A Comparative Analysis of English Translations of Idioms in Selected Verses of Surah al-Mumtaḥanah (The Woman Tested) and Surah al-Saff (The Ranks) Based on Schleiermacher’s Framework

Document Type : Original Research

Authors

1 English Department, Imam Reza International University

2 Imam Reza International University, Postgraduate of English Language Department, Holy Mashhad, Islamic Republic of Iran

10.22081/ttais.2025.70208.1042

Abstract

Islam, the last, most comprehensive religion, presenting a divine plan for a purposeful, prosperous life, has been spreading increasingly through the Glorious Qur'an and the Stratight Path of Ahlul-Bait, divine peace upon them. When reading the Qur'an, figurative language is where readers may face ambiguity regarding the understanding of the message and details of religious teachings. For this reason, the quality translation of Qur'anic idioms is of paramount importance. The existing English translations, nevertheless, have some mismatches compared to the ST. When it comes to idioms, the mismatch is an important source of such differences. Hence, comparing different translations of Qur'anic idioms based on scientific principles of translation is a necessity. The present study was an attempt towards the study of interpretations and English translations of the idioms in verse 12 of Surah al-Mumtaḥanah and verse 8 of Surah al-Saff in the Noble Qur’an. For this aim, the translations of prominent translators were selected based on purposive sampling—translating covering a variety of methods—and analyzed: seventeen for al-Ṣaff and thirteen for al-Mumtaḥanah. Considering the descriptive nature of the work, the researchers attempted to describe the methods employed by the selected translators. The theoretical framework underpinning the study is the translation methods of Friedrich Schleiermacher (2012); this was followed by the ranking and marking of the translations based on Waddington’s holistic model of TQA (2001). Finally, according to the translations’ observed points of strength and weakness, new translations were offered for the ayahs (verses), sounding more comprehensible and attractive for young generations.

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History

  • Receive Date: 02 November 2024
  • Revise Date: 21 November 2024
  • Accept Date: 11 March 2025
  • Publish Date: 01 April 2024

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