The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 3) — Page xi
PREFACE (1988 Edition) The First Volume of this Commentary comprising the first nine chapters of the Quran was published in 1947. The present book which is Volume II (Part I) deals with the next nine Chapters-from Sūra Yūnus to Sūra Al-Kahf. The Arabic text has been given side by side with the English translation. A mere translation without the text is likely, in the long run, to endanger the purity of the text besides depriving the reader of the opportunity of comparison, verification and critical study. The annotations of the text have been generally divided into two parts. The first deals with Important Words in the verse under comment. These words, along with other words derived from the same root, particularly those occurring in other parts of the Quran, have been explained and examples given to illustrate their different uses. These explanations are based on the standard lexicons of the Arabic language, such as the Lisān al-'Arab, the Tāj al-'Arūs, the Mufradāt of Imām Rāghib, the Arabic-English Lexicon by E. W. Lane and the Aqrab al-Mawārid. As regards the translation, our procedure has been to base the meaning of every word first on the corroborative testimony of other parts of the Quran and secondly on the context. The words printed in italics have been introduced to explain the meaning of the text, there being no words corresponding to them in the original. The second part consists of explanatory notes or Commentary. Every note first derives its authority from the tenor and spirit of the Quran as expressed in various other places. Next to the Quran precedence is given to the Hadith and then come the standard dictionaries of the Arabic language. Last of all, recourse has been had to the evidence of history which was necessary for the explanation of such verses as refer to well-known historical events. In the course of the preparation of these notes light has been thrown from time to time on the order which runs through the verses of each chapter, the one following the other in natural sequence; and a careful perusal of these notes will convince the reader that the Quran forms a thoroughly coherent and consistent reading. Special care is taken in the Commentary to refute the principal objections raised against Islam by Christian writers. These objections are based either on ignorance or on deliberate misrepresentation of the true