The Official Indonesian Qurʾān Translation

This very informative and original book is an investigation into the official Qur’an translation into Indonesian by the Indonesian government, which was initiated under President Soekarno and saw its fourth revision in 2019-20. The book’s main research focus is the question of whether the government used this translation to support particular government projects, for instance in the fields of Shari`a-related issues or interreligious relations. In the conclusion the book convincingly shows that the translation never pursued a political or social agenda and that the translation was basically based on Sunni mainstream interpretations of the Qur’an, even if these went against government policies.

The book is a valuable resource for scholars of Islam, and anyone interested in the translation and exegesis of the Holy Text. Overall, I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of the political aspects of the Qur'an translation in Indonesia. Moreover, the author’s worthy literature review, dynamic style of highlighting the research gaps, and raising the clear question are among the essential features of this book.