The Quran – Its significance for Islamic History
The Quran is not a book of history. It is a book of guidance. It is a book of wisdom. The Quran 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 Quran in an Encyclopedia of Islamic History?
The answer quite simply is this: It is impossible to understand Islamic History without an understanding of the Quran. The great intellectual upheavals within the fold of Islam have taken place within the framework of conformance with or violation of Quranic teachings. For instance, the Mutazilah revolution of the eighth century, and the counter-Mutazilah revolution that overwhelmed it, were both formulated in terms of Quranic 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 Quran. The sufis and the salafis, the modernists and the traditionalists, the reformists and the conservatives have all looked to the Quran for a justification of their positions.
That said, it is a truism that the Quran 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. Nonetheless, through the ages, Muslim scholars have considered it an honor to undertake a translation of the Quran.
There are excellent translations of the Quran available in the English language. Each one presents a view of the text as it is understood by the translator. This translation was done by Professor Dr. Nazeer Ahmed, a scientist, 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.
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
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