The Koran (Penguin Classics)
by Muhammadpublished
September 28th 2004
(first published 1956)
by Penguin Classics
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binding
Paperback, 464 pages
isbn
0140449205
(isbn13: 9780140449204)
description
A revised, updated translation of the Koran. The clear, fluent, authoritative English rendering of this holiest of Muslim texts preserves the characte...more
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The Quran is what I grew reading and memorizing. It is where I got my inspiration; no wonder I choose to be an "infidel" on my own. Read with me some verses of the Quran and get inspired on what it has to say on Women on the 4th chapter (sura) verse 34:
As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them.
Did you read it? It says plainly to scourge the wife under some circumstances. Beat her up! And yet there are some dumb Americ...more
As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them.
Did you read it? It says plainly to scourge the wife under some circumstances. Beat her up! And yet there are some dumb Americ...more
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recommends it for:
people interested in religious texts
This translation of the Koran is so much more readable than any version of the Bible I've seen. Though I realized a few years back that reading religious texts wasn't as rewarding for me as reading a book ABOUT the religious text, I found myself buying this volume just to have on my shelf, in case I felt inspired. I was quite surprised to see that my intial "browsing" turned into a four-hour session! I can't quite explain why as of yet, but it is WAY more engaging than the Bible; I...more
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Read in July, 2008
Cross Isaiah with Marcus Aurelius. Add a liberal dose of ADD and similes that would make any Romantic poet weep with envy. Use to justify a mercantilist empire.
Result: a dizzying pastiche of theology, law, poetry, ethics, nature writing, and business norms. An ethos that speedballs between exhortations toward upright living and self-serving exculpatory wrangling. Writing that aches to be sung (much like the Kalevala, or Poetic Edda).
The text is, however, both less self-contradictory ...more
Result: a dizzying pastiche of theology, law, poetry, ethics, nature writing, and business norms. An ethos that speedballs between exhortations toward upright living and self-serving exculpatory wrangling. Writing that aches to be sung (much like the Kalevala, or Poetic Edda).
The text is, however, both less self-contradictory ...more
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
the inqusitive
"Know your enemy" is way too glib a reason to read the Koran just now. I had a copy on my shelves for a long time and 9/11 gave me a good excuse to push to Koran closer to the top of the pile.
When you look at what Judaism has become from its beginnings in the Pentateuch and what Christianity has evolved into from the New Testament, it is interesting to ponder how radical Islam has developed from the Koran.
The Koran amplifies many Old and New Testament concepts and personalities...more
When you look at what Judaism has become from its beginnings in the Pentateuch and what Christianity has evolved into from the New Testament, it is interesting to ponder how radical Islam has developed from the Koran.
The Koran amplifies many Old and New Testament concepts and personalities...more
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recommends it for:
non-Muslims interested in reading the Qur'an in English
One of the most controversial translations of the Qur'an, because the translator (N.J. Dawood, an Iraqi Christian) arbitrarily rearranged the order of the chapters (suras). In more recent editions he restored the traditional order, but my copy has his original arrangement.
There will never be a definitive English version of the Qur'an, as Muslims consider only the original Arabic to be authoritative. But Dawood's version is better English than most, so is probably a good choice for non-Muslims...more
There will never be a definitive English version of the Qur'an, as Muslims consider only the original Arabic to be authoritative. But Dawood's version is better English than most, so is probably a good choice for non-Muslims...more
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all religious texts are (always have been and possibly always will be) difficult for me; this one (never mind the spelling...there's something clod-like about it beyond the somewhat archaic "Koran", and while i don't know Arabic i can sense that English just misses the rhythm, there's a song lost, something) is accessible both in text and annotation. i could go on for a loooooooong time about this, but i won't, not today, i'm only a little awful but not as awful as all that. no, real
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Read in September, 2008
recommended to Heather by:
a BYU religion professor
I have wanted to read this for a while--I seemed to hear a lot of people say, "Well, you know in the Koran it says, . . ." and I just thought I ought to just read it and see what it really says.
I bought a copy when I took a BYU class on "Islam and the Gospel," but I didn't read much then because I was so busy.
I have read around 90 pages, and that is enough for me for now. It has an index, so I guess if I ever wonder what it says about a particular subject I can just l
I bought a copy when I took a BYU class on "Islam and the Gospel," but I didn't read much then because I was so busy.
I have read around 90 pages, and that is enough for me for now. It has an index, so I guess if I ever wonder what it says about a particular subject I can just l
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recommends it for:
Muslims, the bone fire
Delivered in unique poetic verses, the Qu'ran presents its dogma in a way that makes it less deplorable than, say, an older document with a similar agenda. It certainly loses much of its worth when translated out of its original Arabic, a beloved language to its speakers. Pick up a copy for personal enjoyment, especially if you like poetry. Just be careful not to flush it down the toilet, or some crazy asshole might cut your head off.
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My what to say. A religious text with lots of the necessary repetition to impress the dogmatic beliefs of Islam. Interesting to read, although I feel the religion is very personal and intensely historical making it more alive in the minds of it's followers rather than the books, even though there is intense devotion to both. I liked the text, but it was really long and went on and on about this and that. A bit to wade through.
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Yes, I read this edition. I have read many religious text over the years and this Holy book I found to be somewhat of a disappointment I'm sorry to say. I hear the the life of Mohamed is extraordinary but I'm not happy with my current feeling of Islamic Monotheism. I do however admire Sufi philosophy and hold Maimonides in high esteem. Why was this not as good?
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I found this a lot easier to read then the bible. It's also a lot shorter.Anyone concerned with the state of modern Islam should read this inspiring text. As wityh the bible there are parts that are clearly outdated and even offensive. One must really imagine life a very long time ago, before there there was computers and silly puddy.
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recommends it for:
EVERYONE
this is my shit right here. i fucking LOVE this book. my parents are christian and give me a ton of shit for being a muslim but they can eat a dick cuz i hate stupid ass whites and what they have done to the world and i believe allah would *wreck* jesus in a fight. power to the people!!
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Read in January, 2003
Note: I actually read ISBN 0-14-044558-7, once in 2003 and again in 2004. It is an earlier edition of N.J. Dawood's translation, published with revisions by Penguin Classics in 1993. A Goodreads search by ISBN shows my copy's cover in the results but ultimately links to this entry.
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Read in January, 1997
It's the Koran. Even if, like me, you are not religious you should still read the Koran since it is such a big part of this world. If for no other reason than to have some sort of understanding into what everyone is talking about and fighting over and if you are religious, if you are Christian or Muslim you HAVE to read this so that no one else can tell you what it says; if you rely on others they can mislead you, whether purposely or not, down the wrong path to understand the true message of ...more
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Without commenting on the quality of the translation (I obviously can't judge), I found the contents an arbitrary, incoherent bunch of horseshit that, while historically and culturally interesting, shouldn't be treated as any more than a curiosity.
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I found a copy of this (and the Bible) at the bookstore for two dollars. There wasn't a chance I was going to pass it up, though I did get a strange look from the clerk for purchasing a Koran and a Bible simultaneously.
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Bought this for a college Islam class and read part of it. I eventually want to read all the great religious works, but I think this is currently the most important because I've already read a lot of the Bible.
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There were many places were I was not sure about the contxt of the writing. Who the author was, the audience was, third parties that were refered to and location of the author and recipient of the message.
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Every bit as stupid and boring and pointless as the Bible. "Men are the maintainers of women." This book is full of medieval rants which modern people should discard.
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I read this one about ten years ago. From what I remember, it had some interesting, poetic passages. Overall, it reminded me more of the Old Testament than the New.
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