Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Classical Arabic to English Translation Organization

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Translations Organization working on translating important classical Arabic Texts into English, hiring expert classical Arabic to English translators (Muslims) and being financed by sponsorships, donations and funding of Muslim masses, making end PDF versions available for free download (You can improve it further before implementing it):

1. Any Islamic scholar or organization that already has trust and sufficient popularity among Muslims, can set up an organization or a sub department for translations.

2. Project Scope should be briefly explained, and important classical Arabic texts planned to be translated, should be listed and briefly explained with estimated cost.

3. Donations options provided on site and donations should also give option of exact book where user wants to donate.

4. Unbiased, expert Classical Arabic to English translators to be contacted for the project and hired as full time translators for the project. Brief profile of all translators should also be given. 

5. Proofreaders and other translation analysis and improvement experts should also be hired, again must be unbiased and expert in this field.

6. All translated books must have 1 page Arabic and next page English giving the translation, i.e. original Arabic must also accompany the English translation.

7. The final product must be available for free download via internet as PDF.

8. The final product must also be available online in searchable format.

9. Mobile formats can also be prepared that can be viewed and studied on mobile devices. 

Some benefits: (of translating classical texts e.g. Lisan ul Arab, Taj ul 'Uroos, Mufradat ar Raghib, Al Mufassal by Zamakhshari, Kitab as Sibawayh etc.)
Access to important classical Arabic texts by Muslim masses in English, via which they can study from important classical Arabic texts, thus learn Islam and classical Arabic even better
Spreading the truths of Islam worldwide in the global language English, from the authentic classical sources

Reducing impact of non-Muslim orientalists that are translating classical Arabic texts

Reducing the impact of modernist translators and works as the classical works already have solutions to many problems being lifted again.

Reducing the impact of Modern Standard Arabic and other Non-Classical Arabic dialects.

More jobs for Muslim translators, and introduction of Classical Arabic translation as a full time job

More interest in classical Arabic worldwide

Trying to make Classical Arabic as the world's most widespread and important language.

Important Priority Classical Arabic to English Translation Tasks mentioned below :
I. Arabic Vocabulary & Grammar. 
1. Completion of Lane's Lexicon via a supplemental work only to cover roots starting with:
qaaf (about 80 or more roots used in the Quran)
kaaf (about 61 or more roots used in the Quran)
laam (about 55 or more roots used in the Quran)
miim (about 67 or more roots used in the Quran)
nuun (about  105 or more roots used in the Quran)
hay (about 39 or more roots used in the Quran)
waw (about 77  or more roots used in the Quran)
ya (about 11 or more roots used in the Quran)
i.e. 8 letters only  (Total of above 8 , about 495 or more roots used in the Quran)
More than 495 roots used in the Qur'an alone for which a supplemental work is required to Lane i.e. letters are only 8 but making a rough estimate the roots make up  about 25% of the roots used in the Qur'an. To be done by translating relevant roots from Taj ul Uroos and Lisaan ul Arab. 

2. Lisaan ul Arab

3. Mufradat ar Raghib

4. Asaas al Balaaghah by Zamakhshari

5. Taj ul Uroos

6. Zamakshari's Mufassal along with commentary.

7. Kitab as Sibawayh

8. Alfiya Ibn Malik along with commentary.

9. Mughni al Labeeb by Ibn Hishaam along with commentary


Sunnah & Hadith
1. Maqayis Naqd Mutun as Sunnah by Misfir ad Dumayni
(the 565 pages book is the largest book on Hadith Matn analysis & discusses various Hadith Matn Analysis criteria deployed by Sahaaba, Fiqh scholars and Hadith scholars)

2. AtTadlees fil Hadith by Misfir ad Dumayni

3. Al Kifayah fi l ilm al-Riwaya by Khatib Baghdadi

Islamic System
1. Al Jihad wal Qital fi as siyasa ash shar'iyya by Dr. Muhammad Khayr Haykal
(The 3 volume book includes a detailed discussion of the proposed methodologies in order to re-establish the Islamic state & evaluates them according to the Islamic evidences)

More... important works

Notes:
1. http://www.altafsir.com/ an organization of Shia Group has hired full time paid translators for translating some of the important works they selected of all sects. So among Muslim groups, if only Shia group does this important translation work, only their representation in translation among Muslim groups may reach more than 90%. To my knowledge no Sunni group has launched any similar project.

2. Orientalists are translating important works like Kitab as Sibawayh etc.  if Muslims continue ignoring the need for translating, orientalist translations can become widely used as has happened before also. Rather many major important works in English available have been translated by orientalists including dictionaries like Lane's Lexicon, and Grammatical works like big Howell Arabic Grammar of about 4758 pages and Wright's Arabic Grammar.