Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

My dear brother Burhan,

Assalam o Alaikum, May ALLAH Bestow His Blessings upon the holy Prophet and all his Ummah.

While going through the reply to above question I consulted the English translation of the Quran by Abdullah Yousaf Ali. I observed a little variation in the translations of Ayah # 35 Syrah VI (Al-ANAAM) as quoted in your  reply and those given in the said tranlation.

 

TRANSLATION

By Abdullah Yousaf Ali

If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a Ladder to the Skies and bring them a Sign – (Whet good?). If it were ALLah'a will, He could gather them together unto true guidance. So be not thou Amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and

impatience)!

 

As per YOur reply.

However, if you find it hard to bear their aversion, then seek out, ifyou can, an opening into the earth; or set up a ladder to the sky so that you may bring them a Sign! Had Allah Willed, He would have gathered them all on guidance; so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and

impatience)!

May be you can help us understand the above better.

Best regards.

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Difference in translations

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Beloved brother in Islam, the translation we have quoted is from the ‘Meaning of the Holy Quran’ by Brother Syed Abul A’ala Maududi. Although there is a slight difference in the wordings in the English translations, the essence and meaning of the sentences remain exactly the same.

 

It is only natural that when two people translate any statement from one language to another, there will be a slight variation in the terminology;  but the essence and the  meaning will remain the same.   Both, Brother Abdulla Yusuf Ali and Brother Abul A’ala Maududi were eminent scholars of the Arabic language, and both have rendered a service par excellence in the Cause of Allah Subhanah.  In our humble opinion,  both the translations are absolutely correct and in context with the essence, meaning,  and purpose of the Quranic Aayah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan