The Holy Qur'an

Translated by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, ‘The Holy Qur’an’ (also known as The Koran) is the sacred book of Islam. It is the word of God whose truth was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years. As it was revealed, so it was committed to memory by his companions, though written copies were also made by literate believers during the lifetime of the Prophet. The first full compilation was by Abu Bakar, the first Caliph, and it was then recompiled in the original dialect by the third Caliph Uthman, after the best reciters had fallen in battle. Muslims believe that the truths of ‘The Holy Qur’an’ are fully and authentically revealed only in the original classical Arabic. However, as the influence of Islam grows and spreads to the modern world, it is recognised that translation is an important element in introducing and explaining Islam to a wider audience. This translation, by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, is considered to be the most faithful rendering available in English. TRANSLATOR: Hafiz Abdullah Yusuf Ali (14 April 1872 – 10 December 1953) was an Indian Islamic scholar who translated the Qur’an into English. His translation is one of the most widely-known and used in the English-speaking world. Ali was an outspoken supporter of the Indian contribution to the Allied effort in World War I. He was a respected intellectual in India and Sir Muhammad Iqbal recruited him to be the principal of Islamia College in Lahore. Later in life, he went again to England, where he died in London in December 1953. He is buried in the Muslim cemetery at Brookwood in Woking, Surrey.