Disturbed By All the Different Quran Translations

[kashif_nazeer]

Simply learning Arabic won't help you understand the Quran on it's own. I myself have studies fussHa Arabic and despite being able to understand a few sentences here and there, there's no way I can manage without the English translation.

What might help is if you live in a country where the dialect is spoken. That way, you'll gain a better understanding of the language. I know that Muhammad Asad (a Quran translator) lived with a beduoin tribe for YEARS before undertaking the responsibility of translating the Quran which took him 17 years to do.

Is it really that difficult to comprehend why a translation is so important? So many people keep mentioning that the Quran is uncorrupted and that's a GIVEN but an accurate translation is extremely significant. I really don't know how else to say it.

Jazakallah Khair for your advice sister.
I do prefer Sahih international myself,since many people recommended it.Plus I think,we can do this,maybe take all the translations together and compare them,like a a translation should be published having all these translations together in it.I don't know if it's feasible,but then it's my own thought.

 

[ShahnazZ]

Jazakallah khair to everyone for their great responses. I'm feeling better now alhamdulillah.

The best approach is a limited approach where you do a little at a time. I think that helps reflection and allows the person to encompass the information in a retaining way.

IMHO, this is the best way.

This opinion is in line with my mother's. She basically stated that this is what tadabbur is for. That this is what Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala means when He tells us to ponder His Verses. That we shouldn't simply read over them and absorb them without thinking about them. That there was a reason the Quran was revealed in 23 years as opposed to a week or whatnot and that the Sahabah spent so much time pondering even one ayah.

I think for me, the key is tadabbur and many translations. People usually keep more than one translation in their homes. It could possibly be for this reason and I just joined the party late.

BarakAllahu feekum to everyone again.

 

[khangul]

:salam2:


sister what about saheeh international?? i would recommend that one.

 

[Ershad]

Jazakallah khair to everyone for their great responses. I'm feeling better now alhamdulillah.



This opinion is in line with my mother's. She basically stated that this is what tadabbur is for. That this is what Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala means when He tells us to ponder His Verses. That we shouldn't simply read over them and absorb them without thinking about them. That there was a reason the Quran was revealed in 23 years as opposed to a week or whatnot and that the Sahabah spent so much time pondering even one ayah.

I think for me, the key is tadabbur and many translations. People usually keep more than one translation in their homes. It could possibly be for this reason and I just joined the party late.

BarakAllahu feekum to everyone again.

:salam2:

Exactly..Exactly that is what He says. When I read Qur'an, I will feel as if Allah is talking to me through Qur'an:

He asks us to contemplate about the messages in various occasions. I was talking to my mother about this today and she mentioned me about this (she was very happy that she was able to understand Qur'aan more this Ramadaan). So I did a check and it is true indeed:

"...In this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think." [39:42]


"Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who use their reason." [30:28]

"Nay, but this [divine writ] consists of messages self-evident in the breasts of those who have
been given knowledge - and none could knowingly reject Our messages unless it be such as
would do wrong [to themselves]." [29:49]

"This divine writ - let there be no doubt about it - is a guidance for all the God-conscious..."
[2:2]


"[O men!] We have now bestowed upon you from on high a divine writ containing all that you
ought to bear in mind: will you not, then, use your reason?" [21:10]

And in the end he also says,

"In time, We shall make them fully understand Our messages [through what they perceive] in
the utmost horizons [of the universe] and within themselves, so that it will become clear unto
them this [revelation] is indeed the truth. Is it not enough that thy Sustainer is witness unto
everything?" [41:53]

Just felt like posting. I found these surah beautiful.

Jazakallahu Khair!

 

[Isra]

As salamo alaikome

I have a translation by Saheeh International and it has been my only Quran since I began learning about Islam. I havent compared it to other translations but for me this one is sufficient because its very understandable. Not to mention the book I have in my possession is what made me turn to Islam. Alhamdulillah.

I trust in Allah that even if the translations are not exact he wont let a servant HE guided become misguided due to something beyond our control especially when he promised us he would protect Quran. Maybe that is naive thinking but it works for me!

wa salam

 

[your-sister]

Salaam alaikum!

^No sister, not naive thinking at all. Allaah azza wa jall is not one to break His promise!(wa'ada-Allahi laa yukhlifullaahu wa'dah) it's just us humans that have so little trust In His abilities..subhanallah!

Sister ShahnaZ, what of Ibn Katheer's Tafseer ? Have you tried that yet..? Although yeah, his tafseer was originally in Arabic but I find it to be the safest for anyone in doubt of the other ones... This one is like three stages(Qur'an itself- Mufassir ibb katheer--the English translator) while the rest are just two(Qur'an and direct translation to English/another lang.).

 

[Isra]

Salaam alaikum!

^No sister, not naive thinking at all. Allaah azza wa jall is not one to break His promise!(wa'ada-Allahi laa yukhlifullaahu wa'dah) it's just us humans that have so little trust In His abilities..subhanallah!

Wa alaikome salam

Jazakallah khairan sis that was my way of thinking too! :wink:

wa salam

 

[MohammedMaksudul]

:salam2:

Try Sahih international. It is the most literal translation out there with no extra commentaries. I too own a translation from Muhsin Khan. And by the way Quran talks against the Jews, Christians and non-believers in what ever translation you might want to read. So yes, it is anti-semitic, anti-christian. These are the people who slander against Allaah and they expect the Quran to treat them with respect. The jews are like those donkeys with books on their heads, but to no avail. They can not gain from the knowledge of those books. And there is no hard-line, apologetic translation if you go by the literal one. But the deviants twist the meaning and put on their on intepretation.

 

[MohammedMaksudul]

:salam2:

Best of all learn the Quranic Arabic and then you wouldn't need a translation.

 

[ShahnazZ]

:salam2:

Best of all learn the Quranic Arabic and then you wouldn't need a translation.

I did. You still need the translation.

Can we please read all the responses in a thread before responding? I previously addressed this statement twice already in this very thread.

 

[MohammedMaksudul]

:salam2:

Sorry, it is sometimes hard to read through all the responses. Just scrolled through.

 

[kalamazoo]

Bismilahi Rahmani Rahiim

Alhamdulilah Wasalatu Wasalaam Ala Rasulullah Wa-ala-alihi Wa-as-habihi Ajmain.

I too had similar wanting to know I mean finding the Truth, and in a matter of fact it is by Allahs' Rizk to find the ones below; i know not all accept that- but WHERE THEN CAN I FIND A BETTER ONE?

YR THREAD # 1

Basically, it is suggested that every translation seems to be somewhat tainted by certain surrounding contexts. There are some translations that were written when anti-Zionism was on the rise, others that were written when the divide between India and Pakistan was taking effect. These external issues should in no way, shape or form touch the Words of Allah in His Book. So now, which translation can I trust without having to worry about whose being influenced by Saudi politics, Pakistani culture, Western values, etc.?

Please do try the below links.

http://www.englishtafsir.com/


http://www.tafheem.net/tafheem.html

what i suggested is TO TRY; and i am here to hear, the mere advice, is to read it all:-

An Introduction to the understanding of the Qur'an
Syed Abul A'ala Maududi

can find that Introduction..click on the left hand of:-

http://www.tafheem.net/tafheem.html

betweeen dates and surat al fatiha.

thank you; for your Fact finding Post.

 

[PeacefulHumanity]

:salam2:

The issue is somewhat unavoidable in that humans are trying to take the perfect speech of Allah (SWT) and put into their own words and languages, which is inherently error-prone. The only real way to get the full message of the Quran in its original, untainted form would be to learn Arabic, but at the age of 5, learning a new language becomes very difficult and time consuming. That is to say that it isn't as natural as when you are first learning to speak and the synapses in your brain are still making connections. My other suggestion would be to read more than one translation of the meanings to at least remove some of the bias. Peace and have a nice day.