Mahdi Movahed Abtahi MD, MA
BASIR Ins. for Medical-Islamic Research, Isfahan, Iran
I would like to present my report on “The Encyclopedia of Islam” Vol. V (KHE-MAHI), edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. Van Donzel, B. Lewis, and CH. Pellat. This book Published by LEIDEN E. J. Brill, The Netherland on 1986 (ISBN: 90-04-07819-3).
Through a class exam for specific language course, I -as a MA student of Quran Interpretation- recently read, translated and commented with interest pages from 400 to 432 of this book and found that many of its statements should be more discussed. These are placed in page 429 (part 2: Translation of the Quran) that Mr. A. T. Welch from Michigan State University (East Lansing) has written it.
- The author said: It was revealed expressly as an “Arabic Quran” “in clear Arabic language”, that the Prophet through it might “warn the capital” and the people in its surrounding”. It was not originally intended for non-Arabs.
Several passages of the Quran indicate that Islam and its scripture (Quran) are not limited to the Arabs, Mecca, Hejaz, or Saudi Arabia. The Quran was revealed to all people of the universe:
هُوَ الَّذِی أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِینِ الْحَقِّ لِیُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّینِ کُلِّهِ
He it is who sent his messenger with guidance and the religion of truth,
That he cause it to prevail over all religions (Tawba, 9; 33/ Fath, 48; 28/ Saff, 61; 9)
- The author said: The wording of the Quran is a miracle (mudjiza) incapable of imitation by man. This characteristic would be invalidated in a translation into a foreign language, since this would be made by man.
The Quran emphasizes on reading and reciting the explicit text of its as much as possible:
فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ عَلِمَ أَن سَیَکُونُ مِنکُم مَّرْضَى وَآخَرُونَ یَضْرِبُونَ فِی الْأَرْضِ یَبْتَغُونَ مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ
وَآخَرُونَ یُقَاتِلُونَ فِی سَبِیلِ اللَّهِ فَاقْرَؤُوا مَا تَیَسَّرَ مِنْهُ
Therefore read what is easy of the Quran. He knows that there must be among you sick,
And others who travel in the land seeking of the bounty of Allah, and others who fight in Allah’s way,
Therefore read as much of it as is easy (to you) (Muzammel, 73; 20)
- The author said: The important thing in the prayer is the meaning of the text, not the character of the idjaz. The true sense is, however, transmitted through a translation.
Some verses indicate on reading Quran from a written text (from its origin scripture):
وَلَقَدْ یَسَّرْنَا الْقُرْآنَ لِلذِّکْرِ فَهَلْ مِن مُّدَّکِرٍ
And certainly we have made the Quran easy for remembrance, but is there anyone who will mind? (Qamar, 54; 17, 22, 32, 40)
إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ رَبَّ هَذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ الَّذِی حَرَّمَهَا وَلَهُ کُلُّ شَیْءٍ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَکُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِینَ. وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنَ
Only that I should serve the lord of this city, who has made it sacred, and his are all things; and I am commanded that I should be of these who submit; and that I should recite the Quran. (Naml, 27; 92)
وَإِذَا قُرِىءَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُواْ لَهُ وَأَنصِتُواْ لَعَلَّکُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
And when the Quran is recited, then listen to it and remain silent, that mercy may be shown to you (Aaraf, 7: 204)
Reading from the translation not from the original text may be a sample of excluding Quran which will be taken to task:
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ یَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِی اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا
And the messenger cried out: O my lord! Surely my people have treated this Quran as a forsaken thing (Furqan, 25; 30)
- The author said: The translation does not simply represent, human speech (kalam al-nas), for although it does not contain the Word of God literally, yet its content consists of the meaning of God’s Word.
In reading and reciting Quran some effects -other than the meaning of the words- are suspected which are not achieved from the translated text:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِینَ إِذَا ذُکِرَ اللّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِیَتْ عَلَیْهِمْ آیَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِیمَانًا
Those only are believers whose hearts become full of fear when Allah is mentioned, and when his communications are recited to them they increase them in faith (Anfal, 8; 2)
اللَّهُ نَزَّلَ أَحْسَنَ الْحَدِیثِ کِتَابًا مُّتَشَابِهًا مَّثَانِیَ تَقْشَعِرُّ مِنْهُ جُلُودُ الَّذِینَ یَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلِینُ جُلُودُهُمْ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى ذِکْرِ اللَّهِ
Allah has revealed the best announcement, a book conformable in its various parts, repeating, whereat do shudder the skins of those who fear their lord, then their skins and their hearts become pliant to the remembrance of Allah (Zumar, 39: 23)
