Courtesy of Yale Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Published last spring, professor Shawkat Toorawa’s new translation of selected verses of the Quran combines a regard for literature and devotion. Toorawa, who serves as a professor of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and professor of Comparative Literature, emphasized that one of his goals in translating these passages was to shed light on the significance of the Quran as a text that should be read aloud and translated as such. He said that with most translations, this is not always obvious. 

“My decision to translate with attention to sound and cadence and rhyme will, I hope, demonstrate to readers and listeners—the Qur’an is meant to be read aloud—the beauty of the text, something that is rarely discernible in translations,” Toorawa wrote to the News.

One of Toorawa’s students, Roma Mykhailevych ’27, emphasized that as someone learning Arabic, she appreciates the uniqueness of Toorawa’s translation and mentioned that his focus on the poetic and acoustic qualities make it “more than just another translation.”

“It’s not just about conveying meaning; it’s about capturing the experience of the text—the way it sounds, the way it feels to recite. That’s something a lot of translations don’t fully capture, so it’s exciting to see a version that prioritizes that,” wrote Mykhailevych. 

She praised Toorawa’s welcoming and engaging demeanor and said that his enthusiasm for language and literature is “contagious.” His class inspired her to keep studying Arabic and its literary traditions.

Ahmed Nur GRD ’25, a teaching fellow for the Humanities and Religious Studies Programs, has found Toorawa’s translations particularly useful as it “beautifully translates” important parts of the Quran. 

He pointed out that with the development of new technologies like AI, Toorawa’s translation is even more important. 

“In our increasingly AI-generated age, Prof. Toorawa’s translation exemplifies his love of literature and scholarly rigor while also producing sonic beauty and power,” wrote Nur. 

Some of the first verses of the Qur’an can be found engraved on the facade of Sterling Memorial Library.

Correction, March 6: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Toorawa’s last name.