The Koran

I tried to read a different translation of the Koran many years ago and it didn't make much sense to me. I remember getting through the whole thing but not really having "gotten" it. That's not the case with Dawood's translation! Dawood's translation is written in conversational English and makes sense of what other translations couldn't translate from the original Arabic to English!I think it really helps that Dawood, while maybe not a Muslim himself (nor am I for that matter) is someone who has a true love of the Koran and took that love and put it into making the best possible translation there is! I could feel God's love emanating from the pages as I read it (and am still reading it! I'm about halfway through) and I'm so happy to say I think I finally understand the message of the Koran.If you're an English speaking Muslim, or even a layperson who's just curious, pick this book up. You won't be sorry. There's something very special contained within the pages of this book and like I said, while I'm not a Muslim, I can feel the beauty coming from each page. Read it!

I ordered the book from Amazon.com early on a Sunday morning. The book arrived at my place of work on the following Tuesday. Holding the Koran in my hand, it came to me that "this is the heart of Islam". It felt somehow different from holding our own Bible. What arcane ideas would I find in its pages? Would the contents be shocking, dismaying, maybe giving credence to our hate-emailers? What would I learn? Surprises were in store for me. Encouragement of hatred toward Americans, Christians, and Jews, is found nowhere in the Qur'an. Muslims are exhorted only to stand apart from unbelievers [the same warning is found in the Holy books of other religions]. The Qur'an presents a clear description of a true Believer. Page 223: "He that comes before his Lord laden with sin shall be consigned to Hell, where he shall neither die nor live. But he that comes before Him with true faith, having done good works, shall be exalted to the highest ranks. He shall abide forever in the gardens of Eden, in gardens watered by running streams. Such shall be the recompense of those that keep themselves pure." Right here is drawn the line which seperates al Qaeda from all straight-path Muslims. The preemptive attacks waged by al Qaeda are prohibited by the Qur'an. Page 237: "Permission to take up arms is hereby given to those who are attacked, because they have been wronged." The Qur'an is most clear on this. For the most part, the Qur'an makes simple statements which cannot be interpreted, misconstrued, or twisted to fit an unbeliever's agenda. In all respects, this English translation of the Qur'an should be a must-read for scholars who cannot read the Arabic original.

I am not an expert in Arabic, but I have read two different translations of the Koran, one by A. J. Arberry and the Penguin classic edition translated by N. J. Dawood. The Penguin edition is far superior in readability, although the basic teachings of the Koran can be recognized from either translation.Most striking to me is how disjointed and random the teachings seem to be in comparison to the Bible (with which I am far more familiar). "Love your enemies" and "Turn the other cheek" from the Bible stand in contrast to the more militaristic tone of the Koran which encourages adherents to "Make war on them [the unbelievers] until idolatry shall cease and God's religion shall reign supreme" (The Spoils, 8:40; see also Prohibition, 66:9). Heaven is pictured as a place of sensuous delights designed especially for men, who "shall sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins, as chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches" (The Ranks, 37:48). Although women have some protection and rights in the Koran, God has made men superior to women and given men permission to "beat them" (Women, 4:34 or 4:38 in other translations).There are numerous allusions to people whose names appear also in the Bible, but always with a different slant. Abraham's significant son becomes Ishmael instead of Isaac, and Jesus is mentioned, but his relationship to God as the Son of God is denied (The Believers, 23:91). In stark contrast to the biblical emphasis on salvation by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9), the Koran teaches that salvation comes to those whose good deeds weigh heavy on the scales. Those whose deeds are light forfeit their souls and abide in Hell forever (The Believers, 23:104). In the Koran, the earth is created in two days instead of six. Revenge is acceptable. In divorce, he gets the children! Most disturbing, perhaps, are instructions on what to do with those who abandon Islam and have become disbelievers. "Do not befriend them," "Seize them and put them to death wherever you find them" (Women, 4:90). The Koran does, indeed, make for significant reading.

This is a very good translation and I've read about 5 of them. I don't know what the negative reviewers are referring to, I'm on my third read through and I've compared the translation to the best translations on the internet, even the Word for Word Koran which is just that, a very literal translation. The only problem I have is the use of the word God, Jesus and Mary, etc., instead of the rightful names. The Book would also benefit from an authoritative Transliteration of the Arabic, for praying purposes.