Who is the Best English Interpretor of the Quran...

Hijrah said:

I use an Abdullah Yusuf Ali Version but I'm not sure how reliable it is, same for the Mohsin Khan version. As far as I've heard he best one to use is the Pickthall Version 'cause he sticks closest to the literal Arabic but I don't know...so can anyone help me on this
So what do you think is the best one?!

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AbuIlyaas on IslamicNetwork said:

Recommendations for Saheeh International
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The Qur’ān : Arabic Text with Corresponding English Meanings

English Revised and Edited by Saheeh International

© ABUL-QASIM PUBLISHING HOUSE, 1997

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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Not that anyone asked for this, but I've compiled here some positive comments from some popular du'aat in the West regarding the Saheeh International Translation of Meaning.
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Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips:

"Question: If there are mistakes in the translations you have mentioned, for example Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Pickthal, what is the most valid translation?

Answer: Uh! Probably the best one, the best two out there, is the Noble Qur’an by Muhsin Khan, but for reading purposes it’s very difficult because he has put so many things in brackets, it’s very clumsy. Um, a better translation for reading and meaning is that of Saheeh International, this is one done by Abul-Qasim there in Jeddah, though there are a few mistakes in there. In the verses on Istiwa and that, and um, there are a few mistakes there. But generally speaking it is the best, uh, for both reading and meaning together."

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Source: Transcribed from a six part lecture series on Usool at-Tafseer, given in London at al-Muntada al-islami, around 2000/2001.

Lecture number four "The methodology of tafseer". After the lecture during the Q & A. He was answering a written question that was sent to him.


Muhammad al-Shareef:

yeah, my favorite translation has always been the Saheeh international one.
It's the one I use for my khutbahs. ...

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Source: From a thread on the al-Maghrib Forums.

Wajdi al-Ghazzawi:

"… That’s the problem unfortunately we have failed; this is very embarrassing for all of us, for every Muslim. We have failed so far to produce a very good translation of the Qur’an. Unfortunately we have failed to produce a very good translation or at least correct, forget about very good, correct translation. And trust me, Wallaahi, I’ve been reading different translations, all the translations that you have, [incoherent] very embarrassing. Sometimes they give very incorrect meaning and sometimes the opposite meaning. And I have comments on all of those copies. So sometimes you have to make up your own translation. So this is one of the major aspects, that we are fighting each other and labelling each other [I think he is referring to the topic of the lecture here, i.e. haakimiyyah, and not various translations, Allaahu A'lam] and we have failed even to produce a good translation. The best one that I’ve found so far, which still has mistakes and needs a lot of work, but is the best so far is Saheeh international and this is what I use."

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Source: Transcribed from the lecture "The concept of Eemaan as understood by the Salaf" Cassette 8 out of 9.

From memory this was recorded around 2000-2001, Recorded in the UK by JIMAS.

The context is that during the lecture the Shaikh wanted to quote a translation of an ayaah but had forgotten to bring his English translation of the meaning of the Qur'an. Whilst they were searching for one to give him, he made that statement.

Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi:

I have attached a foot note where he referred to it as:

"... an impressive translation, distinctly superior to all others that have been reviewed."

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(p.373, footnote 789. An introduction to the Sciences of the Qur'aan, al-Hidaayah 1999)

Also, on al-Maghrib forums he expressed that he preferred this version to be given, when given out for da'wah purposes.

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Far7an said:

I voted for other, Saheeh International is excellent.

This is post on another forum by a brother with recommendations.

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Anonymous.92 said:

I like Yusuf Ali's translation but I heard that his commentary is not reliable.

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