March 10, 2005
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Towards Understanding the Qur’an: Abridged Version is an English rendering of Tarjuma-’i Qur’an-i Majid ma[ Mukhtasar Hawashi, a translation of the Qur’an with short notes by Mawlana Sayyid Abul A[la Mawdudi (1903-1979), one of the most extensively read and influential Muslim scholars of the twentieth century. Though Mawdudi was born and lived throughout his life in the South Asian Sub-continent, his writings attracted Muslims as well as a fairly large number of educated non-Muslims across the globe. These writings also greatly contributed to that complex of feeling, consciousness, and activism that has come to be characterised during the last few decades as ‘Islamic resurgence’.
As a writer, Mawdudi was both prolific and versatile. His writings, which range from small articles and tracts to voluminous books, encompass almost all significant aspects of Islam. These works were generally well-received, especially by the educated Muslim readership and his articulation of the Islamic world-view won him considerable acclaim. Mawdudi’s presentation of the socio-economic and political doctrines of Islam in particular evoked much interest and appreciation. Likewise, Mawdudi distinguished himself by his forceful writings aimed at establishing that the principles propounded by Islam were intrinsically sound, that they were relevant for and viable in every age and clime, that they were intrinsically good and benevolent and conducive to the overall well-being of mankind.
Apart from focusing on subjects of relatively contemporaneous concern, Mawdudi also wrote on subjects that belong to the
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traditionally recognized fields of Islamic scholarship such as Hadith, Fiqh and [Ilm al-Kalam. It is the Qur’an, however, that held for him a very special place, and one might say, overpowering fascination. He relished the Book of God beyond all measure and never ceased to look up to it at every step and turn of life for light, guidance and inspiration. In his view, the Qur’an was not to be approached merely for barakah (blessing); it should rather serve as the sheet-anchor and the driving and guiding force of one’s life. Hence one should let the Qur’an shape one’s intellectual outlook, mould one’s character and conduct, and serve as the yardstick that should judge all things. Mawdudi once described the Qur’an as the ‘master key’, zestfully claiming that after he had found that key all locked doors were flung open and all his intellectual problems and perplexities were resolved. It was perhaps not merely a coincidence that the monthly magazine which he chose to edit and through which he disseminated his ideas for forty-six years (1933-1979) bore the appellation Tarjuman al-Qur’an (“The Interpreter of the Qur’an”).
I felt greatly honoured when I was asked to render Sayyid Mawdudi’s monumental work Tafhim al-Qur’an into English. Over the years seven volumes of this work have been published by The Islamic Foundation, Leicester, UK under the title Towards Understanding the Qur’an. Some time ago I was asked by my friends at the Foundation to suspend this major work for a while and devote my time and energy instead to complete the translation of the Qur’an and the short explanatory notes that Sayyid Mawdudi had written for his abridged, one-volume work on the Qur’an Tarjuma-’i Qur’an-i Majid ma[ Mukhtasar Hawashi published in 1976. The idea was to make available an English translation of the Qur’an with short explanatory notes that would meet the need of the readers of the Qur’an who are concerned with knowing its essential teachings.
The present work represents my compliance with that request. As the readers of Towards Understanding the Qur’an are aware, I had already translated up to Surah 28 (al-Qasas) of the Qur’an and this had already appeared as part of the seven volumes of the above-mentioned work published so far. For the present work,
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Editor’s Preface
however, I reviewed that translation quite carefully and critically and modified it at quite a few places. As for the translation of the remaining Surahs – 29 to 114 – it was done afresh. I cannot thank God enough for enabling me to accomplish this task. The mere idea that I will, insha’ Allah, find a place among the translators of the Qur’an is a matter of extraordinary privilege which fills my heart with immense gratitude to the Almighty.
I must confess that before I had prepared the manuscript of the abridged one-volume work, I did not have more than a faint idea of the true value and merit of the abridged version of Tafhim as a vehicle for dissemination of the Qur’an’s message. It was only after I had completed the draft of this work and read its proofs more than once – a task that made me read the text in one go – that I realized what a useful work it is. With all its merits, Tafhim al-Qur’an is a massive work and comprises something close to 4,000 pages of large-size paper in Urdu. It requires a considerable amount of sustained interest and a certain degree of academic competence to go through this significant piece of Qur’anic scholarship, especially its copious notes. It is no wonder, therefore, that although Tafhim attracted a very large readership, the abridged Urdu edition of the work prepared by Mawdudi himself has reached a much larger readership. We hope that the abridged edition of Tafhim in English will possibly also draw a very large readership and will thus be a source of enlightenment for a great number of people. The worth of the present work also lies in the fact that its short notes provide that essential explanation of the Qur’an without which an ordinary reader’s understanding of it might remain inadequate. At the same time, the notes indeed seem confined to the bare minimum so that one hardly finds anything that is not necessary for a proper understanding of the Qur’anic teachings.
In finalizing the text of this work I have greatly benefited, as I had benefited earlier in Towards Understanding the Qur’an, from the critical comments and suggestions of Ms. Suzanne Thackeray and Dr. A.R. Kidwai and it is my pleasant duty to express my profound gratitude to them. Dr. Kidwai was kind enough also to cast a second critical look at the text which helped me weed out
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quite a number of lapses. I greatly appreciate this important contribution of his and I am beholden to him for that. At the Foundation Mr. Naiem Qaddoura rendered valuable assistance in setting the Arabic material and page layout. Dr. Manazir Ahsan, by his constant, even if polite reminders, did not permit this writer to relax or remain indolent for long! As for my life-long friend, Khurshid Ahmad, it is no exaggeration to say that his words of appreciation, encouragement, kindness and support helped me strengthen my resolve to give this work the best of whatever I have. In a way, both Towards Understanding the Qur’an and the present work are an epitome of a long, time-tested and profound friendship and camaraderie. I am thankful to all of them.
Several friends in Islamabad have also obliged me in the preparation of this work. My friend and colleague, Mr. S.M. Afzal Iqbal, Director Publishing, Administration and Finance, Islamic Research Institute, undertook the painstaking and meticulous task of culling out for this work the explanatory notes for Surahs 1-28 from the first seven volumes of Towards Understanding the Qur’an. This was a very tedious task requiring meticulous care which saved me considerable time and effort. I am deeply indebted to Mr. Afzal Iqbal for the fine job he has done.
Several of my colleagues at the Islamic Research Institute have also assisted me in several ways. Mr. Amjad Mahmood and Gohar Zaman cheerfully typed and retyped the manuscript quite a number of times. Mr. Tufail Hussain Jadoon worked very hard to typeset and format the text, which was by no means an easy task. The Institute’s skilled proof-readers, Mr. Muhammad Nazir and Mr. Mazhar Iqbal also worked assiduously to ensure accuracy. Dr. Muhammad Junaid Nadvi of the Centre of Islamic Studies, International Islamic University, Mr. Abdurrahman Saaleh, Editorial Assistant, Islamic Studies and Mr. Muhammad Akram Afzal of the Islamic Research Institute provided academic assistance. Mr. Qaiser Shahzad of the Islamic Research Institute very carefully went through the manuscript from cover to cover, perhaps more than once, and favoured me with quite a few critical comments. I feel great pleasure in acknowledging the contributions of these friends and