Translation exams that involve words of disbelief

15-3-2014 | IslamWeb

Question:

As-salaamu 3laikum, I study languages at university and sometimes we have to do exams in which we translate a text from one language to another as accurately as possible. Of course these texts are written by non-Muslims and sometimes the content of them is very bad. If there are words of kufr, deviance or words that seem wrong to me even if I don’t know the ruling on them, is it permissible to translate them? The translations will not be made public; it is just in order to give us a grade. If this is not permissible, can I leave those parts untranslated and translate the rest of the text? I only have to do one more set of exams like this in order to get my degree in shaa Allah and if I don’t do the exams I will fail. I really need the degree. Jazaakumu Allahu khairan

---

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.

It is known that students have no choice regarding exam questions, and that they answer them according to what they have studied, so it is not necessary that those questions conform with their beliefs. The answer would be according to the college curriculum.

The matter regarding the exams on languages and translation is even more clear, since what is desired is to translate the text and not to criticize it or clarify its legitimacy. So, the matter is only a narration of disbelief or writing /copying it. We have already clarified in Fatwa 91710 that if someone reports disbelief, he or she is not a disbeliever.

Moreover, exam papers (answers) do not result in the spread of falsehood or the misguidance of others. Rather, in general, such papers are destroyed and thrown away.

Therefore, it is permissible for you, Allaah Willing, to translate the text that is given to you for translation regardless of what it means.

Allaah Knows best.