Difficulties of Qur'an Translation

Qur'an Translation - Difficulties of Qur'an Translation


While the text of the original Arabic Qur'an is identical and unchanged since its revelation, you will find various translations and interpretations. Anytime a translation is done into another language, the translator (who is only human) has to interpret the meaning and render it in the new language. It is, by nature, an approximation of the meaning, since words and ideas cannot be expressed identically in different languages.

Arabic is a very rich language, and words have many shades of meaning. Thus in many languages it often requires more wordiness to get the meaning across, which detracts from the beautiful simplicity of the Qur'anic message. Arabic idioms, and the weight of the words, are difficult to understand and translate. While Arabic is a living language, the classical Arabic of the Qur'an requires more study in order to fully appreciate and understand the depths of meaning.

Another concern is the translator's familiarity with the target language. Some translations are done by individuals who are very knowledgeable in Arabic, but they are not able to render the intended meaning because they are not familiar with the nuances of the other language.

In the end, the dilemma is to find a translation that is linguistically and spiritually as accurate as possible, yet is readable and flowing. In English, such a translation is difficult to find, though many have tried.

Many of the early translations of the Qur'an into English were done by Christian missionaries. Not surprisingly, they are not known for their accuracy or faithfulness to the intended message.

Currently, translations are available from Hilali and Khan, Ali, Shakir, Pickthall, and others. Read below for a review of the various translations currently on the market.

Review of translations:

Please note: As I don't speak all of these languages, I cannot personally verify the accuracy or usefulness of these translations. However, the links have been compiled from other responsible Islamic sites. If you are a native speaker of these languages and find any irregularities in these translations or know of other links available, please notify me.

* Albanian

# Bangla
# Bosnian
# Chinese
# French
# German
# Indonesian
# Japanese
# Melayu
# Russian
# Turkish
# Urdu




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about the writer


Huda is a Muslim educator and writer with nearly two decades of experience researching and writing about Islam on the Internet. An American woman of Irish/English descent, she has been a Muslim for the past 20 years.
Experience:

Huda is an educator, freelance writer and editor. She is the author of The Everything Understanding Islam Book, originally published in 2003, with a 2nd Edition in 2009. She currently teaches elementary school in the Middle East.
Education:

Huda holds a M.Ed. degree, and is fluent in both French and Arabic.
From Huda:

With the vast amount of information on the Internet, it's easy to come across incorrect information about Islam and Muslim people. Particularly in today's world, misconceptions about our faith are rampant. I hope to bring you original articles and links to quality information that convey the truth and spirit of Islam.
References:

The Everything Understanding Islam Book, 2nd Edition
2nd Edition of Huda's introductory book about Islam (published in 2009)
The Everything Understanding Islam Book
Huda's original introductory book about Islam (published in 2003)


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