Islam and Muslims: An Introduction by Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik
Introduction
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik is a renowned scholar, translator, author, speaker, and educator who has dedicated his life to spreading the message of Islam and the Quran. He is best known for his translation of the Holy Quran into English, which is widely acclaimed for its accuracy, clarity, simplicity, and eloquence. He has also written several books and pamphlets on various aspects of Islam and Muslims, and delivered lectures and speeches on different topics related to religion, spirituality, morality, history, culture, and current affairs. He is the founder and dean of The Institute of Islamic Knowledge, a non-profit organization that aims to promote Islamic education and awareness among Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik.pdf
In this article, we will explore the life and works of Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik, focusing on his biography, his translation of the Holy Quran, and his other contributions to Islam and Muslim communities. We will also highlight some of the challenges he faced, the reception he received, and the impact he made through his endeavors. We hope that this article will inspire you to learn more about this remarkable scholar and his works, and to benefit from his insights and wisdom.
Biography of Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik
His early life and education
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik was born in 1941 in Lahore, Pakistan. He belongs to a noble family that traces its lineage back to Hazrat Umar bin al-Khattab (RA), the second caliph of Islam. He received his primary education at home from his father, who was a scholar of Arabic language and literature. He then attended Government College Lahore, where he excelled in both academic and extracurricular activities. He graduated with a BA Honors degree in Islamiat and Arabic Language in 1963. He also obtained an LL.B degree from Punjab University Law College in 1965.
His career and achievements
After completing his education, Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik joined the civil service of Pakistan as an officer. He served in various capacities in different departments and ministries, such as education, finance, planning, commerce, industry, foreign affairs, etc. He also represented Pakistan in several international conferences and forums. He retired from the civil service in 1996 as a senior joint secretary.
During his service, he also pursued his passion for Islamic studies and Quranic research. He studied various classical and modern sources of Islamic knowledge under the guidance of eminent scholars such as Maulana Maududi, Dr. Israr Ahmed, Dr. Fazlur Rahman Ansari, Dr. Hamidullah, etc. He also attended courses at Islamic University Islamabad, International Islamic University Malaysia, Al-Azhar University Cairo, etc. He obtained a diploma in Arabic Language from King Saud University Riyadh in 1984.
He started working on his translation of the Holy Quran in 1988, and completed it in 1997. He also wrote several books and pamphlets on Islam and Muslims, such as "What is Islam? Who are the Muslims?", "The Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)", "The Concept of God in Islam", "The Concept of Life in Islam", "The Concept of Life after Death in Islam", "The Concept of Sin in Islam", etc. He also delivered lectures and speeches on various topics related to Islam and Muslims, such as "The Role of Muslims in the Modern World", "The Challenges and Opportunities for Muslims in the 21st Century", "The Importance of Islamic Education and Awareness", etc. He also founded and headed The Institute of Islamic Knowledge, a non-profit organization that aims to promote Islamic education and awareness among Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
His family and personal life
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik is married to Dr. Aisha Bint Shabbir Ahmed, who is a medical doctor and a scholar of Islamic studies. They have four children, three sons and a daughter, who are all well-educated and successful professionals. They also have several grandchildren, whom they love dearly. He lives in Houston, Texas, USA, where he continues his Islamic work and activities. He is known for his humility, generosity, sincerity, piety, and dedication to Islam and Muslims. He is respected and admired by his family, friends, colleagues, students, and followers.
Translation of the Holy Quran by Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik
The features and characteristics of his translation
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik's translation of the Holy Quran is one of the most popular and widely used translations of the Quran in English language. It is based on the Arabic text of the Quran as printed by King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. It follows the principles of literal translation as far as possible, while maintaining the clarity, simplicity, eloquence, and beauty of the original text. It also uses modern English vocabulary and grammar to make it easy to understand for contemporary readers.
Some of the distinctive features and characteristics of his translation are:
It uses a thematic approach to divide the Quran into seven parts (manzils), thirty sections (juz), one hundred and fourteen chapters (surahs), five hundred and forty sections (ruku), six thousand two hundred and thirty-six verses (ayahs), seventy-seven thousand nine hundred and thirty-four words, three hundred and twenty-three thousand six hundred letters.
It provides a brief introduction to each part, section, chapter, and section, highlighting the main theme, subject matter, historical context, chronological order, etc.
It provides explanatory notes at the end of each chapter or section, explaining the meanings of difficult words or phrases, clarifying the references to historical events or personalities, reconciling the apparent contradictions or inconsistencies, etc.
It provides cross-references to other relevant verses or chapters within the Quran or outside sources such as Hadith (sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad SAW), Tafsir (commentaries on the Quran), Seerah (biography of Prophet Muhammad SAW), etc.
It uses parentheses to indicate words or phrases that are not part of the original text but are added for clarity or explanation.
It uses brackets to indicate words or phrases that are part of the original text but are omitted for brevity or readability.
It uses italics to indicate words or phrases that are emphasized in the original text.
It uses capital letters to indicate proper nouns or names of Allah SWT (God).
It uses bold letters to indicate the title or name of each chapter.
It uses quotation marks to indicate direct speech or quotation.
The challenges and difficulties he faced
Muhammad Farooq I Azam Malik's translation of the Holy Quran was not an easy task. He faced many challenges and difficulties during his work. Some of them are:
He had to balance between literal translation and idiomatic expression, between accuracy and clarity, between simplicity and eloquence.
He had to deal with the linguistic differences between Arabic and English languages, such as grammar, syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, etc.
He had to cope with the cultural differences between Arabic and English societies, such as customs, traditions, values, norms, etc.
He had to consider the diverse backgrounds and expectations of his readers, such as their level of education, knowledge, interest, faith, etc.
He had to consult various sources of Islamic 71b2f0854b