Sublime Quran English Recitation Parts 1-30
This is my third Qur'an and by far my favorite. It is written formally, compared to other translations that strive for readability. I find this more appropriate for a religious text. The text is broken down into phrases and centered, which makes reading and understanding much easier. Also, the text is large and very readable. It makes the book bigger but the weight is well worth it. Rather than the traditional start at the beginning and go to the end approach, Laleh Bakhtiar used the formal equivalence technique. That means translating each word on its own, and then putting it all together. Bakhtiar found over 3,600 Arabic verbs and nouns, which translated into over 5,800 unique English equivalents. This results in a much more accurate and consistent translation. LJ --Kazi PublicationsA great achievement, May 11, 2007 Laleh Bakhtiar has provided a remarkable rendition of the Quran. Her achievement balances accuracy with poetry. In particular, her rendition corrects many of the prejudicial readings of certain passages of the Quran that have long been used to denigrate Islam. The Arabic of the Quran is not in any way transparent--even to native Arabic speakers. There are archaisms that have really never been adequately resolved. Ms. Bakhtiar takes an approach from critical literary practice, and chooses interpretations that are consistent with Islamic theology rather than adhering to some kind of philological pedantry. This is the first Quranic rendition undertaken by a female scholar. It is masterful and something that everyone should have in their library next to their other sacred texts. --William O. Beeman Director, Middle East Stud... (Providence, RI USA) --Kazi PublicationsIt takes courage, A LOT of courage, these days to write a book about Islam... Even more to write about the Holy Quran and even more trying to translate Holy Quran from the original Arabic to plain English the way anyone can easily read and understand it. This English translation is performed in a very meticulous and precise way and is very loyal and faithful to the original Arabic text. There are many other English translations of the Holy Quran in the market right now, but Ms. Bakhtiar's translations stays way above all of them and is absolutely essential for anyone who is interested to learn about Islam... --Proteus (Pasadena, CA, USA) ***** The rendition of the Qur'an by Laleh Bakhtiar is a step forward in the translation of this Scripture in Semitic language which is without any sectarian bias, Sufi, philosophical, Sunni, Shia and Ismaili theological connotations, and recently scientific, feminist and Taliban renditions etc. The translation is in modern American English, and the style is poetic-prose, which reflects the style of the Qur'an that is neither poetry nor prose, but is inclusive of both. This translation could be of help to Muslims and non-Muslims who do not know the Arabic of the Quran and are interested in studying it, and it could be of immense help to the students of Islamic studies. --Prof. Latimah-Parvin Peerwani ***** Encountering this translation represented a real personal breakthrough for me regarding Islam, or at least any kind of Islam one approaches through an English approximation of the Quran. The translator's internal consistency and attempted avoiding of subjective interpretation worked well for me: and as I read more and more, what normally strikes the English only reader as disjointed and theologically fragmented in translations of the Quran gave way to a kind of majesty, a kind of excitement (and unique sadness) I'd never encountered before in any other translation. I felt that at last I'd received a tiny glimpse of what the Quran means, or at least what it could mean, on a very personal, psychological level. As I was reading to my eight year old at bedtime from this translation, she did someth --S --Sublime Quran website; Wikipedia: Laleh BakhtiarHRH PRINCE GHAZI BIN MUHAMMAD, CHIEF ADVISOR FOR RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS TO H. M. KING ABDULLAH II, AUTHOR OF LOVE IN THE HOLY QURAN. Those who read translations of the Qur an (and there are no completely accurate translations of the Qur an in English and only a few adequate ones (these being arguably Abdullah Yusuf Ali s; Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall s), Laleh Bakhtiar s translation is arguably the most internally consistent. They are not reading the Qur an, but rather mere subjective individual interpretations of it: the Qur an is God s Word in its Arabic form only. The work Dr. Bakhtiar has put into her interpretation the consistency, the method, the attention to tense, root, case and detail is second to none. I have never seen its like before. The English reading of it is also lovely and smooth. This is clearly a blessing God has blessed her with, ma sha Allah. H.R.H. Prince Ghazi JOHN ESPOSITO, HEAD OF GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR MUSLIM/CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING. I am very familiar with Laleh Bakhtiar's writings and her recent translation of the Quran. Sublime Quran is a major translation that, in contrast to many other translations, in clear and direct language, effectively makes the message of the Quran accessible to English speaking audiences. It is one that I often recommend. REZA ASLAN, AN INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED WRITER AND SCHOLAR OF RELIGIONS AND CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AT THE DAILY BEAST. I am quite a fan of your mothers and routinely talk about her Quran translation in my speeches and in my classes. Here's a quote for you: For 14 centuries the translation and interpretation of the Quran has been the sole purview of men. Only men have been empowered to define the meaning and message of the Quran, and it is no coincidence that their interpretation has often been misogynist or worse. Laleh Bakhtiar's incredible achievement has changed all that. For the first time a woman has been able to reengage the scripture from a different point of view, thus producing a gender neutral translation that is far more consistent with the message and spirit of the Quran than any previous translation. REZA ASLAN SHAIDA KHAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DOMESTIC HARMONY FOUNDATION, a non-profit organization working against domestic violence within Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian communities (based in Long Island, NY) Laleh was the keynote speaker at their Annual Fundraising Gala on April 17, 2010 in Long Island, NY. There are numerous reasons for the importance of Laleh Bakhtiar's translation of the Holy Quran, the least of which is that her Sublime Quran provides a sensible and humanistic interpretation for the holy book. As the Executive Director of the Domestic Harmony Foundation, a non-profit organization working against domestic violence within Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian communities, this interpretation of Ms. Bakhtiar's is particularly significant. We are often faced with individuals who are victimized by their partners' usage of Quranic verses to further their abusive gains, citing the controversial verse 4-34. --Sublime Quran website; Wikipedia: Laleh BakhtiarSHAIDA KHAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DOMESTIC HARMONY FOUNDATION. Her interpretation provides a more Islamic minded approach- that when all else fails, to move away from - the wife should be the last resort, and not to hit. This meaning is particularly important in our field of work when the victims and the abusers need to be educated as to the real nature of Islamic teachings. Equally as important as Dr. Bakhtiar's interpretation is the very fact that as a knowledgeable female scholar. She is an exemplary individual particularly for women who have been victimized by domestic violence, and also for all Muslim women to look up to. Shaida Khan INGRID MATTSON, PAST PRESIDENT THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA AND PROFESSOR OF ISLAMIC STUDIES HARTFORD SEMINARY. Current events have left Americans fascinated and frightened by Islam and Muslims. With no end in sight of the war on terror; and questions about the compatibility of Islam with Western societies, the need for honest and accurate information about Muslims has never been greater. In the case of Muslim women especially, ignorance and sensationalism abound. What could be more welcome than an examination of the life of a Muslim woman who is neither a silent victim of oppression, waiting to be saved by a secular revolution, nor an apologist for misguided ideology, but an intelligent woman of faith and integrity? Laleh Bakhtiar has lived a remarkable life - but a life with which we can relate, because while some of her experiences appear exotic to the typical American, her values and principles are not. A biography of Laleh Bakhtiar is sure to shed much needed light on humanity. MARCIA HERMANSEN DIRECTOR OF ISLAMIC WORLD STUDIES PROGRAM AND PROFESSOR IN THE THEOLOGY DEPARTMENT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO. One of things that strikes me about the translation is how its reception in the mainstream; Muslim community--at least in North America, made it less acceptable or even unacceptable for Muslim community leaders to simply repeat misogynistic interpretations. I refer specifically to the ISNA representative in Canada who wanted to ban the book--and the response from US leadership that ISNA supports women's rights and allows expression of a variety of opinions on Islam. It is clear that this pioneering project opened up conversations about gender relations in the community that needed to take place, and provoked a productive re-examination of assumptions about interpretation and authority. YORIYOS SON OF YUSUF ISLAM (FORMERLY CAT STEVENS) We love and appreciate the work your mother has done and continues to do, Alhamdullilah. MashAllah, Thank you for your work Laleh. My father (Yusuf Islam) and I have been reading your books in admiration. We champion you and pray you are eternally blessed. With Peace and Much Respect Yoriyos DAVE EGGERS AMERICAN NOVELITY AUTHOR OF ZEITOUN on the Oprah show recommends the Sublime Quran. I'm giving copies of the Qur'an, in a new translation by Laleh Bakhtiar. For anyone who wants to know more about Islam, or simply wants to read a beautiful book, this really is the most accessible version in English. ASMA BARLAS, PHD ITHACA COLLEGE DIRECTOR CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CULTURE, RACE AND ETHNICITY. As to my thoughts on the Sublime Qur'an, since I am not a scholar of Arabic, I can't talk about its linguistic accuracy, etc. However, what I think is significant about Laleh Bakhtiar's translation is that it opens up new interpretive possibilities for Muslims. As I always point out, the Quran says that those who read it for its best meanings are the ones whom God has guided (39:18). --Sublime Quran website; Wikipedia: Laleh Bakhtiar