The Noble Quran: Meaning With Explanatory Notes

The Noble Quran: Meaning With Explanatory Notes (2007) is a two-volume translation of the Quran, authored by Pakistani Islamic scholar Taqi Usmani. Usmani served as judge of the Sharia Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. In addition to the original Arabic text, the translation includes brief English explanatory notes. It is the first English translation of the Quran authored by a traditionalist Deobandi scholar.

Background
In 1933, Abdul Majid Daryabadi became one of the first Deobandi scholars to attempt to translate the Quran into English. This translation was published in 1957. Daryabadi was not a traditional scholar who had studied at a seminary. Muhammad Shafi Deobandi, an alumnus of Darul Uloom Deoband, completed writing Ma'ariful Qur'an, a commentary on the Quran in Urdu, in 1972.

The English translation process of Ma'ariful Qur'an began during the lifetime of its author. The work was taken care of by Taqi Usmani, Hasan Askari, and Muhammad Shamim, with Muhammad Wali Razi as their assistant. The work paused in 1977, but resumed in 1989, and the complete volumes were published in 2004.

In 2007, Taqi Usmani published The Noble Quran: Meaning With Explanatory Notes from the Maktabah of Darul Uloom Karachi, in Pakistan. The commentary drew upon the Urdu version of Ma'ariful Qur'an. Taqi Usmani's work appears as a reproduction of the former. Usmani made several word substitutions while keeping the original text otherwise intact. He added explanatory notes, stating in his introduction to the English translation of Ma'ariful Qur'an that his intention was to provide a translation of the Quran, instead of solely translating Ma'ariful Qur'an into English.

Approach
The book features an English transliteration and translation, along with a detailed 20-page index. The translation draws on classical Islamic sources and the author's knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and experience as a judge, attempting to provide a better understanding of the Quranic message and its relevance to contemporary life. Difficult terms were explained via explanatory notes.

An introduction to each Surah precedes its interpretation. The introduction covers topics such as the meaning and significance of revelation, style and context of revelation, classification of Surahs as Meccan or Medinan, causes of revelation, Quran preservation methods, the seven Quranic readings, sources of interpretation, and the usage of letters like "Waw" and "Qaf" in the text.

The deluxe edition features illuminated medallions in the margins that designate the beginning of a new Surah or Juz. The text is typeset in a style based on the Madinan Mushaf, while retaining the useful features of the Indian subcontinent copy.