“So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women

Examining the translations of Quranic verses related to women might clarify claims that Islam oppresses women, and in which women are abused and deprived of their rights. Furthermore, the outcomes of a translation process can be influenced by different choices, which may lead to loss or gain i...

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Main Authors: Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba, Tan, Debbita Ai Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2022
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/1/56094-184807-1-SM.pdf
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author Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba
Tan, Debbita Ai Lin
author_facet Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba
Tan, Debbita Ai Lin
author_sort Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Examining the translations of Quranic verses related to women might clarify claims that Islam oppresses women, and in which women are abused and deprived of their rights. Furthermore, the outcomes of a translation process can be influenced by different choices, which may lead to loss or gain in meaning. In this study, five of the more known and comprehensive verses pertaining to women were selected via purposive sampling and their English renditions by two translators were analyzed using a model of translation criticism proposed by Farahzad (2012). The translations by M.M. Pickthall (1930) and S.M. Sarwar (2011) formed part of the corpus. Ibn Kathir’s (2003) exegesis was utilized to determine each verse’s meaning/interpretation. The renditions were compared against the original (Arabic) versions, and analyzed at the textual level subsumed under the dimension of translational choices. The analysis also took into account the translators’ different backgrounds; instances of disparity are apparent in terms of translational choices and a portion may be inferred to have occurred because of the translators’ backgrounds. However, these instances are minimal. Overall, the findings indicate disparities in choice of lexis, grammar, and translation strategies. Literal translation was also found to be a dominant strategy, in addition to inaccuracies in meaning conveyance. To date, there is no available translational research similar to the present study in terms of corpus and design. This study and its findings are of relevance not only to religious units, but also to translators, educators and scholars engaged in language and translational research.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:204942022-11-14T09:02:14Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/ “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba Tan, Debbita Ai Lin Examining the translations of Quranic verses related to women might clarify claims that Islam oppresses women, and in which women are abused and deprived of their rights. Furthermore, the outcomes of a translation process can be influenced by different choices, which may lead to loss or gain in meaning. In this study, five of the more known and comprehensive verses pertaining to women were selected via purposive sampling and their English renditions by two translators were analyzed using a model of translation criticism proposed by Farahzad (2012). The translations by M.M. Pickthall (1930) and S.M. Sarwar (2011) formed part of the corpus. Ibn Kathir’s (2003) exegesis was utilized to determine each verse’s meaning/interpretation. The renditions were compared against the original (Arabic) versions, and analyzed at the textual level subsumed under the dimension of translational choices. The analysis also took into account the translators’ different backgrounds; instances of disparity are apparent in terms of translational choices and a portion may be inferred to have occurred because of the translators’ backgrounds. However, these instances are minimal. Overall, the findings indicate disparities in choice of lexis, grammar, and translation strategies. Literal translation was also found to be a dominant strategy, in addition to inaccuracies in meaning conveyance. To date, there is no available translational research similar to the present study in terms of corpus and design. This study and its findings are of relevance not only to religious units, but also to translators, educators and scholars engaged in language and translational research. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2022 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/1/56094-184807-1-SM.pdf Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba and Tan, Debbita Ai Lin (2022) “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women. e-BANGI: Jurnal Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan, 19 (4). pp. 1-14. ISSN 1823-884x https://ejournal.ukm.my/ebangi/issue/view/1524
spellingShingle Sharahil, Fatma Ahmed Abdallah Ba
Tan, Debbita Ai Lin
“So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title_full “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title_fullStr “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title_full_unstemmed “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title_short “So good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated Quranic verses regarding women
title_sort “so good women are the obedient…” : an in-depth analysis of selected translated quranic verses regarding women
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/20494/1/56094-184807-1-SM.pdf