A Semantic-Exegetical Approach to Rendering Some Mistranslated Qur'anic Terms

This paper aims to investigate the significance of using exegeses in the translation of the Quran. The translator’s bilingual capacity and bicultural understanding are not sufficient enough to translate the Quran. Many Quranic words and expressions are Quran-bound and have different layers of meaning. In the current study, the translations of 31 Quranic verses are explored and analyzed in six translations of the Quran, chronologically ordered as follows: Hilâlî and Khân (1996), Saheeh International (1997), Abdel Haleem (2004), Fadel (2020), Rowad Translation Center (2023), and Habib and Lawrence (2024). Baker’s (1992) classification of the types of meaning and Nida’s (1964) typology of formal and dynamic equivalence as well as Az-Zahabi’s (2000) four stipulations of exegetical translation of the Quran are explored and adopted as key theories of translation and linguistics to assist in analysing the verses thoroughly. The study findings highlight that Quran exegeses play a significant role in clarifying the meaning of Quranic words and expressions which is deemed indispensible for Quran translators. Moreover, translators’ reliance on their linguistic and cultural backgrounds does not necessarily result in appropriate translations since many Quranic words and expressions have multi-layered meanings that need to be explored precisely and meticulously. Additionally, four stipulations are proposed by Az-Zahabi (2000) and should be met to produce an exegetical translation of the Quran.