While comparing various English translations of the Qur’an I stumbled upon a version that was different than any other, and extremely disturbing. After a little research, I found this description of “The Noble Qur’an in English Translation by Halali and Khan” from Wikipedia:
The Hilali-Khan translation has been criticised by several prominent Western Muslims.
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:
Guide us to the Straight Way
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).These lines have drawn criticism, since mention of Jews and Christians is not present in the original Arabic; though there is a hadith in which Muhammad himself makes these connections.
Get that? Those words in parenthesis (highlighted red) are NOT in the original Arabic Qur’an! This “translation” is corrupt from the very first surah! Consider what the real Qur’an says about Jews and Christians:
And We verily sent Noah and Abraham and placed the prophethood and the scripture among their seed, and among them there is he who goeth right, but many of them are evil-livers. Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow, and gave him the Gospel, and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him. (Qur’an 57:26-27)
The Qur’an explicitly states that some Jews went in the way that is “right” and some erred. Jews as a whole are not accurately portrayed as “those who earned [God’s] anger.” Yet that is the impression one gets from the Halali-Khan insertion in the Fatihah. Of course there is mixed testimony in the Qur’an, which makes it all the more important to refrain from presenting just one view. Here is another example of what the authentic Qur’an actually teaches concerning Jews and Christians (note that Arabic speaking Jews and Christians referred to God as Allah at the time the Qur’an was written):
Those who believe, and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Quran 2:62)
Imagine how a Muslim (or a Christian for that matter) would feel if he found a (per)version of the Bible that added these words in parentheses:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe (like the Muslims) is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18)
Why do Muslims allow their Holy Book to be corrupted like this? When will they rise up and demand a pure translation? Such corruption leads to hatred, war, murder, and death. This is extremely important, given that this article Assessing English Translations of the Qur’an in the Middle East Quarterly (an excellent read) reports the Halalli-Khan version to be one of the most widely distributed translations:
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 Whereas most other translators have tried to render the Qur’an applicable to a modern readership, this Saudi-financed venture tries to impose the commentaries of Tabari (d. 923 C.E.), Qurtubi (d. 1273 C.E.), and Ibn Kathir (d. 1372 C.E.), medievalists who knew nothing of modern concepts of pluralism. The numerous interpolations make this translation particularly problematic, especially for American Muslims who, in the aftermath of 9-11, are struggling to show that Islam is a religion of tolerance.
I beg all Muslims everywhere in the world to protest and reject this corrupted translation of the Qur’an.
As-Salam Alykum — Peace be upon you
With the name of God, Walakum salaam wr wb (and unto you be the peace of God).
WOW! This is amazing! Nice research and nice work! Subhan’Allah!
By the way that particular version of the Qur’an is backed by the Saudi government!
They have moved away from traditional Islam in that they teach that Allah (Most High) is in the skies or above his throne bi dhati (in his essence).
The traditional understanding of Ahl Sunnah Wal Jammah (those who follow the way of The Prophet and Ijma (consensus of scholars) state that Allah is not contained in place be it one place or every place because place is a creation. We do not believe that anything can co exist eternally with Allah.
They also try and spread a heretical doctrine that developed out of one of the four traditinonal schools of Islam the Hanbali school of jurisprudence (Sunni Islam has four schools of jurisprudence that differ in how to approach the primary and secondary sources of Islam) any how there was a heretical doctrine known as mujassimah (likening Allah to the creation).
These people say that when the Qur’an says face, or hands it is literal they take it’s meaning at the zhair (apparent) and this very dangerous.
1. Surah Al Ma’idah (5), Aayah 9, says
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just; that is next to piety; and fear God. For God is well acquainted with all that ye do.
2. God says in Surah Al Nisa’ (4), Aayah 135:
O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor; for God can best protect both. Follow not the lust (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily God is well acquainted with all that ye do.
Thank you for standing up for truth and justice and may you and your wife continue to be blessed for being among the truthful of Ahl Kitab (the people of the book) and sincere followers of Christ Jesus!
My brother,
Thank you for the good words. The Saudi support and promotion of the Halali-Khan version is mentioned in the article but I’m glad your repeated it because it is a very important point. It exemplifies the challenge we face. I truly hope more Muslims will rise up and reject it. The thing I don’t understand is why any Muslim would accept the insertion of words that are absolutely unsupported by the text?! Is that not a crime against the Qur’an and all people who read it?
May the blessings of God be upon you,
Richard
While doing some research on Christianity and Islam, I stumbled upon this article which uses the Halali-Khan version as proof that Muslims are taught by Muhammad in the Qur’an to hate Christians and Jews:
See the damage done by this corrupted version of the Qur’an! It pollutes the minds of both those who do and do not believe it! English reading Muslims will think that God Himself is saying those things about Christians and Jews, and enemies of Islam will use it to further the divide between Christians and Muslims.
Wikipaedia also tells us that it is “”now the most widely disseminated Qur’an in most Islamic bookstores and Sunni mosques throughout the English-speaking world.”
Kind of worrying how the most extremist translation of the Koran is also the most popular!
Yes, I was aware of that. Very disturbing indeed.
With the name of God, peace be unto those who follow the guidance from their Lord.
Just a thought as I too love Wikipedia at times, but how do they come up with these facts and figures? I mean what statistics is this based off of?
I guess a way to do that would be to get a list of local Islamic Mosque and Centers and book stores and see which copies of the Qur’an are given out for free, or available for purchase.
That would be one good way to put that to test.
I will suggest to learn quran yourself and you will find the truth. Quran guide us towards nature and show us the path where we all are one. Quran teach us how to convert our individual thinking into collective thinking so that peace prevails in our society. http://www.learnquranonline.net