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Noble Qur'an (Hilali-Khan)
Encyclopedia
The Noble Qur'an, also informally known as the Hilali-Khan translation, is a translation of the Qur'an
by contemporary Pakistani
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan
(Arabic: محمد محسن خان, muḥammad muḥsin khān), a man of Afghan Khattak
heritage, and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
(Arabic: محمد تقي الدين الهلالي, muḥammad taqiyyu-d-dīn al-hilālī).
This English translation was sponsored by the Saudi government and is provided free. It has been reported to be the most popular and "Now the most widely disseminated Qur'an in most Islamic bookstores and Sunni mosques throughout the English-speaking world, this new translation is meant to replace the Yusuf 'Ali edition and comes with a seal of approval from both the University of Medina and the Saudi Dar al-Ifta. This venture utilizes mainstream classical sources of commentaries namely, Tabari (d. 923 C.E.), Qurtubi (d. 1273 C.E.), and Ibn Kathir
(d. 1372 C.E.)"
, Al-Qurtubi
and Ibn Kathir
.
Abdul Malik Mujahid
, the General Manager Darussalam Publishers and Distributors in Riyadh
reported the legend that this translation of the Quran is owed to a dream Muhsin-Khan has one night:
Mushin Khan completed the translation in twelve years, during which he consulted a number of English versions of the Qur'an but had found that they had ambiguity, shortcomings and dogmatic errors. So later, in association with Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali
, he undertook the task of interpretation of the meanings of the Noble Qur'an providing evidences from the authentic sources for clarification.
Abdul Malik Mujahid also said that Khan and Hilali behested that Darussalam Publishers and Distributors bring about a summarized edition in one volume:
Khaleel Mohammed
has taken the translation to task for "[reading] more like a supremacist Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian polemic than a rendition of the Islamic scripture," while Sheila Musaji
complains that it "is shocking in its distortions of the message of the Qur’an and amounts to a rewrite not a translation." Dr. Robert (Farooq) D. Crane states that it is "Perhaps the most extremist translation ever made of the Qur’an."
Khaled Abou El Fadl attacks what he calls "grotesque misogyny" in the translation.
The Hilali-Khan translation could be called an amplified translation, as it adds parenthetical comments into the text for the sake of clarity. However, these parenthetical comments are the source of much of the controversy.
As an example, Khaleel Mohammed condemns the Hilali-Khan translation of the final two verses of the very first sura, Al-Fatiha
:
"(V.1:7) Narrated ‘Adi bin Hâtim رضي الله عنه: I asked Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم , about the Statement of Allâh: 1. " غير المغضوب عليهم Ghairil-maghdûbi ‘alaihim (not the way of those who earned Your Anger)," he صلى الله عليه وسلم replied "They are the Jews". And 2. ولا الضالين Walad dâllîn (nor of those who went astray)," he صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: "The Christians, and they are the ones who went astray" [This Hadith is quoted by At-Tirmidhi and Musnad Abu Dâwûd ]."
These lines have drawn criticism, since mention of Jews and Christian
s is not present in the original Arabic; though there is a hadith
in which Muhammad
(ca. 570/571 – June 8, 632) is said to have made these connections.
, 956 pages, HB. This special edition 5.5" x 8.5" HB Noble Qur'an is handy for everyday carrying and reference. This is the Qur'an often distributed to hajjis (Hajj pilgrims) in Saudi Arabia.
of the Hilali-Khan translation. The parenthetical
remarks from the original Hilali-Khan translation are largely removed.
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...
by contemporary Pakistani
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan
Muhammad Muhsin Khan
Muhammad Muhsin Khan born 1345 Al-Hijri is a contemporary Islamic scholar of ethnic Afghan origin, most notable for his renowned English translations of Sahih Bukhari and the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an, which he completed along with Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali.-Biography:Muhammad Muhsin...
(Arabic: محمد محسن خان, muḥammad muḥsin khān), a man of Afghan Khattak
Khattak
Khattak or Khatak , is the name of an Afghan tribe. speaking a variant of the Kandahari Pashto. They are accorded the status of being one of the original and true Afghans. The tribe is settled along the western bank of the river Indus from as north upwards as Sammah; modern day Lund Khwar & Sher...
heritage, and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, , born 1311AH -1408 Hijrah , is a contemporary Islamic scholar from Morocco, most notable for his English translations of Sahih Bukhari and, along with Muhammad Muhsin Khan, the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an.-Biography:Al-Hilali was born in Al-Fidah, Morocco, in...
(Arabic: محمد تقي الدين الهلالي, muḥammad taqiyyu-d-dīn al-hilālī).
This English translation was sponsored by the Saudi government and is provided free. It has been reported to be the most popular and "Now the most widely disseminated Qur'an in most Islamic bookstores and Sunni mosques throughout the English-speaking world, this new translation is meant to replace the Yusuf 'Ali edition and comes with a seal of approval from both the University of Medina and the Saudi Dar al-Ifta. This venture utilizes mainstream classical sources of commentaries namely, Tabari (d. 923 C.E.), Qurtubi (d. 1273 C.E.), and Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
(d. 1372 C.E.)"
Overview
As with any translation of the original Arabic into another language, in this case English, this is an interpretation of the meanings of the Noble Qur'an (Word of God). The translation is heavily interspersed with commentaries and notes from At-TabariMuhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari
Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari was a prominent and influential Sunni scholar and exegete of the Qur'an from Persia...
, Al-Qurtubi
Al-Qurtubi
Imam Abu 'Abdullah Al-Qurtubi or Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi was a famous mufassir, muhaddith and faqih scholar from Cordoba of maliki origin. He is most famous for his commentary of the Quran, Tafsir al-Qurtubi....
and Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir
Ismail ibn Kathir was a Muslim muhaddith, Faqih, historian, and commentator.-Biography:His full name was Abu Al-Fida, 'Imad Ad-Din, Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir, Al-Qurashi, Al-Busrawi...
.
Abdul Malik Mujahid
Abdul Malik Mujahid
Abdul Malik Mujahid is an American Muslim religious leader , activist, film producer, and non-profit entrepreneur, as well as an interfaith activist...
, the General Manager Darussalam Publishers and Distributors in Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
reported the legend that this translation of the Quran is owed to a dream Muhsin-Khan has one night:
Mushin Khan completed the translation in twelve years, during which he consulted a number of English versions of the Qur'an but had found that they had ambiguity, shortcomings and dogmatic errors. So later, in association with Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali
Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali, , born 1311AH -1408 Hijrah , is a contemporary Islamic scholar from Morocco, most notable for his English translations of Sahih Bukhari and, along with Muhammad Muhsin Khan, the Qur'an, entitled The Noble Qur'an.-Biography:Al-Hilali was born in Al-Fidah, Morocco, in...
, he undertook the task of interpretation of the meanings of the Noble Qur'an providing evidences from the authentic sources for clarification.
Abdul Malik Mujahid also said that Khan and Hilali behested that Darussalam Publishers and Distributors bring about a summarized edition in one volume:
Controversy
The Hilali-Khan translation has been criticised by several prominent Western Muslims.Khaleel Mohammed
Khaleel Mohammed
Khaleel Mohammed is associate professor of Religion at San Diego State University , in San Diego, California, and a core faculty member of SDSU's .- Specialties and research interests :...
has taken the translation to task for "[reading] more like a supremacist Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian polemic than a rendition of the Islamic scripture," while Sheila Musaji
Sheila Musaji
Sheila Musaji is the founder and editor of The American Muslim quarterly journal , the Muslim Resource Directory of America , and most recently The American Muslim online publication ....
complains that it "is shocking in its distortions of the message of the Qur’an and amounts to a rewrite not a translation." Dr. Robert (Farooq) D. Crane states that it is "Perhaps the most extremist translation ever made of the Qur’an."
Khaled Abou El Fadl attacks what he calls "grotesque misogyny" in the translation.
The Hilali-Khan translation could be called an amplified translation, as it adds parenthetical comments into the text for the sake of clarity. However, these parenthetical comments are the source of much of the controversy.
As an example, Khaleel Mohammed condemns the Hilali-Khan translation of the final two verses of the very first sura, Al-Fatiha
Al-Fatiha
Sura Al-Fatiha , is the first chapter of the Qur'an. Its seven verses are a prayer for Allah's guidance, and stress His Lordship and Mercy...
:
- 6 Guide us to the Straight Way
- 7 The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).
"(V.1:7) Narrated ‘Adi bin Hâtim رضي الله عنه: I asked Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم , about the Statement of Allâh: 1. " غير المغضوب عليهم Ghairil-maghdûbi ‘alaihim (not the way of those who earned Your Anger)," he صلى الله عليه وسلم replied "They are the Jews". And 2. ولا الضالين Walad dâllîn (nor of those who went astray)," he صلى الله عليه وسلم replied: "The Christians, and they are the ones who went astray" [This Hadith is quoted by At-Tirmidhi and Musnad Abu Dâwûd ]."
These lines have drawn criticism, since mention of Jews and Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s is not present in the original Arabic; though there is a hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
in which Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
(ca. 570/571 – June 8, 632) is said to have made these connections.
Editions
Published by the King Fahd Printing Complex, Madinah, Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, 956 pages, HB. This special edition 5.5" x 8.5" HB Noble Qur'an is handy for everyday carrying and reference. This is the Qur'an often distributed to hajjis (Hajj pilgrims) in Saudi Arabia.
Derivative work
The translation of Umm Muhammad (published under the pseudonym name of Saheeh International) is a derivative workDerivative work
In United States copyright law, a derivative work is an expressive creation that includes major, copyright-protected elements of an original, previously created first work .-Definition:...
of the Hilali-Khan translation. The parenthetical
Parenthesis (rhetoric)
In rhetoric, a parenthesis is an explanatory or qualifying word, clause, or sentence inserted into a passage with which it doesn't necessarily have any grammatical connection...
remarks from the original Hilali-Khan translation are largely removed.
External links
- Online Quran Project includes the translation of Hilali & Khan (and the one of Umm Muhammad - Sahih International).
- Complete online publication of the Hilali-Khan translation
- Compared Translations of the meaning of the Quran