The Message of the Quran – Muhammad Asad
DESCRIPTION:
The Message of the Qur’an is widely recognized as among the best English translations and commentaries of the Qur’an and comparable to the famous works of Pickthall, Yusuf Ali and Daryabadi. Asad’s rendering is simple and straightforward. Although widely known as a proponent of conservative Islam, his translation departs from the traditional exegetic approaches and reflects his deep knowledge of Jewish and Christian scriptures. This edition boasts of a comprehensive index and uses the standard Uthmani Qur’anic script.
DETAILS:
Translator: Muhammad Asad
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 9789675062544
Language: Arabic - English
Pages: 1277
Dimensions: 23.5 x 18.5 x 5 cm
Publisher: Islamic Book Trust (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:
Muhammad Asad born Leopold Weiss; 12 July 1900-20 February 1992 was a Jewish-born Austro-Hungarian journalist, traveler, writer, linguist, thinker, political theorist, diplomat and Islamic scholar. Asad was one of the most influential European Muslims of the 20th century.
By the age of thirteen, young Weiss had acquired a passing fluency in Hebrew and Aramaic, other than his native languages German and Polish. By his mid-twenties, he could read and write in English, French, Persian and Arabic.
In Mandatory Palestine, Weiss engaged in arguments with Zionist leaders like Chaim Weizmann, voicing his reservations about some aspects of the Zionist Movement. After travelling across the Arab World as a journalist, he converted to Islam in 1926 and chose for himself the Muslim name “Muhammad Asad” Asad being the Arabic rendition of his root name Leo (Lion).
During his stay in Saudi Arabia, he spent time with Bedouins and enjoyed close company of Ibn Saud—the founder of modern Saudi Arabia.
In the West, Asad rose to prominence as a writer with his best-selling autobiography, The Road to Mecca. Later, after seventeen years of scholarly research, he published his magnum opus: The Message of the Qur’an—an English translation and commentary of the Quran.
The book, along with the translations of Pickthall and Yusuf Ali, is regarded as one of the most influential translations of the modern era. An ardent proponent of Ijtihad and rationality in interpreting religious texts, he dedicates his works “to People who Think”.
