Tehran Hosts Unveiling of Quranic Works for Western, Indian Audiences
Held on March 10 at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla, the event featured the launch of a Hindi translation of the Holy Quran and a book titled “Quranic Teachings in a Nutshell” in English.
The unveiling ceremony took place in the exhibition’s international section, with speeches by Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Naqdi, Director of the Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute; Hojat-ol-Islam Yaqub Jafariniya, author of the “Kawthar Exegesis”; and Seyyed Hassan Esmati, a Quranic scholar and former cultural attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tunisia and Senegal.
Hojat-ol-Islam Naqdi highlighted the institute’s efforts in translation of the Quran. “The Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute was established to translate the Quran into the world’s major languages.”
“Before undertaking this task, we conducted research on existing translations. So far, the Quran has been translated either partially or fully into 148 languages. The diversity of translations is vast, with nearly 500 versions in Urdu alone,” he added.
Read More:
“Our goal was to examine previous translation methods and improve upon them. At our institute, we have translated the Quran into 16 languages. Notably, English, Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi are spoken by billions worldwide,” said the scholar.
He noted that translation needs a special linguistic expertise. “Most people who know a language only have conversational proficiency. A translator must have strong academic credentials, a deep understanding of both the Quranic and target language, and literary skills. A translation must be smooth, fluent, and engaging. We have strived to work with the best translators available.”
Read More:
The book “Quranic Teachings in a Nutshell” is authored by Hojat-ol-Islam Jafariniya and translated into English by Ali Quli Qarai who has already released a translation of the Holy Quran, published by Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute.
The Persian title of the new unveiled book is “Selected Quranic Verses in Line with the Leader’s Letter to the Youth of Europe and America.”
“This book is a thematic selection of Quranic verses chosen based on my general knowledge of the Quran. It was compiled to meet the needs of young Europeans and Americans who seek to learn about Islam,” he said.
He referenced a letter by Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed to Western youth. “In his letter, the Leader urged young people in Europe to learn about Islam through the Quran. This message came at a time when Daesh was committing atrocities in the name of Islam, distorting its image. To counter these misconceptions, he advised young people to refer directly to the Quran. However, the Quran is not a typical book that one reads from cover to cover; it requires reflection and understanding.”
Read More:
Jafariniya cited verse 155 of Surah Al-An’am: “And this Book that We have sent down is a blessed one; so follow it, and be Godwary so that you may receive [His] mercy.” He emphasized that the Quran must be studied thoughtfully rather than read superficially. “Recitation and memorization are good, but true engagement with the Quran lies in deep contemplation.”
He also criticized extremist interpretations of the Quran. “Takfiri groups have introduced a highly distorted understanding of Islam. When we examine Salafi interpretations, we see that they depict Islam as an excessively harsh religion. They claim that whenever the Quran speaks of mercy and kindness, those verses have been abrogated by verses of warfare. But the truth is that commands for battle were given only in times of war when Islam was under direct attack—not as a general rule. Unfortunately, some interpretations have wrongly presented Islam as a religion of violence.”
Read More:
The ceremony concluded with the formal unveiling of the two books, attended by Hojat-ol-Islam Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour, head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization.
4271072
