Maulana Muhammad Ali (1874–1951)

This book contains, more or less, three main sections: a practical guide to performing Islamic ritual prayer (or salāh); descriptions of various celebrations and other events involving prayer that fall outside of the daily five prayers (for example, prayer during the ‘Īd holidays or funeral services); and a compilation of prayers, in Arabic and English, compiled from the Quran and Hadith deemed particularly useful by the author.

And speaking of the author, he was a well-known member of show more the Ahmadiyya movement. To some, this would be enough to make them avoid his writings. However, I don't feel there was anything written in this book about prayer or doctrine that would be out of place in an traditional Sunni book on the same subject. It does not appear that he -- and by extension I assume the Ahmadiyya in general -- perform the daily prayers any differently than traditional Sunnis. There is only one point in the book where his allegiance to Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the movement's founder, is mentioned, and that is on what is literally the last page of the book. This is hardly a book of blasphemous Ahmadi propaganda, then. Unfortunately, I'm sure many would consider it to be just such a thing and consequently dismiss out of hand. show less

Bismillah, I feel entirely inadequate to the task of undertaking a review of the Qur'an. This version is venerable (1917), annotated, available online in various places, and, in some of them, searchable. And that ain't bad, although I would like it even more if it used the word "God" instead of the (let's say it) orientalist "Allah."

It's also beautiful.

This was a beautiful translation of the Qur'an! I'm about to read it again for the second time. If anyone wants to know what the Qur'an truely says, one should read this translation. One of my all-time favorite books.

Originally published 1918