The Quran is the knowledge (book) revealed by the presence of Allah. No words or literal concepts pertaining to the ‘presence of Allah’ can be valid. Perhaps we may refer to the original of the Quran as being written in the language of Allah. For, if (as the Arab polytheists claimed) Muhammad (SAW) had written the Quran, then we could have said the Quran has been originally written in the Arabic language!

Whereas the Quran, originally in the language of Allah, was revealed by the angel Gabriel, to Muhammad (SAW), in his own language, Arabic, so that the people of that region can understand its message.

The Quran refers to this truth with the verse:

“And We disclosed every Rasul with the language of his people so they may explain clearly to them… Allah  sends astray whom He wills… And guides whom He wills. And He is the Aziz, the Hakim.” (Quran 14:4)[1]

As the Quran, originally in the language of Allah, has been revealed in the very rich language of Arabic, it exposes different levels of knowledge to different levels of understanding. Each verse, in respect of the metaphors and allegories it contains, signifies a various number of meanings.

Due to this profound depth contained in the original Quran that has been revealed to us in Arabic, it is impossible to duly and comprehensively translate (and interpret) this magnificent book into another language!

All translations and interpretations are limited by the knowledge and understanding of the translator’s vocabulary. Hence, all such works are like excerpts from this magnificent source of knowledge.

At this point I’d like to draw your attention to an important detail.

Many Sufi scholars, also considered to be ‘Saints’, from Haji Baktash Waliyy to Muhyiddin ibn al-Arabi, spoke flawless Arabic and arrived at the same understanding based on the knowledge they gained from the Quran… On the other hand, followers of orders such as Wahhabism, who consider Muhyiddin ibn al-Arabi and the Sufi tradition to be blasphemous, also possess an immaculate understanding of the Arabic language and arrive at their judgment based on the same Quran.

Think about it!

How did the eminent scholars and saints, who had profound knowledge of the Arabic language, such as Abdul Qadir Jilani, Imam Ghazali, Sheikh Naqshbandi, Abdul Karim al-Jili, Syed Ahmad Rufai and Imam Rabbani, understand and apply the Quran? And how others, who also speak perfect Arabic and who claim these saints are blasphemous (kafir), have arrived at their understanding of a God, who apparently has hands and feet, who sits on a throne in heaven, and sends books down to Earth to guide humanity!?

Sadly, many of the current translations of the Quran, especially the English ones, have been translated based on this latter understanding, while only a rare few works have been done in the light of the former approach.

This Key to the Quran may perhaps be considered more as a figurative interpretation. As far as I am aware it is the first of its kind in Turkey. It can never be considered to contain all of the meanings of the Quran. According to my observation, it may only be considered as reflecting only one of the many facets of this noble book. Another construal could have also been done, if it was desired, exposing other facets of the Quran.

Due to this reason, NO translation or interpretation of the Quran could be referred to as the ‘Turkish Quran’ or the ‘English Quran’. One should read these books with the awareness that they are only vehicles to help one understand the Quran.