In the dim light of his study, surrounded by leather-bound lexicons and stacks of parchment, old Farid embarked on a task that had been whispered about in scholarly circles for decades: a word-for-word English translation of the Quran.
"See here," he said. Most translations say: 'All praise is due to Allah.' "But the Arabic says: AlHamdu Lillahi. AlHamdu = The praise (all of it, every kind, exclusive). Lillahi = For/belongs to Allah (alone)." word to word translation of quran in english
For three years they worked.
One evening, his young apprentice, Layla, entered with a pot of tea. "Master," she said, watching him write "Alhamdulillah" as "The praise (belongs) to Allah." "Why does it look so strange? It is not beautiful English." In the dim light of his study, surrounded