Translator’s Foreword

As a student of the author for the past 30 years, I have had the privilege to discuss his translation on numerous occasions. These discussions helped me not only in ensuring accuracy in the translation but also in learning the thought process of the author in interpreting a Book that bears no parallel in the annals of mankind.

The unique feature of the author’s translation is that it attempts to unfold the coherence of the discourse within the text through insertions in parenthesis. The purpose is bring the readers closer to the diction of the Qur’ān and make them understand some of its nuances that may elude them because of the unique structure and style of classical Arabic in which it is couched.

Rendering a translation of the Qur’ān into a new language is an onerous task. The reason for this is the concise style of Qur’ānic Arabic that imparts it with its peculiar brevity. While commenting on this style and how it induced him to this translation, the author writes:

The style of the Qur’ān is that it states the cause of something but many a time does not use any word that signifies causation; it brings forth parables but suppresses some of its components on the basis of parallelism and does not expresses them in words; like a divine orator, it at times addresses one group and at times another, yet many a time nothing except the occasion and nature of the discourse signifies this shift; it cites answers one after the other but does not cite the questions, objections and doubts that it answers or if it all it does, it does so very concisely so that they can only be understood merely through the answers. It continues to state one thing after the other by linking a group of verses to the next in the form of principal statements, corollaries, objection statements, culmination clauses, contrast, comparison, qualifying statements and ending statements which bring up the same topic as the opening statements. However, while connecting verses through these linkages, it does not state them in words whether before or after. This is the pinnacle of the style of literary discourse adopted by the orators of the ancient period. The people of Arabia were conversant with it and knew full well that through it the effectiveness and eloquence of words reach their zenith. The coherence in the Qur’ān to which Imām Ḥamīd al-Dīn Farāhī (1863-1930), the celebrated scholar and researcher of the subcontinent, introduced the world is the consequence of appreciating this style. These subtleties of the discourse have been fully explained by my mentor Imām Amīn Aḥsan Iṣlāḥī (1904-1997) in his exegesis Tadabbur-i Qur’ān, yet the way he has translated the verses is very similar to how our exegetes have generally being doing. Since the time of my student years, I did think that we cannot convey the elegance of words, rhythm of sentences and splendour and perfection of constructions into a translation but when we also leave aside these linkages while translating the Qur’ān, we deprive the reader of a greater part of its meaning, in fact, at times the real meaning.

It was in order to fulfil this need that I undertook this translation and have attempted to unfold these linkages within the translation in a manner that I have not even inserted parenthesis to indicate the essential parts of words and sentences that have been suppressed in accordance with linguistic considerations of the Arabic language. These suppressions are in fact obvious and understood components of the discourse. It is thus expected that readers will be able to appreciate the meaning, coherence and splendour of style of the Qur’ān which generally remain elusive to them. They will see that with the expression of these linkages how a sūrah manifests itself as an elegant unit, the possibility of differences in interpretation is almost done away with, the grandeur in the sequence of the Qur’ān has become evident, the meaning of verses has come to the fore with clarity and certainty and their eloquence has been unveiled with brilliance.¹

Two things may be noted regarding this translation. One is regarding an aspect of nomenclature and the other regarding an aspect of punctuation.

As for the first, English translators generally translate the word “sūrah” as “chapter.” In this translation, the original word has been retained at all places. The word “chapter”, on the other hand, refers to the seven chapters in which the whole Qur’ān is divided. (For details, see the preamble by the author)

As for the second, when God speaks to Muḥammad (sws), inverted commas delineating direct speech are not inserted. This is because, on most occasions, it is not possible to decipher when what Muḥammad is told to convey ends and the discourse from God Himself resumes. It is as if on such occasions, what is conveyed by God to Muḥammad is the same as if God Himself is directly speaking.

A glossary of Arabic words that have been adopted as it is in the translation has been provided at the end.

Mention must be made of Dr Junaid Hassan, Rakshanda Chaudry and Nikhat Sattar who have greatly helped in editing parts of this translation. A note of profound gratitude for dear Azeem Ayub, a brother and a friend, is also in order. He has tirelessly and repeatedly formatted this translation by burning the proverbial midnight oil. May God reward all of them for their hard work and dedication.

I pray to God that this rendering of my mentor’s work paves the way of deeply understanding this Final Testament of God for readers of the English language.

Shehzad Saleem

Al-Mawrid

Lahore, 19th June 2020