ve approximately six different translations at home, including translations from

Dawood (biased), Pickthall (a bit antiquated), Asad (great translation, a bit t

oo rationalist) and one from Riyadh (not bad but definitely Wahhabi influenced).
So why another one? I picked it up from my local library and was moved. It is th
e easiest reading Qur'an I've seen yet but it does not take away from the impact
of what it says. It really flows nicely and I find it reads so much more quickl
y than some others. I found no struggles to understand old English terms (Pickth
all's) and no fighting with bracketed words (Asad and the Riyadh version) whose
purpose is to help explain the deeper elements of the original Arabic. While in
a few places, I longed for some of the more grand terms found in some of the oth
er translations, on the whole this is a refreshing new translation in plain Engl
ish.
A few footnotes in some pivotal places keep certain verses in context and help e
xplain certain terms whose force may otherwise be missed. The introduction is br
ief but informative as the author goes into some detail about the difficulties i
n translating. My guess is that this is accurate and top notch as it is issued b
y Oxford and in his acknowledgments it is clear he has had many people ensure hi
s accuracy. This is one to keep and should be one against which others should be
measured.
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314 of 332 people found the following review helpful
easy to read
By Amazon Customer VINE VOICE on April 20, 2006
Format: Hardcover
I am a non Arab speaking, non-Muslim who decided to read the Koran for myself to
try to gain an understanding of what Islam is about. The first Koran translatio
n I bought was the one I heard was the most popular by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. I lik
ed the commentary in this one, but the translation itself put me off because it
was done in old "King James style" English. I wanted a translation that was in m
odern English yet considered to be an accurate translation by actual Muslims. I
heard about this translation by Haleem, bought it, and found it to be much, much
easier to read and comprehend. I have heard it is accurate and faithful to the
original Arabic, but I don't speak Arabic myself, so I hope that this is the cas
e. The commentary in this translation is much less than Ali's and more to the po
int. If you are curious and don't like olde English, and desire minimal but pert
inent commentary, this modern translation is the one to get.
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245 of 270 people found the following review helpful
A breakthrough translation of the Qur'an
By Kamran Pasha on September 10, 2004
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
This is one of the best translations of the Qur'an on the market today. Prof. Ab
del Haleem has done a remarkable job of presenting the Qur'an in modern English.
His translation is easy to read and has just enough footnotes and commentary to
explain context without overwhelming the reader with detail. Abdel Haleem has a
lso avoided the mistake of most translators -- "creative interpretation" of the
Qur'an in order to conform its meaning to their own religious beliefs or biases.
The translation also has very useful introductory sections that help non-Muslims
understand how the Qur'an is structured. It's not a linear narrative like the B
ible, but intentionally jumps around in time and space, like flashes from the fa
cets of a diamond held up to the light.
I believe that this translation will be held as the new standard in Qur'an studi

es for the 21st century.

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128 of 141 people found the following review helpful
Cheap, "easy to read," but I have some questions about accuracy
By groggy in Seattle on October 1, 2009
Format: Paperback
Other reviewers have emphasized the ease of reading Abdel Haleem's translation.
I have to agree. But at times the ease of reading seems to come from clarifying
passages that are somewhat obscure in the original Arabic. And then there is thi
s: There are four passages in the Qur'an on alcohol (the translation is Arberry'
s, considered by many to be the best, though the verse numbering follows the Flu
egel edition and not the subsequent and now standard Cairo edition and can there
fore be frustrating to use as a reference):
16:67 And of the fruits of the palms and the vines, you take therefrom an intoxi
cant and a provision fair. Surely in that is a sign for a people who understand.
4:43 O believers, draw not near to prayer when you are drunken until you know wh
at you are saying
2:219 They will question thee concerning wine, and arrow-shuffling. Say: `In bot
h is a heinous sin, and uses for men, but the sin in them is more heinous than t
he usefulness.'
5:90-91 O believers, wine and arrow shuffling, idols and divining arrows are an
abomination, some of Satan's work; so avoid it; haply so you will prosper. Satan
only desires to precipitate enmity and hatred between you in regard to wine and
arrow-shuffling, and to bar you from the remembrance of God, and from your pray
er. Will you then desist?
As we all know, Islamic law forbids drinking alcohol. Verse 5:90-91 is taken to
be the final word on the subject and is understood to have abrogated (annulled)
previous verses that are more permissive. Clearly the most permissive is 16:67,
which unambiguously calls intoxicants derived from grapes and dates one of God's
signs. This unambiguously calls alcohol a blessing.Read more
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75 of 82 people found the following review helpful
Good all around
By kelsie VINE VOICE on August 16, 2006
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I own multiple translations of the Qur'an, including those by N.J. Dawood, J.M.
Rodwell, A. Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Asad, and Thomas Cleary. Each has its strong and
weak points (for example: Dawood's is clear and readable, but heavily edited an
d incomplete). This translation strikes a fine balance in terms of both the tran
slated text and the features accompanying it.
Abdel Haleem's translation is, even more than N.J. Dawood's, a preservation of t
he thunder and power of the original. His work is full of startling immediacy. A
large reason for this effect is the language Haleem employs in his translation.
Unlike other translations that seek to place the Qur'an in a King James idiom (
Rodwell, Ali, Pickthall), Haleem opts for more contemporary usage and sentence s
tructure. This means that, in some part, the poetic feel of the original Arabic
is lost. However, as a useful work for study of the text, Haleem's translation i
s easily accessible.
He provides short introductions for each surah containing information on where t

hat surah was revealed along with key background information on its content. Dis
creet notes throughout guide the reader through difficult historical allusions a
nd religious concepts.
Haleem also provides a comprehensive introduction that covers the basics: what I
slam is and what the Qur'an is, but also finds time to discuss Islamic-Christian
relations in the Qur'an and the line of English translations leading up to Hale
em's. The introduction also tackles contemporary issues of interpretation, such
as the infamous 'Verse of the Sword,' demonstrating how these issues can be reso
lved in translations.
Haleem's work is a fine all-around volume, suitable for anyone approaching the Q
ur'an for the first time or continuing a deeper study of the book.
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Perfect for the Modern Day Muslim
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Well done and highly recommended
I am about two-thirds through this 435 or so page volume, have read nearly every
word, and find it to be very interesting, although overly repetitive as a matte
r of liter