Dogmatic Approaches of Qur'ān Translators: Linguistic and Theological Issues

The Qur’ān has an unparalleled importance in the Muslim’s life and daily practice. Qur’ān translations are a window onto the world of Islam and its sacred text. They are equally important to Muslims who do not understand the Qur’ān in its original language, and to communicate the message of Islam to Mankind. Given this importance, it is crucial to evaluate and enhance the accuracy and fidelity of Qur’ān translations.
This research provides an insight into and a critical assessment of thirty-five different English Qur’ān translations, exploring linguistic and theological issues found in translations in the light of modern translation theories, aiming to understanding the role of the translator’s dogma and exploring whether it is reflected in their translations or not. The first chapter provides an initial evaluative survey of the chosen English translations of the Qur’ān based on how the translators present their work. The second chapter aims to investigate the principles and problems of translation, its evaluation and quality assessment. This leads to the development of a proposed evaluative model to apply to Qur’ān translations within linguistic and theological parameters. The third chapter discusses the first suggested parameter, linguistic problems, by means of a close analysis of Qur’ānic linguistic features and various problematic elements in their translation. The fourth chapter discusses the second suggested parameter, theological problems, shedding light on the exegetical and theological aspects of Qur’ānic discourse and translations. The fifth and sixth chapters apply the models and principles mapped out in the previous chapters. Linguistic and theological issues are examined with reference to the translator’s dogma. The analyses falls under three main categories: problematic linguistic issues, problematic linguistic issues with dogmatic reference, and dogmatic and theological issues. This analysis helps in answering the main research questions, with respect to linguistic and theological issues. It also benefits from the suggested TQA model which can be further developed to draw up a similar model for assessing Qur’ān translations in different languages.