Seeking Koran translation recommendations

[Coventina]

Can anyone recommend a good translation of the Koran?

I want to read it this summer, and I want a fairly accessible version.

Mods: if this is not in the correct forum, feel free to move.

Thanks!

[Taverner]

1. I have heard...its good to go with a couple translations

And compare them.

But then again, this was from someone working on their MA in Theology

[Omphaloskepsis]

2. You would think this would be easy...

I looked for a long time and never found what I wanted..

I did order a free packet from the Saudi government. That had a well made book about Islam. But not a English translation of the Holy Quran. I used to hang out on a Macintosh forum that had several Muslims posting. All of the translations they suggested seemed lacking. It seemed like they were summaries.. Maybe the Bible is just wordy? I dunno..


And my roommates got freaked when I got mail from the Saudi government.. It was right after 9/11, but, I was taking a history of the middle east class at the time.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Saudis gave Qur'ans to many public libraries

including my local one. It is an extreme translation of the text, one that does not go along with the translation I use (Yusuf Ali), which you can pick up for around $20.00 hard cover.

[Imperialism Inc.]

3. I'll second that.

A good translation of the Koran is one major religion I'm missing in my collection.

[azurnoir]

4. There are several online

Avoid anything from MEMRI, one thing they all have in common though, everything except names are translated-Abraham/Ibrahim, Jesus/Issa, and on and on. Used to think it was a sour grapes hold over from the Crusades, but now realize it is to makes things appear more different then they are.

[kwassa]

5. I've heard that it loses much in translation from the arabic langauge

because it is a work of poetry and is meant to be recited, and that Koran means "the recitation"

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

10. This is true

that is why for years there was resistance to translation, and the suggestion that people learn Arabic in order to read it.

[Igel]

6. Read two.

It used to be possible to get a free Qur'aan from CAIR (http://www.cair-net.org/), but later it was "free, with shipping and handling". I don't see it now. Huge sucker, it was.

In any event, there are, roughly speaking, two kinds of translations ("paraphrases", in the Muslim view). Those that try to translate the most likely meaning given the language and context, without regard for how it reflects on the text or Islam--mostly older translations. Then there are more moderate, mostly newer, translations that tone down the 7th century rhetoric so that it's in keeping with "moderate" Muslim views. Both gloss over a lot of the debate and controversy over what some words mean; some passages have traditional meanings, i.e., you can't get those meanings (or often any) out of them through a naive reading. Bin Laden and DUer Ayeshahaqqiqa have the same Qur'aan, but they interpret them in dramatically different fashions.

I'd read one of each. The older ones will be less accessible.

Beware the expurgated versions, the ones that leave out all the boring and controversial stuff. Those fall into the category of "proselytizing materials". A few years ago a university made the Qur'aan required reading for incoming frosh, and created a firestorm of controversy. First, because it was a religious text--that was the one reported. Second, because it wasn't a complete version.

On edit: Here's the "free" CAIR Quran: https://www.cair.com/explorethequran/request.asp
"Please note that as of October 1, 2006, requestors are asked to pay, by credit/debit card, $7.65 to cover the cost of shipping by Media Mail. Each Qur’an is a hardback edition, retailing at $55."

[sinkingfeeling]

7. I got a free English version from CAIR a couple of years ago. I see they're now asking for Shipping

costs. This is a hard-back, over 1100 page book that must weigh 10 pounds! It's beautiful.

http://www.cair-net.org/explorethequran/request.asp

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an

by Yusuf Ali--don't have the total translation here. If you go online, you can get three of the most popular translations here:

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/

The Yusuf Ali translation is the one recommended to me by senior teachers in various Sufi orders. It has an index and notes.

The url is to a great site-it offers the three major translations for the Qur'an, plus it has the Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) and a search engine.

[Coventina]

11. Thanks to all the responders.

I will look into your suggestions.

:thumbsup: