Every Muslim desires to understand the intricate language and nuances of the Qur’an. However, more than four out of every five Muslims in the world come from non-Arab backgrounds and do not speak Arabic, the language in which the Qur’an was revealed. Accordingly, the majority of Muslims, as well as interested non-Muslims, who wish to understand the Qur’an have to do so through translations in their native languages.
So if you ask what is the best English translation of the Holy Quran?
The fact is that there is no single best English translation of the Qur’an. Among reputable translations, each has different aims and features that make it suitable for different kinds of readers and purposes. At the same time, it is important to keep in mind that the Arabic of the Qur’an is incredibly deep, eloquent, and illustrative, so there will always be some meaning lost in translation, and each translator will attempt to compensate for that in different ways. The only way to grasp the true richness of a language is to know the language itself.
The earliest English translation of the Qur’an to receive widespread and lasting acceptance in the English-speaking Muslim community is Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall’s The Meaning of the Glorious Qur’an, first published in 1930.
This was followed closely afterwards in 1934 by Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s The Holy Qur’an. Though they both use a poetic style and sometimes archaic language (such as the pronouns ‘thee,’ ‘thou,’ and ‘thy’), they are fairly clear and remain two of the most popular and widely-available English translations of the Qur’an. These two translations more than any others have set the bar for what a good English translation of the Qur’an should be like, a bar that to this day has rarely been exceeded. Both come in editions with explanatory footnotes by their translators.
It is worth mentioning that Abdullah Yusuf Ali was a Shia by birth. However, he excelled in English. His translation of the Quran was quite remarkable, and the quality of the translation was very high. It is widely said that this translation was the most popular at one time (mentioned in the beginning).
This translation reached the homes of many through the efforts of Sheikh Ahmed Deedat and Dr. Zakir Naik. Although they distributed the edited version of this translation, it was originally translated into archaic English, also known as Elizabethan or Shakespearean English. This English is the same language used by Shakespeare in his original works and the language spoken by the rulers of ancient England, the kings and queens.
The beauty of this language lies in its powerful and poetic expression. From a linguistic perspective, this English is my favorite, solely based on its linguistic aspect.
However, there are quite a few errors in this translation. The biggest issue or drawback of this book is its commentary, which Abdullah Yusuf Ali himself provided. In his commentary, he has provided a lot of incorrect information, as he was not a scholar and belonged to the Shia sect. His commentary includes many Shia-friendly stories and much-distorted information. Many factual errors and misconceptions are also present.
Dr. Suhaib Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) stated: In 1986–87, I was invited by the Darul Ifta of Saudi Arabia to review and revise Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s translation of the Holy Quran. Dr. Sayyid Mutawalli Ad-Darsh was also appointed for this task along with me.
We stayed in Riyadh for three months and revised nearly 600 out of 6311 verses. This was because these verses contained misconceptions and deviated from the pure Aqeedah and the explanations of the Salaf. After the revision, this edited version was printed at the ‘King Fahad Quran Printing Complex’ in Madinah and distributed worldwide free of charge. [Barre Saghir Ke Ahle Hadith Khudam-e-Quran, 212]
Even after the revision and editing, this translation and brief commentary still contain some errors, which led the Saudi government to eventually stop its publication and distribution. Instead, they started distributing Dr. Taqiuddin Hilali and Dr. Mohsin Khan’s ‘Interpretation of the Meanings of The Noble Quran in the English Language.’
The usage of this archaic English is no longer popular, and many people find it difficult to understand this poetic language. Considering the errors in its Aqeedah, Manhaj, and commentary, it is better not to read this translation and commentary. Instead, there are authentic, Salafi scholar’s explanations and translations available in English.
In terms of translations, ‘The Noble Quran’ and ‘Saheeh International’ are notable. There is no alternative to the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir and Ahsanul Bayan published by Darussalam. Let us all read the Quran, understand it, and build our lives around it.
This is derived from the writings of Mohammad Omar Faruq Milky.
