Problems of Translating the Anthropomorphic Images of Istwâ’, the Face and the Eye in the Qur’ân into English | ||
| Egyptian Journal of Linguistics and Translation | ||
| Volume 2, Issue 1, July 2015, Pages 51-82 PDF (1.06 M) | ||
| Document Type: Translation science | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejlt.2015.224633 | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The current study is set to investigate the problems that face translators in rendering the anthropomorphic images of the Face, the Eye and Istwâ’ of Allah in the Qur’ân. The anthropomorphic images are the physical movements and body organs used to refer to Allah in the Qur’ân and sunnah. The samples of the study are 14 images from the Qur’ân. The problem lies in the fact that two divergent Islamic trends differ in dealing with the anthropomorphic images. The Salafî trend affirms them without interpretation, likening, resembling, exaggeration, or denying. The other trend is the Khalafî who contradicts the Salafî. Seven translations are investigated in the study in order to have a broad scope of the problem and hence provide in-depth results. The study is qualitative and begins with a theoretical part followed by the analysis section. The study findings show that the anthropomorphic images aroused much argument and to solve this problem, there is an opinion that allows Ta’wîl (interpretation) when it accords with language, context, and jurisprudence. The study also finds that the image of Istwâ’ is not liable to interpretation or imagination for any reason, and hence must be translated literally or in transliteration with explaining the theological reasons behind that in the footnotes. On the other hand, the images of the face and the eye can be interpreted according to the contextual meaning with affirming that Allah has a face and eyes. The study concludes that the translator should be 52 aware of the problems of translating anthropomorphism and then decide which trend to follow. Also, the translator should have the flexibility to shift from a translational approach to another according to the context and the meaning of each image. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Anthropomorphism; Anthropomorphic Images; Translation - the Qur’ân - Ta’wîl - Salafî and Khalafî; Allah’s Attributes - Istwâ’ of Allah | ||
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