will be noticed that additional words as explaining the sense of the original have generally been avoided, and where necessary—and these cases are very few—they are given within brackets. Occasionally, alternative significances of words have also been noted in the margin, the use of italics in the translation pointing to the other significance. Wherever a departure has been made from the ordinary or primary significance of a word, reason for this departure has been given in a foot-note and authorities have been amply quoted.
There are some novel features in this translation. The Arabic text has been inserted, the translation and the text occupying opposite columns. Each verse begins with a new line in both the text and the translation, and verses are numbered to facilitate reference. Necessary explanations are given in foot-notes in running numbers, and generally either authorities are quoted or reasons given for the opinion expressed. This made the work very laborious, but I have undertaken this labour to make the work a real source of satisfaction to those who might otherwise be inclined to be sceptical regarding many statements which will appear new to the ordinary reader. I have tried to avoid repetition in the explanatory foot-notes by giving a reference in the margin where repetition was necessary, but I must confess that these references are far from being exhaustive. When the significance of a word has been explained in one place it has been thought unnecessary, except in rare cases, to make a reference to it in the margin. For the reader’s facility I have, however, added a list of the words explained, and the reader may refer to it when necessary. This list, however, contains only those words and phrases about which the reader is likely to feel any difficulty.
Besides the foot-notes, ample introductory notes have been given at the commencement of each chapter. These introductory notes give the abstract of each chapter in sections, at the same time showing the connection of the sections and also explaining that of the different chapters with each other. And at the commencement of each section is added an abstract of that section, which explains the connection with each other of the verses of that section, being supplemented, when necessary, by an explanation in the foot-notes. The arrangement of the Verses in a chapter and the arrangement of the chapters themselves is thus made clear. This feature of the translation is altogether new, and will, I hope, in course of time, prove of immense service in eradicating the idea which is so prevalent now that there is no arrangement in the verses and chapters of the Holy Qur-án. It is quite true that the Qur-án does not classify the different subjects and treat them separately in each section or chapter. The reason of this is that the Holy Qur-án is not a book of laws, but essentially a book meant for the spiritual and moral advancement of man, and therefore the power, greatness, grandeur, and glory of God is its chief theme, the principles of social laws enunciated therein being also meant to promote the moral and spiritual advancement of man. But that there exists an arrangement will be clear even to the most superficial observer of the introductory notes on these chapters. It will be further noted that the Meccan and Medinian revelations are beautifully welded together, and there are groups of chapters belonging to about one time and relating to one subject. The introductory notes also show whether a particular chapter was revealed at Mecca or Medina, and also the probable period to which it belongs. Exact dates and specified order of the revelation of different chapters are often mere conjectures, and therefore I have avoided this useless task. On account of the various events referred to in Medina revelation, it is often easier to give a
