:salam2:
I wanted to point out a problem that a lot of people have when seeking tafseer. There is quiet a few in languages other than Arabic. What I notice mostly with
non-muslims they tend to subjugate the Quran to the tafseer solely. This is not the way and approach of the Quran and the Quran CANNOT be subjugated. I know you are muslim so most likely will understand. The moment someone ascribes an interpretation to the Quran out of context is when they are committing tahreef. Similar to what the other people of the books did. Allah swt, however warned mankind to avoid any tahreef. (tahreef means pretty much so that information is shaped or altered other than what is in the Quran as a whole in meaning and message.)
Having mentioned that, you were seeking a tafsir of the Quran and I have have come across quiet a few try to explain the Quran as a whole unifying concept. Ex. Hilali and Khan and/or Yusuf Ali. The problem is there are some who suggest some interpretations are not coherent with the Quran by its self. So they suggest Sahih International since it tries to use the Quran to explain without much hadith to support but it does a good job in translating.
Nevertheless, you will find that just by making a great effort to just get a fair understanding of like Juz Amma, many words and themes you will find permeated throughout the Quran. The best I have seen in English, where the individual gave careful thought and an excellent job in relating the information as well as describe it relative of the people of Quraish at that time was done by br. Nouman Ali Khan and Shaikh AbdulNasir Jangda of the Bayyinah organization.
found here:
http://bayyinah.com/podcast/tag/nouman-ali-khan/
What they did was not to actually do the physical translation but rather compile the works of well respected scholars of Islam to convey the significance and relevance of the ayat. This method I feel is the most effective as it builds your interpolation of ideas and concepts into understanding of the meaning and the relevance.
Every time you hear or recite an ayah, your mind is processing information. Speech is transmitted in English at a max rate of about up to 160 words/minute with the exception of auctioneers. However, your brain actively processes at a rate of 500 or more words / minute. This is why you may here many discussion at the same time but then what ever you choose to focus centralizes your thought to that information where you incorporate more thought processes. Now you are saying wait a minute I just needed translation not this right. No in part it is the translation you are being distracted about but I believe it is even greater than that and it could be you don't have a developed Arabic vocabulary I assume. Don't take this as a negative, even myself, understanding spoken Arabic and now more written and Arabic literature I still fall into this dilemma. So to increase this comprehension and expansion of ideas to fill your mind at a capacity near your normal processing capacity this is how I suggest to approach it, since it became day from night to me.
Listen to precursor to tafseer and explanation of brother nouman as he takes careful attention and step by step walk through of the surah.
I want you to Trust me and just Start with this it is not a tafseer but it will help you greatly with tafseer) : attached mp3.
http://www.turntoislam.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8154&stc=1&d=1313293251
After you listen to this lecture; I want you gauge when you pray and recite surat Al fatiha. What was your mind focused on, probably this whole lecture at one time with different details highlighted more than others. Thus increasing khushu3.
please don't take my post as a negative in any sense. And Ramadhan mubarak.
by taking a few foundation steps slowly in the beginning your comprehension will increase exponentially at a certain point so don't rush through take your time. That is my advice.
