Translation of Islamic Texts An Introduction Islamic Translation

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Translation of Islamic Texts: An Introduction Islamic Translation 1 st Lecture 1437 -1438

Translation of Islamic Texts: An Introduction Islamic Translation 1 st Lecture 1437 -1438

 • What do you know about Islamic Translation? • What do you want

• What do you know about Islamic Translation? • What do you want to know? • What do you expect to get out of this class?

Which is more difficult: religious or literary translation? And why? • Religious translation is

Which is more difficult: religious or literary translation? And why? • Religious translation is more difficult because “the subject matter of religious texts implies the existence of spiritual world that is not fictive, but has its own external realities and truths. The author is understood not to be free to create the world that animates the subject matter, but to be merely instrumental in exploring it” Dickens et al. (2002: 178).

Islamic texts, mainly the Quran, is more difficult to translate than the Bible and

Islamic texts, mainly the Quran, is more difficult to translate than the Bible and other religious texts, why?

Requirements of an Islamic Translator: • Islamic Knowledge • Knowledge of Arabic Syntax •

Requirements of an Islamic Translator: • Islamic Knowledge • Knowledge of Arabic Syntax • Being bicultural & bilingual • Faithfulness & sincerity in conveying the meanings of texts

Translation of Islamic Texts: Strategies for Translating Religionspecific Terms

Translation of Islamic Texts: Strategies for Translating Religionspecific Terms

1. Phonological Borrowing a) Transference ( )ﺍﻟﻨﻘﻞ ● = ﺍﻟﺠﻬﺎﺩ Jihad ● = ﻣﻜﺔ

1. Phonological Borrowing a) Transference ( )ﺍﻟﻨﻘﻞ ● = ﺍﻟﺠﻬﺎﺩ Jihad ● = ﻣﻜﺔ Makkah

1. Phonological Borrowing b) Naturalization ( )ﺍﻟﺘﻄﺒﻴﻊ Orthodox = ﺍﻷﺮﺛﻮﺩﻛﺴﻴﺔ ● = ﻣﻜﺔ Mecca

1. Phonological Borrowing b) Naturalization ( )ﺍﻟﺘﻄﺒﻴﻊ Orthodox = ﺍﻷﺮﺛﻮﺩﻛﺴﻴﺔ ● = ﻣﻜﺔ Mecca ● Radicalism = ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺩﻳﻜﺎﻟﻴﺔ ●

4. Descriptive Equivalent )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺍﺩﻑ ( ﺍﻟﻮﺻﻔﻲ • = ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻊ divorce initiated by wife

4. Descriptive Equivalent )ﺍﻟﻤﺮﺍﺩﻑ ( ﺍﻟﻮﺻﻔﻲ • = ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻊ divorce initiated by wife

5. Synonym ● = ﺍﻟﻮﺿﻮﺀ ablution (ritual purification)

5. Synonym ● = ﺍﻟﻮﺿﻮﺀ ablution (ritual purification)

6. Modulation ( )ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻮﻳﺮ ● = ﻛﺎﻓﺮ non-Muslim (rather than infidel OR unbeliever)

6. Modulation ( )ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻮﻳﺮ ● = ﻛﺎﻓﺮ non-Muslim (rather than infidel OR unbeliever)

7. Compensation ● = ﺍﻟﺤﺞ Pilgrimage to Makkah

7. Compensation ● = ﺍﻟﺤﺞ Pilgrimage to Makkah

8. Notes, additions, glosses • Glossary at end of book • Footnotes or endnotes

8. Notes, additions, glosses • Glossary at end of book • Footnotes or endnotes • Partial or full explanation either in parenthesis or free in the text after the italicized term

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 1. Capitalization In the Name of Allah, the Most

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 1. Capitalization In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 2. Vocative ( )ﺍﻟﻨﺪﺍﺀ O God O you who

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 2. Vocative ( )ﺍﻟﻨﺪﺍﺀ O God O you who believe

PRACTICE: ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺃﻌﻨﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺫﻛﺮﻙ ﻭﺷﻜﺮﻙ ﻭﺣﺴﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺩﺗﻚ O Allah! Assist me in remembering

PRACTICE: ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺃﻌﻨﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺫﻛﺮﻙ ﻭﺷﻜﺮﻙ ﻭﺣﺴﻦ ﻋﺒﺎﺩﺗﻚ O Allah! Assist me in remembering You, in thanking You, and in worshipping You in the best of manners

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ “a direct address language” used

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ “a direct address language” used for: • Command • Advice • Supplication

3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ • Imperative + vocative (Servants of Allah! Fear Allah)

3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ • Imperative + vocative (Servants of Allah! Fear Allah)

3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ • Imperative + 3 rd Person Pronouns “Let those (believers)

3. Imperative( )ﺻﻴﻐﺔ ﺍﻷﻤﺮ • Imperative + 3 rd Person Pronouns “Let those (believers) who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter fight in the Cause of Allah”

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 4. Subjunctives God bless you God forbid God save

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 4. Subjunctives God bless you God forbid God save the Queen Praise be to Allah

Practice: ● ● ● ● ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ May peace & blessings of

Practice: ● ● ● ● ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ May peace & blessings of Allah be upon him ﺭﺿﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻨﻪ May Allah be pleased with him ﺭﺣﻤﻪ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ May Allah have mercy on him ﺳﺒﺤﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ Glory be to Allah

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 5. Compounds (N + Adj. ) Allah Almighty

Syntactic Features of Islamic Translation 5. Compounds (N + Adj. ) Allah Almighty