Purity of Intention, Key to Presenting Effective Translations of Quran
Translation of the Holy Quran will be effective and touch hearts if the translator purifies his intention of everything but God and embarks on the translation in full faith, a university scholar said.
In an interview with IQNA, Dr Seyyed Hamid Reza Alavi, lecturer at Kerman’s Shahid Bahonar University also referred to mastery of Arab literature and Quran interpretations as necessary for rendering the Holy Book into other languages.
Referring to the problems in English translations of the Quran, he said these problems include lack of mastery over Arab literature and Quran interpretations, lack of attention to some subtle and important points in translation, failing to transfer artistic and inspiring beauties, and failing to preserve the eloquence and magnificence of the original text.
“As an example, if you read verses 27 to 30 of Surah Fajr in English ‘O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among My honoured servants. And enter you My Paradise!’, and then read the original, you can see that they are not comparable,” he explained.
Dr Alavi noted that it is not always translators’ fault but some of these problems arise from certain limits in the English language. “The Arabic language has potentials in terms of extensiveness and eloquence that are not available in English.”
He further reiterated that purity of the Quran translator’s intention is a key factor in rendering a work that can touch hearts.
“As the Holy Quran says in verse 79 of Surah Al-Waqi'ah, ‘Which (that Book with Allah) none can touch but the purified’,” he underlined.
Author of the book ‘Comparative Study of English Translations of the Quran’, further said a look at the life of English translators of the Quran shows that there are interesting points in the lives of those who were more successful. “For instance, in the biography of Dr Irving we read that he was a devout Muslim and a committed Islamologist. He says for 23 years he read the Quran and reflected on its meanings every morning.”
Dr Alavi then read remarks by some other Quran translators like Dr Arbery and M.M. Pickthall stressing that they were attracted to the beauty of the Word of God and felt grateful for having the opportunity to read and translate the Quran.
He went on to stress the need for a Quran translator to be fully acquainted with various interpretations of the Holy Book, noting that each interpreter has approached the Quran from a special angle, theological, philosophical, ethical, etc.
The Quran translator must also master the target language to be able to present a good work.
Dr Seyyed Hamid Reza Alavi who has so far published 14 books and 70 articles on Quranic, mystical, spiritual and education themes, was selected as one of the country’s exemplary university lecturers in 2009.
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Referring to the problems in English translations of the Quran, he said these problems include lack of mastery over Arab literature and Quran interpretations, lack of attention to some subtle and important points in translation, failing to transfer artistic and inspiring beauties, and failing to preserve the eloquence and magnificence of the original text.
“As an example, if you read verses 27 to 30 of Surah Fajr in English ‘O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him! Enter you, then, among My honoured servants. And enter you My Paradise!’, and then read the original, you can see that they are not comparable,” he explained.
Dr Alavi noted that it is not always translators’ fault but some of these problems arise from certain limits in the English language. “The Arabic language has potentials in terms of extensiveness and eloquence that are not available in English.”
He further reiterated that purity of the Quran translator’s intention is a key factor in rendering a work that can touch hearts.
“As the Holy Quran says in verse 79 of Surah Al-Waqi'ah, ‘Which (that Book with Allah) none can touch but the purified’,” he underlined.
Author of the book ‘Comparative Study of English Translations of the Quran’, further said a look at the life of English translators of the Quran shows that there are interesting points in the lives of those who were more successful. “For instance, in the biography of Dr Irving we read that he was a devout Muslim and a committed Islamologist. He says for 23 years he read the Quran and reflected on its meanings every morning.”
Dr Alavi then read remarks by some other Quran translators like Dr Arbery and M.M. Pickthall stressing that they were attracted to the beauty of the Word of God and felt grateful for having the opportunity to read and translate the Quran.
He went on to stress the need for a Quran translator to be fully acquainted with various interpretations of the Holy Book, noting that each interpreter has approached the Quran from a special angle, theological, philosophical, ethical, etc.
The Quran translator must also master the target language to be able to present a good work.
Dr Seyyed Hamid Reza Alavi who has so far published 14 books and 70 articles on Quranic, mystical, spiritual and education themes, was selected as one of the country’s exemplary university lecturers in 2009.
962463
