<![CDATA[The English translation of the Qur'an in the early 19th century in India emerged as a form of intellectual resistance by Muslim scholars against colonialism and orientalist critiques. The Holy Qur’an (1917) by Maulana Muhammad Ali became a pivotal milestone as the first translation by a Muslim theologian to be widely published in the West. This study aims to dissect the textual characteristics and the manifestation of Muhammad Ali's rational-apologetic approach within the extensive Preface of the first edition. This qualitative library research employs a multidisciplinary approach (exegetical, historical, philosophical, and sociological) by examining the original 1917 text. Muhammad Ali implemented the tahlili method with a thematic tendency rooted in the principle of tafsir al-Qur'an bi al-Qur'an. The Ahmadiyya Lahore theology influenced his interpretation through the demythologization of past prophets, metaphorically (majazi) viewing them as reformers (mujaddid) to preserve the Khatamun Nabiyyin doctrine. His rational-apologetic nuance is prominent in deconstructing the Christian crucifixion dogma in surah Al-Nisa': 157 by initiating a critical reading of canonical Gospels using the swoon theory. Through the Preface, Muhammad Ali successfully transformed the function of contemporary exegesis from a mere internal textual explanation into an instrument for defending Islamic identity and a tool for global theological diplomacy.]]>
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