Synopsis
It is the duty of every Muslim, man, woman or child - to read the Qur'an and understand it according to his own capacity. If one of us attains to some knowledge or understanding of it by study, comtemplation, and the test of life, both outward and inward, it is his duty, according to his capacity to instruct others, and share with them the joy and peace which result from contact with the spiritual world. I have explkored Western lands, Western manners and the depths of Western thought and Western learning, to an extent which has rarely fallen to the lot of an Eastern mortal. But I have never lost touch with my Eastern heritage. The service of the Qur'an has been the pride and privilege of many Muslims.I felt that with such life-experience as has fallen to my lot, my service to the Qur'an should be to present it in a fitting garb in English. That ambition I have cherished in my mind for more than forty years. I have collected books and materials for it. I have visited places, undertaken journeys, taken notes, sought the society of men, and tried to explore their thoughts and hearts, in order to equip myself for the task. Gentle and discerning reader what I wish to present to you is an English Interpretation, side by side with the Arabic Text. The English shall be, not a mere substitution of one word for another, but the best expression I can give to the fullest meaning which I can understand from the Arabic Text. The rhythm, music and exalted tone of the original should be reflected in the English Interpretation. It may be but a faint reflection, but such beauty and power as my pen can command shall be brought to its service. I want to make English itself an Islamic language, if such a person as I can do it. The test in English is printed in larger type than the running Commentary, in order to distinguish at a glance, the substance from the shadow. It is also displayed differently, in parallel columns with the Arabic Text. Each Surah and the verse of each Surah is separately numbered and the numbers are shown page by page. The system of numbering the verses has not been uniform in previous translations. European editors and translators have allowed their numbering to diverge considerably from that accepted in the East. This causes confusion in giving and verifying references. I have been fortune in securing the corporation of Professor Zafar Iqbal in looking over the proofs of the Arabic Text. In connection with the Anjuman's edition of the Arabic Qur'an he has devoted much time and thought to the correct punctuation of the Text, and he has also investigated its history and problems. It has been my desire to have the printing done in the best style possible, with new type, on good glazed paper, and with the best ink procurable. I hope the result will please those who are good enough to approve of the more essential features of the work.
About the Author
Abdullah Yusuf Ali was born on 4 April 1872, in Surat, a textile town in Gujrat, Western India, which formed part of the 'Presidency of Mumbai' in the days of Raj. He belonged to a mercantile community known as the Bohras, who trace their Muslim ancestry to the efforts of preachers dispatched by the Fatimid caliphs in Cairo. His father, a merchant, was a very religious man who made sure that his son learned Qur'an before anything else. Upon the completion of young Yusuf's committing the entire Qur'an to memory, his father celebrated the occasion with a grand banquet, thus showing to his son the importance of his achievement and the importance of the Qur'an. In addition to studying contemporary knowledge at school, 'Abdullah continued to receive lessons in Arabic language and never ceased in his studies of the Qur'an. He was a superior student who excelled in academic achievement and won the much coveted Indian Civil Service Award, a prestigious honour resulting from the extremely competitive entrance examinations for high positions in the Indian Civil Service which wealthy families would aspire for their sons to receive. Abdullah was easily able to absorb English literature and was considered to be among the best of his fellow countrymen in writing English. Many of the most well-known scholarly magazines in India published his works and expressed their appreciation for his beautiful literary style. Later, Abdullah Yusuf left India for Europe and visited many European capitals and eventually resided in London for a considerable period of time. While in London, he was exposed to many translations of the Qur'an and continued to have a tremendous interest in it and its studies. He then began to closely study the Qur'an giving special attention to its various interpretations, both old and new. In London A.Y Ali suffered a heart attack on 10 December 1953 and was rushed to St Stephen's Hospital in Fulham. Three hours after admission he died.
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