M.A.S. Abdel Haleem

M.A.S. Abdel Haleem is a British-Egyptian scholar of Arabic and Islamic studies at King's College London. He serves as Professor of Islamic Studies and holds the King Fahd Chair of Islamic Studies at the university. Abdel Haleem specializes in Quranic studies, Arabic linguistics, and Islamic law. His academic work focuses on the interpretation and translation of Islamic texts, with particular attention to making these texts accessible to English-speaking audiences. His most notable contribution is "The Qur'an: A New Translation," published by Oxford University Press. This translation aims to render the Quran in contemporary English while maintaining the text's original meaning and structure. The translation has been adopted by universities and Islamic institutions as a teaching text. Abdel Haleem's approach emphasizes clarity and readability, drawing on his expertise in both Arabic literature and English language to bridge the gap between the original text and modern readers.

Readers praise Abdel Haleem's Quran translation for its clarity and accessibility. Many note that the English flows naturally and avoids the archaic language found in older translations. Muslims and non-Muslims alike comment that the text reads smoothly and helps them understand passages that seemed unclear in other versions. Readers appreciate the footnotes and explanatory material that provide context for difficult passages. Several reviewers mention that the translation helped them grasp concepts they had struggled with in other English versions of the Quran. Some critics argue that certain translation choices sacrifice literal accuracy for readability. A few readers prefer more traditional renderings of specific verses and feel that some nuances of the Arabic are lost. Others note that while the translation is accessible, it may not capture all the linguistic complexities of the original text that scholars debate.