Koran

One of the major theological disputes of early Islam concerned the question whether the Koran should be understoood as something created in time or as something uncreated and eternal. The background of the dispute (see Allah; Sunni) was complicated, involving various theological questions as well as an argument about the relative authority of the caliphs and the religious scholars (ulema). The view that it was uncreated became dominant but was opposed by substantial groups within Islam, notably the Shiites.

Whether the Koran may be translated from its original Arabic into another language, and, if so, under what circumstances a translation may be used, has also been a matter of dispute. Nevertheless, it has been translated by Muslims and non-Muslims into a variety of languages. The first translation into a European language was the Latin version made in 1143 by the English scholar Robert of Ketton on the orders of Peter the Venerable. The first English version, in 1649 was made on the basis of an earlier French translation. The first English version directly from the Arabic was by George Sale and appeared originally in 1734. Today there are many versions available in English and the other major languages of the world.