Source: Hindustan Times
Wire Service: Reuters
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1275038,00110001.htm
On March 11, 2005 Reuters reported, "A reformist Islamic movement launched a new Dutch translation of the Koran on Thursday amid efforts to boost integration of the country's growing Muslim community, despite suggestions few would actually use it. The Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement, which was founded in British-ruled India in the late 19th century and is not recognised by orthodox Islam, handed a copy of the new translation to Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk. 'The language of the existing Dutch translation is old-fashioned. Furthermore, it doesn't have much explanation or background information,' the movement said in a statement. 'With this new Dutch translation, users can interpret the text themselves, without having to be dependent on others.' The new translation by Jeroen Rietberg, in production for about a decade, is based on an English translation from 1951 by Islam scholar Muhammad Ali and includes his introduction and footnotes that put the Koran in historical context and draw parallels with the Christian Bible and Jewish Torah."