Kamal F. Ishak

True translation of the Koran

 

New non false translation of Koran is needed. Why and How?

 

Translation of the Quran. 

 

introduction 

Linguistically speaking, the translation per definition is the expression of a sense of original written material in another language. 

Translation of a text from one language to another is never easy. 

It is undeniable, a translation causes a slight loss of tone of the message directed the original. This loss can be minimized, in the case of a particular care of the translator. 

 

Arabs say that the translation is of two types: 

I-A literal translation, that is subsequently translated word for word, attaching them together. 

This type of translation does not produce a comprehensible text, because many corresponding words in different languages ​​express concepts slightly different. In addition, the choice of synonymous to use depends on the capacity of the translator. 

But the main cause of the illegibility of the text is produced in the various linguistic constructions of a language to another. 

 

II-A translation syntagmatic, which expresses the overall meaning of all the words in another language, without taking into account the semantic aspect, namely the literary sense, of the word, but the meaning is understood and his spiral lexical, i.e. the position in the sentence in the original text. 

This is the real meaning of true translation. Conveying the concept from one language to another through the formulation of a new language that complies with the rules and syntax of the target language. 

 

Thus, the basic problem inherent in the translation of a text resides in the style of the original, which is to preserve, to the extent possible, in the translated product. 

 

Muslims and translation of the Koran. 

Muslims claim that no other language of the world is similar in vocabulary and structure, the Arabic language. For this reason, it is impossible to translate the Koran into other languages, because the Koran is distinct and unique. 

The so-called literal translation of the Koran is religiously prohibited, for the following reasons: 

A - the lack of letters and words exactly similar to the Arabic language. 

B - the lack of the same or similar constructions between languages. 

C - the asymmetry is of the order of the words in the sentence structure, not to mention the attributes and complementary. 

The syntagmatic translation of the Koran is permissible, just a way to inform the non-Arab muslims, as long as certain conditions are met: 

I) The translation should not be a substitute for the Koran in Arabic, which must be written alongside the translation itself. 

II) Any translations is not acceptable if not performed by a fluent in Arabic, Muslim interpreters, and connoisseurs of the meanings of the words of the Koran and its exegesis. 

Hence, Muslims refuse the translation of the Koran to non-Arab Muslims. 

 

According to muslims’ concept, the translations are not sacred texts, to be used for Islamic worship, but only serve as a vehicle to communicate its meanings, its rules, rituals ... etc to non-Arab Muslim peoples in their own languages​​. 

In the end, the Prophet did not order to translate the Quran into another language. So his companions have not translated the Koran. 

 

Here is our answer. 

 

AA) On the issue of the Arabic language. 

The Islamic claim of superiority of the Arabic language is somewhat absurd. Arabic is a quite recent language, originally very poor. If not for the words acquired during the three centuries of its development of Islam, provided by the Syriac and other Semitic languages ​​before, not after, it would not be a language suitable for communication between people. Historically, since that time, the Arab remained static for 10 centuries, and is now rigid and static. 

It is worth mentioning that until the third century of the Hegira, many verbs and key words were missing in the Arabic language, including the use of foreign words in the Koran. The language of the Arabs was almost devoid of the entries concerning science and civilization, and to this day, the Arab can not assimilate these locutions. 

 

Each language has its philology. Every nation is attached to their own language, and consider it the most beautiful. The Indo-European languages ​​in particular, are very rich from the outset, and open to innovations, differently from Arabic. 

 

BB) Non existance of an order by the Prophet or his Companions to translate the Koran into another language. 

 

We must make it clear that Islam is the religion of the Arabs, for Arabs only. 

1-The Koran is addressed only to the Arabs. 

As mentioned earlier, the Qur'an is a literary piece in Arabic, says the Quran itself: 

(Sura XII, v. 2) “These are signs of the clear Book. An Arabic Koran have we sent it down, that ye might understand it.”. 

(Sura XLIII, v. 3) “Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.”. 

That is, it is a book for you Arabs, in your Arabic language. 

(Sura VI, v. 92) “And this is a Book which We have sent down, blessed and confirming what was before it, that you may warn the Mother of Cities and those around it.” . 

To Muslims, the "Mother of Cities" means the Mecca; therefore, the Koran clearly addressed to the Arabs of Mecca and the Hijaz, the area around. 

The so-called "Muslim Scientists" seek to extend the meaning of the word "around" the whole world! It is another lie, the verse would have to specify that it is "for all people." 

The involvement of the Arabic language emphasizes that the Qur'an is only for Arabs. The reference to the Arabs is also evident in other verses. 

(Sura XXXVI, v. 5-6) “[This is] a revelation of the Exalted in Might, the Merciful, That you may warn a people whose forefathers were not warned, so they are unaware.”. 

This indicates the Arabs, who had no prophets in the past.

There is also a higher accuracy: 

(Surah XXVI, v. 213-214) “So do not invoke with Allah another deity and [thus] be among the punished. And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred.”. 

 

We can say that the Koran was originally intended only for the inhabitants of Mecca, the Quraysh. There is an entire Surah dedicated to them: 

(Sura CVI, Quraysh) “For the ILAF of the Quraysh. Their ILAF in equipping caravans winter and summer. And let them worship the Lord of this house, who hath provided them with food against hunger, And secured them against fear.”. 

N.B. For "this House" means the Ka'aba in Mecca. 

 

There is no verse in the Koran that indicates the universality of the Kor'an itself. 

 

For the most part, the speeches of Muhammad's traditions were always directed to the Arabs, and specifically to those who lived in a restricted area, the Hijaz, the west of the Arabian Peninsula. 

Muhammad declared that Islam was only for Arabs. 

(Abdullah ibn Thabit and other narrators) Omar came to the Prophet and said: Oh “Messenger of Allah”, passing by a jew brother of the Qurayza tribe, he wrote to me some passages from the Torah, want’you to hear them? The face of the "Messenger of Allah" is altered, and I told him: Do not you see the changing face of the "Messenger of Allah"? Then Omar said: We have accepted Allah as our Lord, Islam as a religion and Muhammad as “Messenger of Allah”. The Prophet stretched out, and said: For Whom who holds my life in his hand, If Moses appeared here, and if you followed him abandoning me, you'll be gone astray, you are the nation that touches me, and I am the Prophet who touches you. (Many sources). 

(Yahya Ibn-YA'AMUR, who was charged of the Qur'an dotting) The Caliph OTHMAN said: In the Koran there is catachresis, but the Arabs will correct when they recite its verses. (SAJESTANI, "Book of copies of the Koran," p. 33).

The catachresis is what is not permissible in the language of the Arabs, as well as any linguistic error. This was an implicit recognition by Othman, the third Caliph who made the composition of the Koranic code.

So the Koran is only for Arabs. 

 

2) The falsity of the presumption of spreading Islam outside Arabia. 

In an attempt to dye the Islamic propaganda of universality, reporters Muslims claim that Muhammad wrote proselytizing messages sent to the heads of the Arab tribes and the rulers outside the Arabian peninsula inviting them to Islam. These narratives are unlikely, somewhat false. 

How could they believe the alleged prophecy of an unknown governor from a small area of the Arabian Peninsula? 

Do not forget also the theme of the writing of the Arabic language, which had not yet been set in the time of Muhammad. 

We take what has already been reported: 

(Ibn al-Khatib) The people at the dawn of Islam was short of any art of writing. Were illiterate and Bedouins, compiled the Quran evil. When they started to learn writing, not recorded in art, so were born the differences in the words. (Furqan, p. 57-59). 

 

The Arabic writing was bad until the Abbassid Caliphate. This confute the allegation. 

 

3) The organic linkage between the Koran with the Arabic environment. 

You can clearly see the organic linkage of the Koran with the simple contents  of the geographical area of Arabia, with the habits and with the legacy of the inhabitants of the peninsula, which certainly can not be applied to the others, but that they were also included in any block in 'Islam. 

The historical content of the Koran are also linked to the events of the Arabian Peninsula, among them, the local histories, cultures taken from the nearest stories Persians and Byzantines, called in the Koran "the tales of the ancients. Geographically, the precepts of the Koran can not be applied except in the Arabian Peninsula and in the tropical zones. 

We see two cases. 

- Many issues are related to the desert, as tayammum, that is "pulverale" lustration  (washing with sand). 

(Sura V, v. 9) "... But if do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it.. 

- The Islamic rites. 

The more we deviate from the equator geographic become more significant changes in the length of day and night, even according to the seasons of the year. Coming over the latitudes 67.5 degrees, the daylight is long up to 6 months, while the night lasts 6 months. The prayers prescribed for each day shall be carried out once a year? 

Among other things, Islam provides the lunar year instead of the natural solar calendar. 

 

CC) Translatability of the Koran. 

 

We must not fall into the trap of Muslims when they say that it is impossible to translate the Koran. 

There is not un-translatable text. 

They have been translated various religious texts like the Bible and the Talmud Jewish prayers and sacred texts of the pagan religions, as well as the treasures of the cultural heritage greek-Roman, and other texts. 

No exception to the Koran. 

 

Problems of translation of the Koran. 

I- Language difficulties. 

II- Inconsistency. 

III- The references to mysterious events, which is why different interpretations. 

IV- The absence of the original source. 

 

I- Language difficulties 

We begin to say that the Kran must be translated into the correct Arabic language itself, given the ambiguity of the texts and obsolescence. 

In linguistic terms, errors abound in the Qur'an: 

From the literary point of view, there are many mistakes in the Arabic text of the Koran, which is evident in the following faulty language: 

1 - Inconsistency of speech, such as the mixture between speakers, Allah, Muhammad e somebody else. 

2 - Incomprehensible phrases. 

3 - Points convoluted, played at random. 

4 - Repeating the same word in the same sentence. 

5 - Improper use of the word, which changes its meaning. 

6 - Misspellings of some words. 

7 - Words and unnecessary pieces. 

 

Even these early Muslims took notice of lexical errors. 

(Zubair) I asked Aisha (the baby wife of Muhammad) about the catachresis (i.e. lexical errors) of the Koran ... 

 

We have to re-quot.

(Yahya Ibn-YA'AMUR, who was charged of the Koran dotting, 80 years after death of the Prophet) The Caliph OTHMAN said: In the Koran there is catachresis, but the Arabs will correct when they recite its verses. (SAJESTANI, "Book of copies of the Koran," p. 33).

And non-Arabs, will they? 

These errors, specially concerning the wording are due to setting  of the Koran before the final configeration of the Arabic language as we know it today. 

For the same reason many grammatical mistakes Arabic remained in the Koran. 

 

In the book "Studio 23 years of Muhammad's prophetic career," the author Ali Dashti, who is of Iranian origin, cites some examples of the more than a thousand failures, in the Qur'an, the rules and structures related to Arabic language. The author was imprisoned in Iran since the Khomeini regime, and died mysteriously as a result of having written this book. 

 

The problems specific language of the translation of the Koran. 

 

- Fouls language of the Koran, summarized above. 

- The Arabic Koranic text is devoid of punctuation (exclamation points, question marks, quotation marks, brackets, ellipses, ...), and graphics processing explanatory (indentation, underlining, italics, bolds, etc ...). In particular, use punctuation in the translations for the need to divide tracks long portions in an arbitrary matter is acceptable, is an improvement of the Kor'anic text, but can be considered inaccurate by Muslims. 

- Many words have changed meaning over the course of history. The archaic language of the Koran is not comprehensible to the Arabs. Referred to the need to translate the Koran in modern Arabic. 

- The Koran contains many non Arabic words . 

The words of the Koran, lent from other languages​​, they are difficult to count. 

For a preliminary study: 

(The Foreign Vocabulary of The Koran, Arthur Jeffery, Ph. D. Professor Of Semitic Languages​​). 

SUYOUTI, a muslim scholar, devoted an entire chapter in his book “Itqan, i.e, the Perfection, the science of the Koran, vol. 1, p. 486 and following” to deal with the foreign words, which were not present in the language of the Arabs, but of Persian origin, Nabataean, Ethiopian, Hebrew, and Greek ... etc.. 

The use of foreign locations annihilates a Koranic text. 

(Sura XXXIX, v. 28) "[We gave them] a Qur'an in Arabic, free from crookedness, that they think [Allah].". 

Note that the original verse in Arabic is grammatically flawed. In fact, the translator added, "[We gave them]" to correct the Koranic phrase. In practice, the verse discredits himself! 

The early Muslim commentators of the Qur'an showed inability to provide the meanings of some foreign words, because of their ignorance of other languages. But later, when they had some knowledge, gave new interpretations adapted for this purpose. 

- The existence of words without meaning. 

(Ibn-Abbas, the interpreter par excellence of the Koran, according to Muslims) I know all but four of the Koran: "The two GHUSL" (Sura LXIX, v. 36) and "HANAN" (Sura XIX, v . 13) and "AWAH" (Sura IX, v, 114) and "AL-RAQIM" (Sura XVIII, v. 9). (ITQAN, The Strange in the Koran). 

The more, the titles of many Sure they do not have a meaning, as Ta.Ha (Sura XX), Ya.Sin (Sura XXXVI) and Sad (Sura XXXVIII), and Qaf (Sura L). 

Such words should be left as they are, with the addition of an explanatory note. 

- The Koran also contains phrases with no meaning: 

Let's take an example: 

(Sura II, v. 124) "And Abraham when his Lord tried him with some of His words (orders ??) and he [or Allah] executed them." 

What are these "some words"? and who would be the executor? 

Let's also absurd things: 

(Sura LV, v. 17) "The Lord of the two Easts and Lord of the two Wests." 

We all know that there is only one east and one west. Here the translation is literal seed, and it is right. 

- There are also words in the Koran that have a reverse. 

(Sura XX, v. 15) "Indeed, the Hour is coming - I almost conceal it. 

Always. a tendentious translation in european language of the second piece, try to "adjust" the words of Allah, giving “But I will to keep it hidden”. 

The Day of Resurrection is initially unknown. In this verse, the Qur'an was intended perhaps talk about “showing” instead of hiding! 

- The Arabic language also provides for the dualism, which is often confused with the plural. 

- The style of the various Suras of the Koran is so different as to suggest that it was written by different authors. 

(SUYOUTI) It is not correct to say that the Koran is messages, sermons, poetry or prose, but it is true to say that it is "speaking". (ITQAN, vol. 2, p. 333). 

So a translator will have to change his style in the final product. 

 

 

 II- Inconsistency

The Koran is therefore a literary piece in Arabic, articulated in a big confusing mess. A mixture of religious orders and important legislative issues, along with childish arguments concerning issues housewives of the Prophet of Islam, or trivial events that occurred at the time of Muhammad, as the incident of alleged betrayal of Aisha, the child bride of Muhammad. 

The order of the Koran of today is purely coincidental, not chronological nor thematic. We find the same subject in different Sure, and sometimes contradictions in the content on the same subject. 

Sometimes, you notice the disorder within the same track: 

 

The history of each of the prophets of Israel is told in a scattered here and there in different Sure, and sometimes in different versions. Moses is treated in Suras II, IV, VII, X, XX, XXVI and XXVII. We find the story of Abraham in Suras: III, VI, XI, XIV, XV, XIX, XXI, XXXVII and LI. The same applies to the stories of Noah, Lot, Solomon, Jonah and Jesus, .. etc.. 

 

III-  The references to mysterious events, which is why different interpretation. 

 

In the Koran, we find strange stories dealing:  The prophets - the war against the ants - The Jews transformed into apes and pigs - the story of the camel of Thamud - the Bicorne - the JINN. 

We offer an example. The man and the donkey. 

(Sura II, v. 259) "Or (bethink thee of) the like of him who, passing by a township which had fallen into utter ruin, exclaimed: How shall Allah give this township life after its death? And Allah made him die a hundred years, then brought him back to life. He said: How long hast thou tarried? (The man) said: I have tarried a day or part of a day. (He) said: Nay, but thou hast tarried for a hundred years. Just look at thy food and drink which have not rotted! Look at thine ass! And, that We may make thee a token unto mankind, look at the bones, how We adjust them and then cover them with flesh! And when (the matter) became clear unto him, he said: I know now that Allah is Able to do all things.". 

It is a story without meaning. Allah caused a man to die  with his donkey, then rose again after a 3 hundred years. In all this time, the food he had was cool! 

The mysterious story, no one would know who that man, even where and when it occurred. The so-called "wise Muslims" are reluctant exegesis of the verse in question. It is a story worthy of "Arabian Nights". 

And above all, do not know the moral of this story. 

So in that language means? 

 

IV- The absence of the original source. 

Note that the early Muslims were not in possession of complete copies of the Koran, but only a few verses. 

Even in the twenty-first century there is not an original manuscript of the Koran to read. 

Do not forget the various existing versions currently the Koran, with variation of the texts, even if limited. 

 

 

The existing translations. 

 

Existing translations do not accurately reflect the original text. 

The translators have tried to make scrolling text for the non Arabic reader. In our opinion, they committed a great error in the use of the concepts of Mohammedan traditions and Islamic exegesis in their translations, in order to make understandable the Koran. This involves the translation of Koranic texts. Many of the non-Muslim translators were in good faith. You often notice the effect of their religious faith in the use of terminology sacred, such as the Christian one, not attributable to the Koran (God instead of "Allah" Apostle instead of "Messenger" ... etc..). And here I quote a sentence I read in a book: "there is a danger of giving the impression that we are talking of the same things." 

 

Take the example of the Koranic word RAHMAN. 

All Muslims always repeat, many times the "basmalah", ie, "In the name of Allah, Al-RAHMAN, the merciful." 

If you ask them the meaning of the word RAHMAN, we get nonsense answers. No wonder, SUHAIL Son of AMRO, one of the few who was able to write in Arabic (in Syriac letters) at the time of Muhammad, he said: I swear I do not know what is al-RAHMAN. (Bukhari, vol. 3, n. 861), also (Tabari, Annals, 1/1546). 

The word "RAHMAN" comes from the Hebrew "RAHMANAH," which was the preferred name of the Lord among the Jews of Yemen, is found written in a bas-relief of 458 aD on the rocks in Yemen, more than a hundred years before the birth of Muhammad. 

The Koran explicitly states that the word is not Arabic: 

(Surah XXV, v. 60) "And when it is said to them: Prostrate to the-RAHMAN say: And what is the-RAHMAN?". 

The word has been translated instead "merciful", "mild", "rich in mercy" and "compassion" according to a suggestion of the Islamic exegetes! 

 

The Orientalist Lammens said: Do not we have a good translation of the Qur'an, due to a lack of understanding of the translators of the Koranic text, so much so that it was looking for the meaning of the individual words. The translators did not know fully the Arabic language, vocabulary and syntax, not to mention the rhetorical formulas. 

 

The alleged difficulty of the translation of words in order to represent the connotations, meanings, spirit and eloquence of the Koran, is a false pretense of Islam. In fact, the translation of the Koran in any language, and even translate it into a pure Arabic language understandable to eliminate the ambiguity, it would lose the mysterious aura that surrounds him. 

Even for a native speaker of Arabic, the Koran in its original language, is unintelligible because of its archaic language. To understand the content, you need a separate work of exegesis. These additional work, despite the bias, deception and attempts to cover up the faults literals, they can not even clarify many Koranic verses. 

Using an Arabic dictionary is not needed, because dictionaries have been processed according to the Koran, not vice versa, and derive meanings from the work of exegesis, largely based on Judeo-Christian cultural references.

 

In fact, the Koran has been done only for the Arabs, and they are ordered only to recite it, not to understand it.

 

The translation of the Koran only accentuates the complexity. 

No wonder, all translations of the Qur'an, and also a possible translation into Arabic modern classic, does not leave a good effect on the player due to the loss of ambiguity, the true element of attraction, so does not affect the heart of Muslim or non-Muslim.

A Moroccan, brother RACHID, has translated a very short Sura in the Moroccan dialect, and he immediately noticed the superficiality of the Koran. 

 

After an illustration of the difficulties, we explain the best way to translate the texts of the Qur'an. 

 

The translations made by Muslims, mistakenly called "interpretive translation", while we mark them as "tendentious", would not be correct, because they borrow terms from the works of exegesis mentioned above. If an "interpretive translation" incorporates information from parallel texts, which deceive the reader. 

If the Arabic mother tongue reader finds the  Koran incomprehensible, why should not find the same in different language? An important contributory factor to reject the translation of the Muslims is the tendency to mask the absurd things contained in the Koran, fully accepted by the Arab mind and to a large extent by the Muslims, but rejected by the logically thinking people! 

 

Therefore, you can not trust the translations of Arab Muslims, they want to hide the facts. 

We say that it is desirable to achieve an honest translation of the Koran, because the world has become a global village. 

As said, it serves well as a "translation" of the entire Quran in modern Arabic, in spite of the Islamists. 

 

In our opinion, in order to translate correctly the Koran, you will have to entrust the translation to native Arabic Orientalists, non-Muslims. The non-Arabic words should be transliterated, adding a footer, or in italics between parentheses, a note about the real meaning of each word according to the interpretation of Islam, with the appropriate criticism and correction.

The mysterious phrases and ambiguous ones need to be translated as they are, in a semi literal, always adding a note about the interpretation of Islam, also here with the necessary critical, leaving the reader the freedom to believe or not to content. 

For this, you need to understand the environment of the Koran, the reason and the context of the "revelation" of each verse. 

A colossal work of a team of non muslim requires a sponsorship! 

 

The translator can rigorously quote from the best previous translations, to make use of the language skills of others. We need to find the weak points, and to identify the "manipulated" pieces and falsehoods introduced, intentionally or not, to make the changes necessary to develop a correct translation and reliable. 

A certain bias can be detected by the Muslims, but will be taken into consideration, if it is objective, or disproved in a subsequent edition.