Translating The Quran And Islam, what the title says Options

[Moussa92]

Not really sure how controversial this topic is, but hey. Lets give it a shot.

Basically, I think the idea of having an purely Arabic Islam is the most close-minded thing we can do.

for several reasons:

1. Restricting Islam to one language means possible muslims have to learn that language.
2. Learning the language helps slow down conversion.
3. It limits converts.
4. If they DO end up converting, they learn the Quran is Arabic and understand NOTHING, since they are taught they have to read the Quran.


There no point to have them speak, pray....etc in a language they don't understand.

And don't try to say that "Arabic is the name of Allah"

That is a bunch of bull..... because had The Prophet been in france, Islam today would have been in French.

Also God spoke to All the previous Prophets in Arabic? when Arabic didn't even exist? NO. He didn't. He spoke in the language they understood (or Gabriel did so as messenger angel)

The only valid argument is that it's difficult to translate the Quran and prayer because it could help deviate off the original meaning, HOWEVER, this can be easily overcome.

translations don't have to be word for word if the word can't be found, Clerks work with translators, with more Scholars to come up with an appropriate translation approved by more than one scholar in Islamic studies, and translators.

alrighty, discuss away.

[Moussa92]

Chrisitianity had the same problem earlier on, about translating the Bible from Latin, and they got through? why can't we?

[blessing]

There are translations of the quran in various languages..

So, what's the question?

Learning and understanding the Quran is necessary for everyone. Just because someone doesn't take the initiative to go out of their way and study arabic, that doesn't make Islam close-minded, it's people with the problem.

I was born in England, my parents are Bangladeshi, no one in our generation speaks Arabic, and for ages we were told just to read the Quran. Then, I went to a school and learnt classical Arabic for five years, so now, when I read, I can understand it too. It's like reading a book in English for me. So, I completely agree:

There no point to have them speak, pray....etc in a language they don't understand.

Why doesn't everybody just learn Arabic? I actually think it's beautiful that Muslims have one language to unite us all..but even so, if there is such a massive problem, why don't people just use a translation of the Quran/duas etc ? I mean come on, this is religion we're talking about, you can't just have everything on a plate, you have to work too

And don't try to say that "Arabic is the name of Allah"

Yeah, no, I don't really get what you mean by that. I've never heard anything more ridiculous to be honest. Allah is Arabic, yes, but that doesn't mean Arabic is specific to Muslims, nor does it mean that Allah only understands Arabic :S Gosh, how inconvenient would that be?!

because had The Prophet been in france, Islam today would have been in French.

Yeah that's true, I doubt anyone denies that. The Quran was revealed in Arabic because the Prophet , and the people it was revealed directly to, were arabs. It'd be a bit silly if the Quran was revealed in Japanese and was meant for the Arabs

Also God spoke to All the previous Prophets in Arabic? when Arabic didn't even exist? NO. He didn't. He spoke in the language they understood (or Gabriel did so as messenger angel)

Again I don't really get this. Did Arabic all of a sudden exist one day?

Anyways, yeah, like I said before, Allah is not restricted to anything.

However, classical Arabic is a beautiful, mysterious language and it can't really be compared to any other. Also, the language of the people in Jannah will be Arabic..so there's another beauty of the language. But if it is such a big pain to learn it, yeah, go for the translation, there is really no problem..

[Moussa92]

yea, don't get me wrong.

I know arabic fluently and love it. Lived in the middle east for about ten years growing up there, but i'm talking about people that just don't want to learn arabic.

Learning a language isn't easy and many aren't going to go the extra mile to learn it.


I know there are translations of the Quran. I have several myself, but they need to be more widespread, that is my point.

Just a fun fact: Allah isn't Arabic. It's Arameic. Arabic's sister language.



You don't seem to disagree the Arabic is the language of god, so i don't think it's worth pursuing anymore.

What do you mean that language in Heaven will be Arabic? care to expand on that?

[blessing]

The language of the people in heaven:

Ibn Abbas narrates that Nabi Sallallahu Alaihi wasallam said :
"Love the Arabs for 3 things :
1. because I am an Arab,
2. the Quran is in Arabic and
3. the language of the people of jannat is Arabic." (Baihaqi in Shuabul Iman.)

But, I'm not sure on the authenticity of this hadith, so rather than using the hadith as a proof that it is compulsory to learn arabic or anything...I'd just use this as a virtue of the language.

Wallahu A'lam.

[Moussa92]

i personally don't put much faith into any hadith, even though agreed on by everyone since they are so prone to human changes.

but for one, i refuse to believe that God would belittle himself in the language of humans.

Maybe some kind of universal language not spoken by anyone........ just thinking to myself i guess......

but i can't think that they would speak it in heaven, since so many prophets DON'T speak arabic. Except for one. The Last one.

[blessing]

but for one, i refuse to believe that God would belittle himself in the language of humans.

Again, I'd like to reiterate the fact that God is not restricted to one language, this hadith does not refer to the language God communicates in.

but i can't think that they would speak it in heaven, since so many prophets DON'T speak arabic. Except for one. The Last one.

Okay, this hadith does not say that only Arabic speakers will enter Jannah. Nor does it say that everyone who speaks Arabic will enter Jannah. It just says that the inhabitants of Jannah will speak Arabic-after they die, upon entering Jannah.. This has nothing to do with whether the person knew Arabic or not before they died. It's also not saying that it is necessary for you to learn Arabic in order for you to enter Paradise, so your statement doesn't really stand. Do you see what I mean?

But also, I'd like to make it clear that this hadith isn't deemed to be very authentic, I just used it to answer your previous query. We'll not know for sure until we enter Paradise, InshaAllah. Wallahu A'lam.

[The7th]

Assalaamu Alaikum;

I understand what you are saying, the Qur'an is written in Arabic, that's for sure. But some translations seem like leading people to ridiculuos meanings and false perceptions.

Take for an example, the word "iqra" , the first word that Jibril said to Muhammad. The translation is "read". If we observe it carefully and if we understand history and have a thorough knowledge about Muhammad (The Prophet), we will surely know that the translation is absolutely wrong.

History knows that Muhammad (The Prophet) is not a man who is able neither to read, nor to write untill death came to him. There is no single evidence that he has made any handwriting or what soever that could be considered as his handwritings. The Qur'an itself is written by many persons other than him. So, whatever Jibril said to him at that time, definitely not "read". The other translation of "iqra" is "recite". This is also false, becouse the word "iqra" can only means "recite" if the word is spoken to a woman. Since The Prophet is not a woman, the translation is definitely wrong. So, whoever done the translation were surely has never been under thorough knowledge about what happened at that time and has no depth understanding about the word.

Well, the story is, the translation has been used throughout the word. So, the whole world has got the wrong message about what has going on at that time. They have jump into false perceptions simply becouse the wrong idea that is told through false translation. Even the Arabs also believe that Jibril was telling Muhammad (The Prophet) to read. They believe the concept without understanding, without examinations, without prove. They simply follow.

They are selling the big idea that Allah has sent Jibril to someone who is not able to read or write and say "read" to the person. Allah, The Almighty would never be so foolish enough to do such a thing. If He wanted Muhammad to be able to read, so it will happened after that or before that. And we all know the truth that Muhammad has never been able to read or to write for his whole life.

My message to muslims around the world is; what is the real meaning and the real translation of "iqra" ?.
It is the first word that Muhammmad ever heard from Jibril, and it is the beginning of all the message, that means it is the beginning of the whole thing in Islam itself.

Anybody knows? Please reply

Salaamu Alaikum

[Al-Din'As-Darfur]

i personally don't put much faith into any hadith, even though agreed on by everyone since they are so prone to human changes.

but for one, i refuse to believe that God would belittle himself in the language of humans.

Maybe some kind of universal language not spoken by anyone........ just thinking to myself i guess......

but i can't think that they would speak it in heaven, since so many prophets DON'T speak arabic. Except for one. The Last one.

The same guy that says: " Christians translated the bible into latin and they got through" says, "I dont trust hadith because they're prone to human changes".

Thanks for answering your own question, the quran was revealed in arabic, why? You'll probably never know in this lifetime.

It was, you read it in arabic, and thats the only way its meaning is preserved. If you want to learn the TRUE meaning of the quran go learn arabic. Not from whatever country you lived in but straight fusha.