ترجمة الاستعارة في القرآن الكريم: تحديات وحلول

Translation of Metaphor in the Holy Qur'an: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

Translation activity is gaining significance in globalized world as a source to enhance
communication among multicultural nations. Translation studies as an academic discipline is contributing meaningfully in bridging the linguistic and the cultural gap among languages. The translating metaphors in general and metaphors of the Holy Quran in particular is under research as it is often overlooked in translation studies. However, it can be recognized on the basis of the available main literature related to translation studies that the continued debates, discussions and deliberations over the faithful approaches of translating process versus free and dynamic strategies have produced adequate explanations, useful thoughts and approaches to deal with the text containing metaphors but at the same time it is observed that the general consensus was not provided by translation scholars in this regard.     

This study aims to investigate the challenges that the translators of the Holy Quran encounter while rendering Quran metaphors. In addition, it critically analyses the various approaches towards translating strategies of metaphors in general and Quran metaphors in particular

It highlights the basic reasons which may lead to misunderstanding metaphors of the Holy Quran. This study also focuses to find out to what extent the meanings of the metaphors of the Holy Quran can be conveyed to the readers by adopting various translation strategies. This study also takes the view that there is no principal strategy and approach for translating metaphors of the Holy Quran by pointing to the translating approach of word for word may often lead to unfaithful and unnatural translation of the metaphors of the Holy Quran.

However, this study is an attempt to explore a practical method for translating metaphors of the Holy Quran in a way which helps to communicate the divine message of the Holy Quran by producing an accurate and loyal translation of the metaphors of the Holy Quran as possible without deviations and distortions in the meaning of the Holy Quran.

This study has been concluded with results of analytical study of the translation of Quran metaphors.  The conclusions of the research and some recommendations have been stated at the end of this research.

Keywords: Translation, Strategies, Quran Metaphor, Challenges and Solutions