The Clear Quran - A Thematic English Translation - Parallel Arabic Text
For a translation to do justice to the Quran and capture its elegance and vigor, it has to be accurate, smooth, eloquent, and accessible. Unlike most popular translations, The Clear Quran masterfully passes on all counts.
Thousands of hours have been put into this work over the last few years to guarantee accuracy, clarity, eloquence, and flow. To achieve accuracy, the translator has made use of the greatest and most celebrated works of old and contemporary tafsir (Quran commentaries), and shared the work with several Imams in North America for feedback and insight. For clarity, every effort has been made to select easy to understand words and phrases that reflect the beauty, flow, and power of the original text. Along with informative footnotes and surah (chapter) introductions, verses have been grouped and titled based on their themes for a better understanding of the chapters, their main concepts, and internal coherence. Thanks to the dedicated team of scholars, editors, and proofreaders, we believe that the "Clear Quran Translation" is the finest English translation of the Final Revelation.
This translation has been officially approved by Al-Azhar University and endorsed by ISNA (Islamic Society Of North America) and the Canadian Council of Imams.
Sample Translations from 'The Clear Quran Translation'
'Clear Quran Translation' versus other popular English Translations
|
Verse No |
Other Translations |
The Clear Quran |
Arabic |
|
21:87 |
And [remember] him of the great fish when he went off in wrath, thinking that We had no power over him! |
And ˹remember˺ when the Man of the Whale stormed off ˹from his city˺ in a rage, thinking We would not restrain him. |
وَذَا النُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَاضِبًا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ |
|
6:9 |
And if We had made him an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves. |
And if We had sent an angel, We would have certainly made it ˹assume the form of˺ a man—leaving them more confused than they already are. |
وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ مَلَكًا لَجَعَلْنَاهُ رَجُلًا وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا يَلْبِسُونَ |
|
53:27 |
Those who believe not in the Hereafter, name the angels with female names. |
Indeed, those who do not believe in the Hereafter, label angels as female. |
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ لَيُسَمُّونَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ تَسْمِيَةَ الْأُنثَىٰ |
|
3:106-107 |
On the Day when faces are whitened and faces are blackened. As for those whose faces are blackened: ´What! Did you become kafir after having had iman? Taste the punishment for your kufr!´ As for those whose faces are whitened, they are in Allah's mercy, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. |
On that Day some faces will be bright while others gloomy. To the gloomy-faced it will be said, “Did you disbelieve after having believed? So taste the punishment for your disbelief.” As for the bright-faced, they will be in Allah’s mercy, where they will remain forever. |
يَوْمَ تَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهٌ وَتَسْوَدُّ وُجُوهٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ اسْوَدَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ أَكَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ * وَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ ابْيَضَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فَفِي رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ |
|
94:5-6 |
So surely with difficulty comes ease. Surely with difficulty comes ease. |
So, surely with hardship comes ease. Surely with ˹that˺ hardship comes ˹more˺ ease. |
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا * إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا |
|
12:33 |
He (imploring God) said: "My Lord! Prison is dearer to me than what they bid me to. |
Joseph prayed, “My Lord! I would rather be in jail than do what they invite me to. |
قَالَ رَبِّ السِّجْنُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا يَدْعُونَنِي إِلَيْهِ |
BOOK REVIEW BY IMAM OMAR SULEIMAN
(AL-MAGHRIB INSTITUTE)
"Although countless English translations of the Quran have been produced over the last few decades, many translators did not have the necessary qualifications to undertake this mighty task, rendering the Quran inaccessible to some and misunderstood by others. The Clear Quran—which is noted for clarity, accuracy, eloquence, and flow — is indeed a scholarly and timely work that reflects the beauty and relevance of Islam. I highly recommend Dr. Mustafa Khattab's translation."
BOOK REVIEW BY HAFIZ ABDULLAH MUHAMMAD
(POST-GRADUATE ISLAMIC STUDIES FROM SOAS UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AND AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY)
I have a special interest in English translations of the Qur’an published from 1649 to date. Spanning over three decades, I have collected around 80 complete English translations from different parts of the world. I was also privileged to be in communication with some of the translators, including Professor MAS Abdel Haleem under whose supervision I wrote a Master’s paper on "Qur’an Translations" way back in 1999. I am so delighted to receive today one of the latest translations of the Qur’an published from Canada. The Clear Qur’an is the most user-friendly translation I have ever found and I will use it as a handy reference for many months, if not years, to come In-sha-Allah.
BOOK REVIEW BY DR. ABDUR RAHEEM KIDWAI
(PROFESSOR AT ALIGARH UNIVERSITY, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK 'TRANSLATING THE UNTRANSLATABLE - A CRITICAL GUIDE TO 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF QURAN')
"Among the Muslim translators, Dr. Khattab stands out for displaying a thorough understanding of the needs of readers. His translation therefore is most likely to win a wide acclaim."
Details
Title: The Clear Quran : A Thematic English Translation - Revised Edition
Translator: Dr. Mustafa Khattab
Editors: Abu-Issa Webb, Aaron Wannamaker, Hisham Sharif
Revised By: Dr. Muhammad Fawzy Abdel Hay
Publisher: Dar As-Salaam - Cairo
Pages: 692
Volumes: 1
Size: 17.1 cm x 24.4 cm
Binding: Hardback
Edition Number: 1st
Year Of Publication: 2019
Weight: 0.88 kg
Translator Profile
With two decades of experience in Islamic translation, Dr. Mustafa Khattab is an authority on interpreting the Quran.
He was a member of the first team that translated the Ramadan night prayers (Tarawîḥ) live from the Masjid Al-Haram (Makkah) and Masjid-e-Nabwi (Madeenah) during 2002-2005.
He memorized the entire Quran at a young age, and later obtained a professional ijâzah in the Ḥafṣ style of recitation with a chain of narrators going all the way to Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ). Dr. Khattab received his Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in Islamic Studies in English with Honors from Al-Azhar University’s Faculty of Languages & Translation.
