Introduction to the Surahs of The Noble Quran: With Brief Explanatory Notes to Some Verses
Translator’s Preface
The following exegesis of The Noble Quran prepared by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad - Khalifatul Masih IV, (1928 - 2003) is an eloquent and admirable accomplishment, elucidating many of the gems of wisdom contained in The Holy Quran in a most beautiful and thorough manner.
Mirza Tahir Ahmad was a well-respected and learned scholar of the Quran. One of his greatest achievements was the comprehensive translation of The Holy Quran into Urdu with introductory chapters and brief explanatory notes. The present translation based on this work incorporates the brief explanatory notes the Caliph added in English in 1997 to the English translation by Mawlawi Sher Ali (1955). It also includes the translation of the notes on the Tarjumatul Quran classes (as published in the weekly newspaper Al Fazl), that were transmitted on MTA International between the years 1994 and 1999 upon which the Urdu translation of the Quran by the Caliph was based.
Beginning from Surah Āl Imran: 145 when the Caliph switched to Urdu, the translation of the notes on the annual Quranic Discourses delivered by the Caliph in the month of Ramadan (and published in the weekly newspaper Al Fazl) have also been included herein (the discourses of previous years were in English and are not included, they can be seen in the relevant playlist at the Youtube channel). As such the following work would represent a full exegesis of the Quran in English as intended by the Caliph himself.
In these discourses the Caliph incorporated lengthy discussions of previous commentators as well as the founder of Ahmadiyya and the Ahmadiyya Caliphs before him. In addition, he discussed the lexicography of the Quran and refuted many Orientalist ideas about the historicity of the Quran, Islam and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. His commentaries differed significantly from those offered by many of the classical Quranic commentators, placing emphasis on the logical and rational approach of the Quran. For instance, he did not believe it was essential to rely heavily on Asbab al-nuzul (Circumstances of the Revelation) in order to understand the implications of the Quranic verses. He delivered seven discourses on Asbab al-nuzul in January 1998, presenting strong arguments in support of the view that the Quran offered its own context.
Translations of some verses which were made by the Caliph and appended to the Sher Ali translation as alternatives are used. In the case of verses translated by him in his monumental book Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth (1998), those have been used instead. In all other instances the translation of the verses are by the translator, made after consulting a number of other reputable and standard translations and commentaries of the Quran in English and Arabic lexica.
Rehan Qayoom.
2016.
Acknowledgments.
1. Surah al-Fatiha (The Opening).
Mirza Tahir Ahmad was a well-respected and learned scholar of the Quran. One of his greatest achievements was the comprehensive translation of The Holy Quran into Urdu with introductory chapters and brief explanatory notes. The present translation based on this work incorporates the brief explanatory notes the Caliph added in English in 1997 to the English translation by Mawlawi Sher Ali (1955). It also includes the translation of the notes on the Tarjumatul Quran classes (as published in the weekly newspaper Al Fazl), that were transmitted on MTA International between the years 1994 and 1999 upon which the Urdu translation of the Quran by the Caliph was based.
Beginning from Surah Āl Imran: 145 when the Caliph switched to Urdu, the translation of the notes on the annual Quranic Discourses delivered by the Caliph in the month of Ramadan (and published in the weekly newspaper Al Fazl) have also been included herein (the discourses of previous years were in English and are not included, they can be seen in the relevant playlist at the Youtube channel). As such the following work would represent a full exegesis of the Quran in English as intended by the Caliph himself.
In these discourses the Caliph incorporated lengthy discussions of previous commentators as well as the founder of Ahmadiyya and the Ahmadiyya Caliphs before him. In addition, he discussed the lexicography of the Quran and refuted many Orientalist ideas about the historicity of the Quran, Islam and the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. His commentaries differed significantly from those offered by many of the classical Quranic commentators, placing emphasis on the logical and rational approach of the Quran. For instance, he did not believe it was essential to rely heavily on Asbab al-nuzul (Circumstances of the Revelation) in order to understand the implications of the Quranic verses. He delivered seven discourses on Asbab al-nuzul in January 1998, presenting strong arguments in support of the view that the Quran offered its own context.
Translations of some verses which were made by the Caliph and appended to the Sher Ali translation as alternatives are used. In the case of verses translated by him in his monumental book Revelation, Rationality, Knowledge & Truth (1998), those have been used instead. In all other instances the translation of the verses are by the translator, made after consulting a number of other reputable and standard translations and commentaries of the Quran in English and Arabic lexica.
Rehan Qayoom.
2016.
Acknowledgments.
1. Surah al-Fatiha (The Opening).
2. Al Baqarah (The Heifer).
3. Āl Imran (Family of Imran).
4. Al Nisa (The Women).
5. Al Maidah (The Banquet).
6. Al Anam (The Livestock).
7. Al Araf (The Heights).
8. Al Anfal (The Booty).
9. Al Tawbah (The Repentance).
10. Yunus (Jonah).
11. Hud.
12. Yusuf (Joseph).
13. Al Rad (The Thunder).
14. Ibrahim (Abraham).
15. Al Hijr.
16. Al Nahl (The Honeybee).
17. Bani Israel (Children of Israel).
18. Al Kahf (The Cave).
19. Maryam (Mary).
20. Ta Ha.
21. Al Anbiya (The Prophets).
22. Al Hajj (The Pilgrimage).
23. Al Mumin (The Believers).
24. Al Nur (The Light).
25. Al Furqan (The Criterion).
26. Al Shurara (The Poets).
27. Al Naml.
28. Al Qasas (The Stories).
29. Al Ankabut (The Spider).
30. Al Rum (The Byzantines).
31. Luqman.
32. Al Sajdah (The Bowing Down).
33. Al Ahzab (The Confederates).
34. Saba (Sheba).
35. Fatir (Originator).
36. Ya Sin.
37. Al Safat (The Rows).
38. Sād.
39. Al Zumar (The Throngs).
40. Al Mumin (The Believer).
41. Ham Mim al-Sajdah (Ha Mim: The Bowing].
42. Al Shura (The Consultation).
43. Al Zukhruf (The Ornaments).
44. Al Dukhan (The Smoke).
45. Al Jathiya (Hobbling on the Knees).
46. Al Ahqaf (The Dunes).
47. Muhammad.
48. Al Fat'ha (The Triumph).
49. Al Hujrat (The Inner Chambers).
50. Qaf.
51. Al Zariyat (The Winnowing Winds).
52. Al Tur (The Mount).
53. Al Najm (The Star).
54. Al Qamar (The Moon).
55. Al Rahman (The Merciful).
56. Al Waqiah (The Happening).
57. Al Hadid (The Iron).
58. Al Mujadilah (The Disputing Lady).
59. Al Hashr (The Mustering).
60. Al Mumtahinna (The Lady Examined).
61. Al Saff (The Ranks).
62. Al Jummuah (The Friday Congregation).
63. Al Munafiqun (The Hypocrites).
64. Al Taghabun (Mutual Negligence).
65. Al Talaq (The Divorce).
66. Al Tahrim (The Prohibition).
67. Al Mulk (The Sovereignty).
68. Al Qalam (The Pen).
69. Al Hāqqah (The Inevitable).
70. Al Ma'arij (The Tiers).
71. Nuh (Noah).
72. Al Jinn (The Jinn).
73. Al Muzammil (The Enwrapped).
74. Al Mudathir (The Cloaked).
75. Al Qiyamah (The Resurrection).
76. Al Dahr (Time).
77. Al Mursalat (The Emissaries of Wind).
78. Al Naba (The News of great Import).
79. Al Naziat (The Snatchers).
80. Abas (Frown).
81. Al Takwir (The Enfolding).
82. Al Infitar (The Breaking).
83. Al Mutaffifin (The Fraudsters).
84. Al Inshiqaq (The Splitting).
85. Al Buruj (The Constellations).
86. The Dawn Star
87. The Highest
88. The Pall
89. The Dawn
90. The Town
91. The Sun
92. The Night
93. The Bright Morning
94. The Relief
95. The Fig
96. The Clot
97. The Night of Destiny
98. The Manifest Principle
99. The Earthquake
100. The Coursers
101. The Knell
102. The Competitions
103. The Age
104. The Gossipmonger
105. The Elephant
106. The Quraysh
107. The Kindnesses
108. The Plentiful
109. The Disbelievers
110. The Help
111. The Rope of Plaited Palm Fibre
112. The Fidelity
113. The Daybreak
114. Mankind
Appendix: Introduction by Syed Abdul Hayy.
© Rehan Qayoom, 2016.
All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted. No part of this page may be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.
Published and printed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
3. Āl Imran (Family of Imran).
4. Al Nisa (The Women).
5. Al Maidah (The Banquet).
6. Al Anam (The Livestock).
7. Al Araf (The Heights).
8. Al Anfal (The Booty).
9. Al Tawbah (The Repentance).
10. Yunus (Jonah).
11. Hud.
12. Yusuf (Joseph).
13. Al Rad (The Thunder).
14. Ibrahim (Abraham).
15. Al Hijr.
16. Al Nahl (The Honeybee).
17. Bani Israel (Children of Israel).
18. Al Kahf (The Cave).
19. Maryam (Mary).
20. Ta Ha.
21. Al Anbiya (The Prophets).
22. Al Hajj (The Pilgrimage).
23. Al Mumin (The Believers).
24. Al Nur (The Light).
25. Al Furqan (The Criterion).
26. Al Shurara (The Poets).
27. Al Naml.
28. Al Qasas (The Stories).
29. Al Ankabut (The Spider).
30. Al Rum (The Byzantines).
31. Luqman.
32. Al Sajdah (The Bowing Down).
33. Al Ahzab (The Confederates).
34. Saba (Sheba).
35. Fatir (Originator).
36. Ya Sin.
37. Al Safat (The Rows).
38. Sād.
39. Al Zumar (The Throngs).
40. Al Mumin (The Believer).
41. Ham Mim al-Sajdah (Ha Mim: The Bowing].
42. Al Shura (The Consultation).
43. Al Zukhruf (The Ornaments).
44. Al Dukhan (The Smoke).
45. Al Jathiya (Hobbling on the Knees).
46. Al Ahqaf (The Dunes).
47. Muhammad.
48. Al Fat'ha (The Triumph).
49. Al Hujrat (The Inner Chambers).
50. Qaf.
51. Al Zariyat (The Winnowing Winds).
52. Al Tur (The Mount).
53. Al Najm (The Star).
54. Al Qamar (The Moon).
55. Al Rahman (The Merciful).
56. Al Waqiah (The Happening).
57. Al Hadid (The Iron).
58. Al Mujadilah (The Disputing Lady).
59. Al Hashr (The Mustering).
60. Al Mumtahinna (The Lady Examined).
61. Al Saff (The Ranks).
62. Al Jummuah (The Friday Congregation).
63. Al Munafiqun (The Hypocrites).
64. Al Taghabun (Mutual Negligence).
65. Al Talaq (The Divorce).
66. Al Tahrim (The Prohibition).
67. Al Mulk (The Sovereignty).
68. Al Qalam (The Pen).
69. Al Hāqqah (The Inevitable).
70. Al Ma'arij (The Tiers).
71. Nuh (Noah).
72. Al Jinn (The Jinn).
73. Al Muzammil (The Enwrapped).
74. Al Mudathir (The Cloaked).
75. Al Qiyamah (The Resurrection).
76. Al Dahr (Time).
77. Al Mursalat (The Emissaries of Wind).
78. Al Naba (The News of great Import).
79. Al Naziat (The Snatchers).
80. Abas (Frown).
81. Al Takwir (The Enfolding).
82. Al Infitar (The Breaking).
83. Al Mutaffifin (The Fraudsters).
84. Al Inshiqaq (The Splitting).
85. Al Buruj (The Constellations).
86. The Dawn Star
87. The Highest
88. The Pall
89. The Dawn
90. The Town
91. The Sun
92. The Night
93. The Bright Morning
94. The Relief
95. The Fig
96. The Clot
97. The Night of Destiny
98. The Manifest Principle
99. The Earthquake
100. The Coursers
101. The Knell
102. The Competitions
103. The Age
104. The Gossipmonger
105. The Elephant
106. The Quraysh
107. The Kindnesses
108. The Plentiful
109. The Disbelievers
110. The Help
111. The Rope of Plaited Palm Fibre
112. The Fidelity
113. The Daybreak
114. Mankind
Appendix: Introduction by Syed Abdul Hayy.
© Rehan Qayoom, 2016.
All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted. No part of this page may be reproduced in any form or by electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.
Published and printed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain.