Message to one diktator re another

Wednesday 29 June 2011

How the West is made to Misunderstand Islam: Sugar-Coated Translations

Here is an example from an article by Australian Islamist Monitor.

Non-Muslims or ex Muslims who know Islam’s text in the Arabic and particularly those who know classical Arabic (few people) will tell you that the text is ‘worse’ meaning more horrifying and more deadly in the original classical Arabic than we are led to believe in English ‘translations.’   Islamic terminology carries with it concepts, cultural practices and a worldview belonging to an ancient Arab society.  The words translated into English or modern European languages fail to convey the full meaning that would be understood in an Arabic/Muslim society.  Only the original classical Arabic koran is the true text which cannot be changed and anything else is merely an interpretation and can be ‘modified.’  Dr Mark Durie a linguist and specialist in Islam explains some of the problems with our correct understanding of Islamic text which is often a translation of the ‘meaning’ as explained by the commentaries rather than a direct translation.   He notes that the real meaning can be ‘lost in translation’ with possible disastrous results as we fail to comprehend the real message in Islamic text.


Clitoridectomy, falsely translated
In 1981 Sheikh Gad al-Haq of al-azhar  University a supreme authority on sunni Islam, issued a fatwa stating that circumcision of girls was a religious obligation. (Durie 2010  p 63)
In Reliance of the Traveller, a classical manual of Islamic sacred law in Arabic with facing English text, commentary and appendices edited and translated by Nuh Ha Mim Keller (1994) re 'circumcision' we find the Arabic actually says
Law e4.3 p59
"Circumcision is obligatory (for every male and female) by cutting off the piece of skin on the glans of the penis of the male,
but circumcision of the female is by cutting out the clitoris (bazr in Arabic)- (this is called HufaaD or khufaadh –female circumcision).
"  (p59)(Shafi'i Law) (Durie 2010, p 64;  answering-Islam.org, several articles on clitoridectomy on this site by Circe)
(A:  Hanbalis hold that circumcision of women is not obligatory but sunna, while Hanafis consider it a mere courtesy to the husband.)"   
The English version falsely translates bazr as 'prepuce ' of the clitoris!! This is an addition by the translator.
The Arabic word bazr does not mean "prepuce of the clitoris", it means the clitoris itself (cf. the entry in the Arabic-English Dictionary). The deceptive translation by Nuh Hah Mim Keller which claims the ‘prepuce’ of the clitoris hides the true Arabic instructions which require excising the clitoris.   This is made for Western consumption and obscures the Shafi’i law, given by ‘Umdat al-Salik, that circumcision of girls by excision of the clitoris is mandatory. This particular form of female circumcision is widely practiced in Egypt, where the Shafi’i school of Sunni law is followed and has spread around the world with Islam. 
Mohammad himself endorsed the practice by telling a clitoris-cutter to continue (*Abu-Dawud   Book 41, No.  525).  Several hadith refer to the circumcised male organ and the circumcised female organ  suggesting it was a common practice amongst Mohammad’s group( articles by Circe on clitoridectomy or FGM this site).
Tawaffa translated as DIE/ died EXCEPT when applied to Isa (false Jesus)
The normal Arabic word ‘he died’ is twaffa.  It  is used many  times in the Qur’an: 2:234,  2:240;   3:193;   4:15, 4:97; 6:60,  6:61;   7:37, 7:126;    8:50;   10:46,   10:104;   12:101;   13:40;   16:28,  16:32,  16:70;   19:15;  19:33,   22:5;   39:39-42 (multiple references); 40:67,  40:77;   47:27 and translated as …died/die. 
Note 19:15 refers supposedly to John (Yahua) while 19:33 refers to Isa/fake Jesus with a virtually identical phrase.
Keep reading here:   http://www.australianislamistmonitor.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4408:islams-text-is-sugar-coated-in-translation&catid=180&Itemid=18

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