The Glorious Qur'an is God's divine book of guidance for all mankind. And The Contemporary Qur'an is an English translation of the Glorious Qur'an written in simple modern English for the reading pleasure of everyone who understands English. This translation is named The Contemporary Qur'an for three main reasons.
Firstly because the Qur'an is always relevant at all times, hence it must be read and understood in the context of how its message can be related with and applied to the modern and contemporary setting that we live in today. Secondly because the passages are translated contextually instead of literally to bring out their meaning clearer and more accurately. And finally because wherever applicable, the interpretation takes into account of relevant historical and scientific facts that have only been made available by recent advancements in science and technology.
Other than helping Muslims and new converts to gain better understanding of the meaning of God's literal words, The Contemporary Qur'an also strives to address the most fundamental question asked by non-Muslims about the Qur'an and Islam, which typically is: "How do you prove that the Qur'an is truly God's words and how can I be convinced that Islam is the true religion to follow?" The following approaches were taken to address this question:
1. In the book's Foreword section, I discussed about my own experience in seeking the truth and how I applied simple logic to show that Islam stands out from the other religions.
2. Through irrefutable historical and scientific evidence that have been proven by recent advancements in science and technology, I impressed on how impossible it is for the Qur'an to be authored by a mortal, especially so for someone who lived in the 7th century; and I also briefly explained how its linguistic beauty is a miracle that can never be rivaled until the end of time.
3. I also showed passages from the Qur'an that Islam is a truly universal religion for all which transcends race and ethnicity as it places very high emphasis on social justice for all. There is no racial supremacy in Islam. Everyone is equal in the sight of God and will be solely judged by their true faith and piety towards Him and the good deeds that they do. A true religion must have this universal feature because everyone is equal before his/her Creator. God cannot be God if He practices racial discrimination.
4. Through my footnotes on certain selected verses, I endeavored to make non-Muslims see that there is actually nothing wrong with Islam even though many of its followers and nations are besieged with woeful conditions mired by corruption and disunity. The problem is not with Islam, but with Muslims themselves who taint its beauty with their ignorance and over-emphasis on rituals that are not authentically prescribed by Islam but are instead "products" of culture and tradition that have been blindly inherited from earlier generations. Because of this, they become occupied with many unprescribed acts of worship until they unwittingly neglect the more important social responsibilities that have been commanded by God to address, such as the pursuit for quality education and equality before the law. Even worse, some tarnish and betray Islam simply because of their hypocrisy that is brought out from their insatiable greed for worldly gains.
In summary, the Qur'an is truly a book of divine guidance for mankind which should not be ignored as it addresses the real concerns and challenges faced by every society at all times. And The Contemporary Qur'an is truly special in its own distinctive way which sets it apart from other English Qur'an translations as it aims to help us see Islam as a well balanced religion in living a blessed life in this world and emerge victorious in the next life to come if its true concept and teachings are properly understood and adhered to.
