What is the ruling on printing a translation of the Mushaf into another language in a reversed manner (i.e., from left to right)?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : I have not heard of it, nor have I seen it, and Surat al-Fatihah is on the last page.
The questioner : With the English translation following it.
The Shaykh : Did you clarify some of it? You said the Mushaf.
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : Your question was that the Mushaf printed in Saudi Arabia starts from the left.
The questioner : This is not called a Mushaf if it contains a translation.
The Shaykh : No, it is not called a Mushaf.
The questioner : That is not permissible.
The Shaykh : No, I have not given you the answer yet, but I want you to be clear in your questions.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Because it was confusing to me; if you use the term Mushaf, does that include, for example, Ibn Kathir’s tafsir? Do we call that a Mushaf?
The questioner : We do not call it that.
The Shaykh : Okay, if someone translates Ibn Kathir’s tafsir into British or English, does it cease to be the case that this Quran translated into English, for example, with Ibn Kathir’s tafsir, is also not permissible to be called a Mushaf?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, from this, your statement that they are printing the Mushaf in the reversed manner was an error on your part.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And it should have been said that they are printing the Quran with a tafsir in a foreign language.
The questioner : Arabic and foreign, of course, yes.
The Shaykh : I understand, my brother; in that case, this clarification in the question makes me think in a new way.
The questioner : Let me reconnect.
The Shaykh : Because I heard a noise come in.
The questioner : Let me reconnect.
The Shaykh : Okay, peace be upon you.
The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : The truth is, it is astonishing; instead of reversing the style of writing the foreign language, they reversed the style of Arabic writing, and in the Noble Quran.
Another questioner : There is no... precision, our Shaykh, and there is ignorance, I mean.
The Shaykh : If there is no precision, that is the lesser of two evils; we fear that it is part of the policy being followed today, yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : Let us complete the question.
The Shaykh : After the question was clarified, my answer is that this matter is reprehensible.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And I say, with reservation, that it is reprehensible at first glance, because I imagine that it is possible, at least, to maintain the style of writing in the Arabic language, especially the writing of the Noble Quran, along with the foreign translation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, if this is possible, then what you told me is wrong, and perhaps it came from those in charge of printing without them being aware of it.
The questioner : Perhaps to make it easier for the disbelievers.
The Shaykh : My brother, the translation to make it easier for the disbelievers is fine, but that we reverse the writing of the Noble Quran and change our Islamic customs to conform to the traditions of the disbelieving foreigners, that is not permissible. We do not say that translating the Quran is not permissible, provided that this translation is an interpretive translation and not a literal one. We do not say that it is not permissible to interpret the Quran with a meaning-based interpretation rather than a literal one.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, but we say that it is not permissible to conform to them in reversing the style of writing in the Arabic language, first, and especially, second, in the Noble Quran.
The questioner : Yes, this Quran, may Allah reward you with good; is it permissible for us to give it to a disbeliever to read?
The Shaykh : If you have another translation with it, it might be from the category of the lesser of two evils.
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : And this is if you think, and it is most likely in your opinion, that this disbeliever will benefit from reading this translation, yes.
The questioner : There is in the translation of the Quran, my Shaykh. There is... it contains things that are against the correct creed.
The Shaykh : Yes, and is this an argument, may Allah bless you?
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : Is this an argument?
The questioner : This is a second question.
The Shaykh : So, what is it?
The questioner : That this Quran with the tafsir contains things that contradict sound creed.
The Shaykh : And Saudi Arabia is distributing it?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : And did you point out these things or not?
The questioner : By Allah, I have not read it.
The Shaykh : In any case, if you pointed it out, you have done well, and if you concealed it, you have done wrong.
The questioner : And despite that, is it permissible for us to give it to the disbelievers?
The Shaykh : If there is no warning, it is not permissible.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : If there is no warning, it is not permissible.
The questioner : With the English translation following it.
The Shaykh : Did you clarify some of it? You said the Mushaf.
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : Your question was that the Mushaf printed in Saudi Arabia starts from the left.
The questioner : This is not called a Mushaf if it contains a translation.
The Shaykh : No, it is not called a Mushaf.
The questioner : That is not permissible.
The Shaykh : No, I have not given you the answer yet, but I want you to be clear in your questions.
The questioner : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : Because it was confusing to me; if you use the term Mushaf, does that include, for example, Ibn Kathir’s tafsir? Do we call that a Mushaf?
The questioner : We do not call it that.
The Shaykh : Okay, if someone translates Ibn Kathir’s tafsir into British or English, does it cease to be the case that this Quran translated into English, for example, with Ibn Kathir’s tafsir, is also not permissible to be called a Mushaf?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, from this, your statement that they are printing the Mushaf in the reversed manner was an error on your part.
The questioner : Yes, may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And it should have been said that they are printing the Quran with a tafsir in a foreign language.
The questioner : Arabic and foreign, of course, yes.
The Shaykh : I understand, my brother; in that case, this clarification in the question makes me think in a new way.
The questioner : Let me reconnect.
The Shaykh : Because I heard a noise come in.
The questioner : Let me reconnect.
The Shaykh : Okay, peace be upon you.
The questioner : Peace be upon you.
The Shaykh : The truth is, it is astonishing; instead of reversing the style of writing the foreign language, they reversed the style of Arabic writing, and in the Noble Quran.
Another questioner : There is no... precision, our Shaykh, and there is ignorance, I mean.
The Shaykh : If there is no precision, that is the lesser of two evils; we fear that it is part of the policy being followed today, yes.
The questioner : Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : Let us complete the question.
The Shaykh : After the question was clarified, my answer is that this matter is reprehensible.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And I say, with reservation, that it is reprehensible at first glance, because I imagine that it is possible, at least, to maintain the style of writing in the Arabic language, especially the writing of the Noble Quran, along with the foreign translation.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So, if this is possible, then what you told me is wrong, and perhaps it came from those in charge of printing without them being aware of it.
The questioner : Perhaps to make it easier for the disbelievers.
The Shaykh : My brother, the translation to make it easier for the disbelievers is fine, but that we reverse the writing of the Noble Quran and change our Islamic customs to conform to the traditions of the disbelieving foreigners, that is not permissible. We do not say that translating the Quran is not permissible, provided that this translation is an interpretive translation and not a literal one. We do not say that it is not permissible to interpret the Quran with a meaning-based interpretation rather than a literal one.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, but we say that it is not permissible to conform to them in reversing the style of writing in the Arabic language, first, and especially, second, in the Noble Quran.
The questioner : Yes, this Quran, may Allah reward you with good; is it permissible for us to give it to a disbeliever to read?
The Shaykh : If you have another translation with it, it might be from the category of the lesser of two evils.
The questioner : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : And this is if you think, and it is most likely in your opinion, that this disbeliever will benefit from reading this translation, yes.
The questioner : There is in the translation of the Quran, my Shaykh. There is... it contains things that are against the correct creed.
The Shaykh : Yes, and is this an argument, may Allah bless you?
The questioner : How?
The Shaykh : Is this an argument?
The questioner : This is a second question.
The Shaykh : So, what is it?
The questioner : That this Quran with the tafsir contains things that contradict sound creed.
The Shaykh : And Saudi Arabia is distributing it?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : And did you point out these things or not?
The questioner : By Allah, I have not read it.
The Shaykh : In any case, if you pointed it out, you have done well, and if you concealed it, you have done wrong.
The questioner : And despite that, is it permissible for us to give it to the disbelievers?
The Shaykh : If there is no warning, it is not permissible.
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : If there is no warning, it is not permissible.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.