The Qur’an – Its significance for Islamic History
The Qur’an is not a book of history. It is a book of guidance. It is a book of wisdom. The Qur’an refers to historical events from which one can receive guidance and gather wisdom. One may therefore legitimately ask: What is the significance of a translation of the Qur’an in an Encyclopedia of Islamic History?
The answer quite simply is this: It is impossible to understand Islamic history without an understanding of the Qur’an. The great intellectual upheavals in Islamic history have taken place within the framework of conformance with or in violation of Qur’anic teachings. For instance, the Muta’zilah revolution of the eighth century, and the counter-Muta’zilah revolution that overwhelmed it, were both formulated in terms of Qur’anic teachings. Timur, who was undoubtedly one the greatest conquerors the world has seen, always found it expedient to obtain a legal opinion from his jurists justifying his invasion and plunder of neighboring Muslim lands, claiming that the neighboring monarchs had violated the injunctions of the Qur’an. The sufis and the salafis, the modernists and the traditionalists, the reformists and the conservatives have all looked to the Qur’an for a justification of their positions.
That said, it is a truism that the Qur’an just cannot be translated. It is self-sustained eloquence that defies semantic equivalence. The grandeur of its language, its infinite, variegated nuances pose a continuous challenge to the mind and soul. The overwhelming power of its words can be felt only when it is recited in the original Arabic by an eminent Qari (reciter). Nonetheless, through the ages, Muslim scholars have considered it an honor to attempt a translation of the Qur’an.
There are excellent translations of the Qur’an available in the English language. Each one presents a view of the text as it is understood by the translator. The linguist, the theologian, the philosopher, the mathematician, the jurist, the historian, the anthropologist and the scientist each brings his own perspective to the endeavor and the product reflects the perspectives, the assumptions and limitations of each.
This translation was done by Professor Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, a scientist, inventor, historian and legislator, over a period of three years, between 2007 and 2010, although some of this work was done as early as 1972. The distinguishing characteristics of this translation are:
- It is done in simple American English
- It stays true to the literal Words of the Quran
- It attempts to capture the universal, loving message of the Divine Word and the scientific nuances of the text in its spiritual context.
Hard copies of this translation may be obtained from the well-known publishers in New York:
Tahrike Tarseele Qur’an Inc.
80-08 51st Avenue, Elmhurst, NY 11373, USA
Please address any comments on this translation, or indeed about any of the articles in the Encyclopedia to Dr. Nazeer Ahmed at nazeer.ahmed@delixus.com.
- Surah 1. Al Fateha
- Surah 2. Surah al Baqara
- Surah 3. Surah Aal-e Imran
- Surah 4. Surah al Nisa’a
- Surah 5. Surah al Maa-e-da
- Surah 6. Surah al An’am
- Surah 7. Surah al A’raf
- Surah 8. Surah al Anfal
- Surah 9. Surah al Tawba
- Surah 10. Surah Yunus
- Surah 11. Surah Hud
- Surah 12. Surah Yusuf
- Surah 13. Surah al Ra’d
- Surah 14. Surah Ibrahim
- Surah 15- Surah al Hijr
- Surah 16. Surah al Nahl
- Surah 17. Surah Bani Israel
- Surah 18. Surah al Kahf
- Surah 19. Surah Maryam
- Surah 20. Surah Taa haa
- Surah 21- Surah al Anbiya
- Surah 22. Surah al Hajj
- Surah 23. Surah al Mominoon
- Surah 24. Surah al Noor
- Surah 25. Surah al Furqan
- Surah 26. Surah al Shu’ara
- Surah 27. Surah al Naml
- Surah 28. Surah al Qasas
- Surah 29. Surah al Ankabut
- Surah 30. Surah al Rum
- Surah 31. Surah Luqman
- Surah 32. Surah al Sajda
- Surah 33. Surah al Ahzab
- Surah 34. Surah Saba
- Surah 35. Surah Fatir
- Surah 36. Surah Yasin
- Surah 37. Surah al Safaat
- Surah 38. Surah Suad
- Surah 39. Surah al Zumar
- Surah 40. Surah al Mo’min
- Surah 41. Surah al Fussilat
- Surah 42. Surah al Shura
- Surah 43. Surah al Zuqhruf
- Surah 44. Surah al Dukhan
- Surah 45. Surah al Jathiyah
- Surah 46. Surah al Ahqaf
- Surah 47. Surah Muhammad
- Surah 48. Surah al Fath
- Surah 49. Surah al Hujurat
- Surah 50. Surah Qaf
- Surah 51. Surah al Dhariyah
- Surah 52. Surah al Tur
- Surah 53. Surah al Najm
- Surah 54. Surah al Qamar
- Surah 55. Surah al Rahman
- Surah 56. Surah al Waqi’ah
- Surah 57. Surah al Hadeed
- Surah 58. Surah al Mujadilah
- Surah 59. Surah al Hashr
- Surah 60. Surah al Mumtahinah
- Surah 61. Surah al Saf
- Surah 62. Surah al Juma’
- Surah 63. Surah al Munafiqoon
- Surah 64. Surah al Taghabun
- Surah 65. Surah al Talaq
- Surah 66. Surah al Tahreem
- Surah 67. Suratul Mulk
- Surah 68. Suratul Qalam
- Surah 69. Surah al Haqqat
- Surah 70. Surah al Mu’arij
- Surah 71. Surah Nuh
- Surah 72. Surah al Jinn
- Surah 73. Surah al Muzzammil
- Surah 74. Surah al Mudaththir
- Surah 75. Surah al Qiyamah
- Surah 76. Surah al Insan
- Surah 77. Surah al Mursalat
- Surah 78. Surah al Naba’
- Surah 79. Surah al Nazi’at
- Surah 80. Surah A’basa
- Surah 81. Surah al Takwir
- Surah 82. Surah al Infitar
- Surah 83. Surah al Mutaffifeen
- Surah 84. Surah al Inshiqaq
- Surah 85. Surah al Buruj
- Surah 86. Surah al Tariq
- Surah 87. Surah al A’la
- Surah 88. Surah al Ghashiah
- Surah 89. Surah al Fajr
- Surah 90. Surah al Balad
- Surah 91. Surah al Shams
- Surah 92. Surah al Lail
- Surah 93. Surah al Duha
- Surah 94. Surah al Inshirah
- Surah 95. Surah al Teen
- Surah 96. Surah al Alaq
- Surah 97. Surah al Qadr
- Surah 98. Surath al Bayyinah
- Surah 99. Surah al Zilzilah
- Surah 100. Surah al A’diyat
- Surah 101. Surah al Qariyah
- Surah 102. Surah al Takathur
- Surah 103. Surah al ‘Asr
- Surah 104. Surah al Humaza
- Surah 105. Surah al Fil
- Surah 106. Surah al Quraish
- Surah 107. Surah al Ma’un
- Surah 108. Surah al Kauthar
- Surah 109. Surah al Kafirun
- Surah 110. Surah al Nasr
- Surah 111. Surah al Lahab
- Surah 112. Surah al Ikhlas
- Surah 113. Surah al Falaq
- Surah 114. Surah al Nas
- The Complete Quran Translation in PDF Format