Preface

While translating Ma’ariful-Qur’an – the detailed Urdu commentary on the Holy Qur’an written by my late father Maulana Mufti Muhammad Shafi we decided for certain reasons that instead of adopting any one of the existing translations of the text of Holy Qur’an, we should give a fresh translation to the holy text as well. Almost half of the Holy Qur’an was thus translated by me in collaboration with late Professor Muhammijd Shamim and my elder brother Maulana Muhammad Wall Razi, while the second half was translated by myself alone. With the grace of Allah, the translation of Ma’ariful-Qur’an was completed and published by Maktabah Darul-Uloom Karachi in eight volumes, which has secured wide acceptance throughout the Muslim world, and a large number of readers is benefiting from it.

Since the translation of the Holy Qur’an, that appeared in Ma’ariful Qur’an was entirely a new translation of the holy text, I deemed it appropriate to publish it separately with brief explanatory notes wherever necessary, so that it may serve the need of those who, instead of consulting the detailed commentary, wish to understand the basic message of the Holy Book in brief. The present work accomplishes this objective. While doing so, I thoroughly reviewed the original translation appearing in Ma’ariful-Qur’an and brought enormous changes in it to make it easier, simpler, and closer to the text conveying its message. In this way, it is now a totally new translation of the meanings of the Holy Qur’an – different in many respects from the one that appeared in Ma’ariful-Qur’an. Additionally, I have added a brief introduction to every Surah wherever necessary, and many explanatory notes to facilitate understanding of the text for a common reader. This book is thus meant for those who wish to have the basic knowledge of the contents of the Holy Qur’an in shortest possible time without entering ‘into the detailed discussions, which may be found in other comprehensive commentaries like Ma’ariful-Qur’an.

I am indebted to all of those who helped me in compilation of this book and making it presentable to the readers. Acknowledgments are especially due to my beloved friend Yusuf DE Lorenzo of USA, who very kindly accepted to review the translation of the first seven Surahs and suggested necessary changes to make the translation closer to the contemporary trends of English usage and enabled me to follow a similar pattern in the rest of the book. I am extremely grateful to my brother Muhammad Yousuf Ghani, who supervised the process of page-making and proof-reading, and prepared the index of the book, and to Mr. Shahbaz Bashir, who undertook the process of page-making. Both of them accomplished their job, not only with competence and due care but also with their zeal to serve the Holy Qur’an. I extend my gratitude also to my secretary Mr. Rafat Saghir Faruqi who spared no effort to assist me in all respects throughout this endeavour. May Allah bless all of them with His approval and the best rewards for their sincere efforts, and make this work beneficial for all the readers and a source of His pleasure for this humble writer in the Hereafter.

‘Amin!

Muhammad Taqi Usmani

Karachi, 4 Shawwal 1426, AH

7^th of November 2005