New Delhi: Prof A R Kidwai, speaking at the Shah Waliullah Memorial Lecture on ‘English Translations of the Quran: Trends and Issues’ at JNU’s Centre for Arabic and African Studies, stated a need for a Quran translation in academic and idiomatic English.
Prof Kidwai, Honorary Director, K A Nizami Centre for Quranic Studies, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), examined several translations of the Holy Quran and preliminary rules for comparing and analyzing the discourse structure in his lecture.
He discussed and analyzed the basic features, techniques, and methodology of English translations of the Quran from 1649 until 2022.
Speaking on the translations by scholars of various religious sects and Orientalists, he discussed the spurt in the translations, particularly Western Muslim scholars.
He regretted the persistence of the Orientalist misperceptions and misconceptions in the latest versions by Alan Jones and A J Droge.
“The forays by Thomas Cleary and David Hungerford stand out as earnest and sincere attempts to relate the Quranic message,” he said.
Prof Kidwai also spoke highly of the cogent interpretations by Ahmad Zaki Hammad, TarifKhalidi, and Mustafa Khattab and emphasized the need for a translation in academic and idiomatic English.
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