The Contributions of Abdur Raheem Kidwai to Qur’anic Studies – Abdul Kader Choughley

Professor Abdur Raheem Kidwai allows readers to interact with the Qur’anic translations and commentaries through his meticulous and unbiased reviews. From 1649 to the present, Qur’anic translations in English vary in language, style and temperament. An accomplished reviewer, Prof. Kidwai has set new pathways to approach the meaning and message of the sacred text. To this end, his two-volume Qur’anic reviews include a broad survey of Qur’anic literature in the twenty-first century. Kidwai’s Qur’anic worldview is succinctly expressed in one of his titles, God’s Word, Man’s Interpretations: A Critical Study of the 21st Century English Translations of the Quran. The present study assumes greater importance and relevance towards a coherent understanding of translations in today’s globalized and multifaith world.

Abdul Kader Choughley is an independent Islamic scholar of contemporary Islamic thought in South Asia. His earlier works include ‘Islamic Resurgence: Sayyid Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi and His Contemporaries (2011)’ and ‘Sayyid Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi: Life and Works (2012)’

Two other books written by Choughley on Islamic revivalists are ‘Fazlur Rahman Ansari: Life and Thought (2012)’ and ‘Abdul Aleem Siddiqui and His Mission (2013). His latest work, ‘How to Study the Qur’an: Sayyid Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi’s Approach (2018)’ is an expanded version of his lecture delivered at the K.A. Nizami Centre for Qur’anic Studies (Aligarh Muslim University).