Arthur John Arberry
Encyclopedia
Arthur John Arberry was a respected British
orientalist
. A most prolific scholar of Arabic
, Persian
, and Islamic studies
, he was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and Pembroke College, Cambridge
. Formerly Head of the Department of Classics at Cairo University
in Egypt
, Arberry returned home to become the Assistant Librarian at the Library of the India Office
. During the war he was a Postal Censor in Liverpool and was then seconded to the Ministry of Information, London which was housed in the newly-constructed Senate House
of the University of London
. Arberry was appointed to the Chair of Persian at the School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS, University of London 1944-47. He subsequently became the Sir Thomas Adams's Professor of Arabic
at Cambridge University
and a Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge
, his alma mater, from 1947 until his death in 1969.
Arberry's translation of the Qur'an
is widely respected, one of the most prominent written by a non-Muslim
scholar. Arberry is also notable for introducing Rumi's works to the west through his selective translations. His interpretation of Muhammad Iqbal
's writings, edited by Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
, is similarly distinguished.
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
orientalist
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
. A most prolific scholar of Arabic
Arabic literature
Arabic literature is the writing produced, both prose and poetry, by writers in the Arabic language. The Arabic word used for literature is adab which is derived from a meaning of etiquette, and implies politeness, culture and enrichment....
, Persian
Persian studies
Persian Studies is the study of the Persian language and its literature specifically. It is differentiated from Iranian Studies which is a broader, more interdisciplinary subject that focuses more on the histories and cultures of all Iranian peoples....
, and Islamic studies
Islamic studies
In a Muslim context, Islamic studies can be an umbrella term for all virtually all of academia, both originally researched and as defined by the Islamization of knowledge...
, he was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
. Formerly Head of the Department of Classics at Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Arberry returned home to become the Assistant Librarian at the Library of the India Office
India Office
The India Office was a British government department created in 1858 to oversee the colonial administration of India, i.e. the modern-day nations of Bangladesh, Burma, India, and Pakistan, as well as territories in South-east and Central Asia, the Middle East, and parts of the east coast of Africa...
. During the war he was a Postal Censor in Liverpool and was then seconded to the Ministry of Information, London which was housed in the newly-constructed Senate House
Senate House (University of London)
Senate House is the administrative centre of the University of London, situated in the heart of Bloomsbury, London between the School of Oriental and African Studies to the north, with the British Museum to the south...
of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Arberry was appointed to the Chair of Persian at the School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS, University of London 1944-47. He subsequently became the Sir Thomas Adams's Professor of Arabic
Sir Thomas Adams's Professor of Arabic
Sir Thomas Adams’ Professor of Arabic – the title is used at Cambridge University because Sir Thomas Adams, 1st Baronet , Lord Mayor of London in 1645, gave to Cambridge University the money needed to create the first Professorship of Arabic....
at Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and a Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
, his alma mater, from 1947 until his death in 1969.
Arberry's translation of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
is widely respected, one of the most prominent written by a non-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
scholar. Arberry is also notable for introducing Rumi's works to the west through his selective translations. His interpretation of Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
's writings, edited by Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
Badiozzaman Forouzanfar
Badi'ozzamān Foruzānfar was a scholar of Persian literature, Iranian linguistics and culture, and an expert on Molana Jalaleddin Balkhi and his works...
, is similarly distinguished.
Popular Works
- Translations of IqbalMuhammad IqbalSir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
's works - The Mysteries Of Selflessness
- Javid NamaJavid NamaThe Javid Nama or Book of Eternity is a Persian book of poetry written by Allama Muhammad Iqbal and published in 1932. It is considered to be one of the masterpieces of Iqbal. It is inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and just as Dante's guide was Virgil, Iqbal is guided by Moulana Rumi. Both of...
- The Koran InterpretedThe Koran InterpretedThe Koran Interpreted is a translation of the Qur'an by Arthur John Arberry. The translation is from the original Arabic into English. First published in 1955, it is one of the most prominent written by a non-Muslim scholar...
- The Seven OdesMu'allaqatThe Mu‘allaqāt is the title of a group of seven long Arabic poems or qasida that have come down from the time before Islam. Each is considered the best work of these pre-Islamic poets...
External links
- Online Quran Project includes the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
translation of Arthur John Arberry. - Arberry, Arthur John Iranica Article