The first English translation of the Qur’an was done by Alexander Ross in 1649, but with important context:

Alexander Ross (1590–1654)

• He was a Scottish clergyman and chaplain to King Charles I.
• His translation, titled: “The Alcoran of Mahomet” (1649)
• Ross translated it from the 1647 French version by André du Ryer, which itself had issues of accuracy and bias.

Nature of Ross’s Translation:

• Highly polemical and inaccurate, as Ross was trying to refute Islam.
• The preface even warns readers about the “heresy” of the text.

First Direct Arabic-to-English Translation: George Sale (1697–1736)

• Published in 1734: “The Koran: Commonly Called the Alcoran of Mohammed”
• Sale’s version was translated directly from Arabic, not via Latin or French.

It included: A long “Preliminary Discourse” explaining Islamic beliefs and history. Extensive footnotes and references. Though still somewhat Orientalist in tone, it was far more scholarly and respectful than earlier versions.