Majid Daryabadi. l studied both these translations thoroughly before
submitting a report, wherein I had mentioned that while both the translations
were good in their own ways, Yousuf Ali ’s translation was good for those who
understand the English language perfectly well, while Daryabadi’s translation
was good for those who understand both English and Arabic well. I also noted
that some words in Arabic should be given more appropriate meanings, for
example, ‘Allah’ in Arabic means ‘god,’ — while ‘god’ may have a plural form
vi Quran: The Living Truth
‘gods’, a feminine gender ‘goddess’- ‘Allah’ can have no such descriptions,
as He is the One and Only. Lastly, I also pointed out that it would have been
better if the translations had been published from right to left, as in the original
Arabic Scripture. I requested Darul- Ifta to keep these points in mind and
appoint a committee of scholars who would together attempt a complete trans-
lation of the Noble Qur’an into English.
Unfortunately, some people had made minor changes to Yousuf Ali’s
translation, and published it in their own names. It is a matter of great regret
that such a scholar’s work had been disrespected, as the new translation
contained neither his name, nor his preface nor indices.
During my missionary work in West Africa, I found it a necessity to
translate the Holy Qur’an into at least three major West African languages
namely Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo. By the grace of Allah, I have completed the
translation of the Noble Qur’an into Hausa, along with the commentary in
1992. The translation into Yoruba is also completed and published by the will
of Allah in 2003, while the Ibo translation has begun.
In 1976, I made an attempt to translate the Noble Qur’an into English.
However, I could only translate the final section (Juz’ ‘Amma), along with its
commentary. This work was part of the syllabus of ‘Islamic Religious Knowl-
edge’ , in accordance with the West African Examination Council. Since then,
people from different parts of the world have asked me to attempt a complete
translation of the Noble Qur’an, to enable people from different walks of life to
grasp the true meanings and teachings of Islam. This served as an inspira-
tion for me to attempt the translation of the Noble Qur’an into English, which by
the grace of the Almighty, I have completed.
It gives me great pleasure to print here on the exclusive support and
immense contribution of my children particularly my beloved daughters Basma
Muhammad Salim and Hameeda Kasim to bring forth this great task. Thanks
to Almighty Allah, since they were given the religious and academic founda-
tions, my efforts were not in vain.
My references are mainly attributed to the exegesis made by different
eminent scholars in both Arabic and English. I am therefore, obliged to the
sincere efforts and works put forth by them, as the preceding works of these
former scholars have to be termed favours for succeeding followers.
I sincerely hope and pray that the Almighty accepts this humble work,
and that everyone who reads this translation gets a clear insight to the truth. At
the same time I would like to remind one and all that my work is open to your
valuable comments along with precise reasoning.
May Allah shower His blessings on us all, and guide us on the right
path.
Basheer Ahmad Mohyidin
Quran: The Living Truth vii
QUR’ANIC WORLD VIEW
“Verily, Qurãn is a message
Meant for the whole world;
For those who yearn
To go straight.”
(Surathu Thakkasur 81: 27, 28)
This verse succinctly shows the purport of the Qurãn in the life of an
individual and society. What Qurãn seeks to establish as the latest text in the
history of Abrahamic (1) religion is a symmetrical world order. This is much the
same as what Prophet Muhammad spoke of the purpose of an Islamic soci-
ety, which is diverse and bound by the common thread of unity. Therefore, there
is an element of wholeness in the address of Qurãn: the whole human being
and the whole society.
“And if Satan incites a discord,
Seek refuge in the God;
He is one who hears and knows
All things.”
(Surathu Fussilath 41: 36)
But society is instinctively not stable. Evil forces, epitomized by Satan,
are on the prowl. They leave no stone unturned to incite disruptions in our
lives, individual and collective. A society which is thus foiled can be seen as
contradictory to the symmetrical world view of the Qurãn. In symmetry there is
balance in all spheres. In a fragmented and disruptive state there is incorri-
gible imbalance: A yawning gap between the rich and poor at the economical
level, unrest and anarchy at sociological level and unbridled urge to possess
everything by decimating everything (Imperialism).
“Deeds of Those
Who negated the truth
Are like mirage
In deserts
Which the thirsty
Mistake for water;
When he comes close by it,
He finds it to be nothing.”
(Surathu-N-Noor, 24:39)
The desert of Arabia had fostered many a mirage before the message
of Qurãn spread the fragrance of unity. Prophet Muhammad had to change a
society steeped in gross imbalance. The landed elites continued their sway
viii Quran: The Living Truth
over people under the guise of religion. Pilgrimage was a revenue source for
aristocrats. Tribalism ran the roost, paving the way for intense tribal warfare.
Rights of women were suppressed even to the extent of girls being buried
alive. To transform such a society into a well-balanced Islamic entity was a
challenge which the Prophet took up and did with help of Qurãn. To study the
social change effected by a text is what Qur’anic historiography is all about
“Do they not look at camels?
How they are made
And at the sky
How it is raised high
And at mountains
How are fixed firm
And at the Earth,
How they are spread out.”
Qurãn requires a seeker of the truth to search for the divine essence in
his/her surroundings. This requirement is not philosophical relativism; con-
veying spiritual meaning in a language ensconced in abstruse philosophy.
For, the God has made the Qur’anic text plain and straight (Al Kahf: 2).
What one must do is look around, witness, and find out the essence of
things. This scientific precision has paved the way for Islamic epistemology
which is beyond every specialty. Astronomy, navigation, commerce, geogra-
phy, cartography, medicine, history......... The number of disciplines that Islamic
society contributed to the world in its golden era is uncountable.
“Those who believe,
Migrate and strive
With might and main
In the course of the God
Have the highest rank
Before the God.”
Belief in the God does not stop short of realizing the divine essence in
one’s surroundings. Islam asks one to go heavenward and come down to
earth in the same tonality. Once one understands the purport of material ob-
jects and the purpose of their creations, one must strive and struggle to trans-
form the entire society as per this divine order. Symmetry is not a spiritual
science but rather a catalyst for change. It’s this struggle that is grossly (mis)-
represented as jihad in our mediated society.
QUR’ANIC SCIENCE
“Allah has sent
From time to time
The most beautiful message
Consistent in itself.”
(Surtahu-Zumar, 39: 23)
It need not be further explained that a text which espouses a unified,
Quran: The Living Truth ix
symmetrical world view and life should be as such in its composition. Consis-
tency is a rare virtue of all divine texts. When Qurãn was revealed, the god
challenged transgressors of the time to produce a book which is all but similar
to what is sent to the Prophet. Those who were born and brought up in the
Abrahamic religious tradition found a resonance and a common religious
memory motivated them to accept the Book. The challenge of Qurãn of not
being equaled by any other texts remains undisputed up until when you read
this.
The verses revealed thus and their Prophetic interpretations were kept
by heart by the followers. After the Prophet passed away and many of those
who stored these revelations in their minds were killed, Qurãn was written on
the skins of animals and plants. They were later codified during the rule of
Uthman in a font, now popular as Rasmul Uthmani.
“.......This is Arabic,
Pure and clear.”
(Surathu-Nnahl 16:103)
There are many reasons why the claim of the Qurãn of its authenticity
remains undisputed. Firstly, Qurãn was revealed as divine interventions in the
course of history. According to Islam, history is a pointer of the past to the
organization of life in future. So Qurãn is timeless. Secondly, Qurãn was re-
vealed in a pure Arabic diction, which itself shows the authenticity of the text:
Prophet didn’t speak that variety of Arabic except when he recites the divine
verse. Secondly, sanctity was accorded to the revelations by the prophet and
his followers so that they didn’t stand alterations in them and preserved them
as time demands.
“Those to whom
We gave the book
Study it
As it should be studied.”
(Sutathul Baqara 2: 121)
A methodology has evolved in the long run on how the Qurãn should be
read and studied. Seven traditions on recitation came into the vogue as well
as innumerable traditions on how the verses should be interpreted. The first
interpreters of the Qurãn were the prophet and the history in which they were
sent. Accordingly, Sababu-Nnuzool, or the context of revelations, became an
important pointer to the method of interpretations. Also, structural, linguistic,
historical and jurisprudential methodologies came to fore. Traditional schol-
arship was immaculate in that the expertise of the scholars goes beyond
specialties and spans the entire spectrum of human knowledge. The disci-
pline of Qur’anic interpretations was called ‘ilmu thafseer’ (Discipline of Inter-
pretation) and some of the traditional thafseers (interpretations) were done by
scholars like Rasi, Ibn Kaseer, Thabri and Baydhawi.
x Quran: The Living Truth
TRANSLATIONS
“Nay, this is
The glorious Qurãn
Inscribed in
A tablet preserved.”
(Surathul Burooj 21:22)
The complete word-by-word translation of the Qurãn is impossible.
The text is immaculate and inimitable. It was preserved in the divine source
known as Lavhul Mahfooz (preserved tablets). There are fundamental and
metaphoric verses, viz; verses whose meanings are plain and those whose
meanings have connotations beyond what is said. (See verses 3:7, 11:1).
These should be explicated with utmost care and mischief makers can foil
their true purport. This is one reason why some Islamic sects prohibit interpre-
tations.
However, Qur’anic translations can be easily subsumed under
ilmuthafseer. They can be seen as a follow-up of the traditional scholarship of
interpretations.
As Islamic society is growing fast, translations are the need of the hour.
For those who are alien to Arabian language and culture should learn them. Or
else The significance of Qurãn as revelations for the entire world ( see verse
81:26-29) is lost in academic insistence.
ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
Qurãn translations were developed as a response of Islamic scholars
to the Orientalist epistemology and (mis)representations. To understand this
clearly, one need only to read the titles of the earliest translation. The first
English translation is a free rendition of the French one written by Andre du
Ryer in 1647. The translation, brought out in 1649, was titled ‘The Alcoran of
Mahomet, translated from Arabic into French by Sieur Du Ryer, Lord of Malezair
and Resident of the King of France, at Alexandria, newly Englished, for the
satisfaction of those who look into Turkish vanities.’ (Emphasis is made by
the author) Translations like this were written in the context of the Crusade and
Romantic apprehensions of looming ‘Islamic threat’. This was followed by
translations of Edward Palmer and JM Rodwell. These translations buttressed
and justified Orientalist assumptions and Rodwell went to the extent of saying
that Prophet’s revelations were inspired by ‘self-deception’, catalepsy and
hallucination’.
The response to these assumptions was overwhelming. Muhammad
Marmaduke Pickthall, an Englishman who became a Muslim, brought out his
translation in 1930. His rendition was literal ensconced in what is called the
official English. His translations got wide acceptance among educated readers.
The acceptance of Pickthall’s translation didn’t come near to what
Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s ‘The Meaning of the Holy Qurãn’ received in 1934. The
Meaning attracted attention what with its English narration of the Arabic text in