The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
List Price:
Our Price: $5.80
You Save: $7.15 (55%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $5.79 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Translator: M. A. S. Abdel HaleemEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2008-06-15
ISBN: 0199535957
Number of pages: 502
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Book Reviews of The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
Book Review: Easy informative read...
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the easiest to read English translation of the Koran I have read so far. One has to read it with an open mind and take out any pre-existing prejudices about the religion/Koran from your mind before you read it. Its a well established fact (at least in academic circles) that Koran lays the foundation for establishment of law, social justice, women's rights, human rights, and so on over the centuries preceding the 19th century.
To address the common misconception that the Koran is filled with hate language and so on, I would say four things about that. Firstly, according to my interpretation, it does not. The Koran and the Islamic society as a whole distinguishes between 3 types of people - Muslims, Christians/Jews, and non-believers(infidels or idol worshipers). The Koran makes it clear on that issue. When the book was revealed during the age of idol worship in Mecca, non-believers were referred to the idol worshipers and not to the Christians/Jews. In fact, a Christian king gave refuge to some early Muslims who were facing persecution by Meccan idol worshipers. It does have a few clauses here and there for bit of a harsh treatment to non-believers, but it should refer to idol-worshipers. With a turbulent past 50-100 years of history riddled with European colonialism, oil, wars, Israel/Palestine conflict, greed, terrorism and so on, the word non-believers slowly started to apply to the westerners (mostly Americans) in the minds of many Muslims. So there is no doubt the radical Muslim groups use the word infidel/non-believer to refer to Americans to help their cause.
Secondly, the Koran does not say Muslims to go kill Christians or Jews or non-believers for whatever reason unless criminal in nature. It is a book of law, order, justice, and history. Christians and Jews had been living for centuries in Muslim occupied lands (although with some reservations). According to the book, the job of Muslims is to spread the message of God. Whether others believe in it or not is between God and them. So the idea that Muslims went around telling people to convert or die in the past 1500 some years is really not accurate. There may have been couple of radical cases here and there, but for the most part the message of one God and his prophets appealed to the people.
Thirdly, the Koran does adopt a strict language compared to other scriptures. Perhaps rightfully so - as part of scare tactic. Because the idea that one needs to fear God before he/she thinks/does some wrong is also a central theme of the book. If you do not believe in hell or do not fear God's punishment, you'll do more wrong things in your life.
Forth, one has to make a distinction between religion and culture. More than half of the stuff/customs Arabs practice has nothing to do with the Koran, especially with the treatment of women. There is an entire chapter on women's (wife's) rights and obligation in the book. They do actually have more rights than what the media says or how Arabs treat their women. For instance, women are treated entirely differently in Indonesia (country with highest Muslim population) than in Arabia or Asia and so on.
Summary of The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
One of the most influential books in the history of literature, recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, the Qur'an is the supreme authority and living source of all Islamic teaching, the sacred text that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of Islam. Yet despite the growing interest in Islamic teachings and culture, there has never been a truly satisfactory English translation of the Qur'an, until now.This superb new translation of the Qur'an is written in contemporary language that remains faithful to the meaning and spirit of the original, making the text crystal clear while retaining all of this great work's eloquence. The translation is accurate and completely free from the archaisms, incoherence, and alien structures that mar existing translations. Thus, for the first time, English-speaking readers will have a text of the Qur'an which is easy to use and comprehensible. Furthermore, Haleem includes notes that explain geographical, historical, and personal allusions as well as an index in which Qur'anic material is arranged into topics for easy reference. His introduction traces the history of the Qur'an, examines its structure and stylistic features, and considers issues related to militancy, intolerance, and the subjection of women.
Clearly written and filled with helpful information and guidance, this brilliant translation of the Qur'an is the best available introduction to the faith of Moslems around the world.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
Quran Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Quran Books
The Heart of the Qur'an: An Introduction to Islamic Spiritualityby Lex Hixon
Quest Books; Published: 2003-09-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.90
Price in other shops:
Muhammad Is Not the Father of Any of Your Men: The Making of the Last Prophet (Divinations: Rereading Late Ancient Religion)by David S. Powers
University of Pennsylvania Press; Published: 2011-03-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $29.55
Price in other shops:
Ethico-Religious Concepts in the Quranby Toshihiko Izutsu
Mcgill Queens Univ Pr; Published: 2002-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $65.34
Price in other shops:
Monotheism Applied to Social Issues in the Koranby Masudul Alam Choudhury
Edwin Mellen Pr; Published: 2006-01-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $64.97
Price in other shops:
Methodological Issues and Themes in the Koran (Science and Epistemology in the Koran)by Masudul Alam Choudhury
Edwin Mellen Pr; Published: 2005-12; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $139.95
Ancient Arabia; The Hanged Poems; The Koran (Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, Vol. 5) (Sacred Books & Early Literature of the East)by Charles F. Horne
Kessinger Publishing, LLC; Published: 1997-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $26.63
Price in other shops:
Exploring Islam in a New Light: An Understanding from the Quranic Perspectiveby Abdur Rab
iUniverse, Inc.; Published: 2008-03-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $39.95
Faith and Power: The Politics of Islamby Edward Mortimer
Faber and Faber; Published: 1982-10-04; Hardcover; Book
Word of God, Art of Man: The Qur'an and its Creative Expressions: Selected Proceedings from the International Colloquium, London, 18-21 October 2003 ... of Ismaili Studies: Qur'anic Studies)by Fahmida Suleman
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2010-10-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $42.66
Price in other shops:
The Koran: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)by Michael Cook
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2000-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
Buddhist Scriptures (Penguin Classics)Penguin Classics; Published: 2004-08-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.25
Price in other shops:
The Analects (Oxford World's Classics)by Confucius
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2008-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.21
Price in other shops:
The Prince (Penguin Classics)by Niccolo Machiavelli, Anthony Grafton, George Bull
Penguin Classics; Published: 2003-02-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.98
Price in other shops:
The Bhagavad Gita (Oxford World's Classics)Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2009-09-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.73
Price in other shops:
The Rule of Saint Benedictby St. Benedict
Vintage; Published: 1998-03-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.27
Price in other shops:
Islam: The Straight Pathby John L. Esposito
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2010-07-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $40.27
Price in other shops:
The Divine Comedy (The Inferno, The Purgatorio, and The Paradiso)by Dante Alighieri
NAL Trade; Published: 2003-05-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.73
Price in other shops:
St. Thomas Aquinas on Politics and Ethics (Norton Critical Editions)by Thomas Aquinas
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 1987-11-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.66
Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelationsby MIchael Sells
White Cloud Press; Published: 2007-01-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $13.67
Price in other shops:
Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sourcesby Martin Lings
Inner Traditions; Published: 2006-10-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.62
Price in other shops: