A Voice to Hear: Selections from the Holy Qur'an

This is not an abridgement of the Qur'an. Rather, a selection and an answer to a need.

Quite a few non-Muslims wish to know what the Qur'an is about, but are not sure whether they should procure a copy. These passages should give them some idea of the central theme of the Qur'anic message: man's creation by God, sending of Prophets for guidance, end of the trial signified by universal rejection of God's message, destruction of the world, raising up of the dead, accounting and judgment.

But we must hasten to add that this collection is an inadequate one. The Qur'an has much more to say on these very topics, not to speak of the other, equally important ones. For that the reader will have to read the Qur'an itself.

Thus, the reader has in his hands, in sum, 411 verses, out of a total of over six thousand verses that the Qur'an is composed of.

We have also added introductory notes for elucidation. Translation has been simplified, sometimes at the cost of precision, and words have been added in parenthesis where the Qur'an expects the reader's mind to supply them.

To be sure, there are passages that might still puzzle the reader. There are several reasons. Firstly, the Qur'anic style is wholly unique. God's words are different from those of the humans. Secondly, it employs ellipticism extensively. Thirdly, it assumes the background knowledge (contained in the traditions of the Prophet). And, finally, any translation of the Qur'an would remain, by its very nature, inadequate. It is impossible to come anywhere near the original in its beauty, power of penetration, and the effect on the mind and soul.

- Syed Iqbal Zaheer

1. The Opening
2. The Cow
3. The Family of Imran
4. The Night Journey
5. The Pilgrimage
6. The The Poets
7. The Ant
8. The Confederates
9. The Event
10. The Reality
11. The Splitting
12. The Night
13. The Fig
14. The Violent Shaking
15. The Time
16. Sincerity