The Qur'an: A Verse Translation

The Qur'an: A Verse Translation

Islam’s founding text, rendered for the first time in flowing English verse. This monumental feat of translation, the product of a ten-year-long collaboration between one of our most respected scholars of Islam (Bruce B. Lawrence) and a poet and scholar of literature (M. A. R. Habib), The Qur'an: A Verse Translation offers readers the first rendering in English to echo, in accessible and fluent verse, the sonorous beauty of the Arabic original as well as the complex nuances of its meaning. Those familiar with the Qur'an in Arabic―especially the faithful who each day hear the text recited aloud―know that it is a sublime blend of sound and sense, music and meaning. While no translation can perfectly capture the inimitable virtues of the original, Habib and Lawrence have come closest to a readable, clear, and fluid English Qur'an that all readers, regardless of their faith or familiarity with the text, can read with pleasure, gaining a deeper appreciation of the book and the religious tradition it inspired. A rich and informative introduction situates the Qur'an in its cultural context and describes its unique structure and history. A note from the translators explains their painstaking efforts to address the many challenges that any translator must face when rendering the Qur'an into English. Extensive notes and explanatory apparatus will help all readers―whether they are familiar with the original or coming to the text for the first time―to read (and hear) the Qur'an with fresh understanding and insight. "This poetic rendition of the holy text will appeal to nonbelievers, too . . . The new translation is much more succinct and is rendered in language that is natural and limpid and, as the authors claim, ‘reads like English verse while retaining the deep structure of the Arabic text.’ Whether Habib and Lawrence’s translation becomes a standard for English-speaking Muslims like me remains to be seen. Nonetheless, their work should be of interest to everyone for the way in which it provides clarity, context, and beauty to ― and renders into poetry ― one of civilization’s most important texts." ― Mike Maggio, Washington Independent Review of Books "[The Qur'an] instructs believers to recite its words “slowly and distinctly,” or, in Habib and Lawrence’s version, “in clear, rhythmic measure.” This deliberate and steady cadence―no thrilling rhapsodies here―is what creates the Qur’an’s characteristic mood, “the slow-moving grandeur of the Arabic."" ― Robyn Creswell, The New York Review of Books "Capturing the form of the original without distorting the content. Given that the Qur’an is recitative, meant to be read or chanted out loud, Habib and Lawrence chose verse instead of prose in short lines that amplify the succinct power of the words. They took care to suggest the pauses and cadences of the Arabic with repetitions that are not redundant but amplify the meaning of the words. As they explain, their versification transcends the flatness of linear thinking, allowing the text “to be registered on several levels: cognitive, sensible, psychological, and spiritual.” The God heard here isn’t speaking the language of fundamentalism but in allusions of infinity." ― David Luhrssen "Habib and Lawrence aspire to producing a “faint echo” of the Qur’anic voice. However faint the echo might be, it is clear enough to enrich not only the English tradition of Qur’an translation, but also to enrich the English language. …, the beauty and power of the Qur’an emerge in English as never before." ― Michael Sells, The Muslim World " The Qur’an: A Verse Translation is truly a monumental achievement. It has undoubtably made a significant contribution to an already rich compendium of translations, especially given its focus on capturing the poetical and rhythmic beauty of the Qu’ran through the richness of the English language. Perhaps one of the many lasting features of The Qur’an: A Verse Translation will be the broader cultural contributions that will allow Muslims to think Islamically in the English language." ― Shamim Miah, QUR’ANIC RENDERINGS "Educators who have struggled with how to use indigestible translations of the Qur’an now have access to a version of outstanding literary quality, the result of ten years of collaboration between two experienced scholars who have made an outstanding contribution with this highly attractive presentation. This new translation by Habib and Lawrence deserves to be recognized as the best available version of the Qur’an in English." ― Carl Ernst, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Islamic studies at the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill " The Qur’an: A Verse Translation captures the imagery and lyricism of the Sacred Text superbly, while renovating the language of earlier translations. An extraordinary achievement, it will be my go-to translation from now on." ― Ziauddin Sardar, author of Desperately Seeking