Obedient Angel Admin
Join date : 2011-04-30 Posts : 2448
| Subject: The Role Played By Qur'an Translations in Steering Public Opinion against Islam in Non-Muslim Communities Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:55 am | |
| ABSTRACTThis paper pinpoints the important role that Qur'an translations have played in forming the image of Islam past and present. This importance has remarkably increased in the aftermath of 9/11 with the unprecedented curiosity to know about Islam by reading its very revealed Book. As Thomas Cleary, a non-Muslim Qur'an translator mentions, Qur'an translations are supposed to provide "an authentic point of reference from which to examine the biased stereotypes of Islam to which Westerners are habitually exposed." However, unfortunately, most of these translations have not fulfilled this function. They either fail to give a precise image of Islam or rather give a negative distorted one. Firstly, the paper starts with a historical review indicating that the libels levelled against Islam are deeply rooted in the misconceptions propagated by the first Latin Qur'an translations perverted on purpose out of fear that Islam would shake the established faith of Christians. Besides, the first English translation by Alexander Ross entitled The Alcoran of Mahomet highlights a basic misconception spread in the West, namely that Prophet Muhammad{SAW} is the author of the Qur'an. This drives non-Muslims to doubt its authenticity being supposedly not of divine revelation. These translations led to embedding distorted facts in the western mentality that have now become like axioms. This section also indicates how some Muslim translations have been manipulated to serve certain needs. For instance, the translations of some Shi'ites and those influenced by scientific rationalism reflect some views that may be somewhat different from basic Muslim beliefs. Besides, the translations by the Indian Qadiyanis and Ahmadeyyis encompass major distortions. Secondly, the paper explains some of the ways Qur'an translations contribute to giving a false or negative impression about Islam through either deliberate manipulation or non-deliberate mistranslations or inadequacies. Thirdly, the paper proposes some insights as to how to take action against the campaigns discrediting Islam. The researchers suggest that this should go on two levels: a project to publish a more reliable Qur'an translation in addition to bridging the information gap through explaining and clarifying the controversial issues that usually lead to misunderstanding Islam. The latter can be done on the official level through media programs or on the layperson level through cross-cultural communication via alternative media. Ironically, two non-Muslim scholars, Maurice Bucaille and Thomas Cleary, highlight aspects of Islam that give an alternative perspective different from that presented in the media. Click on the link to read the article:http://www.quranicstudies.com/articles/language-of-the-quran/the-role-played-by-quran-translations-in-steering-public-opinion-against-islam-in-non-muslim-communities.html | |
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