Reddit Reddit reviews The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

We found 81 Reddit comments about The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

Religion & Spirituality
Books
Islam
Quran
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)
Oxford University Press, USA
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81 Reddit comments about The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics):

u/oreith · 18 pointsr/islam

My struggles with the image of Jesus as God also drew me away from christianity and as I started to learn more about Islam I came to realise that my view of Jesus as a prophet rather than God was exactly what Islam teaches us. My advice to you is to read a lot, there is so much information out there, I struggled a lot with the language used in many translations of the Quran, the one that I found the easiest to read is this one.

There are other books that really helped me, one that I really enjoyed reading is "Stories of the Prophets" by Ibn Kathir, especially coming from a Christian background. Somebody else mention videos by Nouman Ali Khan, he's very engaging so you could look up some of his stuff too. If you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact me =)

u/warnakey · 13 pointsr/AskThe_Donald

Here is why your question is stupid:

African Americans were not hated between the 1850's and 1960's because they were trying to conquer the world and force everyone to worship their God. They were hated because of the color of their skin.

I want you to buy a copy of the Quran and the Hadith and read them, like I have.

https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/ref=zg_bs_12527_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=NVMX7ENNV3H9ZTH3NFHF

https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-1-Muhammad-al-Bukhari/dp/1523336080/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484000656&sr=1-2&keywords=hadith

https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-2-Muhammad-al-Bukhari/dp/1523336315/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1523336315&pd_rd_r=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E&pd_rd_w=30s2i&pd_rd_wg=ZL8ne&psc=1&refRID=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E

https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-3-Sahih-al-Bukhari/dp/153025597X/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=153025597X&pd_rd_r=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E&pd_rd_w=30s2i&pd_rd_wg=ZL8ne&psc=1&refRID=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E

https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-4-Sahih-al-Bukhari/dp/1530256526/ref=pd_sim_14_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1530256526&pd_rd_r=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E&pd_rd_w=30s2i&pd_rd_wg=ZL8ne&psc=1&refRID=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E

https://www.amazon.com/Hadith-5-Sahih-al-Bukhari/dp/1530256852/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1530256852&pd_rd_r=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E&pd_rd_w=30s2i&pd_rd_wg=ZL8ne&psc=1&refRID=13EV7ASAXC5X7V5XV87E

As you read the Quran and the Hadith (the writings that are considered written directly by Allah himself) you will come to learn the true feelings and motivations of both radical and moderate Muslims. You will then understand what is actually happening.

If you would like me to save you some time, Muslims are commanded by Muhammad to conquer the world and make every human on Earth a faithful Muslim by either forcing non-believers to convert, forcing non-believers to pay taxes to Muslims, or by killing non-believers.

Every Muslim on Earth actually believes that 100% of the Earth will be Muslim eventually, and some of them actually follow the commandment of Muhammad to kill non-believers and wage war with them. It's right there in the Quran for all to see.

u/supes23 · 12 pointsr/islam

:)

Thoroughly recommend Professor Abdel Haleem's translation of the Quran:

The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_DL6QwbQXJ0J9V

My recommendations mostly more recent stuff, I think written well for a western audience

Understanding Islam and the Muslims: The Muslim Family, Islam and World Peace https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1887752471/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_QM6QwbPQHCTB9

The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141028556/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_1O6Qwb8M0D5KQ

Understanding the Qur'an: Themes and Style https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1845117891/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_QK6QwbGS8EN0D

Being Muslim: A Practical Guide by Asad Tarsin et al. http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01833W1KM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_udp_awd_1L6QwbC9BNTXA

The Messenger: The Meanings of the Life of Muhammad https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0141028556/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_1O6Qwb8M0D5KQ

Worth YouTubing:

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
Professor Tariq Ramadan
Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad

u/Rabie-A · 11 pointsr/islam

Thanks everyone for commenting,

I'm going for the translation of Abdul-Haleem since 6 out of the 7 people recommend him.

His translation on amazon and as a pdf.

u/LIGHTNlNG · 9 pointsr/islam

List of Islamic resources here - All are in English.

Based on your post, I would recommend the following:


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u/[deleted] · 8 pointsr/islam

Wa `alaykum,

I'll let others recommend websites. In terms of books, there's a lot of material in English available, but it can be tough to find stuff that's well-written. I've found many books to unfortunately be written in very dry and unengaging language due to the challenges of translations.

That being said, here are a few gems that I've come across:

  • Suzanne Haneef's book What Everyone Should Know About Islam and Muslims serves as an excellent primer on Islam. The author is a female convert, and I think she offers a unique perspective female readers will appreciate.
  • Martin Ling's Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources is an excellent English biography of the Prophet (s.). The book reads like a story as opposed to a dull recitation of dates and incidents. You'll encounter many names as the book progresses, but don't get overwhelmed. Lastly, the author made some mistakes that have been corrected by respected Islamic scholars (feel free to ask or PM if interested and I'll post/forward a link for more info) but for the most part I think it represents an excellent resource for the English reader.
  • I have not read the translation in full myself, but I have heard a lot of praise for M.A.S. Abdel Haleem's translation of the Qur'an from Muslims involved in introducing non-Muslims to Islam.

    Hope this helps!
u/monk123 · 8 pointsr/islam

>Is there any difference between a Jew converting, and a follower of another religion converting?

A Jew is a "person of the book." As such, if you convert to Islam, you will get a double reward.

>Third, I have read about people choosing a new Muslim name when they convert. How does one go about this?

It is not obligatory, but you can choose any name you want if you choose to take an Arabic name, as long as it has a good meaning. Names of prophets and "servants of" a particular attribute of Allah are common.

>Also, in your opinion, what is the best and closest English translation of the Qur'an for me to read? Maybe someday I will finally be able to master Arabic... :)

This one.

u/gambit87 · 7 pointsr/islam

Amazon has them for $7.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0199535957/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

Otherwise I can mail you one as I have an extra. PM me your address if you want.

u/costofanarchy · 7 pointsr/islam

No translation is perfect, and they generally have their pros and cons. Whatever translation you choose, if you start reading and a particular verse stands out to you for one reason or another, you can always jump online and compare with different translations (http://quran.com has at least 10 translations available, including Saheeh International, Muhsin Khan, and Yusuf Ali, which were mentioned in other replies to you).

I mainly use the Abdel Haleem (Oxford World's Classics) translation, which you can pick up in print for about $7 US if you live in the US. It also has a great introduction which contextualizes the Qur'an, briefly summarizes the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and gives a short history of past English translations of the Qur'an. To the best of my knowledge, this is the standard English translation used in Western academia these days (it's also available on http://quran.com).

u/n3wu53r · 6 pointsr/islam

As /u/Abu_Adderall mentioned the Creed of Imam Tahawi which is quite short and can be found here.

His list is pretty good.

Also if you need an English translation of the Qur'an, in my opinion MAS Abdel Haleem's is the best.

u/februarytea · 5 pointsr/keto

Its not offensive at all. I do recommend if you want to fast and learn/read Quran that you find someone from a mosque or Muslim Student Association in your area willing to guide you through those processes. I am Muslim and I no longer read Quran WITHOUT a secondary reading guide known as "Tafseer," which is basically interpretation support. Some Quran's come semi equipped with this. There is nothing worse than reading out of context and since the Quran doesn't read like a novel or in sequence it can become confusing. This is great for fear mongers who cherry pick words or lines from religious text to castigate Muslims for their faith, but really can be done with every religious text. I have this version which is easier to digest than some of the older translations. I don't like reading Shakesperian style literature. Finally, as an online resource, www.quran.com is great for 1) selecting multiple translations to compare words for more nuance, 2) listening to quran recitation if youre curious 3) viewing the Arabic text. Finally, fasting is not incumbent upon the young, sick or the infirm as well as nursing or menstruating mothers and its certainly not incumbent upon a non-Muslim so if abstaining from water is too difficult for you then drink water. If you're committed to having the full experience, even just for a day, see if you can do it. Whatever you want really. My husband is also Muslim, we don't discuss our religious "shortcomings" because its neither of our business but I'm fairly certain when he works 15 hour days in the sun, he will drink water if he feels ill. Fasting isn't meant to harm you. Some Muslims would NEVER and all the power to them, again, its considered "between you and God."

u/Mentos265 · 4 pointsr/islam

https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

This translation has paragraphs based on the rhyme schemes in the arabic Quran.

Free: https://archive.org/details/TheQuranKoranenglishEbook-AbdelHaleem-BestTranslationInThe

Its a old version of the book. I recommend buying it.

u/bundleogrundle · 4 pointsr/islam
u/SabaziosZagreus · 4 pointsr/Jewish

What you currently have is an NIV Study Bible. I have one as well. The NIV translation is a popular, Protestant translation. It has some biases and inaccuracies, so it isn’t a translation used in scholarly circles. The NIV translation of the Old Testament is a translation of the Hebrew Masoretic Text, but it at times instead translates according to the Greek Septuagint, according to the Christian New Testament, or according to Protestant theology.

The central text in Judaism is the Tanakh. Tanakh is an acronym, it stands for Torah (Law), Neviim (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings); these are the three divisions of texts contained in the Tanakh. The Torah is the first five books of the Tanakh; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. Our source for our Tanakh is the Hebrew Masoretic Text. As such, the NIV Old Testament translation and a Jewish Tanakh translation are both translations of the same book: the Masoretic Text. The differences being that a Jewish Tanakh translation will be organized a little differently, some verse numbering will be different, and the translation will not be affected by Christian biases.

The most widely used Tanakh translation is the New JPS Tanakh (NJPS or 1985 JPS). You can read the NJPS Tanakh here. If you want a study bible version, I’d recommend Oxford University Press’ Jewish Study Bible which uses the NJPS translation.

My primary Qur’an is MAS Abdel Haleem’s translation.

u/bornagaindeathstar · 3 pointsr/islam

I recommend the Abdel Haleem's translation for beginners. It is pretty easy to read.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0199535957/

u/ruinmaker · 3 pointsr/bestof

While I won't dispute the veracity of the post, calling someone on BS when they say they've read the Quran seems strange. What am I missing here:

Quran: 502 pages

Bible: 1002 pages

Of course, different versions will have different size fonts, page counts, etc. Heck, the Quran you're thinking of may have included the Torah, Zabur, Injil and other holy texts but the Quran could just mean the Quran. If so, reading both that and the Bible at an early age is hardly exceptional.

u/PotentialRevert1 · 3 pointsr/islam

Well, I can't speak a lot of Arabic (I can say a handful of phrases and that's only because of what I remember from a trip to Egypt and Qur'an recitation), my translation of the Qur'an is this one by MAS Abdel Haleem: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

It's in modern English, quite easy to read (and incidentally is the one recommended in the sidebar). But there aren't much in the way of footnotes, I believe for footnotes you'd be well off to have this translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/8171512186/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_3?pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0199535957&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0M6PYCF68XAQ7SF01N3S

It's in a more archaic form of English, but has extensive footnotes and also has the Arabic alongside the English.

I hope this is of help to you In'Sha'Allah.

u/joyfulunion · 3 pointsr/islam

We make the distinction that the Quran is only in Arabic. But the best, easiest (because it uses simple, current, non classical English) Quran Translation for me is by this one by M A S Abdel Haleem. I think there's a pdf if you google it.

u/WheezingIntrovert · 3 pointsr/islam

I was thinking of this one any good?

u/Comrox · 3 pointsr/islam

I have read it. I would suggest reading a different translation with commentary if you want to get an understanding of what the average Muslim thinks and believes. People like Edip Yuksel, Sam Gerrans, Rashad Khalifa, etc., put forth much different views.

I started out with The Qur'an by MAS Abdel Haleem. AFAIK many people here really like this translation.

u/Exxec71 · 3 pointsr/islam

You'll have to forgive me I'm neither the most knowledgeable, intelligent or even the best choice as a role model. I am only someone who wants to help even if its weighted in terms of an atom.

In the name of the most gracious, the most merciful.

You won't turn into an imam overnight unfortunately however we are humans and intended to err. It is by design we commit sin, the only difference is those that ask for forgiveness afterwards. You seem to intend well and fortunately you have a goal which is miles ahead of some of your peers. In my experience (yes I have highs and lows) starting with the simplest thing than work your way up. First and foremost should be porn. That's a abyss without end so be extra careful. Try to quit slowly and inshallah days turn to weeks and on. As in try to maintain yourself for a bit then if you err your err but double your efforts next time. Fast if you have to until you succeed one day so on and so on. Second Start praying just the morning prayer than work your way gradually up but don't drag your feet and don't push too hard. Allah may give you a hard time now but thats only to lesson any punishment and possibly reward you. Your young and inshallah have a long and prosperous life ahead of you. Your fear of Allah probably stems from a lack of knowledge however you wanting him to be happy is something to think about. I say spend some time reading the Quran. A easy translation like oxfords MAS abdel haleem. If its okay with you I'll buy you a kindle copy. Educate yourself by reading some of the background info on chapters in the Quran then work your way up. There are free online courses or you can consider applying to the Zaytuna institue. Only You can hold yourself back. May Allah forgive us both and grant us patience, knowledge and save us from even the mere warmth of hellfire.

Edit: Typos and some wording.

u/Mac8v2 · 3 pointsr/unexpectedjihad

I am Catholic and learned most of what I know about Islam though university classes and independent research. I can give you a list of books I have read about Islam that will get you started.

Oxford English Koran
Obviously the primary text is important to have and the book is pretty small. Much smaller compared to the bible.



Hadith of Bukhari: Volumes I, II, III & IV


Half of Islamic law is derived from the Koran and the other half from the Hadith. The Hadith is the collection of events, and quotes by Mohammad and his followers. This book is huge and you shouldn't try to read the whole since it is just list quotes and who they are by. But it is a good reference source and something to page through.

Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources
Biography of Mohammad using historical sources. Good reference.



Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes



Brief 350 page run of Islamic history until now as told by a Muslim. I felt the book was a bit preachy and accusatory towards the end but I read it 6 years ago so my memory might be hazy. Still a good read if you want to try to understand how mainstream moderate Muslim scholars see things. It has a good bibliography too.




There are probably a bunch of other ones I am forgetting. Take a look through Amazon and see what else they have. I would only buy books from university presses or published by academics though. They can be dense and difficult but they are peer reviewed which is important since there is so much anti-Islam, pro-Islam publishing out there.








u/shadowrh1 · 3 pointsr/islam
u/WarOfIdeas · 3 pointsr/TrueAtheism

For my class in Intro to Islamic Scriptures they had us purchase The Qur'an A new translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem.

u/imafighter · 3 pointsr/MuslimNoFap

Salam, peace be upon you,

I've been in your situation before. Questioning the existence of God, Islam, and so on.... My suggestion is to go to a sheikh that you trust and talk openly about your questions and concerns. They are very valid and normal to experience such questions. After all, Islam is built on questioning and inquiring which strengthens our faith.

Second, read the first opening chapters of this Quran interpretation from Oxford University. It covers a lot of the arguments you are hearing with their corresponding Quranic evidence.
https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Third, check out the various talks on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/_Tauw02xyE8
https://youtu.be/EvM6i1aJz0s
https://youtu.be/JfzTlK074eg
https://youtu.be/RuZh8Tt8v-A

Hope this helps you brother

u/Lawama · 3 pointsr/islam

I'm a little busy, if no one answers the rest I'll edit when I get the time.

If you want a good English translation of the Qur'an that reads really easy, this one's great:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

If you want a free pdf download of it, private message me and I'll send you the link.

u/longresponse · 3 pointsr/islam

Try MAS Abdel Haleem's translation of The Quran. It's very smooth to read:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

If you have any questions, try your local mosque or feel free to ask your questions here.

u/haqr · 3 pointsr/islam

I would suggest this translation: http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957


It is organized with paragraphs making it easier to follow, and is one the best translations

u/austex_mike · 3 pointsr/islam

OK, in the interest of full disclosure I am not Muslim. However I have a degree in Islamic studies, studied Arabic in the Middle East, and have weekly Quran studies in my home.

So, first of all it is important to know that the original Qur'an is in Arabic, and many Muslims believe that in order to truly be able to understand the message of the Qur'an, you must read it in Arabic. That said, there are countless translations (some refer to them as "interpretations") of the Qur'an.

Two things to know about the Qur'an before you start. 1) As far as we know, the text of the Qur'an we have today is believed to be the same as the one recited during the life of the Prophet Muhammed. (PBUH). Unlike the Bible, the Qur'an is not a collection of stories from various sources of hundreds of years. The Qur'an as it is today is as far as we know exactly the same now as it was during the life of Muhammad. 2) The Qur'an itself is organized more or less in order from the longest chapter to the shortest. So for someone unfamiliar with the Qur'an it can be a little intimidating to start reading from beginning to end.

So, since I have lots of experience with the Qur'an, both in Arabic and English, and I have lots of experience with teaching others about it, I have learned a couple things to make it easier for people who are reading it for the first time that you might find helpful.

First, rather than read the Qur'an in the order it is traditionally arranged in, I find that it is better to read it in chronological order that the chapters were revealed in, meaning you will read it in the order that the Prophet Muhammad received the chapters from Allah. Just imagine yourself as a Arab in the 7th century who was used to hearing about pagan religion, so this on God concept is new to you. So if you look at this list you will see in the column on the far right the number of the chapters, 96 being the first one, 68 being the second one, etc.. So you will pick up your Qur'an and turn to chapter 96, then go to chapter 68 and so forth.

Second, you need to decide on a translation. Everyone has an opinion in this matter as to which translation is the best. Honestly no translation is perfect, and if you want to really understand the Qur'an you will need to read it several times. But based on my experience I have found Western English speakers do best with is the Haleem translation. The Haleem English is easy to understand, and the notes are just enough to give you some context for each chapter. So my advice is to pick up that translation and begin reading it in chronological order. I literally own dozens of translations, and have tested them all with English speakers and people new to the Qur'an, Haleem's really stands out as the easiest to understand for people new to the Qur'an.

For an idea of what your journey will be like reading the Qur'an, check out this video from Lesley Hazelton.

Did you find a place to ask a similar question about the Bible? I would be interested to know what people tell you.

u/Lizardman_Gr · 3 pointsr/findapath

Or try motivational or inspirational reading. If you don't need it, don't use it. While there is no shame in anti depressants, I think you should solve the problem if there is one. Anti depressants are for a chemical inbalance.

It sounds like you need love. I was where you are almost a year ago. I find myself slipping back in. I alienated myself from my friends. I felt as if no one truly cared about me, because I was not happy with myself. I was not living up to my own expectations. I was not meeting the goals I wanted to achieve, and that is devastating. I found someone who cares about me, and for that I am thankful and humbled. It's a Blessing to have someone that loves you, and I pray that you find someone who fulfills that for you, and anyone reading.

It's tough in this day and age. We have weak communities We have weak families. We don't teach values. I pray almost everyday. I spend time with God, because there I can always find love.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957
This is the translation I use. Hopefully you can find one in Flemish. By the way, I was thinking about moving to Belgium for my Masters.

u/Kryptomeister · 2 pointsr/progressive_islam
u/BugsByte · 2 pointsr/islam

I would recommend you the translation of the Quran prepared by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem from Oxford World's Classics, you can get it from here, it's pretty cheap too.

u/plizir · 2 pointsr/islam

Salam Brother, I recommand Abdel Haleem translation of the Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics). I believe it's the best translation. The footnotes gives you the context and additional info about the verses.

I also recommand reading the autobiography of the Prophet, the best one I read so far is Tariq Ramadan's : In the Footsteps of the Prophet

​

May God make things easy for you

u/RadioFreeCascadia · 2 pointsr/pics

My favorite translation of the Qur'an, Oxford World Classics edition translates everything into English (so it says God instead of Allah, etc.) and it reads exactly like the Bible, making the comparison between the two faiths much easier. The refusal to translate Arabic phrases is deliberate effort to keep Muslims as an Other removed from the West.

u/ThinkerSociety · 2 pointsr/AskNYC

Dar-Us-Salam located at 486 Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn.

They have a wide collection. If you are looking for easy-to-read Arabic, I would say it is best to read an English translation separately along with a Qur'an with large Arabic font, since the translations are usually by each line. One good translation is the Oxford World Classics edition of the Qur'an, by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. It's highly recommended.

If you want both English and Arabic, the most comprehensive exposure I've personally had is with the following two:

  1. Holy Qur'an by Abdullah Yusuf Ali - It has a great commentary of historical narratives in addition to the translation.

  2. The Noble Qur'an by Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan - It's pretty comprehensive in explaining the translation.

    All 3 books can be found at that book store. You may call them to confirm, just in case.

u/mnsh777 · 2 pointsr/religion

(courtesy of /u/lightnlng):


Check what you like from this list of Resources. I recommend starting with the Quran and a biography of prophet Muhammad (pbuh). If you want books, these ones are popular:




u/thethinkingmuslim · 2 pointsr/islam

I personally prefer:

Translation: http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Book on Prophet (pbuh) life: http://www.amazon.com/Muhammad-Man-Prophet-Adil-Salahi/dp/0860373223/

Insha'Allah, the above two should suffice.

u/NaveenMohamed · 2 pointsr/conspiracy

The Qu'ran says:

> "They are not [all] the same; among the People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians] is a community standing [in obedience], reciting the verses of Allah during periods of the night and prostrating [in prayer].

> "They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and hasten to good deeds. And those are among the righteous.

> "And whatever good they do - never will it be removed from them. And Allah is Knowing of the righteous."

—Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem (The Noble Recitation), Surah (Chapter) 3, Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran): ayat (verses) 113-115:
https://quran.com/3/113-115

> "And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah is Swift in account."

—Al-Qur'an Al-Kareem (The Noble Recitation), Surah (Chapter) 3, Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran): ayah (verse) 199:
https://quran.com/3/199?translations=18

However, Allah ("the God [of the Prophet Abraham]") also warns in the Qur'an those who believe in a trinity, or who say that Jesus, upon whom there is peace, is the son of God, or who offer prayers to the Virgin Mary, may Allah be pleased with her, or who take saints as people to be worshipped:

> "O People of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfilment of His Word through Mary and a spirit created by a command from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, 'Trinity.' Stop!—for your own good. Allah is only One God. Glory be to Him! He is far above having a son! To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs."

—Surah (Chapter) 4 of al-Quran al-Kareem (the Noble Recitation) - An-Nisa (The Women), ayah (verse) 171
https://quran.com/4/171?translations=101

> "They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary' while the Messiah has said, 'O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.' Indeed, he who associates others with Allah - Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.

> "They have certainly disbelieved who say, 'Allah is the third of three.' And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment.

> "So will they not repent to Allah and seek His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

> "The Messiah, son of Mary, was not but a messenger; [other] messengers have passed on before him. And his mother was a supporter of truth. They both used to eat food. Look how We make clear to them the signs; then look how they are deluded.

> "Say, 'Do you worship besides Allah that which holds for you no [power of] harm or benefit while it is Allah who is the Hearing, the Knowing?'

> "Say, 'O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way.'

> "Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.

> "They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.

> "You see many of them becoming allies of those who disbelieved. How wretched is that which they have put forth for themselves in that Allah has become angry with them, and in the punishment they will abide eternally.

> And if they had believed in Allah and the Prophet and in what was revealed to him, they would not have taken them as allies; but many of them are defiantly disobedient.

> You will surely find the most intense of the people in animosity toward the believers [to be] the Jews and those who associate others with Allah ; and you will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because among them are priests and monks and because they are not arrogant.

> "And when they hear what has been revealed to the Messenger, you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of what they have recognized of the truth. They say, 'Our Lord, we have believed, so register us among the witnesses.

> "'And why should we not believe in Allah and what has come to us of the truth? And we aspire that our Lord will admit us [to Paradise] with the righteous people.'

> "So Allah rewarded them for what they said with gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of doers of good.

> "But those who disbelieved and denied Our signs - they are the companions of Hellfire."

—Surah (Chapter) 5 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread), ayat (verses) 72-86
https://quran.com/5/72-86

> "And they say, 'The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.'

> "You have done an atrocious thing.

> "The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation

> "That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son.

> "And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son.

> "There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant."

—Surah (Chapter) 19 of al-Quran al-Kareem (the Noble Recitation) - Maryam (The Virgin Mary), ayat (verses) 88-93
https://quran.com/19/88-93

> "Indeed, the example of Jesus in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then said to him, 'Be!' And he was!"

—Surah (Chapter) 3 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Ali 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran), ayah (verse) 59
https://quran.com/3/59?translations=101

> "[All] praise is [due] to Allah, who has sent down upon His Servant the Book and has not made therein any deviance.

> "[He has made it] straight, to warn of severe punishment from Him and to give good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a good reward

> "In which they will remain forever

> "And to warn those who say, 'Allah has taken a son.'

> "They have no knowledge of it, nor had their fathers. Grave is the word that comes out of their mouths; they speak not except a lie."

—Surah (Chapter) 18 of the Noble Quran (Recitation) - Al-Kahf (The Cave), ayat (verses) 1-5
https://quran.com/18/1-5?translations=20

There are so many more instances of this topic being explained in the Qur'an. I suggest reading it for oneself and then deciding whether or not one believes it to truly be the word of God. This is the first one I ever purchased, and I found the footnotes it has that explain the historical context of some verses very beneficial: https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/

u/pilotinspector85 · 2 pointsr/islam

[(Oxford World’s Classics)](The Qur’an (Oxford World’s Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QxwzCb5XWKMJH)

(The Clear Quran - English Only Translation: A Thematic English Translation of the Message of the final revelation https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0747XY67R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wywzCbFRN3C98)

u/sneakpeekbot · 2 pointsr/ParentsAreFuckingDumb

Here's a sneak peek of /r/WhiteChristianMorals using the top posts of all time!

#1: Just moral christian things. | 0 comments
#2: Some light reading for the daily commute. | 0 comments
#3: My Favorite Praise Album! | 1 comment

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u/archossifrage · 2 pointsr/converts

My favorite translation of the meaning to share is the one by M.A.S. Abdel Haleem. It's easy to read and written in paragraph form. Great for Da'wah.

English only version:
The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0qk7BbTH2BWR8

Arabic/English Version
The Qur'an: English translation and Parallel Arabic text https://www.amazon.com/dp/019957071X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hsk7Bb21HDDFP

u/AnotherAlire · 2 pointsr/islam

To keep it simple, I always recommend this (Oxford) translation of the Qur'an. It's a very simple and easy to read translation that has gotten a lot of praise from many people from different backgrounds for having decent enough translations and contexts, where appropriate.

You can't go wrong with reading a translation of the Qur'an. It's where everyone should start.

---

Many people also converted to Islam after studying Malcolm X, whose journey I think embodies the perfect result of someone who fought against the racism of society out of sincerity and not out of a desire to conform (to pretend one opposes racism because it's taboo now). This sincerity led him from being a staunch advocate of Elijah Muhammad (an extreme position in the Muslim world, such that to be Elijah's follower is to make you a non-Muslim) to eventually realising the falsehood of the "Nation of Islam" and accepting the true religion of Islam, whilst continuing to fight for his cause in 'his' "country".

His letter from Mecca is also worth listening to/reading.

His last speech was also quite poetic and eye opening.

The main reason I have gone to the example of Malcolm and not linking books explaining the theology like many do is due to the example of salaf (first generations of Muslims) in how they approached dawah (teaching others the religion of Islam). They didn't let themselves get bogged down in preaching the religion to others (most time gets wasted in arguments with people who have no interest in listening, only defending their position and in repeating the same arguments like a parrot); they let their actions speak for themselves. And from their actions, the pagans reverted to Islam. It was from seeing the justice of the political system of Islam and how the leaders conducted themselves that non-Muslims reverted. Malcolm was quite similar to this in that his objective was not to become a preacher but a fighter against racism. And through understanding his fight and his reason for fighting (believing in the oneness of mankind), people revert to Islam.

To be clear, I do also have criticisms of some of Malcolm's positions, specifically his advocacy of black nationalism as a solution to racism. Though, in his defence, he believed this to only be a temporary solution. Once black people were on the same economic and political level as whites (black nationalism), the problem would be solved and hence it would no longer be black nationalism. Compared to '60s USA, oppression was worse 1400 years ago in Arabia and the solution was Islam, not black nationalism (Malcolm didn't understand that Islam had political elements to it). Had he lived longer, I believe he would have corrected his position. He also spoke of Arabia as if racism was solved there, which it isn't. Racism from all ethnic groups in the Muslim world still exists; that was a result of nationalism. Malcolm spoke about nationalism in the Muslim world freeing them from European domination; rather nationalism ensured European domination by dividing the Muslims who are instructed by Allah to remain united. But Malcolm didn't have enough time to observe everything about the Muslim world and its modern politics and history. Again, he was a proper Muslim for a very short time. Though I applaud him and pray for his forgiveness. He was sincere through and through and fought vehemently for what he thought was right. May Allah SWT have mercy upon him and reward him with Jannah. Ameen.

u/throwaway1219021 · 2 pointsr/shia

https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=56Q46TDRFH3P9756CZEH


This is the one I use... I have tried the classical poetry english ones, and I found them difficult to comprehend. But I'm glad you enjoy that version! (:

u/mybahaiusername · 2 pointsr/islam

There are so many great books, but I try to focus on ones the cite the earliest sources. For English speakers I found the combination of Martin Lings book along with Haleem's Qur'an translation to be the best two sources.

u/Windows101010 · 2 pointsr/islam
u/dingobaby27 · 2 pointsr/islam

Read the quran in a language you understand, and don't worry about the arabic. Guarantee this will make a difference. If English is your first language, then I recommend this translationThe oxford translation

u/ThisIsOwnage · 1 pointr/islam

My favorite english translation is definitely Abdel Haleem's, you can find it here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Why? Because it's so smooth and easy to read, click look inside and see if you like it.

u/rgamesgotmebanned · 1 pointr/KotakuInAction

> Most your response was "omg stop being SJW!"

Don't insult me. Especially not when it's blatant lie, there for everyone to see. The main arguments of my comments were not "Stop being an SJW." Getting of to a good start.


> Nope. I just haven't been able to link and put forth my reasoning while also looking into where /u/rgamesgotmebanned was going with his reasoning. The facts are actually verifiable so I'll do that now in a quick fashion.

Hi, that's me. No need to talk in 3rd person.

>1953 Iran Coup and CIA admits its role

Who are you arguing against? I never said the CIA didn't topple the regime. I will withhold judgment on that. I said that the Ayatollah Khomeini and his religious goons, with arguable support of the people, are directly responsible for the years of theocracy Iran has suffered. We didn't bring him back out of exile. He came by himself on a lonely private jet from Paris and turned the green revolution into something that never should have happened (again) on this earth.

>The ISIS Crisis (Where I got the Coca-Cola quote) - Loretta Napoleoni

>Assess her arguments here where she talks about the origins of ISIS. The ISIS Crisis is a good one that goes into the regional issues that are being missed. I just can't find it online right now.

Why are you linking me this? Apart from a few mistakes she makes, this completely supports my position that a huge part of the motivation for terrorists and millitant jihadists is religious in nature. She even talks about how a huge part of the violence is sectarian and they want to create a Caliphate.

> Going into Iraq, there's a lot of issues with the map being "evenly divided" that you won't know unless you have feet on the ground. Different communities have boundaries enforced based on the US military and they're the worst arbiters in the region.

The worst arbiters in the region are, evidently, Muslims who think drawing the should look like this [NSFL]

> When you go to Syria, we're working with Al Qaeda so it makes it harder to understand who to advocate for in the Middle East since relations are FUBAR.

Directly taken from your linked article:

>Unless the money is actually in the U.S. financial system, you have to point out to these governments where the money is going and try to work with them to make sure it goes to legitimate groups

But "Oh no, the evil US are doing it!" Don't insult my intelligence and assume I won't read the links your provide.

>There's a reason that China and Russia said no to intervention in Syria where they didn't say it in Libya.

You are shifting the goalpost here. I said that China (and I will include Russia here) is not the first on my list of best examples on how to handle these things. Their track record is abyssmal. Why listen to them, they obviously don't know what they are doing or (more likely) have different goals from us.

> America left a mess. Which goes into how I said in the beginning:

>We're good at making Coca-Cola. We're bad at starting wars we can't finish.

Very sarcastic and condescending, but neither true not an argument in any way shape or form. You are also contradicting yourself. If you think all the interventions in the Middle East were mistakes, we are actually very good at starting wars we can't finish. Now I don't believe that; I just wanted to point out your either grammatical or logical mistake.


> The next comment was dismissal of anything I stated. So let's move on.

I hope the irony of dismissing my whole comment while complaining about dismissal isn't lost on you.

> Let's look here because he you doubles down:

>The idea that religious fundamentalism and violence is a consequence of failed foreign policy is both ahistorical and destructive.

> This is ignorant rhetoric IMO.

> Instead of adding context...

Which follows just a few lines below

>...(which he claims I didn't do by pointing out nothing wrong with my argument) he goes on to make an argument from age,

>Argument from age =/= pointing out that for causation you would at least require correlation, which is absent in so many cases of religious fundamentalism and violence.


>ignoring the very influence he admitted to such as the 1953 overthrow which allowed fundamentalism to invade in Iran. I find this disingenuous and misleading to people following the issue.

How far did you have to carry that goal post to go from causing to fundamentalism to allowing it? There obviously were religious fundamentalists in Iran before, who were able to welcome Khomeini with open arms.


> Let's continue:

> Another prime example

> This is disingenuous. He cites a few examples and basically apologizes for US intervention while downplaying it. Nothing about drone strike double taps which are a war crime. Again, US intervention.

To not be ashamed of the audacity to complain about disingenousness while misquoting me so severely.

Here is the part of my comment:

>Another prime example [of the fact that their ailments are religious and not terrestrial] is that when the US accidentally (and this should never happen) hits a wedding with dronestrike killing large numbers of innocent civilians, among the many children, what follows are slight riots in the immediate region. But when we accidentally burn the wrong book what follows are massive levels of violence and the burning of embassies.

  1. I am going out of my way to say that I do not condone drone strikes on civilians.
  2. I am not downplaying anything. I am alluding to the reactions of the Muslim world itself.
  3. I never said anything about war crimes.
  4. "Again, US intervention." Are you seriously insinuating that I was denying the drone strikes were American? Because if not, then what the fuck are you talking about? The question is whether the US foreign policy or independt religious fanaticism are the reason for terroristic attacks. I am showing how burning the Quran leads to a more intense response, than killing innocent children. How can that simple argument go over your head and hwo dare you to make it look like I am downplaying the deathtolls.


    > Their sufferings are relgious in nature and not terrestrial.

    > Why the hell are we talking about planets?

    Wow. Are you kidding me? Maybe English isn't your first language (it's not mine either), but I didn't expect you to not understand the meaning of terrestrial in a discussion about religion.

    > It has been shown time and time again that these are people who get upset (and I mean blow myself up in front of a school upset) when they aren't allowed to commint genocide in East Timor or when they can't thrown accid in the face of little girls or when someone listens to the wrong music and the government doesn't intervene.

    > What annoys me here is how we look at the most reactionary issues but claim that's the normal Muslim

    http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/ You should seriously look into who you are defending here. The normal Muslim is not your friendly neighbor who sometimes goes to the Mosque. The "normal Muslim" thinks the Quran is the perfect word of Allah and thereofre Sharia should eb followed to the letter. This includes all the offenses I listed and many more. Stoning adulterers, killing apostates, death penalty based on testimony and I could go on and on...

    >which ignores everything about the region and how it came to be due to not only America, It's a "think of the children" fallacy mixed with a genetic fallacy.

    Firstly, If you want to know how it came to be read some biographies of Mohammed and the centuries thereafter. Barbarism is the perfect description. Even the oh so great Loretta Napoleoni you refernced realises that islamic fundamentalism can be traced directly to it's origins and scripture. Secondly, I am saying that their goals, which directly come from their religious beliefs, are in complete oppostition to everything we would call a free society or a good life. So in some sense it is a "think of the children" argument, although I think "think of humanity" is a better fit.


    > But the next paragraph is rather telling in how it conflates regular Muslims with Islam with nothing backing it up. You asked ME to cite my sources. I'm more than happy to do so. But how the hell can someone get away with this:

    > Islamis fundamentalism (and this goes for most religions) is as old as the faith itself.

    > [citation needed]

    You already watched it (hopefully). I can dig up other sources if you want, but you seem to admire the good lady quite a bit, so I hope this is enough. I really recomend you read the Quran- it's a relatively cheap, quick and concise read and it will possibly open many your eyes to the nature of Islam you seem to reject with quite some willpower. I think reading the scripture should always be the first step in educating yourself about a religion.

    (cont)
u/kerat · 1 pointr/islam

As with every Quran-recommendation thread, I highly recommend Muhammad Asad's translation of the Quran, which you can find here. It is truthfully head and shoulders above the other translations.

Other ones that I like are the ones by M.A. Abdul-Haleem, Arberry, and M.M. Pickthall


But really the best thing you can do for yourself in terms of understanding the religion and what is commanded in the Quran is to pick up Asad's translation and just have a read through it.

u/donkindonets · 1 pointr/islam

The Qur'an

A new translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

Oxford World's Classics

Edit, third times the charm:
link to amazon

u/nearlynoon · 1 pointr/religion

Boy was that the wrong question to ask. Wall of text inbound.

Judaism is my least-studied religion, but as I understand it Rabbinic literature is basically all commentary. The Mishnah, Tosefta, various Talmuds etc, they're all commentaries on the Tanakh. Of course, they are so old as to basically need their own commentaries, but there you have it. why_nn_doesnt_study_judaism.jpg

We Christians have a really different view on the 'Old Testament', and inter-commentary is pretty common in our scriptures. The New Testament may come at the end of our Bible, but it's the key to our way of reading the old scriptures as well, so start there. William Barclay was not super-dee-duper orthodox in his views, but he was a good Biblical scholar and I still like his 'Daily Study Bible' New Testament commentary for beginners. Patristics is a study of the development of early Christian orthodox thought, and consists mostly of reading post-NT commentaries by the Church Fathers, but those books are a giant money-sink so I'll let you get into that in your own time. 'Dogmatik' may be a bit heavy, but it's a good summary of our thought on our whole religion, scripture and all.

Islam is tricky, because the Qur'an is taken much more literally than orthodox Christians and Jews treat their scriptures, i.e. it cannot be translated out of Arabic, only interpreted. Maybe one of our Muslim friends can chime in with a better suggestion, but the version of the Qur'an used by my classes (which has some light commentary) is the Oxford World's Classics version. Quran.com can also be pretty useful since you can hover over an Arabic word and get its direct translation.

As far as Buddhism goes, I think the BDK English Tripitaka has some big flaws (it's also way incomplete), but it's pretty academic and a lot of its texts are the only versions available in English. Individual sutras are around, I always appreciate the work of the Sanskrit scholar Red Pine, he's done the Diamond Sutra and the Heart Sutra and maybe some others, from a Japanese Zen perspective. Buddhist scripture is sorta endless.

The only other religious texts I've read extensively are the European esoteric stuff I hope to do my graduate work in, in which case all the texts are weird, and all the commentaries are as weird or weirder. It's religious studies on Hard Mode.

I hope that gives you some places to start! And I hope I haven't scared you off! Good luck!

u/TheKingOfTheGame · 1 pointr/islam

Welcome to /r/Islam :)

About the basics of Islam, read this
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Firstly, Praise to God. I am sure alot of other people will answer better than me, but I'll try. First off, for Muhammed (saw) in the bible, here is a very interesting video by a former Christan youth minister titled - "How the Bible Led me to Islam"

His story is so interesting because he figured out that a through read of bible itself made him realize something, and convinced him to study other religions in which he found finally found Islam, his story is something every typical Christian should hear.

Secondly, You said:

>I'd like recommendations for a quran translation.

I personally believe that people willing to learn about Islam should read the biography of Muhammed (saw) first to get a grasp of the message of Islam, how it spread, and how we come to respect this man as the greatest of all creation. The best book I recommend is Tariq Ramadan's Book about Muhammed and his life.

Once you've done that, I recommend an exegesis over a translation because your understanding is enhanced.

But a good translation is: http://quran.com
An exegesis (recommended) is: http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Hope that helps.

u/goldflakes · 1 pointr/Libertarian

They didn't "come to America," but yes of course the conflict between the United States and the Islamic world started before the events you outlined. I'll outline the relevant points as summarily as I can. For brevity, I will include history only related to the United States and not broader Western civilization. The case of the United States is salient and representative.

History of Islam: Muhammad to 1776

Muhammad first began teaching among Pagan Arabs who were more or less friendly until he began to teach that there is only one God and all other religions' followers shall burn in hell. When they began to threaten him and his people, he fled to Mecca and Medina, subsequently taking over the western half of Saudi Arabia along with the eastern tip (Oman). Almost all secular scholars of the Qur'an agree that it is as much a political guidebook (how to run a society) as a religious text (how to be a good person). Upon his death in 632, his followers interpreted the book as they did, and a system of Caliphates began to rule the Islamic world. By 661, all of what we call the Middle East and northeastern Africa was under the Caliphate. By the 8th century, the Caliphate had extended to include land from Spain to Pakistan. This was unsustainable militarily (given few people liked being ruled under Islamic law), so it was pulled back. The Turkish peoples were to become the new military force of the Caliphate, and took Constantinople just before Columbus "found" the "New World." When the United States declared independence, Abdul Hamid I was sultan, with even Baghdad under his rule (that article makes him sound friendlier than he actually was -- he was compelled to sign treaties after military defeats).

Barbary Slaves and Pirating

Before the United States had first elected Washington as President, the Congress found itself at odds with the Caliphate controlled lands. At this time, the Muslim world was taking Europeans and Americans as slaves, estimates are that as many as 1.25 million slaves were taken from the Western world (source: Robert Davis). John Adams, America's London ambassador, was sent to the Tripoli ambassador to discuss the matter, and was met with a demand of money for various levels of peace. Terms were set for the release of slaves, short term peace, and even a price for long term peace. The United States argued that it was a new nation. If their military had previously quarreled with Europe, that was of no concern to the United States. Could not peace with a new nation be had?

When Jefferson took the Presidency in 1801, he was immediately met with a demand of $4,000,000 (adjusted for inflation but not %GDP or federal budget) to be paid to the Muslim lands. Jefferson demanded repeatedly to know by what right these demands were made. By what right did they capture Americans as slaves, seize her ships, take her property, and demand payment in exchange?

> The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners.

Thomas Jefferson to Congress and the State Department

Barbary Wars to Usama bin Laden

President Jefferson found himself in the fortunate position of having a capable Navy that he, ironically enough, had fought against funding before being elected. With it, he began the first conflict between the United States and the Caliphate. The second line of the Marine Anthem (To the shores of Tripoli) celebrates the result even today. Congress authorized Jefferson to use the full might of the United States Navy to suppress the military aggression, with permission to seize and destroy property as the Navy was able. The language was quite strong and general.

The modern Islamic revival that began in the 1970s has seen a large surge in the total Muslim population, which we must admit is in some sense responsible for the recent surge of the lower jihad as well (this being the military jihad as opposed to the higher jihad meaning an inner struggle). Al Qaeda's number one demand was restoration of the Caliphate. The crime for which America has been subject to the violence from the radical Islamists was committed after approval by the Saudi royal family to use American troops to free Kuwait from Iraq rather than using their own, limited resources and relying heavily on the local mujahidin. In other words, Usama bin Laden was angry with America because he thought that local insurgents could fight Saddam the same way they had in Afghanistan against the Soviets rather than relying on smart bombs to do the same. (He forgot, or perhaps never knew, that Afghanistan was liberated only through American assistance. People who assert the unsophisticated non-distinction between Al Qaeda and the Taliban forget this. America gave aid to the Taliban, not The Base.)

Also central to crimes committed by the United States in Bin Laden's mind was our admission that we had begun to support the right of East Timor to self determination of government. Here is one of his first speeches after the 2001 attacks.. Ctrl+f "east timor" to see that his complaint is that the Caliphate's maximum extent is no longer in effect, with the world recognizing that the military devastation committed by Indonesia was invalid.

Specific Points: Iran in WWII, The Taliban, Gulf War vs. bin Laden, and Diplomacy

So, yes, the Barbary wars happened before the Iranian coup. Keep in mind also that 1953 is also after 1945 when Nazi Germany surrendered. At that time, Iran was already under the full control of Britain and Russia (mostly the British), essentially a colony like India was. This invasion was necessary because Reza Shah was attempting to play neutral while supplying the Nazi war machine with crude oil necessary for its logistical world domination. "Iran" in Persian means "The Land of the Aryans," which Persia abruptly changed its name to in 1935, just as it was becoming friendly toward the Germans. After the war was over, Britain had a number of privately owned fields, purchased legally from the owners of the land. When Iran elected Mosaddegh to nationalize the oilfields, they did so illegally. Their country or not, the heart of libertarianism is the right to free exchange and free markets. Unless you agree that the United States can simply seize the property of any foreign corporation who operates in any way through the United States, you cannot support the right of anyone, anywhere to loot by law. The course of action taken by the West was perhaps morally wrong. But it was in response to a moral wrong, not the initiation of one. I find that very few internet historians know the history of Iran before 1953. This has always seemed odd to me -- where are you all getting your similarly edited information?

The military bases in Islamic lands were widely supported at the time by both governments and peoples. They still celebrate it as a national day of pride. Again, bin Laden considers this the great evil of America because he wanted the local mujahidin to fight Saddam rather than bringing in any Western aid. You may freely be against the Gulf War, but you cannot rationalize that the intervention was innately immoral since the United States determined that losing control of the Kuwait and Saudi oilfields would have been damaging to her interests. In other words, the United States did not initiate force but responded to the initiation of force upon a friend.

The United States used the Taliban to fight the Soviet Empire. I fail to see this as a moral evil.

The United States necessarily has diplomatic relations with all countries who are willing, including bad guys. Egyptians and Tunisians far and away have more warm feelings for the United States than ill-feelings. Only with sources such as Russia Today can you attempt to support the notion that we stood between these leaders and their people. The West was crucial to their overthrow, including freezing of their foreign assets.

Recommended Reading

Islamic Radicalism and Global Jihad History of radical Islam and current resurgence. Takes a look at the old scholars and new.

The Looming Tower Everything leading up to 9/11

Christian Slaves, Muslim Masters Details the Barbary coast slave trade

The Trial of Henry Kissinger Outlines US war crimes

Qur'an My English translation.

Instructions for American Servicemen in Iran During World War II Self explanatory.

The Forever War Solidly good book.

The Rape of Kuwait Iraq war crimes in Kuwait


Edits

  • Corrected a couple subject-verb agreements.

  • Added section headers.

  • Added recommended reading list.

  • Reworked a paragraph in the last section.
u/kingpomba · 1 pointr/DebateReligion

>On the emotional side of things, the Qur'an is the only holy book to have moved me.

That's a very personal thing though. I know plenty of (pseudo)Christians and former believers (including myself) who are just unmoved with Christianity and the bible. The reasons are numerous but a lot of the time its seeking out novelty, something new. I think a lot of people are moved by buddhist, daoist or hindu scriptures as well.

>The first time I picked a translation, and started reading, it struck at the heart of me.

It had the opposite affect on me. It really felt like a struggle. I couldn't make it through the first chapter (though its probably rare for someone to read scripture cover to cover). Which translation did you use? I have digital access to this one and i'll probably end up buying the hardback, what do you think?

> The Qur'an consistently denounces blind observance, stating not to just follow the religion of your fathers.

Thats good in theory but the vast, vast majority of muslims around today, especially in less developed countries, believe precisely for this reason.

The historical records of Muhammad are a lot more solid than Jesus though, i'll give you that. We even have letters sent by him.

u/save_the_last_dance · 1 pointr/islam

https://www.amazon.com/Study-Quran-New-Translation-Commentary/dp/0061125865

I recommend this as you're first quaran. It's practically a textbook on Islam bundled with a quaran. It includes commentary from a respected Muslim scholar, and study guides.

If you feel like you just want the English text, Abdel Haleem's translation for OXford World Classics is excellent. https://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D4JB076JEGW58RRZXPEV

Mustafa Amur has written an entire step-by-step guide on converting to Islam, that's free on Kindle and very cheap on paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Islam-Step-Step-Muslims-ebook/dp/B008FRA60E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478505547&sr=1-1&keywords=islam+convert

If you want something more comprehensive though, Ella Richardson wrote a more expansive book about it: https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Beginners-Basics-Muslim-Customs-ebook/dp/B01759SQF4/ref=pd_sim_351_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BE51FXHRD5TXEHBKE01F

u/MrXxxKillsHimself · 1 pointr/islam
u/anothermuslim · 1 pointr/explainlikeimfive

Quran 60:8, 9 - Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. Allah only forbids you from those who fight you because of religion and expel you from your homes and aid in your expulsion - [forbids] that you make allies of them. And whoever makes allies of them, then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

Quran 16:2,82: He sends down the angels, with the inspiration of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants, [telling them], "Warn that there is no deity except Me; so fear Me {Allah, that is}." ... But if they turn away, [O Muhammad] - then only upon you is [responsibility for] clear notification.

Quran 21/107-109 - And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds. Say, "It is only revealed to me that your god is but one God; so will you be Muslims [in submission to Him]?" But if they turn away, then say, "I have announced to [all of] you equally. And I know not whether near or far is that which you are promised.

Quran 88:21-22 - So remind, [O Muhammad]; you are only a reminder.
You are not over them a controller.

Quran 22/40 - [They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right - only because they say, "Our Lord is Allah ." And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.

And you would find more if you chose to read. Unlike some translations, you would find this one to be an easy and fairly accurate read

From the hadeeths.
“Whoever kills a person who has a truce with the Muslims will never smell the fragrance of Paradise.” (Saheeh Muslim)

“Beware! Whoever is cruel and hard on a non-Muslim minority, or curtails their rights, or burdens them with more than they can bear, or takes anything from them against their free will; I (Prophet Muhammad) will complain against the person on the Day of Judgment.” (Abu Dawud)

"Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Bukhari)

"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgement." (Bukhari)

u/iredditgoodbadass · 1 pointr/Petioles

Totally feel you on the mistrust of religion, I'm not spiritual tho ive jumped on the mindfulness bandwagon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

I'm reading this right now, the introduction is super interesting, you should totally get this. The Quran is all about reaffirming what happened before with all the prophets n shizz. Jews and Christians are called 'people of the book' as they came before and the quaran is all about them.

Edit: I should note I'm only 7 pages in

u/rafiki4 · 1 pointr/islam
u/Tariq_7 · 1 pointr/converts

Yes, by all means, read more than one translation

Another excellent translation is that of Professor Abdel Haleem, Oxford, UK

http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/Public/book_tq.html

http://www.amazon.com/The-Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

u/crockrox · 1 pointr/islam

You can start with biography of the prophet .

And then perhaps the Quran.

Good luck.

P.S. Personal opinion. Not an expert.

u/FooFighterJL · 1 pointr/Showerthoughts

First things first, choose the right version of the Koran. Most Islamic scholars think you cannot have read the Koran unless you have read it in Arabic. Since that takes too long to learn, the best version I can recommend is this.

You can get it on Kindle too if you want to save some money. It has notes too.

u/jeffanie96 · 1 pointr/islam

Context specific to each verse. It'll say "fight the disbelievers" but the context is "fight only those who fought you first, and stop when they stop", or "kill them where ever you find them" but the context is those specific pagans in Mecca at that time who broke a treaty.

I would find another translation to read, one with a commentary from someone who has studied it and can provide the context. M.S. Haleem's is really good for this. It's only $8 on Amazon.

u/swjd · 1 pointr/islam

Additions:

Lives of other Prophets Series

  • [Video] Lives of the Prophets - Series of 31 lectures by Sheikh Shady on the lives of the Prophets from Adam (AS) to Isa (AS).

  • [Video] Stories Of The Prophets - Series of 30 lectures by Mufti Menk on the lives and stories of the Prophets from Adam (AS) to Isa (AS).

    End times, Death, Hereafter

  • [Video] Death and the Hereafter - Series of 10 or so lectures by Sheikh Shady on what happens during and after death. Also, the minor and major signs that would occur until the end of times.

  • [Video] Signs of Day of Judgement - Series of multiple lectures on the signs of the day of judgement by Sh. Yaser Birjas.

    Seerah (Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

  • [Video] Seerah - Series of 47 lectures on the signs of the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by Sheikh Shady.

    Understand the Quran

  • [Video] Story Night - How Allah(swt) wrote/directed the Quran with analogies to popular works of flim and stories. Another way of looking at it is that why does it seem the Quran is out of order sometimes? Noman Ali Kahn mainly talks about the story of Musa (AS) and how ayats pertaining to his story are written.

  • [Book] The Qur'an by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem - Translation of the Quran with modern English vernacular.

  • [Book] Approaching the Qur'an: The Early Revelations by Michael Sells - There's a chapter that goes in depth about how the pre-Islamic Arabs previved the concept of love and the female beloved character layla and what Islam changed about this concept.

  • [Book] No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Reza Aslan -- Covers lots of topics, excellent writing overall.

  • [Audio] Fahm al-Qur'an - Tafseer of the entire Quran in very simple English. The commentary is by a female scholar, Amina Elahi so it's a good tafseer for gatherings with a lot sisters but obviously anyone can listen. Best way to make the most of this tafseer and others like it is to have a translated copy of the Quran in front of you and some highlighters, sticky notes and a dedicated notebook and just scribble away as you listen. BTW, if you have a Muslim friend(s) who is/are interested in Islam and you don't have access to a teacher or w/e, have a listening party/gathering with these lectures once a week. Since each lecture is 2 hrs long, in 30 weeks, you will have finished the tafseer of the entire Quran and you have a notebook filled with notes and a translated Quran that is now colorful and filled with notes.
u/oroboros74 · 1 pointr/AskLiteraryStudies

I highly suggest M. A. S. Abdel Haleem's The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics .

u/-420SmokeWeed- · 1 pointr/DebateReligion

>With that in mind, can someone direct me to an english translation that would make it's miraculous nature most evident?

No

But here is a translation that is recommended by many:

The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) - M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

Free PDF:

https://yassarnalquran.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/the_quran-abdel-haleem.pdf

~$7 Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957

Edit: Actually Nouman Ali Khan attempts to convey the linguistic miracle to a non-Arabic audience its not perfect but without learning a new language this is pretty good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-ULa2JzPG0

u/umarnasir · 1 pointr/islam
u/svxr · 1 pointr/soccer

This translation by M. A. S. Abdel Haleem is excellent https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quran-Oxford-Worlds-Classics/dp/0199535957/. There's a good introduction and each surah (chapter) of the Quran has it's own brief notes to help explain everything.

u/unbanmi5anthr0pe · 0 pointsr/AntiPOZi
u/SAMIFUEL · 0 pointsr/DebateReligion

before assuming anything about the Qur'an I suggest you actually read it

u/Aeromatic_YT · 0 pointsr/suggestmeabook

Here’s a translation; The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0199535957/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rIIkDb464N498

u/JeremyJWinter · -2 pointsr/stocks