Why is it not permissible to narrate the Qur'an by meaning?

Question : If it is permissible to translate the Qur'an, why is it not permissible to narrate it by meaning? Shouldn't that be a stronger form of protection?

Answer : Yes, narrating by meaning is not needed for one who is able to understand it in Arabic. If we were to permit narrating it by meaning, it would be transmitted by meaning and the wording would be lost. As for translation, the wording remains and cannot be changed; it is a semantic translation, just as we explain the Qur'an in our colloquial language by meaning.