Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’ān with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (2005)
is the most popular of the readings of the Holy Qur’ān throughout the Muslim world. Some of the alternate readings, where they appeared significant to this translator, have been noted in the footnotes with their translation.
5. Instances of ellipses in the Qur’ān — which in the context of English means “omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding” — often go beyond such a description and are not always so evident. These have been indicated in the footnotes.
6. Cross references have been mentioned under verses in some cases, but a relatively extensive index of subjects, names and terms has been placed in the appendix. Entries which are not mentioned expressly in the text but involve an implicit reference, as mentioned in commentaries and exegetical traditions, are marked with an asterisk. As the works consulted for preparing the index 1 had made use of copies of the Qur’ān with different systems of numbering the verses, there might be a discrepancy of one or two between the number of a verse as given in the index and its corresponding number in the Arabic text. The verses are numbered in accordance with the now most prevalent system followed by the so-called Madīnah codex, despite its serious defect of excluding from the count the Basmalah, which is the first verse of every sūrah excepting Sūrat al-Tawbah, the ninth sūrah. The Basmalah at the head of the 113 sūrahs is regarded as part of the Qur’ān by many Sunnī authorities and unanimously so by the Shī‘ah.
I am grateful to the Centre for Translation of the Holy Qur’ān for entrusting me with the task of working on the English translation of the Qur’ān, in particular to its Director, Ḥujjatulislām Muḥammad Naqdī, for his unflagging support and assistance. During the course of my work I have benefited greatly from the generous encouragement and assistance provided by Dr Muḥammad Legenhausen, who patiently read the entire manuscript and suggested useful changes and corrections. His suggestions have been very helpful in formulating the policy to be followed in this translation. My thanks are also due to Brother Shujā‘ ‘Alī Mīrzā, who has read the entire manuscript and with his suggestions and corrections contributed to the soundness of the final manuscript. However, the responsibility is entirely mine for any lapses and errors that may have remained, and I humbly request the honoured readers to convey their remarks and suggestions by corresponding on the postal and e-mail addresses provided herein.
I am most grateful to my friend Muḥammad Riḍā Parvez for procuring for
1 These are: (1) K. Fani and B. Khorramshahi, Farhang-e Mawḍū‘ī-ye Qur’ān-e Majīd (A Subject Index to the Glorious Qur’ān), Tehran: Intishārāt-e al-Hudā, 1369 H. Sh., 2nd impression; (2) Muḥammad Fāris Barakāt, al-Jāmi‘ li Mawāḍi‘ ayāt al-Qur’ān al-Karīm, Qum: Dār al-Hijrah, 1404 H.; (3) al-Sayyid Sharaf al-Dīn ‘Alī al-Ḥusaynī al-Astarābādī al-Gharawī, Ta’wīl al-ayāt al-Ẓāhirah fī Faḍā’il al-‘Itrat al-Ṭāhirah, Qum: Mu’assasat al-Nashr al-Islāmī al-Tābi‘ah li Jamā‘at al-Mudarrisīn, 3rd impression, 1421 H. Sh.
