Marmaduke William Pickthall

Born in London in 1875, he was educated in England and began publishing fiction while still a young man. Early travels in the Middle East shaped much of his outlook and writing, and over time he became known not only as a novelist and journalist but also as a thoughtful interpreter of Muslim life for English-speaking readers.

He converted to Islam in the early 20th century and later became especially famous for The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (1930), his influential English translation of the Quran. That work, along with his lectures and essays, secured his lasting reputation far beyond his novels.

He died in 1936. Today he is remembered as a distinctive literary figure whose life connected English letters, travel writing, and Islamic scholarship in an unusual and enduring way.