surnal of Que'anie Studies ral of Geranc Suess a peerteviewed, sane jumal publish on shal ofthe Cais of aie Studies at SOAS, University of Landon. "Sains w encourage aa promote he sty ofthe Q's rom a wide range of schol peepetives, Ietng the diversity of proaches chases of hs His fscbelesip. aan, JOS pubis les m oth English oe Abi, eenurage he ding of Ue gap between tho to ations of ilo and Weser oli '5is decicae princely to he pusiation of erga ances, with bak review ston cnsning "ws re orks the Quan, and ated Isunie Sis, he varies yas the West ai Muslin worl. natin, JQS include a ‘Noses and Comes selon which sine 3 ce for ember f the Qo aie 8 ics community to coutibute rows nt nfrmation ov cuek earch, jects an developments in be Hed, new couse, conereoes, Quan elaed evi on oteet, CD-ROM tle, se eee tems of tert 2 efits alfa tick dedi to mga ud scholety igi, TONAL BOARD esse MAS. Abl ale (Coen) SOAS, Users of London sie Zafar ag Aare tential ai Uners. atd ‘Sala Btw tonto inca esr Hid M. Hada Armee Uninet in Cao elen lther wick SOAS, Cnty af Lode se Carl Fined Use of iar eae Hla Weal RICA, baba ‘Movad A a imum Gur vrs, se ese AL Jone AntanNatil Unity ‘aba af in Khurana Acsdory of Pon Lang, Tl ML Rike SOS, Unvonity a Lenlor fee Olver Leman Unive of Ketek ‘oar W- Bln ivr 0 Dx ‘Al aki a Matwadl SOAS, Unity of oan ‘Adah aban Matra aan Md Sad ais, Riya ese Je Daman Medal Oesgton sive, Nosh BS, ese AEMerad Uses of he Seton, Pais ‘teser Mots Mle Yuen Sate Uses, Ohio ton fan Neon Use of Les eu Anglaa Net Urey Ben Yesufab-Qurada Unie of ar see Nel Rebs Sop iy, Se Aslan red Uses of tine iso Heda Cao Uses uta Stas 08S ves of oon Sse SOAS. Univesity oon ee Shela Tatra Cesc Usiesiy ese Jie van Te erty of Tiga 1 Wile Unies of Cate fosor 1. Wright SUAS, nest of Lane ade Najih Zac leterastinlUsy, Mn aden Bayete Univesity Nea ‘lag Set, Kael Sure phone #0 98 89 fs HO TENA Eripsduunacol wnmeneabineishosak ‘The Inimitable Rose’, being Qur’anic saj* from Sarat al-Duhd to Sarat al-Nas (Q. 93-114) in English Rhyming Prose” There are some 60 translations of Ute Que’an from Arabic into English, beginning With George Sale’s 1734 The Koran.’ In the past ten years, at least seven new luanslations have appeared: by Colin Turner, Majid Fakiny, Abdathaag and Aisha Bewley, Fazlllah Nikayin, Mirza Ab'ul Parl, Thomas Cleary, and most recently MAS. Abdel Haleem; © translation by Alan Jones will appear this year (all, incidentally published in the United Kingdom and the United States). There is also 8 growing body of translations of selections from the Qur'an. In general, however, in spite of due fact that all translaers attempt (0 convey in one way oF another the content and feel of the Qur'an ~ choosing, say, Victorian style, oc King James ‘iction, or poetic turns of phrase ~ precious few pay attention 19 sa viz, Queanic rhymed or rhyming prose” This disregard is curious indeed, as gj" is one of the defining features of Que‘anic language, sound, aya-stucture, and architecture.’ What follows, then, are my own attempts at translating the final 22 sutas into English rhyming prose, ‘Suras 109, 112, 113 and 114 (hove lightly revised) have previously been pul Journal of Quranic Studies &:2 (2002). am deeply indebted to Bruce Ls citing Sura 93 (here also lightly revised) so approvingly in Joumal of Quranic Siudies 7:1 (2005), Suras 1, 36 and 93-114 also appear in a sellpublished gratis booklet in memory of my mother and maieroal aunt. It my iateation to publish Suras 1, 36 and 7 in a subsequent issue of the Journal, whee I shall aso discuss he issues I have ficed and the choices I have made as T grapple with rendering Quranic saj* in English, 1 should, however, ike to note here: (a) that Fam more inclined to format Queanie passages as prose (pace the recent translation by Albdel aleem); here, I have intentionally formstied as verse 10 allow the reader to experience the sa rhyme visually as well as scaly; (b) that I welcome feedback (50246 comell edu; and (c) cha this is submited wih humidity 93. Morning Light In the Name of God, Full of Compassion, Ever Compassionate ‘By the moming light And by the darkening night, Your Lon! has not forsaken you - there is no slight.iad Joutnal of Que'anie Suaties “The Hereafter is far better foe you haa this first i Your Loud will ln bounties upon you, and you will know delight. Dia he not ind you an oxpian then ve you respite? “pind you unaware then guide you aight? “rind you wanting, and then provide? So, forthe cxphan, do not oppress! nd, as forthe supplicant, do not suppress! ™ And as forthe Bouaty of your Lon, proclaim it 94. Consolation Inthe Na 1 of God, Full of Compassion, Ever Compassionate "Dia We not your breast prise open” ?Did we not your back unburden, “OF the weight oni, and lighten? “And did We vot your good name strengthen? with al distss comes easiness, Yes, with all distress e ¥So, when you ar free, concentrate, * And upon your Lord contemplate 1 This is the only sara or passage, for dat mater) with 2 cnsiseat slic stoveur eight poe ay, except forays 6 hich hs ine). ve epicted tis 95. The Fig Inthe Name of God, Full of Compassion, Ever Compassionate “By the fig, by ‘Notes, Reports and Conespondence us Tae live, “by “The Mount of Sinai, “By this land of scurty “Lodeed, we created Humanity in the best of forms And then reduced itt the most debite lity, cept tose who believe and perfor regular chaity ~ to them unfailing prosperity! What, now, can deceive you about piety? is oot God's the sagest sazacity? 96, The Congulate In the Name of God, Fll of Coxapusion, Bver Compassionate *Recitin the name of your Lord, Who did crete — Did create Humanity from coagulate, *Recite for your Lord is Maga “Who, through the use of the calamus, “Has taught Humanity that of which it was ignorant. No, indeed! Humanity became transgressive and acrogant he instant it fancied itself set suc “But truly, to God i the final Adjournment? Stlave you sen he one who would prevent "the worshipper rom prayer and sacrament? "Have you seen if he is on a path unbent, "cating to piety, reverent? "Have you seen him turn away from Truth, dissent? “Does he not know that God is Omniscient? "No indeed! If he does not relent, then We shall seize him by the foretock,46 Jounal of Que"anic Studies “Every devel, sinful foretock. Let him summon his bl "We shall summon the Angels of Hove's "°No~ pay him ao heed! Instead, prostrate, and come close, 1 These fv ins are widly held tbe the very frst ines of wevelation Outs of Hel, 97 (). The Night of Puissance In the Name of God, Full of Compassion, Ever Compassionate "We have seveatediton the “Night of Puissance’ ‘Wha will unmask: for you the “Night of Puisance”? “the ‘Night of Puissance’ excols a thousand months “With the Leeds pe nision, the Spiit descends, ‘on that night, the angels too, om all errands, “Until the break of day, peaceful silence, 97 (Ul. The Ni of Decree In te Name af God, I of Compassion, Ever Compassionate ‘We have reveated it on the Night of Decree *Whac will unmask for you the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than w centay.s “Onit,on their Lord's autborty descend the angels and the Spitt, on “Until the break of day, Seceity = Wifely treo oh ia shangel abe Notes, Reports and Correspondence a7 + Reading a thes som igre. 98, Clear lvidence In the Name of God, Full of Compson, Bver Compassionate “Those whe disbelieve, from among the poople of scripture ans from among the idolarers both, could not change thle ways uni clear evidence was brought to thee attention = A Messenger from God, enguged inthe pare pages Containing scripture of true devotion. “Indeed, the people who received scripture were not divided until the clear evidence came tthe tention *All they were commanded to do was to worship God, to sincerely devote theirrelgion o Him, as poop of tue faith ato estbtish regular prayer and give tres in chart, his is tie religious devotion ‘Those who disbelieve, fom anong the peopl of sriptre ad from senong the ideiters both, wil abide forever in the Fire of Hell those ne the worst of Creston “those who believe and perform righteous deeds — those are the best | of Creation | "heir reward from their Loa isthe Garden of Eden wherein gently | flow rivers, therein o aie forever. Their Lod is pleased ‘with thom and they with Him, This is vouehsafed a those who hold thei Load in awe,