URDU-A REVIEW OF EVOLUTION OF ORIENTAL ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF QURAN IN WEST

استشراقی انگریزی قرآنی تراجم کا مغرب میں ارتقاء وپذیرائی: ایک مطالعاتی جائزہ

Abstract

The historical evolution of English translations of Holy Quran is a phenomenon which gradually emerged over centuries. There have been seven different complete Quran translations since sixteenth century by Non-Muslim Orientalists. A brief review of Evolution of Oriental English Translations of Quran has been presented in this research study. All of these translations are mistaken, astray, and full of errors and have been written with prejudice against Islamic teachings and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Most of these orientalist translators having (Christian) religious background tried their level best to raise doubts regarding revelation, compilation and preservation of Quran. The hostility and prejudice of these English translators declined over the years and they have gradually learned to use reasoning and logic to defy Quran and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. There were several supporting factors behind successful evolution of these English Oriental translations including publishing companies, government institutions, religious scholars, controversial arguments, dramatic suppositions and the universities in the west. A few modern day Quran translations also appeared on the horizon of field of Oriental studies; however they continued the tradition of their ancestors regarding undermining the teachings of Quran intentionally or unintentionally with their clearly evident prejudice. Some of the reasons for evolution and successful emergence of these English Quran translations have been identified during the course of this research and are briefly discussed.