THE BOOK
COMMENTARY ON KORANIC SCHOLAR: ‘MAULANA MUHAMMAD ALI’:
M. M. Ali’s place in Muslim academic circles as one of Islam’s most respected scholars certainly cannot be denied. Even for a Westerner, his book, THE HOLY QUR’AN, with English Translation and Commentary, impresses with its depth of research, analysis and commentary, and will be our primary source of Islamic ‘knowledge’. Predicated on that alone, it is important to know what key Muslim reviewers say about this particular publication, for we have a long way to go and much to say and compare.
In his PREFACE TO THE REVISED EDITION, (1-15) Ali himself says:
‘I may be excused for quoting two other orthodox views about this translation. Maulana ‘Abdul Majid Daryabadi, editor, Such, Lucknow, who is a recognized leader of orthodox Muslim opinion, wrote on 25th June 1943:’
“To deny the excellence of Maulvi Muhammad ’Ali’s translation, the influence it has exercised and its proselytizing utility, would be to deny the light of the sun. The translation certainly helped in bringing thousands of non-Muslims to the Muslim fold and hundreds of thousands of unbelievers much nearer to Islam. Speaking of my own self, I gladly admit that this translation was one of the few books which brought me towards Islam fifteen or sixteen years ago when I was groping in darkness, atheism and scepticism. Even Maulana Muhammad ‘Ali of the Comrade was greatly enthralled by this translation and had nothing but praise for it.”
‘Here we have the view of not one but two great orthodox leaders of Islam. I would add only one more orthodox leader’s view to show there is not the least ground for the false propaganda that this Translation is saturated with any unorthodox or heretical views. (*) It is the Urdu paper Wakil, which was published from Amritsar and of which both the editor and the proprietor were orthodox Muslims. Its review of this Translation when it was first issued was in the following words:’
“We have seen the translation critically and have no hesitation in remarking that the simplicity of its language and the correctness of the version are all enviable. The writer has kept his annotations altogether free from sectarian influence with wonderful impartiality, and has gathered together the wealth of authentic Muslim theology. He has also displayed great skill and wisdom in using the new weapons of defence in refuting the objections of the opponents of Islam”
‘As I have already stated, I have throughout this Translation quoted authorities wherever I have differed with previous translators or commentators or with certain views generally held by Muslims but which are not supported by the Holy Qur’an or by authentic Hadith of the Holy prophet. In the revised edition I have laid even greater emphasis on this point.’
(*) Given M.M. Ali’s extensive knowledge of the Koran and religions in general, it would appear that for the purposes of this Work we have the right person for our analyses of Koranic verse and law. Despite that, however, a crucial “sticking point” of “doctrinal reality” rears its contentious head. For the very Title of this Work diametrically clashes with Ali’s following statement:
“...the false propaganda that this Translation is saturated with any
unorthodox or heretical views”.
(Emphases mine.)
In the context of our strong Book Title and its equally-strong subject matter, what would constitute the greatest “heretical view”? The answer lies in “Who”, or “What”, the actual Spirit of Truth really Is!
Notwithstanding the clear connotation of that statement, it is nonetheless important that we have M.M. Ali on board for our journey of “unveiling illumination” precisely centred on that key figure. It is therefore important at this early stage to state the following: Whereas many publications about Islam today will be found to be either for or against the religion; that is not our primary position. The people of the West struggle to understand --- and justifiably so --- this new phenomenon of increasing acts of terrorism by Muslim Jihadists, so, naturally, publications about it tend to concentrate on analysing the reasons for the upsurge of “religion-driven” hate.
Despite the fact that such practices could never be supported by reasonable thinking men, we nonetheless recognise this phenomenon for what it really is in its ‘latter-day’ emergence. For we absolutely concur with all the great prophecies signalling these kinds of destructive actions precisely for our time in the human journey. They are not going to stop anytime soon, for its justification by Muslim extremists’ means that, in line with ancient prophetical warnings now on our doorstep, they will continue until it has all run itself to its catastrophic end!
Therefore, what particular religions and followers of such choose to do is exactly that, their choice. Our ‘ordained’ role is to disseminate in-depth explanations for what is happening globally, from the knowledge provided by the unassailable Divine Laws of Creation in their ‘lawful neutrality’ and calm objectivity. Through the declaration of those “answers”, we will therewith “let the chips fall where they may”. So shall it be in this Work!