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TARJAMA YA AL-MUNTAKHAB KATIKA TAFSIRI YA QUR'ANI TUKUFU. A translation [into Swahili] of al-Muntakhab being an interpretation of the Holy Qur'an. Translated by (ALI MUHSIN AL-BARWANI, 1995. two vols, xii + 479 pp. Distributed free (hb). Swahili interpretations of the Holy Qur'an have a relatively short history in so far as the printed word is concerned-the first being by Godfrey Dale (1861-1941), an Anglican priest serving the Universities' Mission to Central Africa and their expert on Islam.2
Unfortunately some of Dale's maelezo, 'comments' (pp. 543-682), reveal a biased turn of mind and for this reason the work was, and continues to be, largely unread by East African Muslims.
Shaykh al-Amin bin Ali al-Mazru', the learned qadi of Mombasa, was the first Muslim to attempt a printed translation of the Holy Qur'an. His first venture, dating from the early 1930s, was a translation into Swahili of Juzuu Amma (juz' `amma) for the young pupils of al-Ghazali Muslim school (near the Konzi mosque in Mombasa). The work originally appeared in manuscript form but was subsequently printed. Presumably Juzuu Amma was considered a suitable portion since in this thirtieth and final section of the Qur'an the chapters are all short. Born and bred in Mombasa, Shaykh al-Amin enjoyed an enviable command of kiMvita, the Swahili of Mombasa, and his Swahili publications remain models of stylistic excellence. In 1355 AH/AD 1936 the main work of translation began, and the first two chapters were published in Lahore in 1359/1940.3 However, work was virtually halted on account of the second World War and then, in 1366/1947, Shaykh al-Amin died.
At about this time the...