Towards Understanding the Qur'an: English Only Edition

by Abul A'la Maududi, Manhaj Hidup Muslim

An immense understanding of the Qur'an is offered here, a vast treasure of knowledge and deep insight and a valuable exposition of some social, political, economic and legal teachings of the Qur'an. But what makes this work unique is that it presents the Qur'an as a book to be lived by. With thousands of notes, an introduction and comprehensive index.

Genres: Islam, Religion

1090 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 1988

About the author

Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi [Abū 'l-Aʿlā Mawdūdī) (Urdu: ابو الاعلىٰ مودودی‎ – alternative spellings of last name Maudoodi, Mawdudi, and Modudi) was a journalist, theologian, Muslim revivalist leader and political philosopher, and a controversial 20th century Islamist thinker in British India, and later Pakistan. He was also a political figure in Pakistan and was the first recipient of King Faisal International Award for his services 1979. He was also the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islamic revivalist party.

Reviews

[Yara · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a non Arabic speaking revert to Islam, this has become a huge help. It's incredibly informative whereby on some pages, the footnotes may take more room than the translated lines of The Quran itself (got to love those footnotes!).

Even after you learn Arabic with English being your mother tongue I imagine this would still be used for understanding due to the depth of The Quran and the beauty and complexity of the Arabic language.

A really useful, well used book which I'm sure I will keep going back to.

It maybe alot of information to take in as a non Muslim, as a first Quran, but if you are intrigued, go for it! :)

[Sya · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who seeking truth...

[eny · Rating 5 out of 5]

may Allah ‎ﷻ reward Sayyid Abul A'lā Mawdūdī immensely for all his beneficial work and make it a means for him to keep attaining sadaqah jariyah, ameen !!!

[Omaima · Rating 5 out of 5]

maulana maududi's is my preferred translation of qur'an.

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The translation is one of the better ones. More literary. However like The Noble Quran, it fills in a lot with the use of parentheses which does not exist in the Arabic text and is based on ideology. For that reason, I can’t recommend this book for beginners looking for a good English translation. (For Western English readers I recommend Yahiya Emerick’s Study Quran in Modern English, or any of his translations. They are on Kindle as well as in physical copies)

Additionally, the footnotes represent Pakistani cultural norms from the late 20th century. I’m not even sure if they would be acceptable today. Especially when it comes to any of the footnotes about women. Mawdudi was living in a different time and this have changed so much in the past 50 years.

Still this was enjoyable to read. I love reading different translations of the Quran as I always find something new to pick up on.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I disagree with much of Maududi's worldview, he was certainly an important figure in the history of 20th century islam. Though he goes into polemics over any pretense to scholarship sometimes: for example he considered the gospel of Barnabas to be genuine when most (Muslim) Islamic scholars acknowledge that is most likely a pious fraud.

[Warren Backman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maududi provides a useful companion to the Qur'an for those who seek to understand its purpose and what principles it reveals, however problems arrise with limited sourcing for its exegetical undertakings, such as page 258 which claims that "all polytheiwtic societies from the earliest times till today share one characteristic: they acknowledge God to be the Lord of Lords" but do not accept him as the only god. This is immediately obviously untrue

[Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Quran is an abhorrent and backwards book akin to Mein Kampf. But the reason why I have given it five stars is that this is the version of the Quran recommended by Robert Spencer. It contains an abridged commentary by a prominent Islamic scholar. This is a good source for understanding Islam. Recommended for those who want to learn the truth about Islam.

[NMA Zami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Understanding Quran is easy in this era by Tafheemul Quran & Fi Zilalil Quran.

[DissidentCat · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's basically the Qur'an plus Maududi footnotes. There is also an abridged version of the Tafheem if you don't wanna go through a pedant book that keeps repeating itself about the notion of Tawheed and "those who associate partners with Allah in his divinity". The footnotes are very useful to understand the Qur'an despite Maududi in some places shows his lack of knowledge of Christianity. His own fallacious understanding of the concept of "Logos" made me smile.
3/5.