Tarjamat al-Quran al-Karim

Tarjamat al-Quran al-Karim (Translation of the Noble Quran) is a juristic and theological study by Ahmad Ali Abd Allah, a scholar affiliated with the Faculty of Sharia and Law at Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria Majallat al-Jami'a al-Isl…+1. The work examines the legal and conceptual dimensions of translating the Quran, evaluating whether translations constitute the Quran itself, the rulings regarding their recitation in prayer, and the necessity of translating Quranic meanings to convey Islam to non-Arabic-speaking populations Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

Purpose and Scope

The author introduces the work by observing that while the issue of translating the Quran often received limited attention among scholars in Arab lands, it engaged scholars and Muslims in non-Arab regions who faced the practical reality of understanding and conveying scripture across language barriers Majallat al-Jami'a al-Isl…+1. Viewing legal adaptability as an inherent strength of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), the study seeks to clarify traditional and contemporary disputes surrounding translation and to demonstrate its legal permissibility and necessity for global Islamic outreach Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

Structure and Contents

The treatise is divided into an introduction, two primary thematic sections, and a conclusion Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

The Definition of the Quran and the Nature of Translation

The first section addresses the foundational question of whether a translation of the Quran can be regarded as the Quran itself Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…. Citing definitions by scholars such as Sayf al-Din al-Amidi and Fakhr al-Islam al-Bazdawi, the author establishes that according to the vast majority of scholars, the Quran consists intrinsically of both its specific Arabic wording (al-nazm) and its meaning (al-ma'na) together Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari….

The text analyzes the well-known position attributed to Abu Hanifah regarding the validity of reciting a Persian translation in prayer Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…. It reviews the context of early Iraq, the arguments of Hanafi jurists such as Abd al-Aziz al-Bukhari, and the positions of Abu Hanifah's disciples Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani, who permitted it only for those unable to speak Arabic Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1. The author highlights that, according to verified accounts within the Hanafi school, Abu Hanifah retracted this position to conform with the consensus of the majority that the Quran is inseparable from its revealed Arabic wording Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1. Consequently, translated speech is human expression rather than divine speech, and prayer cannot be established through translation alone Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

Juristic Rulings on Translating Meanings

The second section evaluates the legal opinions concerning the translation of the Quran as an explanatory rendering (tafsir) of its meanings Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…. The author summarizes arguments raised by opponents who deemed translation an undesirable innovation (bid'ah), feared that it would cause non-Arabs to abandon learning the Arabic language, or argued that human languages cannot convey the miraculous inimitability (i'jaz) of scripture Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari….

In refuting these claims, the study demonstrates that:

• Translation is grounded in prophetic precedent, such as the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ letters containing Quranic verses sent to non-Arabic-speaking rulers—including Heraclius, Chosroes, and the Negus—knowing they would be translated into Greek, Persian, and Ge'ez Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.
• Quranic inimitability is not limited to verbal formulation (al-nazm) alone but encompasses its meanings, legislation, and universal message, citing classical discussions by Al-Jahiz and Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.
• Translation serves as an essential auxiliary tool to introduce non-Muslims and non-Arab Muslims to the message of Islam, ultimately encouraging them to learn Arabic rather than discouraging them Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

The author references titles adopted by modern translators to make this distinction explicit, such as Abul A'la Maududi's Tafhim al-Quran (translated into English as The Meaning of the Quran), Abubakar Gumi's translation into the Hausa language (Ma'anonin Alkur'ani Mai Girma da Harshen Hausa), and the introductory remarks of Muhammad Asad Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.

Method and Sources

The author relies on classical legal, hadith, and exegesis texts, citing Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's Fath al-Bari, Al-Zamakhshari's Al-Kashshaf, Al-Shatibi's Al-Muwafaqat, and Al-Nizam al-Nisaburi's exegesis Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+3. The text balances strict juristic definitions with practical considerations of Islamic propagation (da'wah) in contemporary societies Tarjamat al-Quran al-Kari…+1.