The Qur'an with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English - Ali Unal

1327 Pages·2010·6.27 MB·English

THE QUR’AN
with
Annotated Interpretation in Modern English
by
Ali Ünal
www.mquran.org
www.theholybook.org
Contents
Foreword ..................................................................................................................................................10
On The Holy Qur’ān And Its Interpretation ............................................................................33
SURAH
1. Al-Fatihah (The Opening) .........................................................................................48
2. Al-Baqarah (The Cow) ................................................................................................58
3. Al-’Imran (The Family of Imran) .........................................................................157
4. An-Nisa (The Women) ...............................................................................................199
5. Al-Ma’idah (The Dinner Table) ............................................................................244
6. Al-An’am (The Cattle) ...............................................................................................273
7. Al-A’raf (The Elevated Places) ...............................................................................310
8. Al-Anfal (The Accessions) ..........................................................................................353
9. At-Taubah (The Immunity) .....................................................................................368
10. Yunus (Jonah) .................................................................................................................399
11. Hud (The Holy Prophet) ............................................................................................418
12. Yusuf (Joseph) ..................................................................................................................442
13. Ar-Ra’d (The Thunder) ..............................................................................................467
14. Ibrahim (Abraham) ......................................................................................................479
15. Al-Hijr (The Rock) ......................................................................................................488
16. An-Nahl (The Bee) ......................................................................................................506
17. Al-Isra’ (The Night Journey) ....................................................................................527
18. Al-Kahf (The Cave) ....................................................................................................562
19. Maryam (Marium) ......................................................................................................588
20. Ta-Ha (Ta-Ha) .............................................................................................................603
21. Al-Anbiya (The Prophets) .........................................................................................620
22. Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) .........................................................................................640
23. Al-Mu’minun (The Believers) .................................................................................660
24. An-Nur (The Light) ....................................................................................................677
25. Al-Furqan (The Distinction)...................................................................................699
26. Ash-Shu’ara (The Poets) .............................................................................................713
27. An-Naml (The Ant) ....................................................................................................736
28. Al-Qasas (The Narratives) .......................................................................................754
29. Al-Ankabut (The Spider) ..........................................................................................769
30. Ar-Rum (The Romans) ..............................................................................................780
31. Luqman (Luqman).......................................................................................................790
32. As-Sajdah (The Adoration) ......................................................................................796
33. Al-Ahzab (The Clans) ................................................................................................802
34. Saba (The Saba) ............................................................................................................825
35. Fatir (The Originator) ...............................................................................................835
36. Ya-Sin (Yasin) ................................................................................................................844
37. As-Saffaat (The Rangers) .........................................................................................857
38. Saad (Suad) .....................................................................................................................873
39. Az-Zumar (The Companions) ................................................................................885
40. Al-Mumin (The Believer) .........................................................................................899
41. Fussilat (Distinctly Spelled Out) .............................................................................912
42. Ash-Shura (The Counsel) ..........................................................................................921
43. Az-Zukhruf (Ornaments) .........................................................................................932
44. Ad-Dukhan (The Smoke) ..........................................................................................942
45. Al-Jathiyah (The Kneeling) ......................................................................................950
46. Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhill) ...........................................................................................957
47. Muhammad (Muhammad) .......................................................................................964
48. Al-Fath (The Victory) .................................................................................................970
49. Al-Hujuraat (The Chambers) ..................................................................................980
50. Qaf (Qaf) .........................................................................................................................988
51. Adh-Dhariyat (The Scatterers) ...............................................................................993
52. At-Tur (Mount (Sinai)) ............................................................................................999
53. An-Najm (The Star) .................................................................................................1004
54. Al-Qamar (The Moon) ............................................................................................1011
55. Ar-Rahman (The All-Merciful) ...........................................................................1018
56. Al-Waqi’ah (The Event to happen) .....................................................................1029
57. Al-Hadid (The Iron) .................................................................................................1037
58. Al-Mujadilah (She Who Pleaded) ........................................................................1044
59. Al-Hashr (The Banishment) ..................................................................................1049
60. Al-Mumtahana (The Woman To Be Tested) ...................................................1055
61. As-Saff (The Ranks) ..................................................................................................1059
62. Al-Jumu’ah (Friday) ..................................................................................................1063
63. Al-Munafiqun (The Hypocrites) ..........................................................................1066
64. At-Taghabun (Gain and Loss) ..............................................................................1069
65. At-Talaaq (Divorce) ..................................................................................................1073
66. At-Tahrim (Prohibition) .........................................................................................1077
67. Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty) ....................................................................................1081
68. Al-Qalam (The Pen) .................................................................................................1088
69. Al-Haqqah (The Sure Reality) .............................................................................1093
70. Al-Ma’arij (The Stairs of Ascent) ........................................................................1098
71. Nuh (Noah) ....................................................................................................................1102
72. Al-Jinn (The Jinn) .....................................................................................................1106
73. Al-Muzzammil (The Enwrapped One) ...........................................................1110
74. Al-Muddathir (The Cloaked One) ......................................................................1113
75. Al-Qiyamah (The Resurrection)...........................................................................1118
76. Al-Insan (Human) .....................................................................................................1122
77. Al-Mursalaat (The Companies Sent) .................................................................1127
78. An-Naba (The Tidings) ...........................................................................................1131
79. An-Nazi’aat (Those Who Fly Out) .....................................................................1137
80. Abasa (He Frowned) ..................................................................................................1140
81. At-Takwir (The Folding Up) ................................................................................1143
82. Al-Infitaar (The Cleaving Open) .......................................................................1147
83. Al-Mutaffifin (Dealers In Fraud) ......................................................................1149
84. Al-Inshiqaq (The Spliting Asunder) ...................................................................1152
85. Al-Buruj (The Constellations) ...............................................................................1155
86. At-Tary’q (That Which Comes at Night) ..........................................................1157
87. Al-A’la (The Most High).........................................................................................1159
88. Al-Ghaashiyah (The Overwhelming) ................................................................1161
89. Al-Fajr (The Dawn) .................................................................................................1163
90. Al-Balad (The City) ..................................................................................................1166
91. Ash-Shams (The Sun) ...............................................................................................1168
92. Al-Lail (The Night) ..................................................................................................1171
93. Ad-Duha (The Forenoon) .......................................................................................1173
94. Al-Inshirah (The Expansion) ................................................................................1175
95. At-Tin (The Fig) ........................................................................................................1178
96. Al-’Alaq (The Clot) ....................................................................................................1181
97. Al-Qadr (Destiny and Power) ..............................................................................1184
98. Al-Baiyyinah (The Clear Evidence) ...................................................................1186
99. Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) ...........................................................................1189
100. Al-’Aadiyaat (The Chargers) .................................................................................1191
101. Al-Qari’ah (The Sudden, Mighty Strike) .........................................................1193
102. At-Takaathur (Rivalry in Wordly Increase) ....................................................1194
103. Al-’Asr (Time Heavy With Events) ...................................................................1195
104. Al-Humazah (Slanderer) ........................................................................................1196
105. Al-Fil (The Elephant) ..............................................................................................1197
106. Al-Quraish (The Qureaish) ....................................................................................1198
107. Al-Maa’un (Assistance) ............................................................................................1199
108. Al-Kauthar (Abundant Good) ...............................................................................1200
109. Al-Kaafirun (The Unbelievers)............................................................................1202
110. An-Nasr (Help)............................................................................................................1203
111. Tabbat (Ruin) ...............................................................................................................1205
112. Al-Ikhlaas (Purity of Faith) ...................................................................................1206
113. Al-Falaq (The Daybreak) .......................................................................................1209
114. An-Naas (Humankind) ............................................................................................1211
APPENDICES
1. The Prophet Muhammad In The Bible ..............................................................1213
2. Islam And War, And The Main Factors In The Spread Of Islam ...........1218
3. More On Islam And War ..........................................................................................1223
4. The Status of Women In Islam ...............................................................................1227
5. The Prophet Muhammad Among His People ..................................................1230
Contents
6. The Qur’ān’s Challenge And Some Aspects Of Its Miraculousness...........1234
7. God Wills Good For Humankind But Humankind Incurs Evil ..............1238
8. On The Existence And Unity Of God .................................................................1242
9. The Diary Of A Honeybee .......................................................................................1246
10. The Ascension (Mi‘rāj) Of The Prophet Muhammad ..................................1249
11. Arguments For The Resurrection ..........................................................................1256
12. The Spirit, Its Identity And Arguments For Its Existence ..........................1265
13. Islam: God’s Original Pattern On Which He Has Created Humankind .....
1272
14. The Trust Which Humanity Has Undertaken ................................................1276
GLOSSARIES
1. Glossary Of God’s All-Beautiful Names .............................................................1280
2. Glossary of Terms .........................................................................................................1288
In the Name of God, The All-Merciful, The All-Compassionate.
Foreword 1100
Foreword
All praise is for God, the Lord of the worlds, may His Majesty be exalted,
and peace and blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad, his household, his
Companions, and the righteous servants among the inhabitants of the heaven
and earth.
The movement of returning to the Qur’ān, which began in the Muslim world
around a century ago, is continuing with its ups and downs, and right and wrong
aspects. As is known, the Qur’ān was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over
23 years, 14 centuries ago, mostly on different occasions. This last “version” of
the divine word, which was planted in the Last Prophet as a seed and, growing
swiftly, “raised on its stem, sprouted its shoots (Qur’ān, 48: 29),” came to leaf,
blossomed, and yielded fruit in all aspects of life. Almost one third of the world
having lived a peaceful life under its calm, serene shade for many centuries, the
Qur’ān was veiled by the neglect and unfaithfulness of its “friends” and the hos-
tility of its “enemies.” However, after a few centuries of misery, Muslims all over
the Muslim world felt the dire need of returning to the Qur’ān and found that
this word of God is as fresh as when it was first revealed, and “growing younger
as time gets older.”
The very essence of their being deeply injured by the poison injected by materi-
alistic trends, humans are in quest of an immediate cure. It is the word of God
which has this cure. However, it is in anticipation of “doctors” who will present
it. The future of humanity is dependent on the efforts of these doctors to present
this cure. If the Qur’ān had been fully and accurately understood and practiced
effectively in life, the poisons produced in modern times would not have been
able to find Muslim customers in considerable numbers, no matter if they had
been presented in golden cups. However, unfortunately, in addition to these
poisons being easily injected in many believing bodies, some so-called Muslim
“doctors,” who should have defied them with the Qur’ān, have taken them as
if they were an antidote. They even have gone so far as to identify the cure of
the Qur’ān with them and, further, have ventured to test it in the tubes of the
laboratories where the poisons are produced.
wHAT Is THe Qur’āN; How CAN IT Be deFINed?
According to the majority of scholars, the word “Qur’ān” is an infinitive form
of the verb QaraA meaning reading or reciting. Therefore it literally means a
thing recited by adding letters and words to one another.
The verb Qa-ra-A has another infinitive form, qar’u, which means “to collect.”
so, some are of the opinion that Qur’ān means “The Thing which Collects.” It