Help to find Sunni and Shiite scholars
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Peace,
Edip, i know some english imams and will ask them.
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Thank you Burhan for your suggestion. I will post the list of scholars I contacted so far.
Peace,
Edip -
Peace Edip
It will be nice if you manage to get Yusuf Alqaradawi's backing, he is very influential among most sunni population, and considered a moderate by the west, and when he was visiting in Britain, I read that he had an english website, maybe the admin can approach him?
All the best
Noble -
Yusuf Al-Qardawi!, a Libian modern sunni scholar. I knew his books when I was high school kid and I met him in Muslim Youth Conference in 1980, during a two week camp. I listened to one or two of his lecture then. I was more interested in Ahmad Deedat...
He must be in his eighties.
I am not really looking for supportive reviews, and I do not expect any sound and sober Sunni gave me one. In fact, I got many nice reviews from non-Sunni scholars. The publishing house, at this point, is interested in more negative reviews. So that they can foresee the potential criticism from the majority of Muslims.
Peace,
Edip -
Among the contactees who were positive about the book and did not respond because of their time constraint or some other reasons were
Prof. Khaleel Mohammad
Prof. Reuven Firestone
Prof. Abdullahi Annaim
Prof. Omid Safi
Prof. Farhad Moeeni
Prof. Asma Barlas
Prof. John Mandeville
Prof. Kecia AliI might still get endorsements from these individuals. I will be reminding them for the last time within a month.
However, I did not receive review or written criticism from any of the Sunni or Shiite scholars I contacted. Prof. Riffat Hassan advised me to contact the following Sunni scholars. I could not contact either one of them, except one.
- Dr. Fathi Osman,
- Dr. Abdel Haleem,
- Sheikh Dr. Zaki Badawi,
- Sheikh Dr. Gamal Solaiman
I received a number of endorsements and reviews from various people. The following sample endorsement
"A testament to the fact that faith need not suffocate reason. This is bound to be among the smartest of 'smart bombs' in the battle of ideas within Islam." - Irshad Manji, Fellow, Yale University and author, The Trouble with Islam Today A Muslim's Call for Reform in Her Faith
"A bold and beautiful translation that serves as a timely reminder to all believers that the Qur'an is not a static scripture, but a living, breathing, ever-evolving text whose sacred words are as applicable today as when they were first uttered by the Prophet Muhammad fourteen centuries ago." - Reza Aslan, Author, No god but God The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam.
"This translation is the best tool for those who want understand the uncorrupted Message of Islam - justice and peace. This translation shows that the Quran is but confirmation and continuation of the way of Abraham demonstrated in Torah by God the Almighty and in the Hebrew Gospel by Yeshu'a/Jesus the righteous of God. This translation is a message of peace, justice and judgment. I pray that the Reformist translation of the Quran will replace all others not only because it is the best but also because it is the closest to the original Arabic text." - Gershom Kibrisli, theologian and communal leader, The Karaim of the Early Hebrew Scriptures, Holy Land & Benelux
"Quran A Reformist Translation is distinct from other translations of the Qur?an in several important ways. First, to the best of my knowledge, it is only the second English translation of the Qur?an produced by Qur?anists--advocates of the concept of the Qur?an as the sole legitimate scriptural source of religious law and guidance in Islam. As Qur?anists, Yuksel and his colleagues reject the Hadith as sources of religious law and guidance and do not rely on them in this translation and commentary. The first Qur?anist English translation was done by the late Rashad Khalifa, a seminal figure in the late twentieth-century Qur?anist movement who directly influenced both Yuksel and Shulte-Nafeh. Quran A Reformist Translation is also unique because it is the product of collaboration between two key figures in the present-day Qur?anist movement Edip Yuksel and Layth Saleh al-Shaiban. The Qur?anist approach offers religious rather than secularist challenges to traditional understandings of Islam, whether Sunni, Shia, or academic, on a number of critical issues; so this translation and commentary have the potential to spark extreme controversy among Muslims and non-Muslims." - Aisha Y. Musa, PhD, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies, Florida International University; author of An Examination of Early and Contemporary Muslim Attitudes toward Hadith as Scripture (Doctoral Dissertation, Harvard University, 2004).
"With its lucid language, brilliant theological and philosophic arguments, Edip Yuksel removes the smoke of distortions and ignorance generated by clergymen that have concealed the light of the Quran from masses. Pulling our attention to numerous scientific evidences supporting the authenticity of the divine nature of the Quran, the Reformist Translation is destined to create a Copernican Revolution in the realm of religions. I highly recommend it to Agnostics, Skeptics, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, or anyone who seeks truth about God without suppressing or compromising their brains." - Caner Taslaman, PhDs in Theology and Political Science; author, The Quran Unchallengeable Miracle; The Big Bang and God; The Theory of Evolution and God; and The Invented Religion; www.mucizeler.com.
"I completely agree with you in your rejection of the right of any group to arrogate to themselves the sole interpretation of the Quran. The Quran, being a book containing divine knowledge and wisdom, can only be understood progressively. It has to be interpreted anew by every generation and through a scientific methodology?. Your effort is praiseworthy. Well done. Keep it up." - Kassim Ahmad, former president of Malaysian Socialist Party and head of Malaysian Quranic Society who was declared "apostate" by religious authorities for his controversial work on the Prophetic Traditions.
"Very Interesting and Timely" - Rffat Hassan, Ph.D. Professor of Religious Studies and Humanities at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. A pioneer of feminist theology in the context of the Islamic tradition.
"Allah has gifted humanity with many signs for guidance. The Qur?an not only directs us towards these signs all over creation, but also in itself is a most miraculous sign. We can never know the full meaning of the Qur?an even as we exercise our minds and surrender our hearts to Allah so that we become able to read the signs and grow to know more. A Reformist Translation directs us to this miracle by offering an intense and challenging addition to the practice of sincere reading for knowing. I cannot accept its Qur?an only perspective, even as I support the efforts of these translators to engage, as they have, in reading and growing with knowledge while relaying to others some new possibilities of meaning for the sake of reflection and surrender. I hope many will examine their efforts to gain benefit and challenge." - Dr. Amina Wadud, Author Inside the Gender Jihad Reform in Islam
"Every conversation begins with a single voice. This Reformist Translation of the Quran and its ancillary materials should begin many conversations, between and among Muslims and non-Muslims alike. In many parts of the Muslim world this is a dangerous discussion, and sometimes that danger can reach well into the West, as evidenced by the 1990 fatwa-inspired murder of Rashad Khalifa in Tucson, Arizona. It is an important discussion, however, and the editors of this book have assumed this risk to argue for a perspective that sets violence aside both in discourse and living. One can imagine that a broader adoption of their perspective across the Muslim world would reduce strife and invite greater examination of Islam by non-Muslims as something other than a threat. It would expand the conversation." - Mark V Sykes Ph.D. J.D. Director, Planetary Science Institute.
"I am not a Qur?an scholar and therefore am not in a position to judge the accuracy of your translation, and especially not the revisionist understandings of some controversial ayats. But I can say that the effort you and your colleagues have undertaken is very much in keeping with my sense of the process of modernization that the Qur?an itself and the Islamic religion more broadly must undergo. As such, I salute your work and hope it will be published and extensively discussed both in the United States and abroad." - Daniel Ppes, Ph.D., is director of the Middle East Forum, editor of the Middle East Quarterly, and a columnist for The Jerusalem Post.
PS I am reluctant to use the endorsement of Daniel Pipes for his Ziono-fascist political position.
Peace,
Edip -
- Dr. Fathi Osman, 2101 Glendale Ave. Unit 1. Montrose, California
- Dr. Abdel Haleem, Director, Centre of Islamic Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, London
- Sheikh Dr. Zaki Badawi, Principal The Muslim College, London,
- Sheikh Dr. Gamal Solaiman, Imam of the Grand Mosque in Ottawa, Canada
I would not have given in this public forum the private phone number or emails of these people.
First, to the best of my knowledge, it is only the second English translation of the Qur?an produced by Qur?anists--advocates of the concept of the Qur?an as the sole legitimate scriptural source of religious law and guidance in Islam.
She forgets the following ones
http//www.tolueislam.com/Parwez/expo/exposition.htm
http//www.studyquran.co.uk/MSAhmed_Koran_translation.htm
http//www.thedivinebook.org/Quran/Default.asp
http//www.free-minds.org/quran/
http//www.ourbeacon.com/7101.htmlPS I am reluctant to use the endorsement of Daniel Pipes for his Ziono-fascist political position.
One could say nearly the same about Irshad Manji.
Peace
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Thank you JM for your valuable imput. I will consider them.
Peace,
Edip -
Dear Noble, Wakas, and those who are inquiring about the Reformist Translation
The translation was scheduled to be published in November 2006. However, we could not finish it on time. The publishing house rescheduled its publication. During my NY visit last month, I was told that it would be published within 7 months. But, I recently checked amazon.com and found out that its publication is scheduled for August 2007, which is too late. I contacted the editor and voiced my displeasure regarding the delay. She told me that as soon as she receives some reviews from traditional scholars, she would discuss the issue with her director to hasten its publication.
Peace,
Edip -
Peace,
I am not to sure about having Irshad Manji endorse the book, her name alone could cause many to neglect the translation. Although I am sure you have thought it through and could give your reasoning.
Also isin't it dangerous for Layth to have his name on the book?
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Dear Wakas
I need to look at the contract we signed it. This was one of the issues we negotiated, but I forgot the details. The publishing house is moving very slowly and carefully, since they know that it will receive high media attention. If I am reading them correctly, they appear to have some fears. Thus, they want to get some critical review from Sunnies and Shiites, before its publications
