"While Dawood's translation presents the Qur'an as a patriarchal,
sexist text, Khalidi brings out the gender-neutral language of the
original. A good example is provided by 2:21. In Dawood we read: "Men,
serve your Lord." In Khalidi, it becomes: "O People! Worship your Lord."
Dawood's translation of the famous verse 2:25, frequently quoted, is
largely responsible for the current misconception that Muslim paradise
is full of "virgins" - despite the fact that the Qur'an explicitly
denies any carnal pleasures in paradise. This is because we find "men"
in Dawood's translation in the garden of paradise who are "wedded to
chaste virgins". Khalidi renders it correctly: "In these gardens they
have immaculate spouses."
The old Penguin translation uses rather obscurantist images throughout to give the impression that the Qur'an is full of demons and witches. For example, in 31:1, Dawood has God swearing "by those who cast out demons". Khalidi translates the same verse as: "Behold the revelations of the Wise Book.""
The old Penguin translation uses rather obscurantist images throughout to give the impression that the Qur'an is full of demons and witches. For example, in 31:1, Dawood has God swearing "by those who cast out demons". Khalidi translates the same verse as: "Behold the revelations of the Wise Book.""
