Ali Ünal

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Ali Ünal is a Turkish author closely associated with the Gülen Movement, a moderate Islamic group in Turkey. In addition to being an author, Ali Ünal is a prolific translator of works with an Islamic theme into English, and has translated into English many works by Fethullah Gülen, the spiritual leader and founder of the Gülen Movement. In 2006, Ali Ünal's English translation of the Quran was released. Entitled The Qur'an with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English, the work also included extensive annotations by the translator.

Ali Ünal's published books as author and editor include Islam Addresses Contemporary Issues, Islamic Perspectives on Science: Knowledge and Responsibility, The Resurrection and the Afterlife, and Islam and Humanity at the Crossroads.

Ali Ünal is also a columnist for Zaman, a major Turkish daily newspaper.

Translation of the Qur'an

Ali Ünal's recently released English translation of the Qur'an has already been noted for its use of contemporary English, which makes it more readable than some classical translations. A comparison is provided below.

Sura The Koran transl. J.M. Rodwell [1876] The Meaning of the Glorious Quran transl. Marmaduke Pickthall [1938] The Qur’an with Annotated Interpretation in Modern English transl. Ali Ünal [2006]
3.84 “Say: ‘We believe in God, and what hath been sent down to us, and what hath been sent down to Abraham, and Ismael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the tribes, and in what was given to Moses, and Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord. We make no difference between them. And to Him are we resigned (Muslims)’” “Say (O Muhammad): We believe in Allah and that which is revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered.” “Say: ‘We have believed in God (without associating any partners with him), and that which has been sent down on us, and that which was sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the Prophets who were raised in the tribes, and that which was given to Moses, Jesus and all other Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them (in believing), and we are Muslims (submitted to Him wholly and exclusively).’”
4.135 “O ye who believe! stand fast to justice, when ye bear witness before God, though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kindred, whether the party be rich or poor. God is nearer than you to both. Therefore follow not passion, lest ye swerve from truth. And if ye wrest your testimony or stand aloof, God verily is well aware of what ye do.” “O ye who believe! Be ye staunch in justice, witnesses for Allah, even though it be against yourselves or (your) parents or (your) kindred, whether (the case be of) a rich man or a poor man, for Allah is nearer unto both (them ye are). So follow not passion lest ye lapse (from truth) and if ye lapse or fall away, then lo! Allah is ever Informed of what ye do.” “O you who believe! Be upholders and standard-bearers of justice, bearing witness to the truth for God’s sake, even though it be against your own selves, or parents or kindred. Whether the person concerned be rich or poor, (bear in mind that) God is nearer to them (than you are and more concerned with their well-being.) So do not (in expectation of some gain from the rich or out of misplaced compassion for the poor) follow your own desires lest you swerve from justice. If you distort (the truth) or decline (to bear truthful witness), then know that God is fully aware of all that you do.”
4.75 “But what hath come to you that ye fight not on the path of God, and for the weak among men, women and children, who say, "O our Lord! bring us forth from this city whose inhabitants are oppressors; give us a champion from thy presence; and give us from thy presence a defender.’” “How should ye not fight for the cause of Allah and of the feeble among men and of the women and the children who are crying: Our Lord! Bring us forth from out this town of which the people are oppressors! Oh, give us from thy presence some protecting friend! Oh, give us from Thy presence some defender!” “Why, then, should you not fight in the cause of God and of the oppressed, helpless men, women and children, who cry out: ‘O Lord! Bring us out of this land whose people are oppressors, and appoint for us from Your Presence a protector, and appoint for us from Your Presence a helper!’”
5.32 “For this cause have we ordained to the children of Israel that he who slayeth any one, unless it be a person guilty of manslaughter, or of spreading disorders in the land, shall be as though he had slain all mankind; but that he who saveth a life, shall be as though he had saved all mankind alive.” “For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. “ “It is because of this that We ordained for (all humankind, but particularly for) the Children of Israel: He who kills a soul unless it be (in legal punishment) for murder or for causing disorder and corruption on the earth will be as if he had killed all humankind; and he who saves a life will be as if he had saved the lives of all humankind.”
6.103 “No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision: and he is the Subtile, the All-Informed.” “Vision comprehendeth him not, but He comprehendeth (all) vision. He is the Subtile, the Aware.” “Eyes comprehend him not, but He comprehends all eyes. He is the All-Subtle (penetrating everything no matter how small), the All-Aware.”
8.61 “And if they lean to peace, lean thou also to it; and put thy trust in God: for He is the Hearing, the Knowing.” “And if they incline to peace, incline thou also to it, and trust in Allah. Lo! He, even He, is the Hearer, the Knower.” “And if they (the enemies) incline to peace, incline to it also, and put your trust in God. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
41.34 “Moreover, good and evil are not to be treated as the same thing. Turn away evil by what is better, and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity, shall be as though he were a warm friend.” “The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend.” “Goodness and evil can never be equal. Repel evil with what is better (or best). Then see: the one between whom and you there was enmity has become a bosom friend.”
42.40 “Yet let the recompense of evil be only a like evil but he who forgiveth and is reconciled, shall be rewarded by God himself; for He loveth not those who act unjustly.” “The guerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the like thereof. But whosoever pardoneth and amendeth, his wage is the affair of Allah. Lo! He loveth not wrong-doers.” “The recompense of an evil deed can only be an evil equal to it; but whoever pardons and makes reconciliation (instead), his reward is due from God. Surely He does not love the wrongdoers.”
49.10 “Only the faithful are brethren; wherefore make peace between your brethren; and fear God, that ye may obtain mercy” “The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy.” “The believers are but brothers, so make peace between your brothers and keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety (particularly your duty to one another as brothers), so that you may be shown mercy (granted a good, virtuous life in the world as individuals and as a community, and eternal happiness in the Hereafter).”
59.7 “What the Apostle hath given you, take: What he hath refused you, refuse” “And whatsoever the Messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it)” “Whatever the Messenger gives you accept it willingly, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.”
112 “SAY: He is God alone.God the eternal!He begetteth not, and He is not begotten; And there is none like unto him.” “Say: He is Allah the One!Allah, the eternally Besought of all!He begetteth not nor was begotten.And there is none comparable unto him” “Say: ‘He God, the One of Absolute Unity.God, the Eternally-Besought-of-All (Himself in no need of anything).He begets not, nor is He begotten.And comparable to him there is none.”


[edit] See Also

Online Quran Project


[edit] External links