Deceitful translations: MoQ

Bismillah Al-Rehman Al-Raheem Anti Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam
18th July 2003



Deceitful Translations of the Qur'an into Foreign Languages
Submitted by Anonymous

Introduction/Objective

In the ongoing effort to ensure people are depending on Reliable Qur'an translations, research has been undertaken into the various translations of the Holy Qur'an in different languages. This research involves locating translations in a given language, followed by looking into the background of the translator, authority, or group behind the translation. This is necessary in order to ascertain whether there is any sectarial bias or motive in mis-translating for the benefit of a specific group or sect.

52 And verily this Brotherhood of yours is a single Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore fear Me (and no other). 53 But people have cut off their affair (of unity), between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself. Qur'an, 23.52-53 (Al-Mumenoon [The Believers])

78. There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (As they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah," but it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and (well) they know it! Qur'an 3.78 (Aal-E-Imran [The Family of Imran])

Qur'an translations which are to be avoided are the ones which pose a threat to the integrity of the Holy Qur'an as revealed from the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

28 (It is) a Qur'an in Arabic, without any crookedness (therein): in order that they may guard against Evil. Qur'an, 39.28 (Az-Zumar [The Troops, Throngs])

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Since the Qur'an is intended as a message of truth to mankind, it is imperative that we do our best to avoid mis-translations or alterations (even in translations), which alter and detract from the true meaning.

9 We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). Qur'an, 15.9 (Al-Hijra [Al-Hijra, Stoneland])

Mis-translations in foreign languages are an extremely serious concern since the reader will be learning in their native language, in most cases unaware of the original Arabic content. This places the reader in a vulnerable position as they will be exposed to false pre-conceptions of Islam. It is therefore essential that translations convey the true meaning of God's message to mankind rather than serve the interest of gaining a particular sect more members. As research continues any translations that show signs of mis-translation or being affiliated with or undertaken by any sect/group known to mis-translate the Holy Book, are listed herein. As a result, this document is likely increase in size over time.

Qur'an Translations that should be avoided Dutch

Nasir Ahmad (Mirza, Rabwah [19931 p. ii+180+638 Rabwah: The Oriental and Religious Publishing Corp. 1969. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

[Anonym], (pub. under the auspices of Mirza Bashiruddin Ahmad, Qadiyani) [n.p.]: Zuid-Hollandsche U. M. Gravenhage1953, p. iii+xii+3+638.
Qadiani/Ahmadiyya De Heilige Qoer-an, In het Nederlandsgh Vertaald Door, Soedewo, Hoofdcomite Qoer-anfonds, Batavia-C, 30 Juli 1934
Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

English

Dr. Rashad Khalifa - "International Submitters"
- Masjid Tucson, Arizona USA This group focuses on the mathematic significance of the Number 19 in the Holy Qur'an. Whilst this is already evident (and recorded in the Holy Qur'an), they mischeviously use this to support their misguided campaign, mixing truth with falsehood in order to achieve their objectives.

30 Over it are Nineteen. 31 And We have set none but angels as Guardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial for Unbelievers,- in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty, and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left for the People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts is a disease and the Unbelievers may say, "What symbol doth Allah intend by this?" Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom He pleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is no other than a warning to mankind. 32 Nay, verily: By the Moon, 33 And by the Night as it retreateth, 34 And by the Dawn as it shineth forth,- 35 This is but one of the mighty (portents), 36 A warning to mankind,- 37 To any of you that chooses to press forward, or to follow behind;- Qur'an, 74.30-37 (Al-Muddaththir [The Cloaked one])

(Above): The Qur'an already states the significance of the Number 19.

Rashad DELETES TWO VERSES (Verses 9:128-129 in Surat At-Tawbah [Repentance, Dispensation]) and yet the counts of selected words do multiply by number 19, as they did before!

They refute both the Hadith and Sunnah referring to them as "Satanic Innovations". Also note that they reject the Sunnah, which is the teaching of the Prophet passed down from generation to generation (such as how to perform Ablution, Prayer), and that they refute the Hadith in entirety not taking into account the "Mutawatir" (authentic hadith) with proven Isnad (Chain of narration) directly to the Prophet (pbuh). On reading material that they propagate they support their false argument for the removal of the two above-mentioned verses using the Hadith which they refute! They refer to the Hadith which on one hand they refer to as "Satanic Innovations".

Rashad alters the single alphabet Muqatta'at (the Qur'anic initial) "nun"  into "nun waw nun"  to tally his count for Number 19. In verse 21 of Surah 30, Rashad counts the alphabet "Lam"  7 times instead of 8 to tally the count

Kamal ud-Din & Nazir Ahmad, A Running Commentary of the Holy Qur'an, London [n.d.]. Khwajah Kamal al-Dan's work was completed by his son Khwajah Nazir Ahmad) Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Malik Ghulam Farid, 1st ed. Rabwah: Oriental and Religious Pub. Corp. 1969, p. (a)-p+1461 Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Muhammad Ali, Woking: Islamic Review Office 1917, p. cxv+1275 Lahore: Ahmadiyyah Anjuman-e Isha'at-e Islam 1951, p. cxvi+631. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya Sher 'Ali, Rabwah 1955, p. 169+643 2nd ed. Rabwah: Quran Publications 1972, p. 635+37. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Sher 'Ali, Rabwah 1955, p. 169+643\ 2nd ed. Rabwah: Quran Publications 1972, p. 635+37. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Farsi

A Farsi translation of Dr. Rashad Khalifa's English translation, also present on their website. Rashad Khalifa - "International Submitters"

German

Sadr'ud-din, Berlin 1939, p. xiv+1022\ 2nd ed. Berlin: Wilmerrdorf die Moschee, die Muslim-Mission 1964, p. xi+1022. (Der Koran (Arabish Deutsch) Maulana Sadr-ud-din Berlin Verlag Der Modlemischen Revue Ausgabe 1964). Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

[Anonym] (a Qadiyani team work), London 1985, p. 14+463+666. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya [Anonym] Der Heilige Qur'an, lst ed. Ahmadiyyah Mission, Wiesbaden 1954, p. 164+639. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Indonesian

An Indonesian translation of Dr. Rashad Khalifa's English translation, also present on their website. Rashad Khalifa - "International Submitters"

Japanese

Sei Kuruan (The Holy Qur'an, translation into Japanese for publication by Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha'at Islam, Lahor), 1984 - by Dr. Rosan Yoshida (A Japanese Buddhist writer). Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Luganda

Bulwadda, Zakariya Kizito, Kampala: Uganda Ahmadiya Muslim Mission 1973, p. xvi+1001. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Russian

Dr. Alexander Sadetsky - The Russian version of Maulana Muhammad Ali's English Translation of the Holy Quran with commentary and Introduction has now been published at the close of July 1997. The Russian rendering is by Dr. Alexander Sadetsky, (Director of Russian Studies at Laval University), Quebec, Canada. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Sansikrit

Muhammad Yusuf, Qadiyan and Amritsar 1932, p. 724. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Serbo Croatian

Muhammad Pandza & Dzemaluddin Causevic, (from Turkish trans. by Omer Riza Dogrul based on the English trans. by Muhammad 'Ali Qadiani, Lahore 1920), Sarajevo 1937, p.lxviii+978\ Zagreb: Stvarnost 1978, p. xii+896.  Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Swahili

Mubarak Ahmad Ahmadi, Nairobi: East African Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission 1953, p. xx+l062 Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

Swedish

A swedish translation of Dr. Rashad Khalifa's English translation, also present on their website. Rashad Khalifa - "International Submitters"

Thai

Ibrahim Qurayshi, (based on Urdu & English Works), 3 vol. Bangkok 1390/1970, p. 1997.
The fallacies found in the translations of Tuan Suwannasart, Ibrahim Quraishi, Marwan, Sama-on and Zainul 'Abidin Fendi involve the Divine Attributes [Sifat Ilahiyah]. The vital fallacies on the prophecy verses [ayat nubuwah] about Isa al-Masih 'alaihi al-salam and his mother Mariam, also the mircles, karamat, jinni and shayatin are explicitly found in Bayan Qur’an and Qur’an Majid of Ibrahim Quraishi. The verses on the Hereafter [ma’aad], the Heaven and Hell have no exeption. The above mentioned fallacies are discovered in Bayan Qu’an and Quran Majid by Ibrahim Quraishi, known as Direck Kullasirisawat.
 
The fallacies observed in the translations are due to the notions and methods of the Khalaf Mutakallimun. The sources of the fallacies in the translations about the prophecy and ma’aad are taken from the concept of Muhammad Ali al-Lahori, the head of Jama’ah al-Muhammadiyah [Qadyaniah] at Lahor.
 
These fallacies are because the translator, Ibrahim Quraishi used the two books namely Bayanul Qur’an and Qur’an Majid by Muhammad Ali al-Lahori, as the guidline references in rendering and interpreting his version, This, in fact, has been clearly confirmed by Ibrahim Quraishi himself in his 'Introduction' and also during conducting his works.
 
References:
College of Islamic Studies, Prince of Songkla University.

Urdu

Ahmad .Ali Mirza, al-Qur'an al-hakim mutarjam ma'a hawiashi tafsir Lawani' al-bayan , Lahore: Kutubkhanah Husayniyyah 1955. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya Bashir al-Din Mahmud Ahmad. Tafsir-e saghir. Rabwah 1957, p. 1466\ 2nd ed. Lahore 1966. p. 954. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Ghulam Ahmad Ahmadi, Mawlawi, [n.p. n.d.] Qadiani/Ahmadiyya.
Ghulam Hasan Niyazi Peshawari [Qadiyani] Peshawar, 1939, p. 656 Qadiani/Ahmadiyya.
Hayrat Dehlawi, Mirza Muhammad 'Imraw, Qur'an Majid mutarjam. Delhi: Curzon Press 13219-1320/1902-1903.(2 Editions) Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Muhammad .Ali Lahori (Ahmadi), Bayan al-Qur'an, 3 vo1. 1st ed. Lahore 1921-23. (5 Editions) Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Muhammad Ishaq Mir (Ahmadi), Tarjamah-e Qur'an mukhtasar hawashi, Lahore: Photo Art press [n.d.l p. 776. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Muhammad Sa'id Qadiri Hanafi Dakkani (Ahmadi), Tafsir-e Ahmadi. 2 vo1. Agra: Matba.-e Murtada'i 1915, p. 265+195. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Mu'in a1-Din, Pir (Ahmadi), Makhzan-e ma'arif: Khulasah Tafsir-i kabir (summary of the commentary by Mirza Bashir a1-Din), 3 vo1. [n.p.] 1963. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Rawshan 'Ali, Hafi'z (Ahmadi), Lahore [n.d.] p. 783\ 2nd ed. Sargodha [n.d.] p. 783\ 2nd ed. Rawalpindi: Kitab Ghar [n.d.] p. 783. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Salah al-Din, al-Hajj Pir (Ahmadi), Qur'an Majid tarjamah ma'a tafsir, 4 vol. 1st ed. Islamabad: Qur'an Publications 1974-1980, p. 2942. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Sarwar Shah, Mawlawi (Ahmadi), Tafsir-e Sarwari ma'a tarjamah, [n.p.] 1906-1912. (published in instalments in the journals Ta'lim al-Islam and Tafsir al-Qur'an between 1906 and 1912.) Qadiani/Ahmadiyya
Umar Miyan Mi'raj Din (Ahmadi), Hama'il sharif mutarjam ma'a hawashi, [n.p. n.d,]Wahid al-Zaman b. Masih al-Zaman. Mawlana, Nawab Wiqar Jang. Tabwib al-Qur'an. 1st ed. Lahore [n.d,]. p. 704\ ma'a tafsir-e Wahidi, Lahore: Ahmadi [n.d.]\ Tafsir-e Wahidi ma'a tarjamah Mudihat al-furqan. Lahore 1323/1905, p. 910\ Tuhfat al-Qur'an. 1st ed. Lahore 1321/1903. p. 804\ Amritsar 132311905. Qadiani/Ahmadiyya

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Notes
Qadiani translations are a serious threat, since many of their Qur'an publications are translated verbatim from Muhammad Ali's English translation and NOT directly from the Original Arabic (as should be the case).

They often contract external writers, most of whom have no religious standing or knowledge and are not even Muslim. Examples of this are Rosan Yoshida's Japanese translation (translated from Muhammad Ali's English translation), Roshan Yoshida is a Buddhist writer. Another identical example is the Russian translation, again not translated directly from Arabic, by Dr. Sadetsky a Russian non-muslim with no Islamic teaching.

Islamic knowledge is important in translating the Holy Qur'an, due to the richness of Arabic and due to the context of certain verses in the Qur'an. Having no knowledge of Islamic history and the circumstances in which certain verses were revealed will most definitely be mis-interpreted and result in a non-accurate rendering of the meaning.

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Please feel free to copy this document in order to help preserve The Message of the Holy Qur'an. However as mentioned above, this is document is likely to grow as we continue research into the Qur'an Translations. I must also point out that the following publications were extremely useful in locating the publishers of world language Translations of the Holy Qur'an: -

World Bibliography of Translations of the Meanings of the Holy Qur'an, Printed Translations 1515-1980, Ismet Binark and Halit Eren, edited with an introduction by Ekmaleddin Ihsanoglu, Istanbul: Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture.
A. R. Kidwai's article English Translations of the Holy Qur'an

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Further Readings:
Ahmadiyya alterations of the Holy Quran: Alteration 1 | Alteration II | Alteration III | Alteration IV (View the original scanned pages)
Ahmadiyya distorts English translations of the Holy Quran
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