Sheikh Nuh Keller’s introduction to The Quran Beheld explains why a new translation of the Quran is sorely needed. His essay identifies seven major areas of Quranic Arabic previous translations of the Quran have overlooked. He provides countless examples of words and verses of the Quran whose full meaning has not been conveyed in previous attempts to translate the Quran. The results are surprising. Sheikh Keller shows that thumma doesn’t just mean ‘then.’ That the word hayatin cannot be translated as ‘a life.’ Hadha cannot be translated as ‘this.’ And so much more.

The Introduction argues that a comprehensive translation of the Quran must adhere to a traditional method of understanding the Quran. It must engage widely and deeply with the greatest works of tafsir. A translator must be exposed to talaqqi, or personal instruction, with a master of the Arabic and Quranic sciences. This time-honored method of interpretation and translation has been neglected, and its result has been translations of the Quran that lack accuracy, subtlety, precision, and eloquence.

Sheikh Nuh Keller’s introduction is the perfect place for any reader to begin in order to learn what previous translations have missed and why this translation conveys the Quran in a unique and new manner in the English language. If you want to learn about Quranic interpretation and the subtleties of Quranic Arabic, this is the essay you need to read.