A composition for making a transparent sintered yttrium aluminum garnet ceramic material wherein the composition includes an amount of yttrium oxide powder and aluminum oxide powder. The yttrium oxide powder has a particle surface area of about 18 m2 per gram and the aluminum oxide powder has a surface area of about 10 m2 per gram. The mixture is doped with a Si containing compound and Mg-containing compound, and formed into a desired shape. The mixture in the formed shape is converted to yttrium aluminum garnet during a sintering schedule to form a transparent ceramic material having an in-line transmission of at least 50%.