FROM THE KUR-ÁN, COMMONLY CALLED, IN ENGLAND, THE KORAN; WITH AN INTERWOVEN COMMENTARY; TRANSLATED FROM THE ARABIC, METHODICALLY ARRANGED, AND TO WHICH IS PREFIXED AN INTRODUCTION, TAKEN FROM SALE'S PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, WITH CORRECTIONS AND ADDITIONS: BY EDWARD WILLIAM LANE, AUTHOR OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE MODERN EGYPTIANS," "Knowledge of a part is better than ignorance of the whole."-Abu-l-Fida. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JAMES MADDEN AND Co. 8, LEADENHALL STREET. MDCCCXLIII. LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF ALIFORNIA PREFACE. "THERE are," says Dr. Johnson, "two objects of curiosity-the Christian world, and the Mahometan world: all the rest may be considered as barbarous.” That such is the case, most persons, probably, will admit. Then why is the Ķur-án so much neglected in this country, while we possess a translation of it in our own language, celebrated for its general accuracy, and enriched with an abundance of learned and curious notes? To this it may be answered : First, the arrangement of its contents perplexes and fatigues the most patient of readers by a real or apparent want of connexion.-Secondly, the book abounds with passages unintelligible without explanations which are not given in Sale's version.-Thirdly, to a large class of readers it is a book absolutely prohibited; for, being a code of ritual, moral, civil, and criminal law, as well as a rule of faith, it is unfit for the perusal of a modest female who does not regard it as the word of God. But if there are many intelligent and inquisitive persons who have never opened the Ķur-án, or who have been deterred from proceeding far in its perusal, there are few, it is believed, who would not attempt to acquire a correct notion of its contents, upon the most important and interesting subjects of religious dogmas, history, and prophecy, were it not for the objections above mentioned; and to obviate these objections, the following extracts have been selected, translated, explained, and methodically arranged. The general correctness of Sale's translation is admitted by all competent judges; but it contains many serious errors, partly occasioned by his want of much knowledge which is only to be obtained by a residence among Arabs or other Muslims; and the necessity of a new translation, with additional explications, became evident to me in studying the original work with a commentary. The reader who will take the trouble of comparing the extracts here given with the corresponding passages in Sale's version, will often find considerable differences, and may frequently doubt which is correct; but the interwoven commentary (which I distinguish by Italics) will often determine; as in the following instance (verse 166 of chapter ii.): (Sale's version.) "The unbelievers are like unto one who crieth aloud to that which heareth not so much as his calling, or the sound of his voice. They are deaf, dumb, and blind, therefore do they not understand." (New version.) "The similitude of those who have disbelieved, and him who inviteth them to the true religion, is as the similitude of him who crieth out to that which heareth not [aught] save a calling and a voice. That is, in hearing the admonition, and not considering it, they are like the beasts, that hear the voice of their pastor but do not understand it. They are deaf, dumb, blind: therefore they do not understand the admonition." When a work has justly obtained a high reputation, and is of great value, the more desirable is it to point out and correct its errors; and for this reason it is that I have spoken thus of Sale's translation; but, to use his words, "I would not therefore be suspected of a design to make my own pass as free from faults: I am very sensible it is not; and I make no doubt but the few who are able to discern them, and know the difficulty of the undertaking, will give me fair quarter." In translating my selections, I have had Sale's version constantly open by my side, and have always followed it when I have found reason to prefer it to my own; but it has more frequently happened that my translation of a passage has proved, on comparison, to agree word for word with his. I have also freely made use of his notes; respecting which, however, it is but justice to mention, that a very large proportion of them had been previously given in the work of the learned Marracci.* The commentary I have chosen is that of the Jeláleyn, or Two Jeláls; namely Jelál-ed-Deen El-Maḥallee, and Jelál-ed-Deen Es-Suyootee; both of whom were a This remark does not so much apply to the notes that I have copied from his edition, as to others which I have not copied from that work; because the substance of many of those given by Marracci, and after him by Sale, is comprised in the commentary incorporated with the text in my translation. Sale, indeed, has acknowledged himself " much obliged" to Marracci's work; but this is scarcely |