Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Mr. Burhanbhai,

Once again thank you for your email and your push (encourage) to me to read the Holy Qura'n, but I still find it difficulty in understanding the English translation because the Roman text used are bit confusing and complicated. I have the English translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, Published by Idara Isha'at-E-Diniyat (P) Ltd, New Delhi.

But, I really admire the way you depict an ayaat and its translation in simple English Language really makes one understand and digest what you or for that matter Allah Subhanah says in the Holy Qura'n.

Though very kind enough for your offer to send the whole Qura'n translation via the email, but as you said it will be tiresome to read on the computer and can you advise how many hours will it take to download? should you in case send it by email? If it is a cumbersome process on the email then I would rather ask you to ignore it. For that matter, I have not recd the following 2nd Surah Al Baqarah in English and if this is too long to download then you can ignore it. Pls check and resend if possible.

It maybe that you have difficulty in accessing the internet or the link on our emails… thus to start with, I am forwarding the translation of the 2^nd Surah of the Glorious Quran, Al Baqarah in English by an attached mail. - NOT RECEIVED BY ME - PLS CHECK.

I am also trying to look and buy in our local Islamic Bookshops for the following 'ahaadiths' and will let you know if I donot get them.

1. Sahih Al Bukhari

2. Sahih Al Muslim

I now look forward to receiving your further opinions and comments by return.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Quran translations via e-mail

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and who-ever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Comment: English translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall

Brother Mohammed Pickthall has done a commendable job with his translation of the Glorious Quran. There is absolutely no problems with the meanings and the translations, but the only drawback with Brother Pickthall’s translation is that it is primararily for the ‘Biblical’ European-American crowd, and thus he has used the ‘Biblical’ language like Thee, Thou, Hast, Givest, etc. Thus it might be a little difficult for the person who speaks normal English to understand and comprehend the Quran in this biblical english, although the actual translation is extremely accurate.

We would recommend one of the two most popular and respected translations:

By Brother Abdulla Yusuf Ali. Probably the most authentic and most widely read and respected translation in the English language.

By Brother Syed Abul A’ala Maududi. More than a translation, this commendable author has tried to present the meaning of the Quran. His translations are in extremely simple spoken English, and instead of an aayah by aayah translation, he has written the translation in a paragraph format. Thus if a topic is 3 aayahs, he has translated the three aayahs in one paragraph. If you are looking for simple, layman English translation, this translation would Insha Allah really benefit you.

We use both the above translations, by Brother Abdulla Yusuf Ali and Syed Maududi, for all our quotations in our articles.

Your Comment: But, I really admire the way you depict an ayaat and its translation in simple English Language really makes one understand and digest what you or for that matter Allah Subhanah says in the Holy Qura'n.

Brother, I assure you this is neither our doing, nor because of our command of the English language. We write the same article and send it to literally thousands of people everytime. Some understand it and try to get closer to the Message of Allah, and some just close their hearts to its understanding and send us curses and hate mail! It is Allah Who chooses who amongst His slaves is seeking knowledge, and who amongst His slaves is searching for the Truth, and who amongst His slaves deserves to be guided to the Truth. Allah has blessed you with a quest for the knowledge of Truth, and He, in His Sublime Mercy and Grace, has made the Quran easy for you to understand.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anam verse 125: Whomever Allah wills to guide aright, He makes his breast wide open to Islam, and whomever He wills to let go astray, He makes his breast narrow and squeezes it so tight (at the very idea of Islam), that he begins to feel as if his soul were climbing up towards the sky! Thus Allah sets the impurity on those who refuse to believe.

May Allah bless you to increase your knowledge in Islam, and make you do deeds which will take you towards His Infinite Mercy, Grace and Forgiveness. We do appreciate and thank you for your kind comments, but Allah knows the Truth, that we are not deservant of this appreciation. All Praise is due to Allah Subhanah Alone.

Your Comment: Though very kind enough for your offer to send the whole Qura'n translation via the email, but as you said it will be tiresome to read on the computer and can you advise how many hours will it take to download? should you in case send it by email? If it is a cumbersome process on the email then I would rather ask you to ignore it.

I personally don’t think it would take a long time to download it, and even if did take a long time to download the whole Quran, we are more than happy to send you the translations of the very words of our Lord and Creator, for His Pleasure Alone. It is not at all a cumbersome process for us, and we are more than willing and consider it an honor and pleasure to send the translation of the Glorious Quran to you by email. This Glorious Quran is a Message of our Creator, and He has made it a duty on every believer to invite all mankind to this Message.

In my humble opinion, it would be so much easier for you to obtain a translation in a book form from any Islamic bookstore in the world. It would make it a lot easier for you to read and understand the Glorious Quran, because in the book format, you will have the Arabic aayahs on one side and its translations and meanings on the other. It would just make it easier for you to understand the Divine Message. This is only our opinion, but if you give us the OK, we would be more than happy to send you the full translation by email.

Your Comment: I am also trying to look and buy in our local Islamic Bookshops for the following 'ahaadiths' and will let you know if I donot get them.

1. Sahih Al Bukhari

2. Sahih Al Muslim

Brother, you really don’t need to go through both these collection of the ahaadiths, as they are mostly repeated. Either one is good enough to get a thorough knowledge of the hadeeths. We would humbly and sincerely recommend that you read the whole translation of the Quran first, before you read the ahaadiths, simply because the ahaadiths are nothing but a continuation for further understanding the Glorious Quran. It is a collection of the sayings, deeds and actions of the Prophet of Allah (saws), and the life of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was nothing but a live and practical example of how to live the commandments of Allah. The Glorious Quran are the very words of Allah, and we must read and understand this Message to get a proper perspective of Islam. May Allah bless you and open your heart to the clear guidance and teachings of the Holy Quran.

May Allah help us, guide us, and forgive us our sins. May Allah open your and our hearts to the understanding of the Glorious Quran. May Allah have Mercy on you and us, and show us the Straight Path of Islam.

May Allah guide you and us to read and understand the simple and plain words of the Glorious Quran. May Allah increase our knowledge from the Holy Quran. May Allah guide us to the Siraat al Mustaqeem.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan