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The Koran (Oxford World's Classics)
by (Translator: A.J. Arberry)
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks (1998-06-18)
ISBN: 0192835017
EAN: 9780192835017
Dewy Decimal #: 297
Paperback: 688 pages
Edition: New Ed
SKU: B336-1332
Condition: Acceptable
Comments: Shows signs of wear. In stock - Immediate despatch from an efficient and professional leading British bookselling firm.
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Customer Reviews
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Among the best 2
Rating  (5)
Date: 2006-08-22
10 out of 12 customers found this reveiw helpful
Arberry is a skilled linguist and has an exceptionally intricate and majestic command of the English language which he uses to stunning effect in attempting to capture the hauntingly evocative nature of this mysterious book.
Take for instance, the following verse
81:15-18:
"No! I swear by the slinkers, the runners, the sinkers, by the night swarming, by the dawn sighing..."
Verse renderings such as this give a glimpse of the awesome litany of style and cadence found in the Arabic recitation of the Quran. You will not get such a high quality reflection of the original Arabic in any other translation. Moreover, the translation doesn't take liberties with the text - it doesn't attempt to overly merge the process of translation and interpretation - it always tries to strike at the heart of the verse without embellishing it with qualifications and other conceptual nuances. Thankfully, it also spares you of tedious footnotes with Shakesperean analogies as the Yusuf Ali translation so infuriatingly does.
It's slightly better than the other excellent translation, that of Marmaduke Pikthall. Buy the Pickthall version if you want a tamer rendering of the verses. However, i reckon this is the best by far.
In terms of the substance of this book - yes it's repetitive and at times, slightly boring. However, you must bear in mind that the bulk of the Quran is a collection of short-term solutions to appease, inspire and incite a bunch of local Arabs. This is the most plausible explanation for its slow and disjointed construction over two decades.
Muhammad capriciously plucked out revelations from the air to denounce opponents and arouse his followers into a frenzy, the lowly stamp of the Quran's origins can be witnessed in petty personal attacks on Mo's enemies such as Waleed Al-Mughira, Al Akhnas, Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl. Such nasty vitriol finds its way into the Quran and beggs the question, "would God stoop so low?"
The most compelling proof of Muhammad's whimsical versifying is a passage in the Quran devoted to chastising his bickering wives. Others include verses deeming it proper for him to marry his adopted son's ex-wife and making it O.K for his troops to have intercourse with enslaved women captured as booty.
We are told in surah Nisa (Women) that the marriges of heathen women become null and void upon capture by Jihadists, thereby making for a chilling free for all. This, of course in addition to the wide eyed, fair skinned virginal maidens offered to the martyr in heaven. The grotesque catering to the baser fantasies of the ancient warrior-male is horribly all-too evident.
Again, ask yourself....would God, in His majesty stoop so low so as to devote himself to inciting free-booting, slavery, rape and murder while resolving the polygamous wife-troubles of an Arab man?
By now it should be clear that the Quran is NOT the word of God, it is beneath the dignity of any God worth worshipping.
Another clue to the garbled and rambling nature of the Quran is that it is'nt a discursive text but is rather a liturgical and evocative recitation that serves as part of the devotional aspect of the Islamic discipline. The quran is often read by Muslims in a candle-lit corner of a room accompanied by burning incense and recited in a hymn-like prayerful way rather than a bookish academic manner.
When it comes to the ugly non-PC stuff this book, although often appaling, is actually quite tame in comparision with the Bible and doesn't openly espouse death and pillage as much as you might suspect. Also, unlike the Bible there are'nt many references to sex and 'whoredom'. O.K, it does mention hell a lot and makes constant references to bad, unbelieving people burning away. However when you view this in the broader context of the narrative, you'll see that Muhammad tries to portray Allah as a force of inspiration and mercy than of wrath. The main theme of the book's message to the reader is to guard against 'heedlessness' that'll blind you from your date with destiny and your meeting with God.
Who should buy this book?
If you've never read the Quran before and just want to skim through it quickly so that you can get an inkling as to what the fuss is all about, then don't buy this book. Get the Thomas Cleary translation instead.
If you're serious about reading the Quran in stylish detail and finding out more about it - then get this book.
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A somewhat challenging 'Classical' translation
Rating  (3)
Date: 2006-07-11
3 out of 3 customers found this reveiw helpful
While a discussion of the various merits and demerits of the content of a religious text is highly inappropriate for an Amazon review, there is scope for commenting on the quality of the translation.
I bought this book unseen having flicked through the Penguin Classics version and was somewhat disappointed. The Penguin version is (for someone with no prior Koranic knowledge such as myself) an engaging and accessible translation which expresses the text in contemporary (but not colloquial) English.
By contrast, and despite assurances by the translator that he attempted to avoid the 'Biblical' style translations of many of his predecessors, this Oxford World's Classics version is translated into rather dry and laborious language which can confuse and seems bereft of the nuances that one expects were present in the original Arabic.
This is not altogether surprising in as much as the translation itself is some 50 years old, and so both the target audience and the approach to translation might well have been expected to have changed. Nevertheless, it does not make for as easy a read as one could have hoped (even for a religious text). I would recommend the Penguin Classic version over this one and will probably buy it myself as a replacement for this edition.
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The Koran
Rating (5)
Date: 2005-08-24
6 out of 11 customers found this reveiw helpful
In response to the last review (J M LILLEY) - If you (like many of us) are trying to disentangle the warped views of Islam you have been presented by western media you should also consider getting a modern text that deals specifically with that. Try "Islam (Teach Yourself World Faiths S.)". Then maybe you'll be able to approach The Koran with a clearer/more open mind. Worked for me.
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The Koran
Rating  (1)
Date: 2005-08-16
19 out of 45 customers found this reveiw helpful
I'm not a religious person and cannot speak Arabic. I just read the book to see what all the fuss was about. The book is supposed contain the revelations of Muhammad from 1400 years ago. However, he seems to borrow much of the content from the Old Testament. All the usual characters are there: God, Satan, Adam, Noah, Joseph etc. To update the story Jesus gets a mention, although only seen as a messenger, not the Son of God. Unfortunately, the revelations tend to repeat much of this information many times, to the point where it becomes a very tedious read. Also towards the end, nearer to Muhammad's death, he gets a bit inward looking and suggests that his personal enemies will burn in hell. In fact, burning in hell seems to be the suggested fate for all unbelievers and homosexuals. It's full of contradictions, such as God is all forgiving, but likes to chastise people when ever he feels like it. Also, its treatment of women is not very PC, but you have to remember how long ago it was and the fact that woman have only recently gained equal rights (In the west)!
If set in today's context, it is a very divisive and socially unacceptable text. There is absolutely no mention of tolerance and respect for other people's beliefs. I can see why it has lead to problems.
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Filled with truths, whatever your belief
Rating (5)
Date: 2004-05-26
69 out of 88 customers found this reveiw helpful
I am currently reading this version of the Koran, coming from the position of being a Christian by birth, but wanting to explore more about all faiths and the Koran has stuck me as a powerful and true book, whose messages are difficult to express in words because they speak to an inner-intelligence and understanding. Attempting to try and give an impression of this will always be a little inadequate and I apologise if this review offends anyone, I am conscious of the fact that the word of God must be accepted in its totality and I am trying to present this as a literary review (From a position on extreme ignorance, I cannot read Arabic and so my response is only to the work in translation).Firstly, what stikes me strongly is that the message of forgiveness and the often-repeated phrase that faith in God is like 'A garden beneath which rivers flow' are at the core of this message. Whether you are a Muslim or not the book, the message from God, is compelling and striking. There may be no room for real interpretation as the central core of the philosophy behind the Koran is the worst thing to be aware of the message and to turn away, or try to condense or re-phrase the message of the book - probably why there are so few reviews of it here. It is hard in these terms to be too objective, but certainly if you believe in God, whichever faith you are from, the central message of the Koran will strike a chord with you and you can at least understand the Islamic faith a little better. Like Christianity, the Koran stresses the need to live a good life, by which it means a life lived in and through God. There are stresses put upon the need to turn away from the man-made world, the world of the busy daytime and to try and live instead in the more contemplative world of God, in touch with mind and soul which is where God must surely dwell (If you believe God to be life, then it is hard to disagree with the sentiment behind this message). There are many laws, quite specifically about property and women etc that would get feminists up in arms, but is important to remember not to judge the book on our terms. Certainly these sections bear resemblance to the three books that follow Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Numbers. Yes, there is an emphasis on fear of God, rather than say, Love, and there is a strong emphasis on emnity to non-believers, including Christians and Jews, but importantly this is directed to the non-believers of those faiths, those that misinterpret the word of God. True Christians and Jews, who are true to the word of God, are respected. The coinage of Love is a very western concept, and the word used so readily as to be meaningless, instead the concept manifests itself here as reward, and acceptance back to God. The word is only specifically used to refer to a love of possesion, which in many ways is what the watered down version of the word has now become. Definately a book worth reading and thinking about, rather than accepting on face-value if you are coming from a literary viewpoint. To many it is the bedrock of a faith, and in those terms it is a book to be both respected and adhered to. It's impossible to do it justice in such a small amount of space. It is a book everyone should read and understand. It would help to build many bridges between faiths.
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