- What is unique about this translation?The Clear Quran® Series was developed by Dr. Mustafa Khattab and his team of skilled editors and is noted for its clarity, accuracy, eloquence, and flow. This work is a thematic translation, grouping and adding subheadings to each topic within each chapter for a greater understanding of the context of the verses. It is also easier to read, with a style of parentheses that does not interrupt reading.
- What is the manhaj (methodology) of this translation?This translation follows the manhaj of Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah (those who follow the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ).
- Which tafsirs does The Clear Quran® Series use?The Clear Quran® Series uses some of the most celebrated classical and modern works of tafsir. For more information on our references (tafsirs, translations, etc.), visit https://theclearquran.org/about-the-translation
- Why is this translation named ‘The Clear Quran’?القرآن المبين “The Clear Quran, one of many ways in which Allah describes the Quran, appears twice in the Quran (15:1 and 36:69), is a beautiful name that reflects our desire to provide English-speaking audiences with an easy-to-read translation. Allah also describes the Quran, calling itالقرآن المجيد “The Glorious Quran,” القرآن العظيم “The Great Quran,” and القرآن الكريم “The Noble Quran.”
- How did you translate the Asma’ waṣ-Ṣifat (Allah’s Beautiful Names and Attributes)?
Following the position of Ahl As-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, this translation confirms Allah’s Qualities such as His Face, Hands, and Eyes, as well as the fact that He is established on the Throne and that He has a Kursi (Seat or Footstool)—in a manner that befits His Majesty and Honour. These qualities can be found in many verses, including 2:255, 7:54, 11:37, 13:2, and 48:10.
In some places, the word ‘Face’ in relation to Allah is sometimes understood to mean ‘He Himself.’ This understanding can be found in verse 28:88, which reads, “Everything is going to die, except Him Himself,” and verse 55:27 which reads, “Only your Lord Himself, full of Majesty and Honour, will remain forever.” This is based on commentary from scholars of tafsir, such as Ibn Kathir, Al-Qurṭubi, Aṭ-Ṭabari, Al-Baghawi, As-Sa’di, Ibn ’Ashur, and many others. In the words of Imam Ibn Taimiyah in his Fatâwa (collection of religious rulings), “The fact that Allah’s Face, full of Majesty and Honour, will remain forever means in essence: Allah Himself.”
“إن بقاء وجهه المذوى بالجلال والإكرام: هو بقاء ذاته”
Moreover, when I say in Arabic, “I did this only for you,” this may mean that I did it because of your family or friends. However, when I say, “I did this only for your face,” it means that I did it only because of you, not anyone else. In the same way, if a verse states that something good is done “seeking Allah’s Face,” this style is understood in Arabic to mean “it is done sincerely for Allah, seeking to please Him alone and no one else.” Footnotes include the literal translation to emphasize that Allah does have a Face.
For more details, watch this lecture by Shaykh Abu Usamah At-Thahabi: ” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener” data-saferedirecturl=”https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DyutyvyTGQqY%26ab_channel%3DIslamicReminders&source=gmail&ust=1699719973977000&usg=AOvVaw3DFZRqRJESV3o0TYjQDZv-“>Shaykh Abu Usamah At Thahabi Clarification of ‘The Clear Quran’ – YouTube
- Why does this translation use ‘God’ instead of ‘Allah’?
There are two editions of The Clear Quran® Series:
- The English edition, which is meant for dawah (calling people to Islam), uses the word ‘God’ so that it is easier for non-Muslims to read and relate to the text.
- The Arabic-English edition, which is meant for Muslims, uses the word ‘Allah.’
- Why doesn’t the dawah edition include the Arabic text?It is not necessary to include the Arabic text in the dawah edition since this version is intended for non-Muslims who don’t speak or understand the language. Moreover, many non-Muslims may not be familiar with the proper etiquette of handling the Arabic text.
- Is this translation reliable?The Clear Quran® Series is approved by Al-Azhar University—the most prestigious school of Sunni Islam in the world—and is endorsed by the Canadian Council of Imams as well as many distinguished scholars. Visit https://theclearquran.org/endorsements for more details.
- Is this also your website: www.clearquran.com?No. Our translation’s official website is www.theclearquran.org
- Does The Clear Quran® have an app?The Clear Quran® App, The Clear Quran® Audiobook and The Clear Quran® Dictionary App are available for both Android and iOS.
- Why is Kursi translated as ‘Seat’?
Some concepts, such as Allah’s ‘Kursi, ’are difficult to translate because they are beyond human comprehension. The Prophet ﷺ said in a ḥadith reported by Imam Ibn Ḥibban that Allah’s ’Arsh (Throne) is much greater than His Kursi. So, we believe that Allah has a Kursi, which is in front of the Throne. Generally, in the Arabic language, the word kursi means seat or footstool. For more details, see verse 2:255.
- Why did you use images and illustrations in The Clear Quran for Kids and The Clear Quran Dictionary?Although the Prophet ﷺ clearly prohibited making of idols, in his lifetime, children used to play with dolls that had human or animal features. By way of analogy, the use of images and illustrations is permissible for educational purposes. According to an authentic ḥadith reported by Abu Dawood and An-Nasa‘i, the Prophet ﷺ smiled when he saw the dolls and winged horse that belonged to ’Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). To compete with the movie and video-game industry, we must be creative in the way that we present the Quran to our children. Keeping in line with traditional Islamic values, no prophet or companion of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ is depicted in any of our illustrations.
- If in any of my The Clear Quran®️ books I find an error, how can I contact you?In the event that any form of error is found within our copies of The Clear Quran®️, you can highlight the area where the error is located, and contact us online through our The Clear Quran®️ website page. In the description, please specify which page, and paragraph you have found the error.Minor Error in The Clear Quran®️ Study JournalThere was a minor edit in The Clear Quran®️ Study Journal’s Surah 86 description. If you would like us to send you the sticker, please send us an email to contact us with the subject line stating “Sticker Requested for TCQ Study Journal.” Within the email, you must include your first and last name, phone number and complete address. When we receive your email, we will mail you the sticker. If you would like to download the stick and print on you own, please click
- Why is The Clear Quran® Tafseer for Kids divided into four parts?
To make the book more manageable for young students, it has been divided into four volumes. In its entirety, The Clear Quran® Tafsir for Kids will be over 1,500 pages. A new volume is released every two years, with an expected completion date of 2024, inshAllah (God willing). Volumes are divided based on an authentic ḥadith reported by Imam Aḥmad, wherein the Prophet ﷺ said that the Quran is made up of four sections:
- Aṭ-Ṭiwal الطِّوَال (the long surahs), which—according to many scholars—include Al-Baqarah (2) to At-Tawbah (9).
- Al-Mi’un الْمِئُون (the surahs of about 100 verses), which include Yunus (10) to Al-Qaṣaṣ (28).
- Al-Mathani الْمَثَانِي (the surahs less than 100 verses), which include Al-’Ankabut (29) to Al-Fatḥ (48).
- Al-Mufaṣṣal الْمُفَصَّل(the short surahs), which include Al-Ḥujurat (49) to An-Nas (114) as well as Al-Fatiḥah (1).
