By Shaykh Yasir Qadhi
The famous translator of the Quran into English (who co-translated it along with the erudite Dr. Muḥammad Taqī al-Dīn al-Hilālī), and the first person to translate the Ṣaḥīh of Imām al-Bukhārī into English, Dr. Muḥammad Muḥsin Khan, passed away today morning at the ripe age of 97, in the Blessed City of Madinah. His funeral prayer will be in the Ḥaram al-Madanī, followed by a burial in the most blessed cemetery of Baqī.
I was fortunate to interact with him a few times during my years in Madinah, and there are some amazing stories and personal anecdotes that perhaps I’ll share one day.
He was born in 1927 in Kasur, Pakistan . During a time when hardly anyone studied in the West, he completed his medical training in England in the 1950’s, and was offered a prestigious job in the newly-formed Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the time of King Abd al-Azīz, as the director of the new military hospital in Taif. He was not at all religious (as he himself told me), and only accepted the job because it was a lucrative offer.
When the Islamic University of Madinah opened in 1961, he was transferred there because he was one of only a handful of doctors qualified in the country who was a Muslim (and only Muslims can live in Madinah!).
In Madinah, he saw the Prophet ﷺ in a very vivid dream; he asked Sh. Bin Bāz, who was the Rector of the University, the interpretation of that dream, and the Shaykh replied that his dream meant he would somehow benefit the Sunnah. Dr. Muḥsin remarked, “I was shocked – I was no scholar and my training was in medicine. I didn’t know how I could benefit the Sunnah, until I realized that I was fluent in English and the most important works had not yet been translated into the English language.” He therefore decided to dedicate his life to translate what he could.
He understood that he needed some scholarly help, so Sh. Ibn Bāz assigned him Dr. Taqī al-Dīn al-Hilālī (d. 1986) , another very important and interesting figure (he was of the first batches of scholars who studied Islamic Studies in the West, having completed his PhD in Germany under Nazi rule!). Although Dr. Hilālī was more fluent in French and German than English, he knew enough English to help Dr. Muḥsin, and together they embarked on the translation of the Quran, after which Dr. Muḥsin continued onwards to translate the Ṣaḥīḥ on his own.
On a personal note, when I first decided to study Islam and learn Arabic (back in 1991!!), the only Arabic-English book that I had was Dr. Muḥsin’s translation of the Ṣaḥīḥ. So, I spent that year going over the Ṣaḥīḥ, learning Arabic by comparing the side-by-side English/Arabic printing that I had (I had the edition below, but a very old copy from the 1970’s that was in my father’s library). That personal study afforded me the opportunity to skip two levels out of the four levels of Arabic training that the University gave to non-Arabs, and so instead of spending two years in the Arabic Institute (known as the Ma’had), I spent only one. [Warning: do NOT attempt this at home – learn Arabic in the proper manner, and not like I did from a translation!!!!].
Therefore, when I first met Dr. Khan as a student in Madinah in 1995, it was such an honor for me, and I told him my story about how his work was my first exposure to learning Arabic and to the Sunnah. I also told him that I planned to study in the College of Ḥadīth (which I started in 1996). He made a very special and private du’a for me that I will always cherish and ask Allah to accept his du’a.
Of course, it should be pointed out that these translations are not without their shortcomings, and indeed much can be said about methodological and linguistic errors. But the point is that all such pioneering works need to be seen as paving the way for better works. He did something when no one else did, and for that we shall forever be grateful, and we expect Allah to reward him for his efforts. It is our job to work on those projects and better them.
May Allah forgive Dr. Muḥammad Muḥsin Khan his sins, exalt his ranks, accept his works and deeds, and admit him to Jannat al-Firdaws!
Masha Allah Thabrakallah.
May Allah accept his magnificent works for the sake of Islam and grant him the highest place in Jannathul Firdaw Al’A’la
May accept him in Janna
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون
Muslim Mirror doing great work Masha Allah,
We were fortunate Al Hamdoulillah that we had such a great Personality marhoum Dr. sahab in our time and may Allah grant him high levels of Jannat and pray to have his noble works are continued by his team.
Bismillah
Assalamu alaikum!
Dr. Muhammed Muhsin Khan’s works InSha ALLAH will be useful for all.
«May ALLAH ﷻ accept his noble works, and Bestow him choicest place in Jannat-ul-Firdaws.»
-Amin, Ambur
He and his co-author copied the English Translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali which ALREADY published in 1933. That original translation by Allama Yusuf Ali was the most influential work in the West. Many People came to Islam in the West reading that. It still remains the most popular translation.
You’re right. I converted to Islam after I read the Abdullah Yusuf Ali Quran.
May Allah accept his work and grant him highest place in janna . His work is a beautiful resource for English speakers.
May Allah grant him Jannat el Firdawsi. Amin.
Inalilahi wainailahi rajiun
Inna lillahi wa inallah-e-raji’oon May Allah forgive Dr. Muḥammad Muḥsin Khan his sins, exalt his ranks, accept his works and deeds, and admit him to Jannat al-Firdaws!
May Allah forgive Dr. Muhsin his short comings. One of his son taught me Tafsir in middle school in Madina and one of his sons was my class mate in Ma’had (Middle and High school in Islamic University in Madina) . I had a wonderful conversation with him about some countries he visited in Africa. May Allah granted him Jannatul Firdaws
Innailahi wa innailahi rajioun
May Allah pardon should muhsin
انا للہ و انا الیہ راجعون
Dr. Muhammad Musin Khan was my MENTOR and MUHSIN (محسن) in true sense of the word , الحمد للہ رب العالمین .
I had the honor to work, in close collaboration with him, from 1974 to 1993 in Madina Munawwarah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Chicago, Illinois, United States of America.
I helped him in typesetting, printing, publishing and distributing, worldwide, nine (9) volumes each of Sahih al-Bukhari and Noble Qur’an, Arabic-English, under the banner of Kazi Publications, Inc. Chicago, lL, USA.
My cousin, Late Professor Muhammad Ikram Siddiqui, completed the task in 1988 and published nine volumes each of both of these books under Kazi Publications, Lahore, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
All Praises are due to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, Alone, Who gave us the opportunity to complete this colossal work for the benefit of Muslims and Non-Muslims alike all over the world.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala bless Dr. Khan, and reward him with the best place in Jannat-ul-Firdous, آمین , and may He Grant us all a place next to him, ثم آمین یا رب العالمین
انالله وانا الیه راجعون ط
May Allah forgive Dr. Muḥammad Muḥsin Khan his sins, exalt his ranks, accept his works and deeds, and admit him to Jannat al-Firdaws!
May allah forgive hime and grand him jannah.
Excellent article however one edit to this should be that Dr. Muhsin Khan was born in Kasur, Pakistan and not Afghanistan. He also completed his medical studies from King Edward Medical College(now University), Lahore.
Did he ever mention his connection to Kandahar?
May Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala grant make Jannatul Firdous his final abode Aameen
Don’t take knowledge from Yasir Qadih
Muhsin Khan’s intrusions into the text have converted the Koran to be anti-Semetic and anti-Christian. This is not what the world neeeds.
May Allah forgive and show mercy upon him.