Two Unique Translations of the Qurʾan

By Gabriel Reynolds

If you can’t judge a book by its cover perhaps you can by its title. The “Hilali-Khan” translation of the Qurʾan is entitled Interpretation of the Meanings of the Noble Qurʾan in the English Language: A Summarized Version of At-Ṭabarī, Al-Qurtubi and Ibn Kathir with comments from Sahih al-Bukhari. With this title readers are reminded that a translation of the Qurʾan should not be confused with the Qurʾan itself, even while they are assured that this translation is based on reliable Sunni authorities who interpret the Qurʾan in the light of hadith. The Hilali Khan translation is published by Dar-us-Salam, a Saudi publisher (with an American office in Houston) connected with the King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qurʾan in Medina. In fact the translation of Muhammad Taqi al-Din al-Hilali (of Saudi Arabia) and Muhammad Muhsin Khan (of Pakistan, translator of the Dar-us-Salam Arabic-English version of Bukhari’s Sahih) is subsidized by the Saudi government and distributed for free in many mosques and to many libraries throughout the English speaking world; it was chosen to replace the translation of Yusuf Ali, a translation considered suspect by certain tradition-minded Sunnis.

However, the Hilali-Khan translation has been criticized for the manner in which hadith – including those with an anti-Jewish or anti-Christian flavor — are integrated into the translation. The most famous example of this is verse 7 of al-Fatiha, which Hilali-Khan renders: “The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).” Yet it seems to me that there is something felicitous about the interpretive style of Hilalli-Khan translation. All translations in the end are interpretations, and at least Hilali-Khan are truthful in their advertising. In addition, their translation offers frequent citations (in English) of those hadith which are central to the tradition-minded Sunni reading of the Qurʾan. For example, on Q 17:79 (which refers to a maqam mahmud, “a station of praise”) they cite the following hadith, “On the Day of Resurrection the people will fall on their knees and every nation will follow their Prophet and they will say, “O so-and-so! Intercede (for us with Allah)’, till (the right of) intercession will be given to the Prophet (Muhammad) and that will be the day when Allah will raise him to Maqam Mahmud.” These sorts of references make Hilali-Khan a useful reference work.

Quite unlike the English translation of Hilali-Khan, and yet unique and useful in its own way, is the French translation of (the Swiss-Palestinian) Sami Awad Aldeed Abu-Sahlieh. One thing that Abu-Sahlieh’s translation does have in common with that of Hilali-Khan is a long title: Le Coran: Version bilingue arabe-française, ordre chronologique selon l’Azhaar, renvois aux variantes, abrogations et aux écrits juifs et chrétiens (The Qurʾan: A Bilingual Arabic French Version in the Chronological Order of al-Azhar, with References to Variants, Abrogations, and Jewish and Christian Writings). As advertised, the translation of Abu-Sahlieh begins not with al-Fatiha but instead with al-ʿAlaq (96) the Sura which appears first in most traditional lists of the chronological order in which the angel Gabriel revealed the Qurʾan to the Prophet. It ends not with al-Nas (114) but with al-Nasr (110).

Meanwhile Abu-Sahlieh includes references throughout his translation to traditional variant readings (qiraʾat), to reports on which verses (according to the tradition) abrogate or are abrogated, and to parallel or otherwise relevant texts from the Bible or other Jewish and Christian writings, notably the Talmud. Thus for the ending of Qurʾan 9:77 yakdhibuna (“They used to tell lies”) Abu Sahlieh notes the variant yukadhdhibuna (“They used to deny”). Three verses later, regarding Qurʾan 9:80 (“Whether or not you ask forgiveness of them, even if you ask forgiveness of them seventy times, God will never forgive them….”) Abu Sahlieh notes: A. the verse is abrogated by Q 63:5 and B. 70 is the same number given for mutual forgiveness in Matthew 18:22. Readers might be critical of certain aspects of Abu Sahlieh’s approach, but they will likely also be grateful for the references that make his translation, like that of Hilali Khan, a useful reference work.

An Open Letter to Members of SBL

Since its press release in May 29, 2012 the International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA) has received the support of the academy as well as the public. In the months following, the media took much interest in IQSA, as well as SBL’s instrumental role in supporting this Qur’anic Studies initiative. Thanks to this widespread recognition, university professors, graduate students and academic institutions around the world continue to reach out to us and form valuable partnerships with IQSA. As co-directors of this initiative, we understand that forming meaningful relationships with sister organizations will be key to the success and growth of IQSA in the long term. We would like to take this opportunity to reach out to the members of SBL especially, and inform them about the vision of this initiative and their role within it.

On November 18-19, 2012 IQSA will hold its first organizational meeting in Chicago. Its co-directors and steering committee will discuss several important matters, including governance, publishing, relationship building, fund raising and planning our first meeting in 2013, alongside SBL’s annual meeting. Our provisional plan is for our annual meetings to alternate between North America (alongside SBL) and a site in the Islamic world. We also plan on establishing a journal, a newsletter, and a monograph series that will publish in English as well as Arabic. We want IQSA to be ‘the place’ where Qur’anic Studies scholars from around the world, especially those in Western and Islamic countries, talk to one another, share cutting edge research, collaborate and publish their work. The collegial environment we will work towards will also make IQSA a center that fosters respect and mutual understanding through scholarship.

One of the program units to be housed at IQSA conferences will explore the Qur’an’s dialogue with Biblical Literature; another will likely study the text in light of Semitic Linguistics. These areas of scholarship will prove to be a ‘bridge’ between members of IQSA and those of SBL. Scholars of Biblical Studies will have the opportunity to learn how Biblical traditions were adapted within the Qur’anic milieu. And scholars of Qur’anic Studies can learn how the text belongs to ‘the world of the Bible.’ You are invited to visit the initiative’s blog (http://iqsaweb.org), subscribe to IQSA’s e-mail list and keep up to date with our news and posts. We thank SBL for its support and look forward to working with its members.

Sincerely,

Emran El-Badawi, codirector

Gabriel Said Reynolds, codirector

Notes on Website Translations of the Qurʾan

By Gabriel Reynolds

Perhaps the most obvious way in which studying the Qurʾan in the internet age differs from that of ages past is the ease of accessing numerous translations of the Qurʾan. In his 1953 article “Some Minor Problems in the Qurʾān,” Franz Rosenthal analyzes 46 different translations of the term al-ṣamad (Q 112:2). One imagines that his office must have been quite a mess of open books and tattered pieces of paper serving as bookmarks.

Today a single website – islamawakened.com – offers 41 different English translations of each verse with a single click (and tomorrow there may be more). These websites (of which there are a number; maktabah.org, for example, has translations of the Qurʾan in 66 different languages, and al-quran.info into 40 languages) are undoubtedly useful, but in using them a few cautionary notes might be kept in mind.

First, it often seems that the multiplication of verses has a diminishing rate of return; that is, a scholar interested in understanding a difficult Qurʾanic passage (say, Q 3:3-4; 12:110; 13:33; or 108:1), will usually not learn much more about it by consulting 40 different translations, as opposed to 4.

Second, many of these websites categorize translations in religious terms. Islamawakened does so as follows:

1. Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning

2. Controversial, Deprecated, or Status Undetermined Works

3. Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist Works

The editors of the website put Yusuf Ali’s original translation under category 2, but the later (Saudi-sponsored) edited version of this translation under category 1. Evidently philological rigor may not always be the standard for privileging certain translations. It should also be noted that under “non-Muslim translations” most websites tend not to include those translations generally seen as standard in the academy. Thus George Sale’s outdated English translation is found on most sites, but those current in the academy like Blachère’s French translation and Paret’s German translation are almost never found (this is the case, for example, with both maktabah.org and al-quran.info).

The case of translations suggests that studying the Qurʾan in the internet age can be tricky in its own way. Other cases, however, are more auspicious. Websites with other tools for the study of the Qurʾan — such as tanzil.net and corpus.quran.com — are exceptionally useful, although an explanation of their usefulness will have to wait for a future post!

Qur’anic Studies around the World

By Emran El-Badawi

There are several research projects, journals, conferences and other initiatives dedicated to the academic study of the Qur’an around the world. One of IQSA’s goals is to give scholars from these different international initiatives the opportunity to meet regularly.

The Qur’an Seminar meets 5 times throughout 2012-13 at the University of Notre Dame. This conference series is directed by Gabriel Reynolds (associate professor of Theology, University of Notre Dame) and Mehdi Azaiez (PhD, Université Aix-Provence). The seminar allows invited participants to share their insights on 50 central passages distributed throughout the Qur’an text. The work of the participants will eventually be collected, edited and published. See in relation the Qur’an in Its Historical Context.

The Corpus Coranicum is a project directed by Angelika Neuwirth (professor of Semitic and Arabic Studies, Freie Universität Berlin) and Michael Marx, and it belongs to the Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Included in the work of the Corpus Coranicum is research on the paleography and intertextuality of the Qur’an.

Among the academic journals in this area is the Journal of Qur’anic Studies (JQS), whose editor in chief is M.A.S. Abdel Haleem (professor of Islamic Studies, School of African and Oriental Studies, University of London). Another biennial journal is Al-Bayan: Journal of Qur’an and Hadith Studies, whose editor in chief is Faisal Bin Ahmad Shah (senior lecturer, al-Qur’an & al-Hadith Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya).

The Integrated Encyclopedia of the Qur’an (EIQ) is a seven volume reference work that originated as a joint academic venture between the Center for Islam and Science, Canada and the Society for Qur’anic Studies, Pakistan. Among other things, EIQ preserves centuries worth of classical Islamic scholarship on the Qur’an. This publication is not related to the Encyclopedia of the Qur’an (EQ) published by E.J. Brill.

The International Institute of Qur’anic Studies (IIQS), which was co-founded by H.E. Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid and Dr. Syafi’i Ma’arif, explores the intersection between modern scholarship and the study of the Qur’an in Indonesia. The institute belongs to the organization LibForAll, chaired by Holland Taylor, and has worked with the late Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd (d. 2010).

For more information on Qur’anic Studies around the world visit the External Resources link.

IQSA in the News

By Gabriel Reynolds

The establishment of a consultation dedicated to the foundation of a learned society for Qurʾanic Studies– the International Qurʾanic Studies Association (IQSA) – was announced on May 29, 2012. Since that time a number of media outlets have published articles on IQSA, which will become the first learned society dedicated to the study of the Qurʾan when it is formally founded in 2015. The following may be of particular interest:

– “For Koranic Studies, a Scholarly Society is Born.” The Chronicle of Higher Education (June 6,
2012).
– “Across Religions, Persistent Battles Over What the Faithful May Read.” The New York Times
(June 8, 2012)
– “Anti-Muslim Video – One More Reason for Independent Scholarship on the Qurʾan.” The
Christian Science Monitor (September 14, 2012).

On this blog we will be regularly adding posts on a range of engaging topics connected to the study of
the Qurʾan: from the world of academia, popular culture, and international affairs. By following IQSA
by email, facebook, or twitter (see the fields on the left-hand column of the blog) you will be notified
immediately when new posts appear. You will also be included among the IQSA community of scholars,
and be the first to receive information regarding our developing plans for conferences and publications on
the Qurʾan. We are eager to reach out to all those who are interested in the study of the Qurʾan!

Society of Biblical Literature Supports Exploration of Qur’an Scholar Network

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE SUPPORTS EXPLORATION OF QUR’AN SCHOLAR NETWORK

ATLANTA, May 29, 2012 – The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) has been awarded a $140,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support a three-year consultation that will explore the formation of an independent network of Qur’anic scholars. This international consultation will meet to evaluate and frame a vision and mission for a professional organization, namely, a *Society for Qur’anic Studies.

“Considering the enormous cultural importance and global influence of the Qur’an, a pressing need exists for an independent and self-defined association of scholars of the Qur’an to do collaborative research and to enrich and inform courses at colleges and universities,” says John F. Kutsko, executive director of SBL and director of the initiative.

The goal of the consultation is to give the academic study of the Qur’an the attention it deserves, says Kutsko, who is also affiliate professor of biblical studies at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University. “By providing more opportunity for research and by bringing more conversation into the classroom, such an organization will also foster mutual understanding and appreciation in the public square.”

“The level of interest in the Qur’an and Islam in the West today is unprecedented. Questions surrounding the Qur’an and its teaching on religious, social and political issues are increasingly raised in educational institutions and popular literature,” says Emran El-Badawi, Assistant Professor of Arab Studies at the University of Houston and co-director of the consultation. “A vast and ever-growing number of websites and online forums are devoted to discussions on the meaning and interpretation of the Qur’an, but no learned society dedicated to the study of the Qur’an exists.”

A Society for Qur’anic Studies (SQS) would play an important role as a meeting place where scholars and students of the Qur’an might present their particular contributions to the study of the Qur’an, while learning from others, says El-Badawi.

At the same time, an SQS would foster the study of the text for its own sake. “The Qur’an is a work of extraordinary importance, both for its witness to the rise of Islam, and for its central place in Islamic societies through the centuries and still today,” says Gabriel Said Reynolds,

Tisch Family Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Theology at the University of Notre Dame and co-director of the consultation.

The network will be an academic forum in which scholars from around the world discuss and publish scholarship on the Qur’an. “Participants will be encouraged to share diverse perspectives and cutting edge research on the Qur’an’s language, its dialogue with other scriptures, and the context in which the text arose,” notes Reynolds. “By approaching the Qur’an as an historical, literary and religious text, SQS will demonstrate the extraordinary and wide-ranging scholarly value of the Qur’an.”

“It cannot be overstated that the agenda of the scholars in this consultation will not be determined or directed by SBL,” says Kutsko. He emphasizes that SBL will serve only to provide the logistical support for Qur’anic scholars to foster their work.

“The guiding principle for the consultation is to ensure that scholars of Qur’anic Studies set their own research and publishing agendas, that our colleagues in this discipline have the resources to determine their own future, and that their impact transcends institutional and international lines,” Kutsko says.

“The founding of a new society for the study of the Qur’an will provide an institutional forum for Qur’anic Studies equal to the study of other religious texts and traditions,” says Vincent Cornell, chair of the Department of Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies at Emory University. “This establishes a base for Qur’anic Studies that hasn’t existed before, and thereby makes an important intellectual claim.”

The past two decades have witnessed tremendous growth in scholarship on the Qur’an, says Reynolds. “An annual academic forum on the Qur’an and related publications will allow scholars from a wide range of disciplines a context for collaboration and dialogue. It also will give students and informed members of the public access to a common forum where they will learn from and contribute to this rich discussion.”

###

For an Arabic version of this news release, please see below.

The Society of Biblical Literature, founded in 1880, is the oldest and largest learned society devoted to the critical investigation of the Bible from a variety of academic disciplines. As an international organization, the Society offers its members opportunities for mutual support, intellectual growth and professional development and is a member of the American Council of Learned Societies.

The Henry Luce Foundation, established in 1936 by Henry R. Luce, seeks to bring important ideas to the center of American life, strengthen international understanding, and foster innovation and leadership in academic, policy, religious and art communities.

*The Society for Qur’anic Studies (SQS) is now the International Qur’anic Studies Association (IQSA)

Two Unique Translations of the Qurʾan

Two Unique Translations of the Qurʾan

An Open Letter to Members of SBL

Notes on Website Translations of the Qurʾan

Qur’anic Studies around the World

IQSA in the News

Society of Biblical Literature Supports Exploration of Qur’an Scholar Network

Follow Us