Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar (1938–2020)
A Voice of Spiritual Insight, Intellectual Courage, and Feminine Wisdom
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar was a pioneering Iranian-American Islamic scholar, author, and translator, best known for The Sublime Quran — the first gender-neutral English translation of the holy book. With a PhD in educational foundation and groundbreaking contributions to Islamic psychology, she dedicated her life to ethics, spirituality, interfaith understanding, and affirming that the highest spiritual ideals in Islam belong equally to women and men.
Born to an American mother and an Iranian father, Dr. Bakhtiar lived a life at the crossroads of cultures and religions. From her early education in Catholic schools to her mastery of Islamic philosophy and Sufism, her story embodies the spiritual and intellectual synthesis our world needs today.
Her Life. Her Scholarship. Her Legacy.
Her re-interpretation of Quran 4:34 challenged the translation of "daraba" as "to beat," proposing instead “to go away.” This ethical correction supports Islam’s core values of compassion and respect and has even been cited in U.S. court cases.
Dr. Bakhtiar’s works bridged spiritual insight and academic rigor, tradition and innovation. Highlights include:
- The Sublime Quran — the first English translation of the Quran by an American woman, praised for its grammatical precision and gender-inclusive interpretation.
- Quranic Psychology of the Self — merging Islamic philosophy with modern psychology.
- Sufi Expressions of the Mystic Quest — exploring divine love through art, architecture, and tradition.
- God’s Will Be Done (3 volumes) — Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar’s integrated framework of spiritual chivalry, uniting Islamic psychology, ethics, and divine attributes to diagnose moral and psychological imbalance and guide practical inner healing aligned with God’s will.
- 150+ authored or translated works — View Books
- Experience the Quran in Laleh’s Voice
In 2015, Dr. Bakhtiar recorded a 30-part English recitation of the Quran to coincide with the sacred month of Ramadan.
An AI Storyteller Honoring the Voice of a Visionary Scholar
Please note: Laleh AI is currently in beta. It does not replace Dr. Bakhtiar’s human presence or lived experience, but it offers a meaningful way to explore her teachings with care and context.
Laleh AI is an innovative educational chatbot built on Dr. Bakhtiar’s extensive legacy of scholarship, including her books, lectures, letters, interviews, and spiritual teachings. It offers an engaging and respectful way to explore her ideas through conversation.
While no technology can replicate the presence of Dr. Bakhtiar, this AI assistant offers guided access to her transformative insights on:
- Islamic spirituality
- Islamic psychology
- Sufism and divine love
- Feminine identity
- Quranic interpretation
In her final years, Dr. Bakhtiar collaborated with her daughter, Davar Ardalan, to explore how AI could preserve her voice and make her scholarship accessible to future generations. Laleh AI is the continuation of that effort along with web development from Laleh's son, Karim Ardalan.
Laleh AI is more than a chatbot. It is a bridge — between past and future, intellect and spirit, tradition and technology. Whether you are a scholar, student, or seeker, this digital experience invites you to engage deeply with the life and work of one of the most prolific Muslim-American thinkers of our time.
Help Us Sustain Her Legacy
Support our mission to ethically preserve and share Dr. Bakhtiar’s insights through culturally respectful AI. Your tax-deductible donation helps us continue developing Laleh AI and digitizing her vast archive of scholarship and family correspondence.
Update From Laleh’s Family
It is with a profound sense of love and duty, that we share this tribute video with you. On November 15, 2020, Daisy Khan, Founder of WISE, Women's Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality, honored Laleh with a Lifetime Achievement Award. This video offers reflections by Daisy, Laleh's children, Mani, Iran Davar and Karim, as well as some of the remarkable scholars who collaborated with Laleh.
Endorsements
"There are numerous reasons for the importance of Laleh Bakhtiar's translation of the Holy Quran, the least of which is that her Sublime Quran provides a sensible and humanistic interpretation for the holy book. As the Executive Director of the Domestic Harmony Foundation, a non-profit organization working against domestic violence within Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian communities, this interpretation of Ms. Bakhtiar's is particularly significant. We are often faced with individuals who are victimized by their partners' usage of Quranic verses to further their abusive gains, citing the controversial verse 4:34. Her interpretation provides a more Islamic minded approach- that when all else fails, to "move away from" the wife should be the last resort, and not to hit. This meaning is particularly important in our field of work when the victims and the abusers need to be educated as to the real nature of Islamic teachings. Equally as important as Ms. Bakhtiar's interpretation is the very fact that as a female scholar, she is considered a knowledgeable and meritorious persona in the annals of Islamic literature. She is an exemplary individual particularly for women who have been victimized by domestic violence, and also for all Muslim women to look up to."
"One of things that strikes me about the translation is how its reception in the "mainstream" Muslim community--at least in North America, made it less acceptable or even unacceptable for Muslim community leaders to simply repeat misogynistic interpretations. I refer specifically to the ISNA representative in Canada who wanted to ban the book--and the response from US leadership that ISNA supports women's rights and allows expression of a variety of opinions on Islam. Even Syed Sayeed former Head of ISNA expressed his appreciation for the sublime Qur'an. So I would view the project as shedding light on some corners that had been kept somewhat in the dark up til then."
"For 14 centuries the translation and interpretation of the Quran has been the sole purview of men. Only men have been empowered to define the meaning and message of the Quran, and it is no coincidence that their interpretation has often been misogynist or worse. Laleh Bakhtiar's incredible achievement has changed all that. For the first time a woman has been able to reengage the scripture from a different point of view, thus producing a gender neutral translation that is far more consistent with the message and spirit of the Quran than any previous translation. "
"As to my thoughts on the Sublime Qur'an, since I am not a scholar of Arabic, I can't talk about its linguistic accuracy, etc. However, what I think is significant about Laleh Bakhtiar's translation is that it opens up new interpretive possibilities for Muslims. As I always point out, the Qur'an says that those who read it for its best meanings are the ones whom God has guided (39:18). This suggests that we can-- and should --have more than one reading/ interpretation/ translation so that we can find the best among these. Of course, notions of "best" are likely to differ over time but that is to be expected. Besides, what makes the Qur'an a universal text, by which I mean a text that is always integral to our lives, no matter the age in which we live, is that each generation can continue to find new meanings in it. In contributing to that endeavor, Ms. Bakhtiar has opened new doors for Muslims; whether someone wants to walk through these or not is, naturally, up to them."
“Reading the Quran was so illuminating. I was able to find a wonderful translation by Laleh Bakhtiar, and it opened me up to the beauty of the faith in a way that no interpretation of the text had before. And, of course, in the book you find, very clearly, Islam’s dedication to social justice, to peace and to the less fortunate.”
"MashAllah, Thank you for your work Laleh. My father (Yusuf Islam) and I have been reading your books in admiration. We champion you and pray you are eternally blessed. With Peace and Much Respect"
"Current events have left Americans fascinated and frightened by Islam and Muslims. With no end in sight of the "war on terror" and questions about the compatibility of Islam with Western societies, the need for honest and accurate information about Muslims has never been greater. In the case of Muslim women especially, ignorance and sensationalism abound. What could be more welcome than an examination of the life of a Muslim woman who is neither a silent victim of oppression, waiting to be saved by a secular revolution, nor an apologist for misguided ideology, but an intelligent woman of faith and integrity? Laleh Bakhtiar has lived a remarkable life - but a life with which we can relate, because while some of her experiences appear exotic to the typical American, her values and principles are not. A biography of Laleh Bakhtiar is sure to shed much needed light - and humanity - on Muslims today."
"I am very familiar with Laleh Bakhtiar's writings and her recent translation of the Quran. Sublime Quran is a major translation that, in contrast to many other translations, in clear and direct language, effectively makes the message of the Quran accessible to English speaking audiences. It is one that I often recommend.”