Is Quran's translation equal to Arabic?
Fatwa No: 88411

Question

I want to learn the Quran's translation. Is it equal to Arabic?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If by "equal to the Quran in Arabic" you refer to its meaning that this translation accurately translates the Arabic meaning, then this depends on the translation itself. As you know, the Quran has been translated by many people and their linguistic and scholastic abilities differ.

As far as we know, one of the best translations, is the one that was done by Muslim khan and Hilali and which was printed and distributed by King Fahd's complex for printing the noble Quran.

This does not mean that we have any reservation against the other translations. But before making use of any translation, we should make sure that the translators who translated it have a sound and correct creed and that they are trustworthy people from Ahlus-Sunnah.

This is what we think about the two mentioned Shaykhs: Khan and Hilali.

But if you mean whether the translation is equal to the Quran in its holiness and sacredness, the answer is no. It is, for instance, lawful to read the translation and touch it even if one is in a state of impurity. But this translation should not be abused because it embodies a lot of noble meanings that are in the Quran.

Allaah Knows best.

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