Friday 27 November 2015

Thoughts on The Study Quran - Suhaib Webb



I was contacted by some sincere friends to share my thoughts on recent concerns regarding the Study Qur'an.


When I received my copy a few weeks ago, I began reading it from the beginning, taking notes about concerns I had with the translation and the commentary. At that time, I was not aware of some of the commentary that has been brought to my attention over the last two days. Moving forward, it is important to note that the only valid path to God is through our beloved Prophet (sa) and there is no place for perennialism in orthodoxy.


As I continue to read the text I will make note of my concerns and share them with the editors and eventually the public. I'm concerned about certain positions taken in the text and encourage those who have it to read it with a local scholar, using them to clarify any concerns. Let me add that this is the first edition. The translation of Yusuf Ali has gone through a number of editions and is still lauded till this day. My over all experience with this edition has been a positive one and I'm hopeful that further editions will continue in that direction. There is no questioning the amount of work and effort that went into this monumental task. I know for a fact that some of the editors went through tremendous sacrifice to render what lies before us now. May Allah reward them and help us to improve their efforts.


Finally, I encourage us to engage each other instead of launching attacks in front of the masses. That does not undermine the severity of the concerns, but ensures the sanctity of the community and protects parties from questioning intentions, slander and ego. I will be sharing my thoughts with the writers of the text as I continue my reading through it and with my students as we read it. In short: give it time, offer your concerns to the writers, but avoid accusations and destructive approaches that may do more harm than good. Trust me; I've made those mistakes in the past. [Suhaib Webb's FB]


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