November 2016 Supplement Editor: Nasir Ahmad B.A. LL.B. IN MEMORY OF JALAL-UD-DIN AKBAR IBN-I ABDULLAH, SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA CONTENTS Page REQUESTS FOR FERVENT DU A... 1 For Sister Samina Malik, USA, For Brig. (R) Muhammad Saeed, Lahore (Pakistan), For Mr. Abrar Ahmad Sayyal, Lahore (Pakistan) REFLECTIONS ON THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY QUR AN BY MAULANA MUHAMMAD ALI... 2 By Professor Hussein Ali PROFOUND IMPACT OF THE HOLY QURAN ON ITS OPPONENTS... 6 by Maulana Muhammad Ali REQUESTS FOR FERVENT DU A For Sister Samina Malik, USA In a letter dated 2nd October, 2016 Bro. Zahoor Ahmad from New Zealand has sent the following news about our esteemed sister Samina Malik: I hope that you may have this information, that Aunty Samina is getting Open Heart Surgery on Wednesday 9th November. She has been an icon of hard work and dedication to the cause of Islam and the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement. She has worked hard on the Translations Project and has recently been able to accomplish in two volumes Arabic translation of the English commentary of the Holy Qur an by Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali. In recent years she has been travelling extensively to Cairo, Jordan and South Africa. May I request you to ask the Global Community to pray for her health and speedy recovery from this major and delicate operation.
Please include in your fervent prayers also the following two sincere members of the Central Anjuman Ahmadiyya in Lahore: Brig. (R) Muhammad Saeed, Lahore (Pakistan) He is vice-president of the Central Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Lahore and elder brother of Hazrat Ameer. Recently he developed some heart problem. He was admitted into the hospital. Investigations are underway. It is likely that he will need pace-maker to keep his heart working smoothly. Mr. Abrar Ahmad Sayyal, Lahore (Pakistan) A devoted and active member of the Executive Committee of the Central Anjuman Ahmadiyya, Lahore. Last month he had a severe heart attack and was rushed to the hospital. Two stents have been inserted into his arteries. He has been advised complete rest by the doctors. His health is improving satisfactorily. Please continue your prayers. *** REFLECTIONS ON THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY QUR AN BY MAULANA MUHAMMAD ALI BY PROFESSOR HUSSEIN ALI (Dr. Hussein Ali, is Professor and Head of the Translation Department at the American University of Cairo and Associate Professor of Translation Studies at Helwan University. He obtained his Ph. D in Translation Studies in a joint program between Helwan University of Egypt and Middlesex University in UK. He was a Lecturer of Translation Studies in the London Metropolitan University, where he taught literary translation and theories of translation. He also worked as a freelance translator for the BBC. Upon returning to Egypt, he joined the American University in Cairo as the Program Manager of the Translation Program in 2011. He subsequently held the posts of the Director of the Arabic and Translation Studies in 2012, and then Director of the Languages Department in 2013. Valuable services of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Najjar of Al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt are also acknowledged with thanks for supervising the review of the Hadith references in the commentary. Cost of publishing the Arabic translation in two volumes has been borne by Dr. Nouman Elahi Malik of the USA Jama at dedicated to the memory of his parents. - Culled from Publisher s Note) In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Allah will exalt those of you who believe and those of you who are given knowledge to high ranks. And Allah is aware of what you do. And above everyone possessed of knowledge is the All-Knowing. There is no god but Allah, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, the Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth. May peace be upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of prophets, whom Allah has sent with the final message to mankind. 2 Page
Three years ago, I started the translation of the commentary of the Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali into Arabic. Two years prior to that, I had been studying most of the well-known interpretations of the Qur an such as Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi, Zamakhshari etc., and I wanted to relay my impressions about these interpretations; in other words, what I liked about them and what I did not. There is no doubt that these interpretations were very useful, and they helped my understanding of the Quran, particularly when it came to vocabulary which is not originally Arabic. In addition, these interpretations cited many of the Holy Prophet s Hadith which were originally said to explain some verses. More importantly still, they explained some of the occasions on which certain verses were revealed to the Holy Prophet. However, I could not understand why these commentaries contained so many stories, some even contradicting one another, when it came to interpreting certain verses. Some were even childlike and fantastical such as those related about the companions of the cave and Gog and Magog. At that time, I gave up reading any more interpretations. Also at that time, secular humanists and freethinkers grew in number in Egypt. They began to cast doubt on everything religious. I was confused for a while, and I could not find any logical answers when arguing with my freethinker colleagues. In addition, terrorism and violence in the Muslim world worsened the situation as Islam was accused of being violent. However, I never lost my faith in Allah; I never stopped reading the Holy Quran, but I was praying every day to find answers to the questions raised all the time by secular humanists who tried to cast doubt on the Holy Message of the Quran. While I was trying to find my way out of the darkness of doubt, I received a telephone call from a lady who asked to meet me. She came the next day to my university and met me for fifteen minutes. She asked me if I would be willing to translate Maulana Muhammad Ali s English Commentary of the Holy Quran into Arabic. Although at that time I was extremely busy and could barely find time for my own readings, I agreed. She said she wanted it translated within one year. For me, with my busy schedule, this was not possible, and so, I thought perhaps Allah did not want me to do that work. I was about to decline, but she, as if she could almost read my mind, continued but there is no problem if it takes more than one year. That lady was Mrs. Samina Malik whom I like to call Mother Samina, who was speaking earlier today. She is indeed an inspiring person, and she inspired me in many of the things I do in my life. She came to my office looking for a translator, and spent fifteen minutes with me, but by the time she departed, she left behind her a great deal of inspiration and love. She left behind her a man praying to God to take him closer to the truth. Working on that translation has indeed taken me many steps closer to the truth, to the Holy Quran, to life and to myself. As a person who works in the field of education and as a linguist, I find myself consciously and unconsciously analysing how people process information. And I want to tell you something about education in Egypt, maybe the whole Arab world. In fact, in the Egyptian educational system, we focus more on rote acquiring of knowledge rather than on developing skills. Therefore, you find people who memorize Quran interpretation by heart. They think that there is some authority springing from their knowledge, and for them, as well as for many people, particularly when it comes to interpretation of the Holy Quran, skills like analysing, criticizing, evaluating etc. do not have any Page 3
value or merit. For them, it is simply knowing that matters, rather than knowing how and why. As a result, they look at the interpretations of the Holy Quran as sacred writings. Any attempt to evaluate or examine them critically is taken as heresy. This introduction cannot be complete without referring to Maulana Muhammad Ali s approach in his commentaries. He writes in the introduction to his English translation of the Qur an: I must add that the present tendency of Muslim theologians to regard the commentaries of the Middle Ages as the final word on the interpretation of the Holy Qur an is very injurious and practically shuts out the great treasures of knowledge which an exposition of the Holy Book in the new light reveals. A study of the old commentators, to ignore whose great labour would indeed be a sin, also shows how freely they commented upon the Holy Book. The great service which they have done to the cause of Truth would indeed have been lost to the world if they had looked upon their predecessors as uttering the final word on the exposition of the Holy Qur an, as most theologians do today. Maulana Muhammad Ali did not take the final interpretations of previous commentators without critical thinking. His commentary is in fact training for readers to think critically. The most significant feature of his commentary is that it is written in an academic style that keeps a balance between the Holy Quran as a Book of Guidance and the Holy Quran as a Book for contemplation. The commentary addresses the mind, the heart and the soul. In addition, his commentary is multi-faceted. He carries out linguistic analysis to find out the original meaning of words; he uses historical and geographical evidence to support the meaning; and he uses the Bible to disambiguate and prove that Quran is the Final message from Allah. I had the chance in my career to examine various Quran translations: as a scholar, as a supervisor and as a teacher of translation trying to find practical examples to support theories of translation that we teach in classes. Taking into consideration that the Holy Quran is multi-layered in meaning, and that its style is too elegant and pure for any translator, I could not find a translation which is academic enough to support my views on translation. Most translators realize that translation of the Qur an cannot contain the multi-layered meaning of the Holy Quran. The solution and even the recommendation of scholars is to convey the intended meaning rather than the literal meaning. That solution sounds safe and logical; however; it makes the meaning shallow and restricts critical thinking and creativity on the part of the reader in comprehending the Holy Text. The only translation, I may claim, that kept the richness of the spirituality of the Holy Quran, is Maulana Muhammad Ali s. That is due to a number of features that Maulana Muhammad Ali introduced in his translation. First of all, Maulana Muhammad Ali explains in the introduction his approach to translating the Holy Quran. In the Preface to the Revised Edition, he states: I have tried to be more faithful to the Arabic Text than all existing English translations. It will be noticed that additional words as explaining the sense of the original have generally been avoided, and where necessary and these cases are very few they are given within brackets. Wherever a departure has been made from the ordinary or primary 4 Page
significance of a word, reason for this departure has been given in a footnote and authorities have been amply quoted. Faithfulness to the Holy Text cannot be achieved by conveying the intended meaning alone, and Maulana Muhammad Ali did not find that enough. Instead, Maulana Muhammad Ali gave all necessary explanations in the footnotes. The explanations are supported by authorities, references or at least sound arguments. In addition to the footnotes, he commenced each Chapter with ample introduction explaining the development of the chapter and the relationship among its sections as well as the relationship between the Chapter and the preceding and the following Chapters. My work on this translation was indeed a blessing from Allah. It helped me to understand what I could not understand from Arabic religious literature. In reading many Arabic books, many people find themselves driven by emotions, mainly fear and love, without critically thinking of what they read. With Maulana Muhammad Ali s calm language, readers are encouraged to think while they read. I can claim that this is what we need at this time in the Arab world. We have seen the print word as a sacred word for too long, and it is time to read literature, particularly religious, that stimulates thinking and creativity. Maulana Muhammad Ali, following in the steps of Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, has been a great reformer of his age. In his introduction to the translation, Maulana Muhammad Ali explained that the miracle of the Holy Quran cannot be solely explained in light of the elegance and purity of language. The uniqueness in form is indeed accompanied with uniqueness in impact. The Holy Quran has transformed the lives of millions of people. With the introduction of Maulana Muhammad Ali s English Translation and Commentary of the Holy Quran, the transformation has reached and still has to reach the lives of many more people. The speakers of Arabic are in need today more than anytime before for the commentary of Maulana Muhammad Ali. They are in need of a book that stimulates thinking and revives spirituality, rather than a book that inspires fear or love. I have done my best to keep all the features and the meaning of the text intact. And I hope the Arabic version motivates people to exert more effort to study Islam and reform the religious Islamic discourse. *** Page 5
PROFOUND IMPACT OF THE HOLY QURAN ON ITS OPPONENTS BY HAZRAT MAULANA MUHAMMAD ALI (Friday sermon dated 16 March 1917 translated by Dr. Muhammad Ahmad, president of the USA Jama at) Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, thou wouldst certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of fear of Allah. And We set forth these parables to men that they reflect. He is Allah besides Whom there is no God: The Knower of unseen and the seen; He is the Beneficent, the Merciful. He is Allah, besides Whom there is no God; the King, the Holy, the Author of Peace, the Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Possessor of greatness. Glory be to Allah from that which they set up (with Him)! He is Allah; the Creator, themaker, the Fashioner; His are the most beautiful names. Whatever is in the heavens and the earth declares His glory; and He is the Mighty, the Wise (59:21-24). Claims of the Holy Quran There are some assertions made in the Holy Quran that are not difficult to understand. For example the Holy Quran claims to be a healing. It is easy to understand the implied meaning of this statement. Just as medicine is needed for curing certain diseases, the guidance of the Holy Quran becomes a remedy for curing spiritual illnesses. Similarly when the Holy Quran claims to be a Guide, it means that its teachings lead to a higher level of spirituality where there is freedom from all forms of moral deficiencies and weaknesses. Arabic word Nur (Light) in reference to the Holy Quran means it dispels all form of darkness in spiritual matters, moral issues and many other ways. There are numerous other similar claims that are easily understood. On the other hand there are also some statements that are a little difficult to comprehend. One of these is mentioned in the verses I recited today. It is stated: Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, thou wouldst certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of fear of Allah. It seems hard to comprehend its meaning. What is the meaning of the Quran being sent down on a mountain and how would a mountain be capable of appreciating the fear of God? Does this mean if God wished this to happen, it would happen, or is it that (I seek Allah s refuge) God has made a statement which seems to be improbable? The words that follow need to be pondered upon. And We set forth these parables to men that they reflect. They show that there is certainly a deeper meaning to it and it is a parable to illustrate the underlying truth. Parable of a seedling The spiritual illnesses that affect man can be compared to a seedling planted in the soil. If properly nurtured, it gradually grows into a large tree. Such is the example of an evil deed. It first starts out as a tiny implant that grows into a firmly established habit with repetition. This is how evil becomes firmly rooted in a man. The seed of a banyan tree for example is extremely small in the beginning. Very soon a shoot grows out which in its initial stages of development can be easily uprooted. With 6 Page
further growth and establishment of a root system it needs a greater effort to be uprooted. When it attains maturity and becomes a large tree, several men have to work together to cut it down. The Holy Quran itself has described such a parable. Similarly evil in its rudimentary form appears insignificant and can be easily overcome. When nurtured and repeatedly done it becomes more visible and firmly rooted but can still be gotten rid of with a strong push. If left to thrive, a full and comprehensive effort is eventually required for its removal. A time however comes when no amount of effort can get rid of it. It becomes firmly established as a part of one s disposition and cannot be gotten rid of with personal effort and determination. Just as you observe that it is not an easy matter to get rid of a firmly established and a fully grown tree by an individual even though he puts in all his effort. Nip the evil in the bud Evil habits once they become deeply rooted and established are difficult to get rid of as much as we may wish to do so. In old age when one loses the ability to do anything these habits are naturally given up and people pretend to be pious. The parable describing this condition is that of a tree which becomes uprooted and withers away because it is deprived of its nourishment from the ground. Also sometimes a tree that is firmly established spontaneously turns dry and lifeless. In old age evil habits naturally die out. There is a verse of Arabic poetry that says: Old age and Islam are enough to keep a man away from evil. Somebody recited this before the Holy Prophet and he liked it, but recited it as Islam and old age are enough to keep a man away from evil. Hazrat Abu Bakr advised, O messenger of Allah, the previous rendition was the correct version but the Holy Prophet said to leave it like he had recited it. The Holy Prophet was obviously not concerned about the rules of poetry, what he wanted to show is the truth. In reality it is only Islam that keeps one away from evil. Old age is more like an illness that takes away the capability to perform evil deeds and it is therefore no great accomplishment to become pious in old age. Wise is the one who tries to get rid of evil propensities before he gets old. Holy Quran changed the innate disposition towards evil This is a condition that I have described. In addition to trees we also observe mountains in nature. Unlike the growth and development of a seed the condition of a mountain remains visibly unchanged. It is true that with passage of time they also undergo change. These changes however are not perceptible to the casual observer. Our eyes seeing them on a daily basis do not observe any noticeable change. While trees and human beings naturally decline when affected by illness mountains are a symbol of strength and firmness. Unlike animals and plants, they are not subject to physical deterioration through illness. Evil habits sometimes similarly become entrenched into the nature of man. Take the example of the Arabs before Islam. Idol worship, sexual immorality drunkenness and all forms of debauchery were rampant in the pre Islamic Arabian society. These evil habits were firmly established like mountains towering over the social landscape. Idol worship had permeated into the moral fabric of the society and all previous attempts by Christians and the Jews failed to bring about change. These attempts had been cogent and persistent nevertheless the Arab nation remained firm and steadfast like mountains in their pursuit of Page 7
idol worship. It was hard to imagine that these people could be reformed. Their idol worship had become proverbial to the extent that a prophet from amongst the children of Israel advises his followers to become as firmly established upon the principle of Divine Unity as the Arabs were in worshipping their idols. It was at such a time that these words of the Holy Quran were revealed: Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, thou wouldst certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of fear of Allah. And We set forth these parables to men that they reflect Allah the Most High states: Do not think that We cannot provide a remedy for all these illnesses affecting you, these diseases that have become a part of your nature. We will totally get rid of them. Your hearts that have become hardened like these mountains will be consumed with such fear of God that these evil habits will be totally forgotten. This was not merely a claim. In fact we observe that Allah the Most High brought it about. This parable was proven true in the lives of the Holy Prophet and his companions. CONTACT INFORMATION The HOPE Bulletin E-mail address: thehopebulletin@hotmail.com ISLAM stands for: I SHALL LOVE ALL MANKIND Design & Formatting : Erwan Hamdani, Jakarta, Indonesia http://www.aaiil.org http://www.lahore.ahmadiyya.org For Books on Islam and the Ahmadiyya Movement: Translations of the Holy Quran in Urdu, English, German, French, Russian, Indonesian, Dutch, Spanish and Turkish. Visit our websites. 8 Page