A Stylistic Study of Morpho-Semantic Shifts in Some Selected English Translations of The Glorious Qur'an PDF

A Stylistic Study of Morpho-semantic Shifts in
Some Selected English Translations of the

Glorious Qur'an
A PhD Dissertation
Submitted by
Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad Ali
to
The Department of English Language & Literature
Faculty of Arts - Cairo University
In fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in
Linguistics & Translation
Jointly Supervised by
Prof. Khaled Tawfiq
Prof. Abdel-Hakim Radi
Professor of Linguistics
Professor Emeritus of Arabic Rhetoric
Cairo University
Cairo University
&
Prof. Gabriel S. Reynolds

Professor of Islamic Studies
Notre Dame, IN, USA
2015
For
My Late Father
My Late Mentor Prof. Muhammad Yahya
My Mother
My Sisters
whose patience, optimism, moral support and love
have been a perpetual source of ambition and hope.
Acknowledgements
I thank Allah the Almighty for granting me the determination and strength to
complete my dissertation, a dream still invincible.
I owe a great debt of gratitude to many people, without their help, support,
encouragement and advice this study could not have been written. In particular, I
would like to thank my late Professor Muhammad Yahya, whom I owe more than I
can repay. I am sincerely indebted to him for his patience, nobility, inspiring remarks
and fruitful suggestions. Academically, he spared no effort to revise my dissertation
chapter by chapter once and twice, in spite of his many commitments, and to provide
me with the necessary materials and valuable references. Personally, he was to me a
second father, for whom I felt a real filial affection. His heart and friendly voice still
echo in my ears. His door was ever open to academics, scholars and students. Indeed,
he was a source of hope, optimism and inspiration. He was seized with an irresistible
determination to lead an active and interesting life up to the very end. His disability
never held him back. May his soul rest in peace! Amen!
I am also honored to be supervised by Professor Khaled Tawfiq, whom I do not only
consider my mentor, but also my elder brother and a close friend. Without
exaggeration, he was, and still is, my source of ambition and a shining star, guiding
all his followers to the right track. He never lets you down once you have his
commitment. For me, he has been one of the few role models, who combined modesty
with knowledge and respect with fascination. Really, I am lucky to be where I am
today due to his sincere efforts, care and supportive nature. Words of gratitude and
appreciation are not sufficient for all I owe him.
As for my Professor Abdel-Hakim Radi, words fail me when I attempt to express my
gratitude for his invaluable help during the course of my dissertation. I am impressed
by his knowledge and joyful approach to a hardworking world of academia. I had the
privilege of being shaped by his smiling face, his simplicity, his modesty, his
generosity and, above all, his encyclopedic knowledge and parental affection. Indeed,
I am proud of being one of his students.
Also, I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my supervisor Professor
Gabriel S. Reynolds, Professor of Islamic Studies, the University of Notre Dame,
whose guidance and constant advice have been vital for the completion of this
research. Really, I am so honored to be supervised by such a prolific scholar and a
well-known figure among both the foreign and the American intellectuals. I was very
pleasantly surprised at the warm welcome and hospitality I received at both his office
and his home, not to mention his generous invitations at various restaurants. I can
never forget his first tour at the Hesburgh library, where he showed me how to borrow
and check out books, and where a large collection of Islamic and Arabic references
and chronicles lies. I was in his constant care through instant messages and regular
emails. Above all, his patience and open-mindedness stimulate open discussion
whenever we meet, believing that difference of opinions does not spoil amity.
Becoming a Visiting Researcher at Notre Dame University for 2 years has greatly
benefited me, as the University is full of opportunities for learning, leadership and
personal growth. I must thank the staff and the university in general for making this
possible. I am sincerely grateful and honored to the Egyptian Ministry of Higher

Education and my home university, i.e., Helwan, for granting me this fully-funded
joint supervision scholarship to the USA. It has been a great help in all the university
expenses from tuition to books to travel. I am proud to have been selected as a
recipient of this grant that will tremendously assist me with my academic career. It is
greatly appreciated.
My thanks extend to the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at Notre Dame
University for their moral support, good company and direct and indirect help
throughout this research. This circle of friends, rather brothers and sisters in Islam,
has enriched my social life, lessened the culture shock and broadened my horizons. I
wish them all the best ever.
I am so grateful to the prospective participants in my questionnaire, especially
Professor Reynolds, Barbara, Chris Miller, Connie, Maeve Miller, Tehreem Muneeba,
Muhammad Sirajul-Din, Fat-hiyyah Refqy, Muhammad Mansy, Mariyam Kamel,
who have willingly shared their precious time during the process of evaluation.
Moreover, I would like to thank my colleagues and friends, who kept me in their
prayers, supported and encouraged me throughout the writing process.
Last but not least, my heartfelt and sincere thanks go to my family, especially my
mother, sisters and brothers-in-law, for their unfailing love, constant support,
enthusiasm, patience and endurance during the long hours and difficult moments of
the study and the longer-than-anticipated journey to the United States of America, i.e.,
two years. Indeed, without their love and continual understanding my scholarly
endeavors would not be possible. Special thanks and prayers are due to my beloved
father, who died before he could witness the achievements of his son.
ii
Title: A Stylistic Study of Morpho-semantic Shifts in Some Selected English

Translations of the Gloriuos Qur'an
Candidate's Name: Ahmad Muhammad Ahmad Ali
Abstract
This study attempts to analyze some selected morpho-semantic shifts in four English
translations of the Quran, namely, Ahmad Zidan and Dina Zidans The Glorious Quran:
Text & Translation 1991 , Taq al-D n al-Hil l and Muhammad Muhsin Kh ns Translation
of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an in the English Language (1996), Muhammad M. Gh l s
Towards Understanding the Ever-Glorious Quran (2003) and M. S. Abdel-Haleems The
Quran: A New Translation (2004). The importance of this study lies in the fact that this shift
is one of the most recurrent and rich rhetorical phenomena in the Quran. However, it did not
receive a detailed and comprehensive study, especially in the field of translation, as far as I
know, to unveil the aesthetic values and the inimitable aspects of the Quranic discourse.
Accordingly, it is concerned with surveying the various stylistic approaches to translation and
discussing the importance of stylistic dimension a translator should maintain during the
process of translation. In so doing, the Quranic verses that abound in this kind of shift are
discussed in the light of Schema Theory (Schank & Abelson 1977; Rumelhart 1980; Simpson
2004), a systematic tool by which a translator prioritizes the suitable strategies adopted during
the process of translation to give the text an individual flavor. Another useful tool adopted by
the researcher is the questionnaire, as a methodology of research. Finally, since a translation
cannot replace the original, and since no two languages are identical, an exegetical approach
to Qur'an translation is highly recommendable. Accordingly, a proper and consensual
exegesis is preferable.
Key words:
(Qur'anic rhetoric; translation; morpho-semantic shifts; schema theory; stylistics; al-iltift;
intertextuality)
iii
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Abstract
iii
Table of Contents
iv
List of Figures
xviii
Abbreviations Used
xix
Arabic Transliteration System
xx
Specific Rules
xxiii
Introduction
I- Theoretical Background
Chapter One
1. Al-iltift (shift) in Arabic
1.1 A Historical Overview
1.2 Various Genres of al-iltift
1.3 Various Names of al-iltift
1.4 The Most Common Type of al-iltift
1.5 Statement of the Research Problem
1.6 Problems Explored
10
1.6.1 Multi-functional Patterns
10
1.6.2 Mono-functional Patterns
11
1.6.3 Context-bound Morphological Shifts
11
1.7 Importance of the Study
11
1.8 Research Questions
12
1.9 Review of Literature
12
1.10
17
Methodology
1.11 The Schema Model as a Cognitive Approach
18
1.12 Tools Used
20
1.12.1 Questionnaire
20
1.12.1.1 Objectives & Goals
20
1.12.1.2 Questionnaire Format
22
1.12.1.3 Participants
23
1.12.1.4 Procedures
24
1.12.1.5 Questionnaire Administration Modes (Shelly & Rosenblatt,
24
2010)
iv
1.13 The Definition of Morphology
25
1.14 Patterns of Various Significations
25
1.15 Morphology-induced Meaning
25
1.16 Arabic Morphological Features
26
1.16.1 Anonymity
26
1.16.1.1 Antonymously-homogenous Morphological Patterns
26
1.16.1.2 Antonymously-heterogeneous Morphological Patterns
27
1.17 Triliteral Paradigm
28
1.18 Mono-functional Patterns
28
1.19 Multi-functional Patterns
30
Chapter Two
39
2. Stylistic Approaches to Translation
39
2.1 What is Style?
39
2.2 The Importance of Stylistics
40
2.3 Preservation of the Stylistic Dimension
41
2.4 Stylistic Dexterity and Language
41
2.5 Language Specificity
42
2.6 Principles of Stylistic Analysis
43
2.7 Levels of Stylistic Analysis
43
2.8 The Components of Context
44
2.9 Context-motivated Style
45
2.10 Style as a Persuasive Strategy
45
2.11 Style in Translation
46
2.12 Functionality of Style in Translation
47
2.13 Translation-implied Participants
47
2.14 Multiple Transferred Meanings
48
2.15 Principles of Stylistics
49
2.15.1 Text-oriented Analysis
49
2.15.2 Objectivity
49
2.15.3 Eclecticism & Universality
50
2.15.4 Choice, Analysis & Interpretation
50
2.16 Stylistic Features
51
2.16.1 Defamiliarization
51
2.16.2 Foregrounding
52
2.16.3 Deviation
52
2.17 The Inimitable Style of the Qur'an
53
2.18 Secret of the Qur'anic Rhetoric
55
2.19 The Inimitable Symphony of the Qur'an
57
2.20 Stylistic Inimitability of the Qur'anic Discourse
58
2.20.1 Diacritically-based Inimitability
59
2.20.2 Inimitability-based Linguistic Analysis
60
2.20.2.1 Word Level
60
2.20.2.1.1 Lexically, Semantically and SyntacticallyCompressed Words
61
2.20.2.1.2 Peculiar Words
63
2.20.2.1.3 Seemingly Trite Words
64
2.20.2.1.4 Al-R fic's Defense of Excessive Use of Qur'anic
65
Words
2.20.2.1.5 Plural Form-based Usage
65
2.20.2.1.6 Single Form-based Usage
66
2.20.2.2 Phrase Level
66
2.20.2.2.1 Collocations
67
2.20.2.2.2 Aplastic Nouns Arrangement
68
2.20.2.3 Ayah Level
69
2.20.2.4 Surah Level
71
2.20.2.4.1 Thematic Connectivity between the Surah and its

Name
71
2.20.2.4.2 Thematic Connectivity between Beginning

and End of a Single Surah
71
2.20.2.4.3 Thematic Connectivity between the End of a

Surah and the Beginning of the Following one
72
Chapter Three
74
3. Translation Types & Translator's Strategic Decisions
74
3.1 Towards a Working Definition of Translation
74
3.2 The Process of Translation
75
3.3 The Product of Translation
77
vi
3.4 Nida & Taber's Categorization of the Process of Meaning-Transfer
78
3.5 Meaning-governing Rules
78
3.6 Translation as a Teleological Activity
79
3.7 The Role of a Translator
79
3.8 Translator's Double Duty
80
3.9 Translator as a Reporter
80
3.10 Trends of Translation Typology
81
3.11 Literariness-induced Difficulty
82
3.12 Dryden's Categorization of Translation Types
82
3.13 Various Methods of Translation
83
3.14 Translation Theory and Language
84
3.15 Approaches to Translation
85
3.15.1 Absolute Translation
85
3.15.2 Abstract Translation
85
3.15.3 Adaptation
86
3.15.4 Auto-translation
87
3.15.5 Content-based Translation
87
3.15.6 Crib Translation
87
3.15.7 Diagrammatic Translation
87
3.15.8 Ethnographic Translation
88
3.15.9 Exegetic Translation
88
3.15.10 Fan Translation
89
3.15.11 Full Translation
90
3.15.12 Gist Translation
90
3.15.13 Gloss Translation
90
3.15.14 Graphological Translation
90
3.15.15 Idiomatic Translation
91
3.15.16 Interlineal Translation
92
3.15.17 Interlinear Translation
92
3.15.18 Interlinguistic Translation
92
3.15.19 Intermediate Translation
93
3.15.20 Intersemiotic Translation
93
3.15.21 Intertemporal Translation
93
vii
3.15.22 Intralingual Translation
93
3.15.23 Keyword Translation
94
3.15.24 Parallel Translation
94
3.15.25 Parenthetic Translation
94
3.15.26 Partial Translation
94
3.15.27 Phonemic Translation
95
3.15.28 Phonological Translation
95
3.15.29 Pseudotranslation
96
3.15.30 Selective Translation
96
3.15.31 Sight Translation
97
3.15.32 Total Translation
97
3.15.33 Transcription
97
3.15.34 Transliteration
97
3.16 Typological Duality of Translation
100
3.16.1 Direct Translation & Indirect Translation
100
3.16.2 Literal Translation vs. Idiomatic Translation
100
3.16.3 Semantic Translation vs. Communicative Translation
102
3.17 Jakobson's Tripartite Model of Translation
104
3.18 Translation Equivalence
105
3.19 Equivalence as a Satisfactory Criterion
106
3.19.1 Formal Equivalence vs. Dynamic Equivalence
106
3.19.2 Pragmatic Equivalence vs. Functional Equivalence
107
3.19.3 Koller's Five Types of Equivalence
108
3.20 Text Types in Translation
108
3.20.1 Literary Texts vs. Non-literary Texts
109
3.20.2 Denotation vs. Connotation
109
3.20.3 Connotation & Multiplicity of Meanings
110
3.21 Baker's Bottom-Up Approach to Equivalence
110
3.22 Principle of Maximum Relevance (max-max principle) (Sperber &
111
Wilson (1995))
3.23 Translators' Practical Strategies
111
II- Analysis & Discussion

116
Chapter Four
viii
4. Morpho-semantic Shifts
116
4.1 hamzah-initial Forms
116
4.1.1 nazzala & anzala
116
4.1.1.1 Precondition (Exegetical) Header
116
4.1.1.1.1 The Secret behind Such a Shift
116
4.1.1.1.2 Morphological Differences between the Two Patterns
117
4.1.1.2 Instrumental (Contextual) Header

4.1.1.2.1 The Linguistic Difference between al-tanzl and al-inzl
4.1.1.3 Output (Translation) Header
117
117
119
4.1.1.3.1 Comments on Translators' Strategies

4.1.1.4 Internal Conceptualization (Proposed Translation) Header
119
120
4.1.1.4.1 Statistical Representation of the Questionnaire Findings
121
4.1.1.4.2 Justification-based Choices of the Participants
122
4.1.2 mahhil and amhil
123
123
4.1.2.1.1 Proponents of Dissimilarity
123
4.1.2.1.2 Indifferent Opinions
123
4.1.2.1.3 Rhetorical Purposes behind Shift from mahhil into
124
amhil
124
4.1.2.2.1 Methodology of Word Length Study
124
4.1.2.2.2 Lexis-based Levels of Interpretations = Elliptical
125
Structure
4.1.2.2.3 Morphological Patterns-based Interpretation
127
127
4.1.2.3.1 Dictionary-based Meaning
128
4.1.2.3.2 Negative Connotations
128
4.1.2.3.3 Criteria for Judgment
129
130
131
132
4.2 Morphologically-Prefixed Forms
134
4.2.1 T-prefixed form: tawaffhum and tatawaffhum
ix
134
134
4.2.1.1.1 Context-and-Situation Awareness
134
4.2.1.1.2 Rhetorical & Stylistic Reasons behind Shift from
135
Tawafft-hum to tatawaffhum
136
4.2.1.2.1 Contextual Structure
136
4.2.1.2.2 Contextual Necessity
137
4.2.1.2.3 Eventfulness and Tellability
139
4.2.1.2.4 Diversity in Gender Juxtaposition
139
4.2.1.2.5 Apparent Incongruity
140
4.2.1.2.6 Ingenuous Femininity
141
141
4.2.1.3.1 Common Remarks
142
4.2.1.3.2 Specific Remarks
143

4.2.1.4.1 Statistical Representation of the Questionnaire
145
146
Findings
4.2.2 T-prefixed Forms: tadhakkarn and tatadhakkarn
4.2.2.1.1 Seemingly-Exotic Word Order
147
149
149
149
150
4.2.2.2.1 The Function of the Context
150
4.2.2.2.2 Context Disambiguation
151
4.2.2.2.3 Guiding Lexical Markers
151
4.2.2.2.4 Context-induced Analysis/Interpretation
151
4.2.2.2.5 Pragmatic Implications
152
4.2.2.2.6 Category-centered Address
152
4.2.2.2.7 Syntax-based Analysis
153
4.2.2.2.8 The Marked Qur'anic Word Order
155
155
4.2.2.3.1 Intonation-based Interpretation
157
4.2.2.3.2 Ghl's Translation
158
4.2.2.3.3 Kh n's Translation
158
4.2.2.3.4 Zidan's Translation
159
160
4.2.2.4.1 Statistical and Grahpic Representation of the
161
Questionnaire Findings
161
Chapter Five
164
5. Morphologically-Assimilated Forms
164
5.1 yatararacn & yaarracn
164
5.1.1 Precondition (Exegetical) Header
164
5.1.1.1 Context-induced Reinterpretation
164
5.1.1.2 Directionality
165
5.1.2 Instrumental (Contextual) Header
166
5.1.2.1 Recitation-induced Reinterpretation
166
5.1.2.2 Double Gemination
167
5.1.2.3 Syllabicity-oriented Interpretation/Morphological Stress
168
5.1.2.4 Splendid Arrangement/Word order
168
5.1.2.5 Seemingly-Synonymous Items
168
5.1.2.6 Arabic Hendiadys
169
5.1.2.7 Rhetorical Use of Prepositions
169
5.1.2.8 Subaudition
170
5.1.2.9 Ellipsis-related Functionality
170
5.1.2.10 Rhetorical Purposes of Ellipsis
171
5.1.3 Output (Translation) Header
173
5.1.3.1 Abdel-Haleem's Translation
173
5.1.3.2 Brief Parenthetical & Footnote Explanations
173
5.1.3.3 Al-R z-based Translation
174
5.1.3.4 Communicative Approach Revisited
174
5.1.3.5 Maximization vs. Minimization
175
5.1.3.6 Khn's Translation
176
5.1.3.7 Excessive Use of Parenthetical Explanations
176
5.1.3.8 Translation by Addition Strategy
176
5.1.3.9 Separate Unit of Thoughts Resulting in Meaning Distortion
176
xi
5.1.3.10 Verbatim Adherence to the Original
177
5.1.3.11 Ghl's Translation
178
5.1.3.12 Excessive Use of Adverbs
178
5.1.3.13 Consistency vs. Inconsistency
179
5.1.3.14 Lexical Indeterminacy
179
5.1.3.15 Zidan's Translation
179
5.1.3.16 Adherence to the TL Word Order
179
5.1.3.17 Slight Modifications Inserted
180
5.1.3.18 Concise-but-Imprecise Strategy
181
5.1.3.19 Inconsistency
181
5.1.4 Internal Conceptualization (Proposed Translation) Header
182
5.1.4.1 Statistical Representation of the Questionnaire Findings
182
5.1.4.2 Justification-based Choices of the Participants
183
5.1.4.3 Zidan's Translation-based Attempt
184
5.2 yahurna and taahharna
185
185
5.2.1.1 Morphology-based Justification
185
5.2.1.2 Various Interpretation of al-ma
185
5.2.1.2.1 Menses
185
5.2.1.2.2 Vagina
186
5.2.1.2.3 Sexual Intercourse
186
5.2.1.2.4 From the Waist Up
186
5.2.1.3 Recitation-based Interpretation

186
187
5.2.2.1 The Juristic Controversy over the Process of al-taahhur
187
(cleanliness)
5.2.2.2 Exegetical Analysis
188
5.2.2.3 Shift from al-ay into al-ma
188
5.2.2.4 Multi-layered Interpretation of al-ma
189
190
5.2.3.1 Rhetorical Aspects Ignored
190
5.2.3.2 Transliteration Strategy
192
5.2.3.3 Loose & Unnecessary Explanations
192
xii
5.2.3.4 Fussy Matches
193
5.2.3.5 Multiple Exegetical Views Adopted
193
5.2.3.6 Lexical Alternatives
194
5.2.3.7 Comprehensive Alternatives
194
195
195
196
5. Patterns-Medial Fortition
198
5.3 isca and istaca
198
198
5.3.1.1 Similarity-adopted Interpretation
198
5.3.1.2 Syntactic-based Phonological Explanation
198
5.3.1.3 Critical and Logical Thinking
199
5.3.1.4 Reply to the Sameness of the Two Forms
199

c
200
c
5.3.2.1 Discrepancy between is a and ista a
200
5.3.2.2 abl's Stance on the Controversy over the Two Verbs
200
5.3.2.3 Definition of al-isticah
201
5.3.2.4 The Two Separately-Mentioned Forms
202
5.3.2.5 Illumination-related Spiritual Wisdom
203
204
5.3.3.1 Language-specific Economy
205
5.3.3.2 Stuffed with Parenthetical Asides
205
5.3.3.3 Translation of Exoticness
205
5.3.3.4 Common Ground Approach to Translation
206
5.3.3.5 Cohesion through Passivity & Modality
206
5.3.3.6 Ghl-Kh n and Textual Equivalence
206
207
207
208
5.4 kla & iktla
210

5.4.1.1 Morphological Implications
xiii
210
210
5.4.1.2 Phonological Implications
211
5.4.1.3 Componential Analysis
211
5.4.1.4 Balance Stricken
213
213
5.4.2.1 Etymology Explored
213
5.4.2.2 The Omission of the Preposition lahum
214
5.4.2.3 The Function of Particles al-wawan and Pronouns
214
5.4.2.4 Change in Prepositions
214
5.4.2.5 Preposition-verb-based Interpretation
215
5.4.2.6 Substitutability of Prepositions
215
5.4.2.7 The Omission of the Object
215
5.4.2.8 Relevance-based Analysis/ Reciprocal Ellipsis
216
5.4.2.9 Exactitude of Usage
217
5.4.2.10 Deviation from iktal min al-nas into iktal cala al-nas
217
5.4.2.11 Difference between al-kayl and al-wazn
218
219
5.4.3.1 Definition-based Strategy
219
5.4.3.2 Fussy Equivalence
220
5.4.3.3 Varied Gender-based Reception
220
221
221
222
Chapter Six
225
6. Context-bound Morphological Shifts
225
6.1 Shifting from mafcl into facl
225
6.2 Shifting from fcil and mafcl into facl
225
6.3 Shifting from maf l into f il
226
6.4 Shifting from fcil into afcal
226
6.5 Shifting from facl into facil
227
6.6 Shifting from facala into fcil
227
227
6.6.1.1 Qur'anic Intertextuality
228
6.6.2 Instrumental Header
228
xiv
6.6.2.1 Potentiality-versus-Decisiveness-based Choice of Verbs
228
6.6.2.2 Generality of Wording vs. the Specificity of Occasion
229
6.6.2.3 Tense-induced Rhetoric
229
6.6.3 Output Header
230
6.6.3.1 Similarity-based Approach
230
6.6.3.2 Dissimilarity-based Approach
231
Kh n's Literal Approach
6.6.3.3 Ghl's
6.6.3.4 Abdel-Haleem's & Zidan's Semantic Approach

6.6.4 Internal Conceptualization Header
231
232
234
6.6.4.1 My Proposed Translation
234
234
234
6.6.4.4 Translation by Omission Strategy
235
6.6.4.5 Suitably Representative Metaphor
236
6.7 Shifting from f il into fa l
238
238
6.7.1.1 Functionality of the Active Participle
239
6.7.1.2 The Quranic Relevance Theory
239
6.7.1.3 Rhetoric of the Patterns Arrangement
240
240
6.7.2.1 The Emphatic Particle inn-
240
6.7.2.2 Functionality of the Particle imma
241
6.7.2.3 Relevance-based Interpretation
242
6.7.2.4 Al-Zamakhshar's Interpretation of imma
243
6.7.2.5 Al-Als's Interpretation of imma
243
6.7.2.6 Shift from kfira into kafra
243
244
6.7.3.1 Equivalence-oriented Approaches
244
6.7.3.2 Exegetical Translation
245
6.7.3.3 Tense Incoherence
246
6.7.3.4 Wordiness
246
6.7.4 Internal Conceptualisation Header
247
247
xv
247
248
6.8 Shifting from fcil into facil
250
250
6.8.1.1 Controversy over the Determinacy of nakhirah and nkhirah
250
6.8.1.2 Al-Zamakhshar's Exegesis
250
6.8.1.3 Al-Als's Exegesis
251
6.8.1.4 Ibn cshr's Exegesis
251
252
6.8.2.1 Phonologically-induced Connotation
252
6.8.2.2 Onomatopoeically-formed Words
252
6.8.2.3 The Characteristics of al-kh
253
6.8.2.4 Etymologically-based Distinction
253
254
255
255
255
256
6.9 Shifting from fcil into ficla
258
258
6.9.1.1 Multi-layered Interpretation
258
6.9.1.2 Examples Explained
259
6.9.1.3 Identifying the Authoritative Voice
260
6.9.1.4 Al-itibk (Reciprocal Ellipsis)
261
6.9.1.5 Apparently Thematic Disconnectivity
263
6.9.1.6 Rhythmic Symphony
263
6.9.1.7 Hapax Legomenon Qur'anic Term
264
264
6.9.2.1 Potential Referentiality of tilka
264
6.9.2.2 Functionality of idhan
265
6.9.2.3 Concision of idhan
265
6.9.2.4 Context-based Relevance
266
6.9.2.5 Brevity and Succinctness
266
xvi
6.9.2.6 Rhetorical & Stylistic Considerations
267
6.9.2.7 Combination of Letters & Mental Image
267
268
270
270
270
271
Conclusion
274
Bibliography
280
A- English Titles
280
B- Arabic Titles
288
Appendix
293
xvii
List of Figures
Fig. 1
Shift in Pronouns
Fig. 2
The Process of Translation
73
Fig. 3
Nida & Taber's Categorization of the Process of

Meaning-Transfer
76
Fig. 4
Larson's in-between Stages of Translation
90
Fig. 5
Catford's Phonological Translation of English

into Greek
94
Fig. 6
Jakobson's Tripartite Model of Translation
103
Fig. 7
Reiss' Text Types & Various Text Varieties
107
xviii
Abbreviations Used
The abbreviations used in this dissertation are shown below:
Symbol
Meaning
ST
Source Text
SL
Source Language
SR
Source Reader
TT
Target Text
TL
Target Language
TR
Target Reader
AD
Anno Domini (year of the Christian Calendar)
AH
After Hijra
cf.
Compare
e.g.
Exempli gratia (for example)
i.e.
Id est (that is)
p.
Page
pp.
Pages
Q.
Qur'an
xix
Arabic Transliteration1 System

Throughout the present study, the Journal of Qur'anic Studies (JQS) Arabic
transliteration system, with some slight modifications, has been consistently used for
Arabic names and titles, excluding Arabic authors' names published in English or
otherwise. Additionally, English translations of Arabic book titles are put between
parentheses for easy recognition by readers not used to the transliterated form, as per
the following scheme:
1- Consonants
Arabic
Graphological
Unit
Description
Voiceless glottal
stop
Voiced bilabial
stop
Voiceless dental
stop
Voiceless
interdental fricative
Voiced palatal
affricate
Voiceless
pharyngeal
fricative
Voiceless velar
fricative
Voiced dental stop
Voiced interdental
fricative
Voiced alveolar
trill
Voiced alveolar
fricative
Voiceless alveolar
fricative
Voiceless palato-
English
Graphological
Equivalent
Examples
arnab (rabbit)
bint (girl)
tamr (dates)
th
thawm (garlic)
jabal (mountain)
ulm dream
kh
kharf ram
d
dh
dalw (bucket)
dhahab (gold)
raqam (number)
zara (s/he visited)
samn fat
sh
sharq (east)
Here, I prefer the term 'transliteration', and not 'transcription', as 'transliteration' is the replacement of
the SL phonological units or writing systems by the TL phonological units, which, according to Catford
(1965), "are not translation equivalents, since they are not selected on the basis of relationship to the
same graphic substance" (p. 66). This replacement does not haphazardly take place, but on the contrary
it depends on a 'conventionally established set of rules', specifying transliteration equivalents, which
differ from translation equivalents. For further details, see Chapter Three.
xx
alveolar fricative
Voiceless alveolar
emphatic fricative
Voiced alveolar
emphatic stop
Voiced alveolar
emphatic stop
Voiced interdental
emphatic fricative
Voiced pharyngeal
fricative
Voiced uvular
fricative
Voiceless labiodental fricative
Voiceless uvular
stop
Voiceless velar
stop
Voiced dental
lateral
Voiced bilabial
nasal
Voiced alveolar
nasal
Voiceless glottal
fricative
Voiced bilabial
semi-vowel
Voiced palatal
semi-vowel
ib friend
arar harm
abaq plate
al m dark
gh
gharb strange
famm (mouth)
qalam (pen)
kal m (speech)
labb smart
m
n
murakkab
(compound)
n r fire
hirrah (cat)
wardah (flower)
yamm (sea)
arab Arabic
2- Geminates (Doubled Consonants)

Doubled Consonant
Example
dd
/shadd/
grasp firmly
qq
/daqq/
knock
Here, for example, the consonants /d/ and /q/ in the words /shadd/ (grasp firmly) and
/daqq/ (knock) are doubled. Geminate consonants are additional tenseness-controlling
units, represented by a compensating lengthening of their single counterparts in
another language. This phonetic phenomenon is very common in Arabic.
xxi
3- Diacritical Marks
A- Nunation
Nunation is peculiar to Arabic. It is a finally-attached phonetic sound to indefinite
nouns and adjectives. Additionally, it is a grammatically-based case, as per the
following scheme:
Arabic Diacritical
Mark
-
-
Grammatical
Case Ending
English
Graphological
Equivalent
-an
-un
-in
Accusative
Nominative
Genitive
Examples
Baytan
Baytun
Baytin
B- Case Endings
Mark
Description
English Graphological
Equivalent
It is termed kasrah (a diacritical
mark placed below the letter).
It is termed fat-ah (a diacritical
mark placed above the letter).
It is termed ammah (a diacritical
mark placed above the letter).

4- Long Vowels
Arabic
English
Example
Graphological Graphological
Units
Equvalent
asr r
secrets
shuhd
witnesses
nabl
noble
xxii
Specific Rules
The definite article , which is initially attached to nouns, is transliterated as al/el-. Accordingly, Arabic nouns will be transliterated as they are graphically written,
not as they are phonetically pronounced. For example, the word ( the sun) will
be transliterated al-shams, not ash-shams.
xxiii
Introduction
Introduction
This study attempts to analyze morpho-semantic shifts in some selected
English translations of the Quran, namely, Ahmad Zidan2 and Dina Zidans The
Glorious Quran: Text & Translation 1991 , Taq al-D n al-Hil l 3 and Muhammad
Muhsin Kh ns Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an in the English
Language (1996), Muhammad M. Gh l s Towards Understanding the Ever-Glorious
Quran (2003) and M. S. Abdel-Haleems The Quran: A New Translation (2004).
This necessarily implies a comparative approach to Arabic, the Source Language
(SL), and English, the Target Language (TL).
Reasons for choosing the four translations in question:
The four translators are competent in both the SL, i.e., Arabic, and the TL, i.e.,
English. For example, Abdel-Haleem, Gh l and Zidan are native speakers of
Arabic with near native English while Kh n, a native speaker of English,
masters Arabic as well. As for Arabic, they have "absorbed the nuances of its
idiom and its phraseology with an active associative response within
[themselves], and hearing it with an ear spontaneously attuned to the intent
underlying the acoustic symbolism of its words and sentences" (Muhammad
Asad, 2003, p. viii);
In rendering the meanings of the Quran, the said translators follow the
traditional order of the suras rather than the chronological order;
The authors' names, such as Ahmad Zidan and Dina Zidan, Taq Al-D n al-Hil l and Muhammad
Muhsin Kh n, Muhammad M. Ghl, and M. S. Abdel-Haleem, etc., though in Arabic, are written in
the present paper in conformity with their original works under study. Both Ahmad Zidan and Dina
Zidan will also be referred to as "Zidan" throughout the whole study.
3
oth Taq Al-D n al-Hil l and Muhammad Muhsin Kh n will be referred to as "Kh n" throughout
the whole study.
Kh n and Gh l present to the target reader an English interpretation side by

side with the Arabic text, whereas the translations of Abdel-Haleem and Zidan
contain only the English text;
All of them are contemporary and their translations are written in modern
English, which reads easily and flows smoothly;
All of them are eager to address those who do not speak Arabic as a first
language, and those who are curious about the true understanding of Islam,
aiming at reproducing an appropriate translation of the Qur'an that is devoid of
"decontextualisation", "misinterpretation" or "bias" (M. Abdel-Haleem, 2004,
p. xxiv);
All of them believe that their translations can never be a substitute for the
Quran, "but the best expression [they] can give to the fullest meaning" (Yusuf
Ali, 1946, p. iv).
Morpho-semantic shifts are part of the Quranic discourse. That is to say the
Quranic discourse abounds in these shifts, which entail change in morphological

forms that lead subsequently to change in their signification, as morphological forms
are both semantically and stylistically motivated Abdul-Raof, 2001, p. 41).
In the case of the Quran, the choice of a certain word in place of another
indicates a semantic value. In other words, the pattern faccala, which is to intensify or
specialize the meaning of the verb and the pattern afcala, which is to give the verb a
factitive sense, indicate morpho-semantic changes. For instance, the former is for the
verb nazzala, i.e., to make someone/something go down Thackston, 1994/2000, p.
162), while the latter is for the verb anzala, i.e., to cause someone to go/come down
(Thackston, 1994, pp. 196-7). Thus, each pattern signifies a certain sense that cannot
be interchangeable or replaced by another pattern. Additionally, such changes cannot
2
be easily captured in translation unless a translator is fully aware of these shifts and of
their rhetorical purposes as well.
Although the two previous patterns, i.e., faccala and afcala, are employed to
express hyperbole, the former indicates a greater degree of hyperbole than the latter.
Thus, difference in morphological forms results in difference in lexical meaning. In
this regard, a distinction must be made between them to illuminate the fog of
language and to convey the content with minimal loss during the process of
translation.
Finally, the present study is divided into two parts, i.e., a theoretical part and a
practical part, a conclusion and a bibliography. Each part encompasses three chapters,
which are respectively as follows:
Chapter One discusses the concept of al-iltifat (shift) in Arabic, paying
special attention to its various genres, and the multiple significations of morphological
patterns in Arabic and their translations into English. In fact, it represents an
introduction to the following chapters that tackle rhetorical and stylistic
considerations inherent in morphological shifts in the Qur'an.
Chapter Two is concerned with surveying the various stylistic approaches to
translation and discussing the importance of stylistic dimension a translator should
maintain during the process of translation. It also explores the miraculous style of the
Qur'an and elaborates on the inimitable symphony of the Qur'an that moves "men to
tears and ecstasy", as Pickthall (1981: i) states.
Chapter Three investigates the multiple categorizations of the process of
meaning-transfer and examines inclusively the strategies and techniques adopted by
translators to reshape the ST adequately and to convey the communicative function
properly. It also probes deeply into the translator's double duty, i.e., as a reader of the
original and as a re-producer of the source text. Through this chapter, the researcher
attempts to show how translation is not a mere replacement of a ST by an equivalent
TL text.
After discussing the theoretical aspects of both stylistics and translation, a
practical inquiry into the various significations of morphological patterns in the
Qur'an and their translations into English is thoroughly launched in Chapter Four.
This chapter handles practically some selected morpho-semantic shifts in the four
translations of the Qur'an in question. In this chapter, not only a linguistic distinction
between these shifts is made, but also exegetical and contextual investigations are
extensively conducted. Additionally, it analyzes and evaluates the translations
suggested by the four translators in question. Finally, a suitable and appropriate
translation, which neither distorts the original message nor widens the cultural gap
between the SR and the TR, is proposed responsively.
Chapter
Five
discusses
the
practical
aspects
in
rendering
some
morphologically-assimilated shifts into English. An in-depth survey and a thorough

analysis of such shifts, based on authorized exegeses and modern linguistics, are
made. Furthermore, it sheds light on context-induced reinterpretations of the selected
shifts, though they are seemingly synonymous.
Chapter
Six
selectively
but
thoroughly
scrutinizes
context-bound
morphological shifts. In other words, it postulates that change in morphological

patterns is due to some certain rhetorical considerations, driven from the context, as a
reliable criterion for determining the intended meaning.
Finally, the conclusion gives a summary of the current study based on the
findings with recommendations and proposals for future research.
I- Theoretical Background
Chapter One
Chapter One
Al-iltift (shift) in Arabic
In this chapter, I will discuss the concept of al-iltifat (shift) in Arabic, paying
special attention to its various genres, and the multiple significations of morphological
patterns in Arabic and their translations into English. In fact, it represents an
introduction to the following chapters that tackle rhetorical and stylistic
considerations inherent in morphological shifts in the Qur'an.
In other words, this chapter investigates in-depth mono-functional patterns,
such as faclah / ficlah and mifcal / mifcl, which indicate one semantic value, and
multi-functional patterns, such as afcal and faccal, which indicate various semantic
values or significations.
1.1 A Historical Overview
asan abl 1988 believes that morpho-semantic shifts represent some types of
what is called in Arabic al-iltift, which is regarded as one of the most recurrent and
common rhetorical phenomena in Arabic literature, especially poetry. It was skillfully
employed by poets of the pre-Islamic era. The famous lines of one of these poets,
including but limited to Imril-Qays, are always quoted to illustrate this feature, as
follows:
tawala layluka bil-athmadwa-nma al-khaliyyu wa-lam tarqd

wa-bata wa-btat lahu laylatunka-laylati dh al-cir al-armad
wa-dhlika min nabain janwa-khabbartuhu can Ab-al-Aswad
I had a long sleepless night,
5
Without shutting my eyes;

Unlike the happy-go-lucky,
Who rests peacefully,
But I spent the night;
With weary eyes,
Unable to lie down,
Due to unwelcome news I heard. (Translation is mine)
(Imril-Qays' poem, 'Tawala layluka')
Here, the poet refers to three types of al-iltift. He focuses on al-khitb (address) in
the first line, describing ones long sleepless night, as in tawala layluka and walam tarqd. Then, he departs from al-khitb to al-ghaybah (third person , as in wa
btat lahu laylatun, in the second line. Finally, he departs from al-ghaybah into almutakallim first person , as in jan, in the third line cf. Ibn amza al-cAlaw d.
749/1348), 1914, pp. 140-1; al-Khab al-Qazwin d. 739/1338 , 2003, pp. 67-74; Ibn
al-Athr d. 637/1239 , 1959, II, pp. 167-186).
1.2 Various Genres of al-iltift
Lexically, al-iltift is derived from the verb iltafata, i.e., to turn right or
left Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 , 1959, II, p. 167 . Technically, according to Amad
al-H shim 1999 , the speaker departs from what is normally expected for some
specific considerations required by a specific situation in a given context (AlH shim, 1999, p. 239 . Thus, according to abl 1988: 55), such a departure may
imply one of the following:
1) Shift in Person, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd person, as in:
)5-2 :)( )5( ) 4( ) 3( ) 2( (
[al-amdu li-llahi rabb al-clamn*1 al-ramn al-ram* mlik yawm al-dn* iyyka
nacbud wa-iyyka nastacn] (Q. 1: 2-5). Here, there is a departure from the 3rd person
inherent in the first three verses, i.e., 'al-amdu lilahi rabbil-clamn* al-ramn alram* mlik yawm al-dn', to the 2nd person inherent in the final verse, i.e., 'iyyka
nacbud wa-iyyka nastacn' (Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 , 1959, II, p. 170);

2) Shift in Number, including singular, dual and plural, as in: (

( ) 3 :[ )wa-in ifatni min al-muminna iqtatal fa-ali
baynahuma ] Q. 49: 9 . Here, there is a departure from dual, i.e., ifatni, into
plural, i.e., iqtatal;
3) Shift in Morphological Patterns, namely in verbs and nouns, leads to a change in

[ ) qlat man
lexical meaning, as in: (3 : ( )

anbaaka hadha qala nabbaniya al-calmu al-khabr] (Q. 66: 3). Here, there is a shift
in anbaa, which is in the measure of afcala, and nabbaa, which is in the measure of
faccala. Such a shift indicates a semantic value as will be shown later;
4) Shift in Articles includes definite, indefinite, addition and omission, as in: (

( )66 :[ )innama al-adaqtu lil-fuqari wal-maskni
] Q. 9: 60 . Here, there is a departure from one article, i.e., al-lm, as in lil-fuqar,
into another one, i.e., al-waw, as in wal-maskn. Although the two articles are similar
in general function, they are different in specific performance;
5) Shift in Syntactic Structure includes a change from the accusative case, e.g.,

salman, into the nominative case, e.g., salmun, as in: (

c
( ) 25 :[ )idh dakhal alayhi fa-ql salman qla salmun qawmun
munkarn] (Q. 51: 25); and finally,

6) Shift in Diction lies in the choice or use of words in the Quranic discourse. This
final type of shift occurs through using two words that share the central connotation
but they differ in their marginal or contextual connotation or nuances cf. Ibr hm

Ans, 1965, pp. 106-07), e.g., sanah and cm, as in: (

)

(44 :[ )wa-laqad arsalna nan ila qawmihi fa-labitha fhim
alfa sanah illa khamsna cm] (Q. 29: 14).
1.3 Various Names of al-iltift
The Arabs were accustomed to departing from al-ghaybah (third person) to alkhitb (address), or from al-khitb (address) to al-ghaybah (third person) to capture
the readers attention and to refresh the hearers memory cf. Ibn al-Athr d.
637/1239), 1959, II, p. 168). This phenomenon was not labeled al-iltift until the time
of ibn al-Muctazz (d. 296/908), but it was given various names, such as al-arf, alinrf, al-cudl, al-talawn and mukhlafat muqtaa al-hir. All of these names are
now less common than the term al-iltift (Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 , 1959, II, p. 168 .
1.4 The Most Common Type of al-iltift
Obviously, Arabic abounds in this rhetorical phenomenon though it is no
longer limited to shift in pronouns, as in:

(

)22 :( )

[huwa alladh yusayyirukum f al-barr wa-al-bar atta idha kuntum f al-fulki wajarayna bihim bi-rin ayyibatin wa-fari biha jt-ha rhun cifun wa-jahum almawju min kulli maknin wa-ann annahum uia bihim dacaw Allaha mukhlina
lahu al-dna lain anjaytana min hadhihi la-naknanna min al-shkirn] (Q. 10: 22).
Shift in Pronouns
al-khitb
al-ghaybah
(Address)
(Third Person)
al-mutakallim
(First Person)
(yusayyirukum /
(bihim / fari /
(anjaytana / la-
kuntum)
jahum / ann /
naknanna)
dacaw)
Fig. 1 Shift in Pronouns
The Speaker (Allah) departs from al-khitb, i.e., yusayyirukum and kuntum, into alghaybah, i.e., bihim, fari, jcahum, ann and dacaw, then into al-mutakallim, i.e.,
anjaytana and la-naknanna (Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 , 1959, II, pp. 177-178). But,
in fact, al-iltift expands to imply any morphological, semantic, syntactical or lexical
change in the content affecting the core meaning or the deep structure asan abl,
1998, p. 55).
In the case of the Quran, such a phenomenon, i.e., morpho-semantic shift, is
extensively used. For that reason, it requires more examination and attentive study to
convey the rhetorical effectiveness of the Quranic discourse.
1.5 Statement of the Research Problem
Shift in morphological patterns is one of the most outstanding features in the
Quranic discourse. In other words, the Quran abounds in various patterns that are
motivated, semantically and stylistically. For instance, there are facala as in nazala;
afcala as in anzala; faccala as in nazzala; tafaccala as in tanazzala; tatafaccalu as in
tatanazzalu; fcil as in ghfir; faccl as in ghaffr; facl as in ghafr, etc. Such shifts
9
are not expected to represent any problem if the translator has the ability to
distinguish between them and/or to find adequate equivalents in the target language
(TL), capable of conveying the message without distortion.
In the case of the Quran, translators may fail to distinguish between various
morphological forms due to their different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In this
regard, Edward Sapir (1957) emphasizes the discrepancies that exist in languages due
to culture. He tries to draw translators attention to the fact that culture is an essential
element for finding the exact equivalent. He comments, saying: No two languages
are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality
[because] the words in which two societies live are distinct worlds Edward Sapir,
1957, p. 69). Thus, finding identical equivalents is an arduous task since the two
languages, namely the SL and the TL, differ from each other, linguistically and
culturally (Larson, 1984, p.153). That is why, according to Abdul-Raof 2001 , the
source language words are often translated by a completely different set of words p.
6).
1.6 Problems Explored
As for morpho-semantic shifts, Quran translators may encounter three kinds
of problems, as follows:
1.6.1 Multi-functional Patterns
Some morphological patterns have various meanings or functions. In Arabic,
one morphological pattern may indicate various semantic values. For example,
according to Jurj cAiyya n.d., p. 18 , the pattern afcala may appear to have several
functions or purposes, such as al-tacddiyah (transitivity), makn (movement towards a
place or destination) and 'declarative' or 'estimative' states, as will be discussed in
detail later in this chapter.
10
1.6.2 Mono-functional Patterns

There are various morphological patterns, such as faclah / ficlah and mifcal /
mifcl, which indicate one semantic value. For example, the pattern faclah is termed
ism al-marrah (the noun of instance or occurrence), which indicates the single
occurrence of the action or state of the verb, as in arbah (the act of hitting), jalsah
(the act of sitting), and sharbah (the act of drinking), meaning 'once' or 'one time'
(Thackston, 1994/2000, pp. 30-31; Ibn al-N im d. 686/1287 , 2000, p. 313 .
1.6.3 Context-bound Morphological Shifts
Some morphological patterns change into other forms within the context for
some certain rhetorical considerations. In other words, their meanings are contextbound, as will be shown later in chapter 6. For example, the pattern facl may be used
to mean either fcil or mafcl or both of them, depending upon the context, which
determines the intended meaning. Thus, according to cAiyya, such shifts are not
haphazardly used in any natural language, especially Arabic, but they follow a pattern
for some certain considerations, rhetorically, stylistically and semantically (cf. Ibn alAthr, 1959, II, p. 180 .
1.7 Importance of the Study
The importance of this study lies in the fact that this shift is one of the most
recurrent and rich rhetorical phenomena in the Quran. However, little concern has
been given to it. In other words, it did not receive a detailed and comprehensive study,
especially in the field of translation, as far as I know, to unveil the aesthetic values
and the inimitable aspects of the Quranic discourse. For this reason, an intensive
study is conducted on this topic
i)
to evaluate some selected English translations of the meanings of the

Quran;
11
ii)
to draw up a suitable strategy to meet the criteria of an accurate

translation; and
iii)
to analyze this feature, stylistically and rhetorically.
1.8 Research Questions

The present study attempts to answer the following research questions:
1) Does morphological change account for change in lexical meaning? If so,
what are the rhetorical purposes of such a change?
2) How are morpho-semantic shifts rendered by the four translators under study
into English in some Quranic verses?
3) What are the blunders related to morpho-semantic shift translators of the
Quran should avoid?
1.9 Review of Literature
During the twentieth century, translations of the meanings of the Glorious
Qur'an increasingly came into existence. There was, and still is, an urgent need for
translating religious books, especially the Qur'an, into various languages, including
but not limited to English, German, French, etc. Both Muslim and non-Muslim
translators, especially non-Arabs, aim not only to understand the Qur'an, but also to
uncover the grandeur of its Qur'anic Arabic and inimitable style.
Although many studies have recently been conducted on the Qur'an
throughout the world in various languages, the topic under discussion, as to the best of
my knowledge, did not receive special and careful attention. Most famous ancient
Arab linguists and rhetoricians, such as al-Zamakhshar d. 538 / 1143 , Ibn al-Muctaz
(d. 296 / 908), al-Jurj n d. 471 / 1078 and Ibn al-Athr d. 637 / 1239 , focused only
on various types of al-iltift in the Qur'an. They did not focus on analyzing its
rhetorical and effective role within the given contexts, especially in the Qur'an. In
12
other words, they illustrated al-iltift by giving simple examples without a

comprehensive or detailed study, or by giving it various terms, such as al-arf, alinrf, al-cudwl, al-talawn and mukhlafat muqtaa al-hir. For all these reasons,
there is a pressing need to study this type of shift attentively to show the rhetorical
purposes and aesthetic values inherent in its use.
In addition, most modern translation studies and academic researches, as far as
I know, did not pay a lot of attention to this topic. For example, Sulaym n Y qt
(1985)2, in his famous book entitled hirat al-tawl f al-iyagh al-arfiyyah (the
transfer phenomenon in morphological patterns), attempts to handle the concept of
transfer in morphological patterns in the past and the present. He pays special
attention to the classical works of Ibn Jinn, Ibn cAfr, Ibn cUql, Ibn Hish m and Ibn
Yacsh. He also sheds light on some contemporary linguists, such as Franz
opp,
Jacob Grimm, Edward Lhuyed, William Jones, Max Mller and Noam Chomsky.
Y qt also provides the reader with a simplified explanation of such a
specialized phenomenon. His book is characterized by its smooth style and practical
examples, excerpted from the Qur'an and pre-Islamic poetry. In addition, he devotes a
chapter
to
al-fail
al-nawiyyah
(grammatical
categories),
focusing
on
heterofunctional patterns and seemingly incongruous patterns. He, in another chapter

entitled al-qirt al-qurniyyah (the Qur'anic lections), traces the fundamentals of
morphology in the Qur'anic Arabic. Finally, he discusses in detail each pattern
separately, such as ism al-fcil (active participle), facl, facil and mafcl, to mention
just a few.
Muammad cAbdel-Sal m 1989 , in his MA thesis entitled hirat al- cudl f
al-lughah al-carabiyyah (the phenomenon of shift in Arabic), defines the concept of
al-cudl (shift), lexically and technically. Then, he elaborates on its hidden secrets,
13
such as affirmation, stylistic purity, consistency, synopsis simile, lexis or contextbased interpretation, etc. Later on, he practically gives some examples of al-cudl,
including, but not limited to, grammatical shifts and lexical shifts. Additionally, he
tackles various types of al-cudl, including shift in nouns, verbs and patterns,
illustrated by examples.
Muammad Abdel-Haleem (1992), in his paper entitled "Grammatical Shift
for Rhetorical Purposes: Iltift and Related Features in the Qur'an", attempts to
examine the fascinating rhetorical device of al-iltift in some selected Qur'anic verses,
maximizing the importance of the stylistic features of the sacred text. He, first,
introduces the concept of al-iltift in Arabic and its conditions, and, then, he hinges
mainly upon the various types of al-iltift, viz., 'Change in person, between 1st, 2nd
and 3rd person'; 'Change in number, between singular, dual and plural'; 'Change in
addressee'; 'Change in the tense of the verb'; 'Change in case marker'; and 'Using noun
in place of pronoun.' To support his point of view, he provides a comprehensive
number of all the Qur'anic verses related to each type of such a rhetorical device.
However, his paper revolves basically around the rhetorical purposes of al-iltift in
Arabic, without regard to its translation into English.
In her MA thesis entitled "al-iltift f al-quran ila khir srat al-kahf",
Khadjah al-Banan (1993) discusses the phenomenon of al-iltift in the Arabic
rhetoric, but she also highlights the stylistic aspect of such a phenomenon in the
Qur'an. Specifically, she sheds light on the more commonly used kind of al-iltifat, i.e.,
shift in pronouns, in a very specific part of the Qur'an, starting from Chapter One
(Srat al-F tiah) until Chapter Eighteen (Srat al-Kahf), approximately half of the
Qur'an. To explain, she focuses on the departure from al-khitb (address) to alghaybah (third person), and from al-ghaybah (third person) into al-mutakallim (first
14
person), and vice versa. Accordingly, her study puts more emphasis on only one type
of al-iltift.
asan abl (1998), in his book entitled uslb al-iltift f al-balghah al-qur
niyyah, takles thoroughly al-iltift as a rhetorical phenomenon in the Qur'an. He
examines the six different types of al-iltift, namely 1) shift in person, 2) shift in
number, 3) shift in diction, 4) shift in morphological patterns, 5) shift in syntactic
structure and, finally, 6) shift in articles. In doing so, he explores each kind of it
briefly, but he explicitly explains them in a plausible practicl manner. In his
explanation, he focuses on both the exegetical aspects and the rhetorical ones,
regarding the Qur'anic verses he specifies, giving priority to the context-bound
exegeses.
Helal al-Jeish 2005 , in his PhD dissertation entitled Al-cudl al-arf f alqurn al-karm: dirasah dilaliyyah (morphological deviation in the Glorious Qur'an:
a semantic study), focuses on the semantic study of morphological deviation in the
Qur'an as a salient linguistic phenomenon. It aims to uncover the aesthetic values of
the Qur'anic discourse and the secrets of the Qur'anic Arabic. He tries to show how
morphological deviation results in semantic shift, especially the patterns which are
derived from the same stem. In other words, he tackles the significance of the various
morphological patterns of the same root in the Qur'an. Thus, similarity-based
derivation and context-bound signification are pivotal criteria for analyzing such a
rhetorical phenomenon in the Qur'anic discourse. In doing so, he traces both ancient
and contemporary works that handle such a phenomenon.
Jal l al-amad 2007 , in his MA thesis entitled al-cudl f iyaghat almushtaqqt f al-qurn al-karm: dirasah dilliyyah (shift in derivative patterns in
the Glorious Qur'an: a semantic study), tackles the issue of al-cudl (shift), which is
15
considered a common rhetorical phenomenon. He divides his study into two sections:
theoretical and practical. In the first section, he deals with the definition of al- cudl as
a rhetorical term and the consequent controversies, focusing on morphological
patterns and derivations.
As for the practical section, he specifies this section into three parts. The first
part is much concerned with the analysis of some verbal patterns; the second part
analyzes some nominal patterns, while the third part represents the analytical
comparisons between both verbal and nominal patterns.
In her paper entitled "Different Morphological Forms in the Holy Qur'an:
Should they be Translated the Same?", Nagwa Younis (2011) attempts to analyse
some certain morphological forms, derived from the same root, such as ( najja)
and ( anja), ( kasaba) and ( iktasaba), ( hamala) and ( ihtamala),
etc. To be more specific, her study elaborates on the various morphological forms of
the triliteral verbs in the Qur'an. Basically, her aim, first, is to classify these various
morphological patterns of Qur'anic Arabic triliteral verbs and, secondly, to analyse the
parallel corpus of the original with its rendition in seven English translations, viz.,
Sahih International (1997), Pickthall (1930), Yusuf Ali (1946), Shakir (1999), Sarwar
(1981), Mohsen Khan (1996) and Arberry (1955). Thus, her paper mainly applies "the
corpus-based approach as a viable and fruitful perspective" (p. 7).
Ibrhm al-Gazzr (2011), in his PhD dissertation entitled "A Linguistic Study
of Grammatical Shift in Some Qur'nic Verses and Its Rendering into English",
investigates the phenomenon of grammatical shift, which seems eccentric to English,
especially 'pronominal reference' and 'word order'. In his study, he refers to the
fundamentals of this kind of shift in the Qur'an, focusing on context-bound instances.
Additionally, he attempts to analyze various types of grammatical shift, such as
16
'pronominal shift', 'change in number', 'change in gender', 'change in verb tense', and
'change in word order'. It also defends the false claims or assumptions, which lie in
the grammatical errors in the Qur'an, not to mention the analysis of the seeminglyungrammatical verses.
As shown above, there is a pressing need to study and analyze morphosemantic shifts comprehensively and in detail, as many scholars have paid no
attention to the translation of this feature into English. In other words, many studies
and books have concentrated on translating abstract nouns, Qur'anic figures of speech,
the problems of icjz (inimitability), or the untranslatability of the Qur'an, etc.
In addition, most of the ancient and modern studies ignored this rhetorical
type. To explain, some of them refer briefly to it, including its various and
overlapping definitions and explanatory examples, and the others adopt other
rhetorical topics other than al-iltift, such as asrr al-balghah (the secrets of
rhetoric) by al-Jurj n d. 471/1078 , fann al-jins (the art of paronomasia) by cAl alJind 1954 and al-balghah wa al-uslbiyyah rhetoric and stylistics by Muammad
c
Abdel-Mualib 1994 . Obviously, then, these studies in general and translation
studies in particular do not systematically or comprehensively cover all the fields

related to al-iltift, especially morpho-semantic shifts. Consequently, more careful
and detailed studies should be carried out on the topic under discussion to evaluate the
translations under study and to determine the appropriate strategies for the problems
that may arise during the process of translation.
1.10 Methodology
This dissertation aims at analysing the Quranic phrases or verses that abound in
this kind of shift in the light of Schema Theory, a systematic tool by which a
translator prioritizes the suitable techniques and strategies adopted during the process
17
of translation to give the text an individual flavour. In other words, it focuses on

decoding the source text, depending basically on "the pre-existing background
knowledge of the real world Jeffries
Mclntyre, 2010, p. 127 . Thus, it "provides a
useful theoretical base for understanding text-types and for identifying the local
effects that are generated in particular texts" (Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 133).
This kind of schema consists of three fundamental stages, according to D. E.
Rumelhart (1980), (i) Accretion, which represents the gradual build-up of the preexisting background knowledge of the text; (ii) Tuning, which implies 'the
modification of an existing' knowledge; (iii) and Restructuring, which refers to the
new output of the translation process.
1.11 The Schema Model as a Cognitive Approach
Schema theory, in Simpson's view (2004), is "an umbrella term covering a
range of individual cognitive models at the heart of which are situated the concept of
schema and the attendant concepts frame, scenario and script" (p. 89; emphasis in
original). It does not only involve "a predetermined, stereotyped sequence of actions"
in "a well-known situation" (Schank & Abelson, 1977, p. 41), but it also helps the
reader conceptualize or expect "certain types of mental representation" in "the course
of one's subject-based experience" (Simpson, 2004, p. 89). In other words, it is a
binary process by which the target reader receives 'fresh incoming information' and
concurrently interacts with his primary "preexisting knowledge", being able to
envisage his "mental representations" (Simpson, 2004, p. 89).
Schema theory is a text-based model; its importance "lies mainly in its
capacity to explain how we can understand texts without having to rely on explicit
linguistic signals" (Simpson, 2004, p. 89) within the text, allowing for unlimited new
conceptualizations. Accordingly, it moves "away from a linguistic and text-based
18
approach and towards a cognitive and expectation-based approach" (Simpson, 2004,

90).
The next step is to consider how such a strategy is 'triggered' by Headers, i.e.,
'textual cues', during "the process of meaning-making" (Schank & Abelson, 1977, pp.
49-50). In practice, especially in the translation process, this theory requires some
considerable modification, as follows:
1- Precondition header, i. e., exegetical header3, which refers to the attentive
study of the authorized exegeses, focusing on the verses that imply
these shifts in the Quran;
2- Instrumental header, i. e., contextual header, which requires analyzing the
verses under discussion to show the rhetorical and stylistic efficiency
of the original;
3- Output header, i. e., translation analysis, which shows the end product of
the process in comparison with the source text. It also requires
evaluating and judging the translated verses in accordance with some
authorized exegeses of the Quran; it also refers to the various
strategies adopted by the translators being considered when rendering
this kind of shift into English, such as word-for-word, literal, faithful,
semantic, adaptive, free, idiomatic, communicative, within-the-text
exegetical explanation, marginal notes, or commentaries.
4- Internal conceptualization header, i.e., proposed header, which refers to
the proposed translation by the researcher in the light of the exegetical
and contextual headers as well as the analysis, trying to shed light on
the unintentional blunders translators commit during the translation
process and to provide appropriate strategies thereof.
19
While keeping in mind the function of the schema theory, this study will necessarily
investigate the context of situation, which assists in retrieving the intended meaning.
This investigation focuses on the preceding and succeeding verses, as criteria for
analyzing such a theory and clarifying its unique rhetorical role in the Quranic
Arabic. Accordingly, the target reader has some certain expectations, which he aspires
to be in conformity with the world of the source text. In this regard, Christiane Nord
(1992) expresses the same point, as follows:
The recipient builds up a certain expectation as to the intratextual characteristics
of the text, but it is only when, through reading, he contracts his expectation with
the actual features of the text he experiences the particular effect the text has on
him. (p. 43)
1.12 Tools Used
1.12.1 Questionnaire
1.12.1.1 Objectives & Goals
Another useful tool adopted by the researcher is the questionnaire, as a

methodology of research. This tool enables him to evaluate and analyze the four
translations in question and provide a suitable and an appropriate translation through
the respondents choices and their preferences. This questionnaire, in the appendix,
includes some selected examples of the morpho-semantic shifts in the Quran and
their translations, including my proposed ones, followed by some simple questions, to
show which translation seems to be adequate and appropriate responsively. This
questionnaire, which consists of a series of questions, is not haphazardly prepared, but
it is based upon some criteria, as per the following:
- The questions selected are to measure separate variables, which are commonly used
in surveys, as a research tool to assess the four provided translations plus my
suggested one;
20
- The questions selected are arranged in a set format;

- Closed-ended questions are arranged to enable respondents formulate their own
answers, e. g., Q 1 & 3 (see the appendix attached at the end);
- Open-answer-based questions are also included to provide respondents with a list of
possible answers of his own, e. g., Q 2 (see the appendix attached at the end);
- This questionnaire is constructed in terms of the order the questions selected follow;
- The questions selected are targeting native speakers of English, having different
opinions and/or different interests, to give different answers accordingly;
- The questions selected are targeting also native speakers of Arabic with a good
command of English to get various results and concluding remarks as well;
- Clear, direct, comprehensible and easily understandable questions are intentionally
and purposefully chosen;
- Assumptions-free questions about the participant(s) are used;
- Clearly stated and complete directions and direct guidelines, with some illustrations
if necessary, are used;
- Each question is to be evaluated separately, but carefully, in terms of the intended
purpose;
- Irrelevant questions, regarding religion, gender or ethnicity, are eliminated;
- Questions are carefully selected to give respondents ample opportunity to express
their point of view freely;
- The questions selected are varied, and they provide respondents with a number of
alternatives to avoid undue or invalid responses;
- Each question is arranged in conformity with the attentive selected examples
discussed in detail in this study;
21
1.12.1.2 Questionnaire Format

- The questionnaire consists of two parts, namely an introduction and main questions
section. The introduction is set up as follows:
- The questionnaire starts with a brief introduction about the researcher, his affiliation,
his major and the purpose of this questionnaire;
- It states clearly and concisely the task the participants will do;
- It draws the attention of the participants to the underlined and/or bold-faced words
or phrases to save their time and effort;
- It indicates the importance of their participation and the role they play in assisting
the researcher in fulfilling his target;
- It explains directly the formula of which the questionnaire is made-up to make them
familiar with the content of the questionnaire, as shown below;
- It includes the time the questionnaire will take to fill it out;
- It concludes with some brief personal data about the participants to help the
researcher know their background and frame the final remarks.
The questions section consists of the following:
- This part consists of 12 Qur'anic verses, which are arranged in accordance with the
development of the present study;
- These Qur'anic verses are formatted consistently, as follows: 1) the Arabic verse, the
original; 2) its transliteration; 3) a brief introduction about its occasion of revelation;
4) its English translations; and finally 5) three questions;
- The original, i. e., the Arabic verses, side by side with their transliterations are
purposefully used to make the translating texts easier for native speakers of English,
who are not competent in Arabic, and to denote and display the emphatic Arabic
morpho-semantic shifts;
22
- These verses are accompanied by asbb al-nuzl (occasions of revelation) through

which the participants get to know the historical context in which the Qur'anic verse
was revealed;
- The translations selected are five, namely Ahmad and Dina Zidans translation
1991 , Taq al-D n al-Hil l and Muhammad Muhsin Kh ns translation, (1996),
Muhammad M. Gh l s translation 2003 , M. S. Abdel-Haleems translation, as
stated earlier in this study, and my own proposed translation;
- The five translations are encoded by letters a, b, c, d and e respectively to give the
participants the chance to choose freely the most appropriate translation according to
their own point of view without any kind of constraint or pressure and to propose
appropriate strategies for this rhetorical phenomenon under study;
- Each verse concludes with three questions: the first questions revolves around which
one of the five translations is the most appropriate one with justification; the second
one gives the participant the chance to suggest his own translation in case of his
dissatisfaction; the final one asks the participant to arrange the five translations in a
descending order, starting with most important and ending with the least important;
In some situations, only four, and not five, translations, especially regarding the
translation of verse no. 6, are intentionally chosen, as the researcher feels satisfied
with that of Abdel-Haleem. Accordingly, he gives up suggesting his own translation;
Footnotes are occasionally used to clarify Qur'anic references, which seem obscure to
some readers, and the meaning of some terms, including but not limited to culturespecific words.
1.12.1.3 Participants
- The target participants are twenty, ten native speakers of English, having no Arabic
background, and ten native speakers of Arabic, with a good command of English;
23
- They are mainly adult learners, PhD students and researchers;

- Target participants with a religious background are optional, but strongly
recommended for the study;
- They are basically from America, where I conducted my research, specifically the
University of Notre Dame, IN, and Egypt, where I was originally born and educated;
- The research interests of the target participants include Islamic studies, Qur'anic
studies, translation or linguistics.
1.12.1.4 Procedures
- The target participants are instructed to respond according to the guidelines attached
to the questionnaire in the very beginning;
- The target participants are first addressed and then contacted either via email, face to
face meetings or through Facebook;
- Several and friendly announcements are made at the building of Muslim Students
Association (MSA), at the University of Notre Dame, during lectures or workshops;
- Some incentives, such as treats and simple gifts, are offered to encourage the target
participants to respond;
1.12.1.5 Questionnaire Administration Modes (Shelly & Rosenblatt, 2010)
The main modes of the questionnaire administration the researcher follows are:
- Brainstorming Mode, where a small group discussion is held by the researcher to
obtain inputs, to encourage the participants to propose new ideas, and to enable them
to build up on each other's suggestions and thoughts;
- Face-to-face Mode, where the researcher has to present his items orally and to show
the participant(s) how to answer the questions included;
- Paper-and-pen Mode, where a hard copy of the questionnaire is handed to the
participant(s);
24
- Computerized Mode, where a soft copy of the questionnaire is sent to the

participant(s) via email.
1.13 The Definition of Morphology
According to Rochelle Lieber 2010 , morphology is the study of word
formation, including the ways new words are coined in the languages of the world,
and the way forms of words are varied depending on how they are used in sentences
(p. 2).
1.14 Patterns of Various Significations
Ibn Jenn d. 392/1002 , in his famous book entitled al-khai (the special
features), refers to the significations inferred by morphological patterns, as follows:
- faclan indicates 'motion' and 'disorder', as in al-nazwn, meaning 'escape';
- facln indicates 'attributes', as in cashn, meaning 'thirsty', or gharthn, meaning
'hungry';
- facil indicates 'pain', as in wajic, meaning 'ache', or abi, meaning 'disappointed';
- afcal indicates 'colors', as in amar, meaning 'red', or aswad, meaning 'black';
- al-facl indicates 'diseases', as in al-qulb, meaning 'heart disease affecting animals',
or al-khumr, meaning 'alcohol', or it indicates 'sounds', as in al-duc, meaning
'supplication', or al-surkh, meaning 'yelling';
- al-facl indicates 'sickness' and 'sounds', as in saqm, meaning 'sick', or hadr,
meaning 'roaring'; and
- al-ficlah indicates 'profession', as in al-tijrah, meaning 'trade', or al-nijrah,
meaning 'carpentry', etc. Ibn F ris d. 395/1004 , 1993, pp. 227-8).
1.15 Morphology-induced Meaning
Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 believes that a word carries a new sense when it
switches from a morphological pattern into another that is greater in form. According
25
to him, increase in morphological forms results in multiple meanings, as it is

obviously agreed upon. Additionally, he justifies the wisdom behind using such a
shift; he states that the reason is to express hyperbole by the writer. Then, he
exemplifies his argument. He illustrates that khashuna differs semantically from
ikhshawshana, though they have the same stem; the former indicates only the current
state of the object described, i.e., hard, while the latter indicates a greater degree of
the object described, i.e., extremely hard (II, p. 241).
1.16 Arabic Morphological Features
1.16.1 Anonymity
1.16.1.1 Antonymously-homogenous Morphological Patterns
This is a recurrent feature of Arabic morphology, in which congruous patterns
have opposite meanings or connotations. It is perspicuously analyzed in the classical
Arabic literatures, especially Ibn Qutaybah (d. 276/889), in his famous book, entitled
adab al-ktib (rules for writers) (1982). For example, he shows briefly, but concisely,
how some certain morphological patterns indicate opposite meanings, such as afcaltu
and facaltu. As for the former, he clearly exemplifies his argument through the
following:
- ashkaytu al-rajula potentially means either awajtuhu ila al-shikyah, meaning 'I
obliged him to complain' or nazactu can al-amr al-ladh shakn ilayh, meaning 'I
gave up the cause of dispute'.
- afzactu al-qawma potentially means either alaltu bi-himu al-fazac, meaning 'I
scared people' or idha fazic ilayka fa-acantahum, meaning 'I backed them in case of
necessity'.
- asrartu al-shay potentially means either akhfaytuh, meaning 'I hid/concealed
something' or 'I disclosed/declared something' (p. 453).
26
As for the latter, Ibn Qutaybah (d. 276/889) provides the following instances:
- tahajjadtu potentially means either nimtu, meaning 'I slept at night' or sahirtu,
meaning 'I stayed late at night'.
- ananntu potentially means either tayaqqanntu, meaning 'I'm quite sure' or
shakaktu, meaning 'I doubt' (pp. 455-6).
Subsequently, the intended meaning of the given pattern is governed or determined by
the given context, which disambiguates or avoid any possible overlapping.
1.16.1.2 Antonymously-heterogeneous Morphological Patterns
In Adab al-ktib (rules for writers), Ibn Qutaybah (d. 276/889) discusses how
incongruous patterns indicate opposite meanings or connotations, though they are
derived from the same root. He exemplifies his point of view, as follows:
He states, for instance, that the pattern afcla may be used as opposed to that of facala,
as in: The sentence nashatu al-cuqdata, in which the main verb nashaa is in the
measure of facala, explicitly means aqadtuha bi-unshah, meaning 'I tied a knot'.
Conversely, the sentence anshatuha, in which the main verb anshaa is in the
measure of afcla, explicitly means alaltuha, meaning 'I untied it'.
Similarly, the sentence taribat yadk obviously means iftaqarat, meaning 'you
became penniless'. Conversely, the sentence atrabat here may be interpreted as
istaghnat, meaning 'you are financially independent'. Finally, the sentence akhfaytu
al-shay clearly means satartuhu, which may be interpreted as 'I hid/concealed
something', as opposed to the sentence khafaytuhu, in which the potential meaning is
ahartuhu, indicating 'I revealed/disclosed something' (p. 463).
27
1.17 Triliteral Paradigm

In Arabic, the trilateral verb facala represents the principal morphological
model or pattern, from which all other patterns are formed. The first radical is called
f al-ficl, the second cayn al-ficl, and the third lm al-ficl (Caspari, 1896, I, p. 30).
The verb facala is of great importance in Arabic, as it is the basic form from
which all the other forms are derived. These forms are fifteen in number, but eleven in
actual use, as the last four forms are rarely used (Caspari, 1896, I, p. 29). These
derived forms are:
I- facala
VI- tafcala
XI- ifcll
II- faccala
VII- infacala
XII- ifcawcala
III- fcala
VIII- iftacala
XIII- ifcawwal
IV- afcala
IX- ifcalla
XIV- ifcanlal
V- tafaccala
X- istafcala
XV- ifcanla
The Derived Forms of the Triliteral Verb

1.18 Mono-functional Patterns
There are various morphological patterns, including but not limited to faclah /
ficlah and mifcal / mifcl, that indicate one semantic value.
Pattern
faclah
Significance
Example
ism al-marrah (the noun of instance arbah (the act of hitting),

or occurrence)
jalsah (the act of sitting),

and sharbah (the act of
drinking)
to strengthen or intensify the verb
dhakar
kathra
Allha
(they
dhikran
recollected
Allah much/repeatedly)
28
Pattern
Significance
used
to
replace
al-madar
Example
al- jalasa jalsatan (he sat down
mushtaq min al-ficl (the cognate or performed the act of

verbal noun)
sitting)
modified in accordance with the arabtuhu
arbatayn
shaddatayn (I struck him
action or state of the verb
two nasty blows)

ficlah
ism al-hayah (the noun of manner) ikah, mishyah and jilsah,

signifies 'the manner in which the meaning
action is done'
the
manner
of
laughing, walking and sitting

down respectively
mifcal
and indicating
'implements'
and mibrad
(file);
mirh
mifcl
'instruments'
infacala
indicating the reflexive signification kasartu al-zujja (I broke
(mirror)
of the triliteral verb
the glass) fa-inkasar (and it

was broken)
ifcalla
indicating chiefly 'colors' or 'defects'
imarr
means
qawiyat
humratahu (to be extremely

red) & icwarr means qawiya
c
awarahu
(to
become
extremely short-sighted)
ifclla
indicating
extensively
the yamr marrah w-yafrr
signification of 'colors' the constant marrah (it began to become

state of colors
red at one time and yellow at

another)
29
Pattern
ifcawcala
Significance
Example
indicating the intensive signification khashuna

or hyperbole
place
al-makn
became
coarse
(the
or
harsh)
ifcawalla
indicating intensive signification
ijlawwadh al-faras, meaning

idha asrac (the horse runs
quickly)
1.19 Multi-functional Patterns

Some morphological patterns have various meanings or functions. In Arabic, one
morphological pattern may indicate semantic values. Among these patterns are the
followings:
Pattern
faccala
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of al- kassartu al-mat (he broke his

takthr (multiplicity)
luggage into many pieces)
indicating the signification of al- nabbaltuhu (to cause someone to

tacaddiyah (transitivity)
behave nobly)
indicating the signification of al-salb qazzaytu

and
al-izlah
(negativeness
removal)
aynahu
means
(I
and removed the rheum from his

eyes)
indicating the signification of al-duc saqqaytuhu (I prayed to Allah to

(supplication for or against)
let him drink [from the rivers of

Eden])
indicating the signification of al- qawwasa Zaydu (Zayd is (turned

ayrrah (change)
to be) like the arch)

30
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of al- shaffactu Zaydan (I accepted

qabl (acceptance/approval)
Zayds intercession
indicating the signification of al- khaactuhu

tasmiyah (appellation/naming)
(I
called
him
mistaken)
indicating the signification of ra warraqa al-shajaru (trees put out

dh alih (tuned/changed into abundant leaves)
another state)
indicating the signification of al- sharraqa (turning towards the
tawajjuh
(orientation/direction/ East)
destination)
indicating the signification of fawwaza (walked to the desert)
purposeful body movements
indicating the derivation of the subna alladh awwaa alobject from faccala
awa (Glory be to He Who

illuminated the lights)
indicating the signification of kabbar, meaning allahu akbar

ikhtir
ikyat
(word
formation
al-murakkab (Allah is Great)

or
the
compounds abbreviated formula)

indicating the signification of hajjar (walking by midday sun)
time-based actions
fcala
Indicating the signification of al- raba Bakrun Khlidan (Bakr

mushrakah
struggled with Kh lid
(reciprocity/participation)
31
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of
facala
him health!)
fhu Allahu (May Allah grant
indicating the signification of al- caftu ajra al-cmil al-mukhli

takthr (multiplicity)
(I multiplied the reward of the

sincere worker)
indicating the signification of al- tbactu al-qirta (I continued

wal-mutbacah reading)
muwlh
(resumption & continuation)

afcala
indicating the signification of al- ajlastu cAliyan (I caused Ali to

tacaddiyah (transitivity)
sit down)
indicating the signification of al- abactu al-thawba (I offered the

tacr (allusion)
garment for sale)
indicating the signification of al- acshara indicates (approaching

wlu ila al-cadad (approaching the number of ten)
a certain number)
indicating the signification of al- ashjara al-makanu (the place
kathrah (multiplicity)
became full of trees)
indicating the signification of al- amadtu Zaydan (I found Zayd

mudafah
(coincidence
/ praiseworthy)
discovery)
indicating the signification of al- aqsama Muammadu, meaning
ighn
an
al-thulth
(a alifa Muammadu Muammad
replacement for basic verbs or G- swore)

forms)
32
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of al- acjamtu al-kitba (I clarified the

salb and al-izlah (negativeness book and removed its want of
and removal)
clearness by means of diacritics)
indicating the signification of al- albana

ayrrah (reaching a new state)
al-rajulu
(the
man
became endowed with milk)
indicating the signification of al- abana (to enter upon the time
zamn (time)
of morning)
indicating the signification of al- amar (he entered Egypt)

makn (space/destination)
indicating the signification of al- aada al-zarcu (it is time to reap
istiqq (worthiness)
the harvest)
indicating the signification of al- alabtu Zaydan (I helped Zayd

tamkn wal-icnah (enablement and enabled him to milk)
and help)
indicating the signification of al- asqaytuhu,
duc (supplication)
dacawtu
meaning
lahu bi-al-suqiya (I prayed for

Allah to let him drink)
tafaccala
indicating the signification of al- tawassada

itikhdh (taking)
means
thawbahu,
ittakhadha
which
thawbahu
wisdatan (he took his clothe as

a pillow while sleeping) or (he
put his clothe under his head as a
pillow)
33
Pattern
Significance
expressing
Example
al-muwacah
(the qaactu al-abla fa-taqaaca (I
reflexive force or function) of the cut the rope and, thus, it was cut
second from faccala
into pieces)
indicates the signification of al- taabbara,

takalluf (artificiality/pretension)
which
means
takallafa al-abra (he pretended

to be patient)
indicating the signification of al- taarraja,

tajannub (avoidance)
which
means
tajannaba al-araja (he avoided

further embarrassment)
indicating the signification of al- tajjaractu al-ma, which means

sharibtu al-ma jurcatan bacda
tadarruj (graduation)
jurcah (I sipped water gradually)

used in the sense of facala
tallama, which means alama

(he did injustice to someone)
used in the sense of the form tacaama,

istafcala
which
means
istacama (to become haughty/ to

behave proudly)
expressing the signification of al- tacaama, which means alaba

an yakna caman (he asked to
alab (request)
be dignified)
tafcala
indicating
(false tanwama, which means ahara
al-tahur
pretension with no real intention al-nawma (he pretended to be

to do the action)
sleepy)
34
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating al-tadarruj (the gradual tazayyada al-nlu, which means

aalat ziydatu al-nli bi-al-
occurrence of something)
tadrj
(the
Nile
increased
gradually)
indicating the signification of al- bcadtuhu fa-tabcad (I kept him
muwacah (reflexive force or away, and he was kept away in
quasi-passive)
response)
indicating the signification of the tasqaat

form facala
means
al-amru,
saqaat
which
al-amru
(it
rained/has rained)
indicating the signification of al- taqaytuhu
alab (request)
al-dayna,
which
means istaqaytuhu al-dayna (I

asked him to pay the debt)
indicating the signification of al- tacraka

mushrakah (reciprocity)
(Zayd
Zaydun
and
Amr
wa-cAmrun
quarreled
together)
iftacala
Indicating the signification of al- ikhtatama Zaydun, which means

itkhz (taking)
ittakhaza
Zaydun
khtaman
(Zayd took a ring)

indicating the signification of al- shawaytuhu fa-ishtawa (I grilled
muwacah (reflexivity)
it, and it was grilled)
35
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of al- ikhtaama

tashruk (reciprocity or duality)
Amrun,
Zaydun
which
ikhtaam
c
wameans
Zaydun
Amrun (Zayd and
wac
Amr
quarreled together)
indicating the signification of al- iktasaba,
which
means
ijtihd f al-taarruf (sparing no effort) ijtahada wa-alaba al-kasb

(he spared no effort to earn
money)
indicating the signification of al-ihr ictadhara,
which
means
ahara al-cudhr (he showed
(showing or manifestation)
apology)
indicating the signification of al- iqtadara,
mublaghah
(hyperbole
or
intensive signification of the action)
which
means
an blagha f al-qudrah (he

pompously
showed
his
power)
indicating the signification of al- iafa, intaqa or ikhtara (he
ikhtiyr (choice/selection)
istafcala
selected/chose)
indicating the signification of al-alab istaghfartu Allaha, which

(request)
means
maghfiratahu
alabatu
subnahu
wa-tacala I sought Allahs

forgiveness)
36
Pattern
Significance
Example
indicating the signification of al- istajara al-nu, meaning

ayrrah (turning into/change)
ara
al-nu
ajaran
or
taawala ila al-ajar f alalbah (the mud turned into

stone or the mud became
like a stone)
indicating the signification of al- istajadtuhu,
ibah (finding or discovery)
meaning
aabtuhu jayyidan (I found

him good)
indicating the signification of al- istakramtu Zaydan, meaning

mudafah (fortuity or coincidence)
daftuhu karman (I found

Zayd accidentally generous)
indicating
ikhtir
ikyat
al- istarjac meaning inna lillh
murakkab (word formation or the wa-inna

compound's abbreviated formula)
ilayh
rjicn
(surely to Allah we belong,

and to Him we are returning)
expressing
al-muwacah
(the aqamtuhu
reflexive force or function of the straighten

fourth from afcala
fa-istaqma
(I
him,
he
became straight)
37
and
_______________________________________________________________
Endnote
1 Here, the asterisk refers to the end of the Qur'anic verse.
2 All the books or researches mentioned in this section, i.e., "Review of Literature", are arranged
chronologically.
3 I modified these headers and their definitions to be properly suitable for the analysis of the verses
under study.
38
Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Stylistic Approaches to Translation1
This chapter is concerned with surveying the various stylistic approaches to
translation and discussing the importance of stylistic dimension a translator should
maintain during the process of translation. It also explores the miraculous style of the
Qur'an and elaborates on "the inimitable symphony of the Qur'an that moves men to
tears and ecstasy", as Pickthall (1981: i) states.
2.1 What is Style?
The American Heritage Dictionary Online defines the word style generally as
"The way in which something is said, done, expressed or performed, e.g., a style of
speech and writing", and specifically as "The combination of distinctive features of
literary or artistic expression, execution or performance characterizing a particular
person, group, school or era."
Similarly, Peter Verdonk (2002) defines the concept of style generally as "A
distinctive manner of expression, through whatever medium this expression is given
physical shape", whereas style in language is defined as a "distinctive linguistic
expression" (p. 3).
Also, C. E. Landers (2001) maximizes the significance of style, which,
according to him, lies in differentiating "between a lively, highly readable translation
and a stilted, rigid, and artificial rendering that strips the original of its artistic and
aesthetic essence, even its very soul" (p. 7).
That is why Jean Boase-Beier (2006) offers advice to translators to be fully
conscious of the style of "both source and target languages", which principally relates
to "what goes beyond content, and especially with the manner in which it is
expressed" (p. 11).
39
Accordingly, as Verdonk (2002) points out, stylistics, which is 'the study of

style', is concerned with "the analysis of distinctive expression in language and the
description of its purpose and effect" (p. 4). Another definition is given by Nida and
Taber (1969) about style, as per the following: "The pattering of choices made by a
particular author within the resources and limitations of the language and of the
literary genre It is the style which gives to a text its uniqueness and which relates
the text personally to its author" (p. 207).
In his Dictionary for the Analysis of Literary Translation, Anton Popovi
(1976) defines style as a "unique and standardized dynamic configuration of
expressive features in the text represented by topical and linguistic means" (pp. 1718).
2.2 The Importance of Stylistics
The attention given to the stylistic approach and its principles in the course of
translation helps enhance the understanding of the original and improves the quality
of translation (Bahaa-eddin Hassan, 2011, p. 1). In this regard, A. E. Belhaag (1997:
20) mentions briefly the characteristics of any translation, especially literary ones, as
follows:
- Expressive;
- Connotative;
- Symbolic;
- Focusing on both form and content;
- Subjective;
- Allowing multiple interpretations;
- Timeless and universal;
- Using special devices to 'heighten' communicative effect;
40
- Tendency to deviate from the language form.

2.3 Preservation of the Stylistic Dimension
E. A. Gutt (1991) discusses the importance of 'stylistic dimension' a translator
should maintain during the process of translation. In this regard, he points out that
"this wider, stylistic dimension of communication is, of course, of special interest to
literary studies, and so it is not surprising that theorists concerned with literary
translation have paid considerable attention to the preservation of the stylistic
properties of texts" (p. 123). Accordingly, inattention to such a dimension may result
in contorting the translation and lessening the pleasure of the target reader (AbdelHafiz, 2003, p. 230).
2.4 Stylistic Dexterity and Language
According to Paul Simpson (2004), there is a close connection between
stylistics and language; he defines stylistics as "a method of textual interpretation in
which primacy of place is assigned to language", which comprises "the various forms,
patterns and levels that constitute linguistic structure" (p. 2). In the same vein,
Verdonk (2002) offers a concise definition of style 'as a motivated choice', with
special reference to language use, as follows: "A distinctive way of using language for
some purpose and some effect" (p. 5). In his definition, Simpson lays considerable
emphasis on language use, which displays "a high degree of stylistic dexterity" (p. 3).
Thus, in his view, 'the purpose of stylistics' is
To explore language;
To explore creativity in language use; and
To enrich our ways of thinking about language (p. 3).
In doing so, exploring language helps the reader understand the given text and
illuminate the fog of language inherent in the plausible types of meanings.
41
2.5 Language Specificity

Undoubtedly, each language has its own linguistic features or characteristics,
semantically, stylistically, syntactically, lexically or morphologically. Accordingly,
there are no two identical languages, and thus semantic voids are inevitable. To
explain, English seems to be semantically more specific than Arabic in some certain
situations and vice versa. For instance, Arabic does not distinguish between
'flier/flyer', 'brochure', 'handout', 'leaflet', 'pamphlet' or 'bulletin', unless more
definitive or descriptive words are added. The possible Arabic one-to-one equivalent
is only nashrah for all of them, overlooking the underlying semantic aspects. Thus,
the strategy adopted in Arabic to make up for the missing meanings is to define or to
add extra descriptive words. For example, 'handout' is nashrah tuwazzac majjnan;
'bulletin' is nashrah ikhbriyyah; 'flier/flyer' is nashrah mabcah; 'brochure' is
nashrah fanniyyah; 'leaflet' is nashrah ibbiyyah or dawiyyah; and 'pamphlet' is
kutayyib.
Conversely, Arabic seems in some certain situations more specific than
English, especially morphologically-related shifts, such as nazzala and anzala,
nabbaa and anbaa, mahhil and amhil, tafarraq and tatafarraq, tawaffhum and
tatawaffhum. In this regard, Uthm n Amn 1965 , in his book entitled falsafat allughah al-carabiyyah (the philosophy of Arabic), so largely praises Arabic due to its
rich vocabulary, especially its marvelous words, indicating various degrees or levels
and signifying different circumstances, which encourage definitely "a certain restless
vivacity of mind" (Mattingly, 1966, p. 27). He gives an example of al-caash in
Arabic and its escalating degrees, i.e., al-ama, al-ada, al-wm and al-huym.
Although they seem synonymous, there are slight differences or nuances, and thus
they are not interchangeable. For example, the want of drinking is called al-caash,
42
i.e., the first degree of thirst, which next intensifies, reaching al-ama, which then
intensifies, reaching al-ada, which after that intensifies, reaching al-wm, which
finally intensifies, reaching al-huym Amn, 1965, p. 58; cf. Ab Hil l al-cAskar,
1998, p. 6).
Obviously, each degree differs from the other one, as it describes a certain
situation; however, the English equivalent is thirst. To render each case separately
into English, the appropriate strategy is to adopt an informative periphrastic
equivalent through the addition of descriptive words, such as 'the slightest degree of
thirst', or 'the fatal degree of thirst', or 'the highest degree of thirst', etc.
2.6 Principles of Stylistic Analysis
In practice, stylistics should comply with three basic principles, which are
termed 'the three Rs' by Simpson (2004: 3-4). He postulates that:
1- Stylistic analysis should be rigorous through an explicit framework of analysis
through structured models of language and discourse that show how to grasp various
patterns in language;
2- Stylistic analysis should be retrievable through explicit terms and criteria that are
agreed upon to enable stylisticians to follow the pathway adopted in an analysis, to
test the categories used, to see how the analysis reaches its conclusion and to retrieve
the stylistic method;
3- Stylistic analysis should be replicable through adopting sufficiently transparent
methods to allow stylisticians to verify them.
2.7 Levels of Stylistic Analysis
According to Simpson (2004: 5), any utterance or piece of text is linguistically
analyzed through a certain set of levels of language that are mutually connected. He
briefly describes each level, as follows:
43
Stylistic Analysis
Phonology/
Graphology
Morphology
Phonetics
The
words
way The patterns The

are of
and
shape
Semantics/
Pragmatics/
Grammar
Lexical
Discourse
Analysis
Analysis
way The
written words
pronounced. language
Syntax/
way The words The
and words
their
or
combine
the constituent
with
of structures
vocabulary
form
the page.
phrases and The

sentences.
and
sentences
a are used in
to language
language on are
constructed.
the words
other of
words
way
we use.
everyday
situations;
the meaning
meaning of of language
words
and in context.
sentences.
2.8 The Components of Context
Verdonk (2002: 19) specifies the main components of which a context
consists, as follows:
1- The text type or genre (for example, an election poster, a recipe, a sermon);
2- Its topic, purpose and function;
3- The immediate temporary and physical setting of the text;
4- The text's wider social, cultural and historical setting;
5- The identities, knowledge, emotions, abilities, beliefs and assumption of the
writer (speaker) and reader (hearer);
44
6- The relationships between the writer (speaker) and reader (hearer);

7- The association with other similar or related text types (intertextuality).
2.9 Context-motivated Style
Verdonk (2002) refers here to two types of context, i.e., linguistic and nonlinguistic context. According to him, linguistic context involves "the surrounding
features of language inside a text," including "the typography, sounds, words, phrases,
and sentences" (p. 6), which enable the reader to decipher the linguistic elements
embedded in the given text.
As for the non-linguistic context, he refers to it as a "much more complex
notion" (Verdonk, 2002, p. 7), as it "may include any number of text-external features
influencing the language and style of a text" (p. 7). In sum, he focuses on the primacy
of contextual circumstances, "in which both writers and readers (or speakers and
listeners in the case of spoken texts) are in various ways involved" (p. 7). So, to
construe what he states as a fact about the importance of the contextual circumstances
is to motivate 'conscious or unconscious choices of expression', which create a
particular style.
2.10 Style as a Persuasive Strategy
Admittedly, Verdonk (2002: 8-9) outlines the main criteria for using a
persuasive style. According to him, they include, inter alia, the following:
1- The 'primary purpose' of the text should be obviously and clearly stated;
2- The writer or author should be fully aware that their style conforms to 'the social
function' and the 'formal conventions of a particular text type or genre';
3- Specifying 'the stylistic techniques' used in the text beforehand;
45
4- High proportion of complimentary words and phrases stirs up one's emotion

towards the text, such as 'splendid', 'startlingly original', 'a rare intensity', 'exceptional
intelligence', and 'brilliant';
5- Using loaded vocabulary choices, such as '[each story] shimmers with feelings',
'[each story] illuminates the unexplored interior landscape of a woman's mind',
'unexpected violence', 'the complexities of human relations', and 'characters who
touch us deeply', to reveal the writer's leitmotif and, thus, to convince and
communicate properly with the target reader;
6- The rhetorical structure of the text strongly enhances and reinforces the persuasive
technique as a whole;
7- Selecting two or more exemplifying items linked by commas or the coordinating
conjunctions, such as 'and' and 'or', as a kind of forceful style, as in full of a rare
intensity and exceptional intelligence, men and women still miscommunicate, still
remain separate in different rooms, different houses, or even different worlds;
8- The persuasion is achievable by dramatic effect rather than rational argument.2
2.11 Style in Translation
According to Boase-Beier (2006: 5), style in translation can be viewed from
four points:
1) the style of the original produced by the author's 'motivated choices';
2) the tangible effect of the style of the original on the receiver, including the
translator;
3) the style of the translated text produced by the translator's choices;
4) the tangible influence of the style of the translated text on the reader.
Both styles are identified through the set of "words he chooses or the way he
constructs his sentences" (Gutt, 1991, p. 123). Thus, the diversity of style is a
46
fundamental problem, as the success of the translation process depends basically on

the equal transfer of style in the two texts.
In the same vein, Nida and Taber (1969) explain the split relation between
translation, as a re-creation of the original through a new code in the TL, and style, as
an appropriate means of expression through a new linguistic format, capable of
conveying the intended message effectively; they point out as: "Translating consists in
reproducing in the receptor language the closest natural equivalent of the source
language message, first in terms of meaning and secondly in terms of style" (p. 12).
Irrespective of its secondary priority, style, according to Nida and Taber's
categorization, is necessary for the active communication.
2.12 Functionality of Style in Translation
Boase-Beier (2006) artistically sums up the role of style in translation as a
"purposeful activity" (Nord 1997). She specifically focuses on "the style of the source
text as perceived by the translator and how it is conveyed or changed or to what extent
it is or can be preserved in translation" (Boase-Beier, 2006, p. 5 . It is style rather
than content, she comments, "which embodies the meaning" p. 4 ; it is "a concern
with what goes beyond content, and especially with the manner in which it is
expressed" (p. 11). In other words, she here elaborates on the basic or 'simplest'
definition of style, given by Wales in her Dictionary of Stylistics (2001), that is, "the
perceived distinctive manner of expression" (p. 371). Although it is very simple, it has
many 'complexities' inherent in both the 'process and product of translation'.
2.13 Translation-implied Participants
Jeremy Munday (2008: 11) refers to the narratological representation of
translation as depicted by Chatman (1978) and Rimmon-Kenan (2002). He classifies
the narrative process of translation and the tangible presence of the parties involved in
47
the production of the TT, with a slight modification offered by Schiavi (1996: 14) into
the following:
1) The 'author' or 'implied author', who has a 'manipulating presence' (Booth
1961: 19) is the 'biographical author' and the 'teller of the tale', who addresses
a specific narratee in the text;
2) The 'implied reader' (Iser 1974) "receive[s] a sort of split message coming
from two different addressers," namely "from the author" and "from the
translator" (Schiavi, 1996, p. 14).
3) The original 'text' constructed by the 'implied author' and the 'translated text'
're-moulded' by the 'real translator';
4) The 'real translator', who has a 'discursive presence' (Hermans, 1996a, p. 27)
or 'mediating presence' (Malmkjaer, 2004), is the one who 'deliberately remould[s] the TT to fit a pre-existing personal or public ideological framework
or narrative' (cf. Baker, 2006).
2.14 Multiple Transferred Meanings
While transferring the meaning of the source text into the target language, a
translator should be fully aware of what type of meaning s/he adopts. According to
Crystal (1997: 237), linguists differentiate between various types of meaning; for
example, he refers to 'referential/denotative meaning', which correlates closely
language to events or incidents or entities; 'attitudinal/connotative/expressive
meaning', which correlates closely language to the mental state of the speaker; and
'contextual/functional/interpersonal/situational meaning', which reflects the impact of
the extra-linguistic situation on the interpretation of the text. For his part, Larson
(1984: 36) alludes to a common type, i.e., 'organizational meaning', which is
48
concerned with the grammatical structure of a text such as 'deictics', 'repetition',

'groupings', and 'information organization', which is necessary for a coherent text.
2.15 Principles of Stylistics
Jeffries & Mclntyre (2010) describe in detail the 'principles of stylistics', by
which they mean the basic elements of stylistics and "by which most, if not all,
stylistics operates" (p. 21), including the following:
2.15.1 Text-oriented Analysis
As we have discussed above, stylistics is a 'sub-discipline' of linguistics, which
puts more emphasis on the linguistic decomposition of the given text, as a written or
spoken 'product of discourse' (as cited in Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 21).
Accordingly, texts are the pivotal focus of stylistics, in which readers are involved to
decode the aesthetic features and explore the desired impact or the intended message
inherent in some certain texts.
Obviously, Jeffries & Mclntyre (2010) pin down the task or the role, taken by
stylisticians, that is, to work out "what effect is achieved by particular texts, whether
the research aims are phrased as a cognitive, a linguistic or a literary question" (p. 21;
emphasis in the original). Thus, the centrality of the given text under discussion is of
great importance. In other words, the optimal object is to decompose and analyze the
given text into its elements, "based on functional and discourse-analytical
approaches" (Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 22), and then typology occupies a second
rank.
2.15.2 Objectivity
According to Jeffries & Mclntyre (2010), objectivity constitutes the second
component of stylistic analysis. They show the vital correlation between the objective
49
analysis and the literary criticism, "as a branch of psychology, dealing with the states
of mind induced by art", "devoid of subjective emotionalism" (p. 22).
In this regard, Short and van Peer (1999) sum up the prerequisites 'an
objective analyst' should adopt. They believe that the analytical process should be
characterized by 'clarity', careful attention to minute detail, 'openness', and 'flexibility'.
In other words, they put it this way: "In trying to be objective, one tries to be (a) clear,
detailed and open (so that one's position is unambiguous), and (b) ready to change
one's mind if the evidence or a subsequent counter-argument demands it" (p. 273).
2.15.3 Eclecticism & Universality
According to Jeffries and Mclntyre (2010), the analysis process of any text
under investigation is subject to two focal elements, i.e., 'eclecticism' and
'universality', for "the purposes of understanding and explaining" (p. 25) the salient
stylistic features inherent thereof. In addition, they refer to the potential act of
theorization and inevitable modeling of the implicit 'textual meaning', resulting from
the analytical discourse, taking into consideration the deeply-rooted theories.
Thus, Chapman (2006) asserts the important role played by theorists in
selecting a universal approach, as follows: "Theorists in all fields generally accept that
they are unlikely to come up with the definitive account of their subject matter that
will be proved to be correct and will be universally accepted" (p. 22).
2.15.4 Choice, Analysis & Interpretation
According to Jeffries and Mclntyre (2010), they outline 'the final set of
principles', i.e., 'choice, analysis and interpretation'. As for the element of 'choice', the
author or speaker is fully entitled to opt for both the form and content that may
variably "or differently arranged, without a correspondence difference in substance"
(Ohmann, 1970, p. 264), which may contort 'the proper subject of study'. Thus, the
50
element of 'choice' resides in the preference of what over how during the analysis
process (p. 25; emphasis in the original).
In this regard, Verdonk (2002) terms style as the "motivated choice" (p. 9) of
the author, through which "stylistic features in the source text" (Boase-Beier, 2006, p.
50) are brought about. Thus, the proper translation may depend on some certain
conditions, namely, "situation, translation aims, and approach" (Boase-Beier, 2006, p.
50), and, basically, "the function of the source text" (Rei, 1981, p. 122), which
means "what decides the sort of translation required for the target text", and which is
"verbalized by the author in his text" (Rei, 1981, p. 122). Inevitably, this requires, as
Boase-Beier (2006) claims, "a stylistic reading of the source text", undertaken by the
translator as 'a reader of the original', who "aims to reach a full and detailed picture of
the inferred author's choices" (pp. 50-1).
Additionally, they outline the interplay between 'analysis' and 'interpretation'.
To explain, they seem to be more complementary than contradictory, as
'interpretation' deals with the reason behind 'the choice of data to study, 'the tools of
analysis to use, and 'the research questions to answer', whereas 'the analysis process' is
concerned with 'the analytical methods' and 'the techniques' used thoroughly (Jeffries
& Mclntyre, 2010, p. 26).
2.16 Stylistic Features
2.16.1 Defamiliarization
Defamiliarization is defined by Douthwaite (2000) as "impeding normal
processing by showing the world in an unusual, unexpected or abnormal manner" (p.
178). Thus, it is consciously undertaken to break the normal rules in literary and nonliterary genres for some certain considerations. It does not haphazardly take place, but
it is functionally employed to capture the recipient's attention and raise his/her greater
51
awareness about the unexpected irregularities embedded in the text. This process
includes the concept of 'foregrounding', which represents "the mechanism by which
defamiliraization takes place" (Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 31).
2.16.2 Foregrounding
Mukaovsky 1964 [1958] first coined this concept, which is "the bringing of
particular textual features into prominence, e.g., distinct patterns or parallelism,
repetitions, and deviations from general linguistic rules or from the style expected in a
specific text type or genre, or context" (Verdonk, 2002, p. 118). Here, 'prominence' is
a key word through which salient linguistic features are foregrounded to convey a
certain message. These linguistic features include essentially the unexpected use of
'sounds, words, phrases and/or clauses' compared with their surroundings.
Foregrounding is a stylistic strategy, "which is motivated specifically for
literary-aesthetic purposes" (Simpson, 2004, p. 50). It is a kind of 'stylistic distortion',
achieved either through 'deviation from a linguistic norm' or through 'repetition or
parallelism' (Simpson, 2004, p. 50; Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 31).
2.16.3 Deviation
Deviation is a linguistic device, which is extensively used in poetry. It is "the
occurrence of unexpected irregularity in language and results in foregrounding"
(Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 31), causing surprise to the receiver and capturing
his/her attention. In other words, such unexpected irregularity may arise from one of
the followings: (a) "the breaking of normal rules of linguistic structure (whether
phonological, grammatical, lexical or semantic)"; or (b) "upon the overuse of normal
rules of usage" (Dictionary of Stylistics, p. 110). Thus, its "significance goes beyond
surface-level understanding" (Jeffries & Mclntyre, 2010, p. 32). According to
Michaela Mahlberg (2013), deviations from linguistic norms are "unusual
52
combinations of linguistic features that are ungrammatical or constitute uncommon

semantic combinations, e.g., unusual metaphors" (p. 8). Moreover, deviation is not
confined to a certain level of structure, but it may occur at any level, whether internal
or external.
In this regard, Leech (1985) differentiates between three types of deviation, as
follows:
1- Primary deviation is deviation from norms of the language as a whole (Leech,
1985, p. 45), and in which a textual example is compared to a general purpose, i.e., a
corpus that is taken as a sufficiently diverse sample of the language as a whole;
2- Secondary deviation is deviation from norms of literary composition, including
norms of author or genre (Leech, 1985, p. 48); it could be achieved through
comparing a textual example to a corpus of all the works by the author;
3- Tertiary deviation or internal deviation is deviation from norms internal to a text
(Leech, 1985, p. 49); it could be achieved through comparing a textual example to the
whole text from which it is taken (Mahlberg, 2013, p. 9).
2.17 The Inimitable Style of the Qur'an
According to al-R fic 1973 , the style of the Qur'an is known to be flexible.
Rather, it is beyond time and place. It is free from interpretative contradictions over
time. Conversely, its interpretation fits every time according to capacities and
potentials. On his part, the meanings of the Qur'an can be easily understood with no
grammatical, semantic or phonetic incongruities (pp. 206-7).
Al-R fic (1973) here traces back the reception of the Qur'an by the early
Arabs and how they grasped the Qur'an through their innate nature. Admittedly, the
Qur'an is readily intelligible not only to philosophers, linguists, scientists, men of
letters or philologists, but also to ordinary people. Its message is universal, and it
53
communicates well to all humanity. In the past, the Arab tribes grasped the Qur'an
and its message easily and directly, in spite of their diverse dialects and linguistic
mastery, due to its highly elevated style and sublime language.
To clarify, al-R fic (1973) gave the following example:
In Srat N (Chapter 71), especially the verses 14 and 15, the words nran and
sirjan seem to be synonymous, but in fact they have slight shades of meaning, for
the purpose of rhetorical diversity. Here, al-R fic (1973) tries to show the various
interpretations of the seemingly synonymous lexical items adopted by different
categories of people over time. He classifies their interpretations into four groups, as
follows:
Firstly, some of the Arabs, on hearing these verses, could infer from their context that
al-qamar nr and al-shams nr. They interpreted them similarly. They believe that
the modifiers nran and sirjan have the same connotation, though they are lexically
different due to the rhetorical diversity inherent.
Secondly, in a similar vein, some Arabs could reach the conclusion that al-qamar is
less blight than al-shams. They deducted such a conclusion from the collocated
lexical items within the context, namely the modifiers accompanying al-qamar and
al-shams. Here, the attributives nran and sirjan are attributed to al-qamar and alshams respectively. To explain, the lexical item sirjan indicates emotively the bright
light given off from the sun's warm rays. Accordingly, the sun's rays are interpreted as
nr emitting from nr.
Thirdly, in deep contemplation of the well-chosen and careful selection of the
collocations offered, some scholars infer the rhetorical considerations arising thereof.
For example, the collocation inherent in al-qamar plus nran indicates that the light
of the moon lacks al-ararah (- heat), whereas the collocation inherent in al-shams
54
plus sirjan indicates the dual combination of al-nr (+ light) and al-ararah (+ heat)
produced by the sun, which emits both (+ light) and (+ heat). Additionally, the
attributive sirjan is lexically derived from the nominalized noun al-sirj
(lantern/lamp), which is indicative of al-wahaj (flames).
Fourthly, modern scholars interpreted the previous verse in conformity with modern
science. They stated that al-qamar is a dark celestial body, "visible by reflection of
sunlight" (The American Heritage Dictionary Online), which the sun represents
sirjahu (its lantern). That is why al-sirj is mentioned after al-nr, indicating that the
former is the original source of the latter.
Finally, al-R fic (1973) wonders how one of the Arabs could be capable of grasping
all these interpretations at the time of revelation (pp. 206-7).
2.18 Secret of the Qur'anic Rhetoric
The secret of Qur'anic rhetoric lies in its studious interwoven string of
precious beads in which all the pearls are artistically and purposefully shaped where
the absence or the misplacement of any of them deforms the beautiful embellishment.
Accordingly, the Qur'an represented, and still is, a linguistic challenge to the Arabs,
the people of rhetoric, who spared no possible effort, if possible, to place accidentally
any of the words in the Qur'an or delete it to prove the erroneousness or inaccuracy of
the Qur'an, but in vain. It was very common at that time to openly criticize and correct
the blunders of their counterparts in their regular literary forums to show their mastery
and professionalism. In this regard, al-R fic narrates the literary debate taken place
between al-Khans
and ass n ibn Th bit in cUk 4, where the former rectified the
latter's poem, as follows:

lana al-jafanatu al-ghurru yalmacna bi-al-ua
wa-asyfuna yaqurna min najdatin dama
55
waladna bani al-canq wa-ibn muarraqin

fa-akrim bina khlan wa-akrim bina ibnama
On hearing these verses, al-Khans
commented, saying: "Your poetry has
been considerably weakened and its weakness points significantly appeared in eight
places. He asked: 'How is that?' She replied: Firstly, you said lana al-jafanatu5 (food
utensils), which is less than ten. So, you decreased the number. It would be better say
al-jifn, indicating a large number. Secondly, you said al-ghurru, meaning al-bayu
f al-jabhah (whiteness on the forehead of a horse) (cf. Ibn Manr (d. 711/1311),
1980, V, p. 3234; Lane, 1968, V, p. 2238). It would be better to say al-b (white),
indicating a large space. Thirdly, you said yalmacna (to sparkle/glitter), which is
inappropriately used here, as al-lamc (spark/glimmer) is a subsequent outcome. It
would be better say yashruqna (to shine), indicating a broader sense, for al-ishrq
(shine) lasts much longer. Fourthly, you said bi-al-ua (by forenoon), but it would
be better say bi-al-cashiyyah (by evening) to imply proper praise, as it is habitually
common that a guest casually drops in at night. Fifthly, you said asyfuna (our
swords), which means al-asyf dna al-cashr (swords that are fewer in number than
ten), but it would be better say siyfuna (our swords), indicating multiplicity. Sixthly,
you said yaqurna (to flow blood drop by drop), indicating a few murder cases. It
would be better say yajrna (to flow blood copiously), as it indicates multiplicity.
Seventhly, you said daman, which is less preferable than al-dim, indicating a large
quantity of blood. Eighthly, you boasted of your offspring instead of your forefathers
(p. 225).6
The chronicles of the Arabs abound with munart (literary debates) and
aswq (cultural forums), though the eloquent, among them, took for granted that the
Qur'an is unique and, then, preferred not to criticize it to avoid being publicly
56
dishonored. Thus, according to al-R fic, the disbelievers were heedless of the Qur'an
in public for tribal honor and personal interests, though they were confidentially
convinced of its divine nature (p. 225; cf. Abdul-Raof, 2012, pp. 128-9).
2.19 The Inimitable Symphony of the Qur'an
Al-R fic states that the Qur'an has a 'symphony' of its own, represented in "the
very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy" (Pickthall, 1981, p. i), requiring
a proper recitation to be felt. It stirs up one's deep feelings and then it causes the
reader to shed tears as an expression of emotion through the Qur'an's unique order
system, regardless of race, gender, religion or class. Al-R fic adds that it is the
marvelous symphony that wins the hearts and minds of its readers, amongst whom are
the atheists and deniers of the existence of God, when they reflect closely on the
universe and themselves, through their immediately responsive and reciprocal
interaction and commitment to the intended message. In this regard, al-R fic
attributes the Qur'an's irresistible effect to the sound innate nature of humanity and the
unique arrangement of sounds that are proportional to their various points of
articulation. It is the rhetoric of the natural and intrinsic language, addressing one's
inner feelings, that obliges the reader to continue reading the Qur'an with irresistible
impulses,
though
their
ideologically,
intellectually
or
dialectically
varied
backgrounds. Consequently, the more the reader of the Qur'an has a beautiful
chanting voice, the more melodious the recitation becomes and the deeper
appreciation of the Qur'an one gains, especially those who have serene, highly-pitched
and mellifluous voice, as it gives the most convincing performance of the Qur'an's
linguistic perfection (p. 216).
57
2.20 Stylistic Inimitability of the Qur'anic Discourse

Linguistically, the term icjz (inimitability) is derived from the transitive verb
acjaza, which means to make someone unable to do something (Abdul-Raof, 2013, p.
127). Technically, especially in the Qur'anic discourse, it indicates the inimitable
nature of the Qur'an as a divine source. According to Muslim linguists, the Qur'an has
no stylistic, linguistic or phonetic incongruities unlike non-Qur'anic discourses. With
regards to the concept of icjz, it is argued that the inimitability of the Qur'an lies in its
fahah (eloquence) and nam (order system).
Both ancient and modern inimitability-oriented scholars consensually are of
the opinion that the Qur'an is of unique and divine nature. Among the ancient scholars
are cAbd al-Q hir ibn cAbd al-Ram n al-Jurj n d. 471/1081 , who wrote a
remarkable book entitled dalil al-icjz (the signs of inimitability), revolving around
his theory of al-nam f al-Qur'an (word order in the Qur'an) and the rhetorical
features of the Qur'anic discourse, and al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1143 , whose weighty
exegetic book entitled al-kashshf, in which he proposes a rhetorical interpretation of
the Qur'an, capable of demonstrating the inimitability-based aspects of the Qur'an.
As for modern scholars, they include Muafa diq al-R fic (1880-1937),
who wrote about the inimitability of the Qur'an, as regards euphony, cadence and
rhythm, and Sayyid Qub 1906-1966), whose significant book entitled al-tawr alfann f al-Qur'an (the Artistic Imagery in the Qur'an) handles the use of the figurative
language of the Qur'an, focusing on the expressive and evocative images in the verses.
Both of them are totally convinced of the view that the Qur'an abounds "with
unparalleled discourse features such as stylistic patterns, linguistic structures, and
textual chaining of consonance which the Arabs were unaware of and, thus, were
unable to emulate" (Abdul-Raof, 2013, p. 129).
58
Attentive reading and contemplation of the word order and arrangement show
that the morphological and linguistic diacritics are phonetically and structurally
consistent with the letters themselves and their rhythmical system. To explain, alR fic gives a practical example of how the grandeur of a sound used in the Qur'an is
peculiar to the Qur'anic discourse. For example, a sound may seem to be difficult in
pronunciation out of context, regardless of the reasons for difficulty, but its use in the
Qur'an looks beautifully smooth in connection with the preceding and consecutive
letters that enable the tongue to pronounce it easily, melodiously and compatibly (p.
227).
2.20.1 Diacritically-based Inimitability
For example, the word al-nudhur, the plural form of nadhr, is phonologically
marked with al-ammah placed over al-nn and al-dhl. Thus, it has a little bit
difficult in pronunciation, let alone the features of hardness and protrusion, especially
at pause, but it has a special use in the Qur'an, in which the feature of difficulty in
pronunciation disappears as in wa-laqad andharahum baashatana fa-tamaraw bi-alnudhur (Q. 54: 36). Here, its easy and smooth pronunciation is beautifully acquired
through the unique structure of the Qur'an, inherent in the well-chosen morphological
and phonological setting and the diacritical marks, of which all have a harmonious
arrangement of sounds and other elements, including but not limited to the
characteristics of letters in articulation. For instance, the articulation points of alqalqalah, e.g., al-dl in laqad and al- in baashatana, and the diacritical mark of
al-fat-a, e.g., al-ww in tamaraw ending in urf al-madd (prolongation letters) are
phonologically and orally motivated. The sequence of the diacritical marks of alfatat in the previous verse is to let the tongue bit by bit exercise the difficulty in
59
pronunciation before articulating al-nudhur, which has ammatayn, resulting in

difficulty in pronunciation (al-R fic, 1973, pp. 227-8).
Additionally, al-nudhur phonologically shares some characteristics with
tamaraw, where both of them end in al-r. Similarly, it phonetically shares some
characteristics with andharahum, where both of them are pronounced with alghunnah (nasalization), represented in al-nn and al-mm as in the former and al-nn
as in the latter. Thus, the variety in the diacritical marks enables the tongue to move
smoothly and easily (al-R fic, 1973, p. 228).
2.20.2 Inimitability-based Linguistic Analysis
According to Abdul-Raof (2012: 130-7), the inimitability-based analysis of the
Qur'an can be classified into linguistic analysis and phonetic analysis. As for the
inimitability-based linguistic analysis, it can be investigated at one of the following
levels:
Inimitability-based Linguistic Analysis
Word Level
Phrase Level
Ayah Level
Surah Level
2.20.2.1 Word Level

In the Qur'an, every word is uniquely used in a certain structure, out of which
it loses its semantic and rhetorical function. Through such a structure, it seems to be
the most suitable, well-chosen, inclusive, significant, concise and rhetorical lexical
item (al-R fic, 1973, p. 247 .
To begin with, on the semantic level, every single word in the Qur'an is
accurately used, as it denotes a particular significance that cannot be conveyed by any
word else (cAbdel-Ram n, 1971, p. 11).7 This argument about the occurrence of
60
synonymy is convincingly put forward and backed by some ancient and modern
linguists, including Ab Hil l al-cAskar d. 395 /1005 , Ibn F ris (d. 395/1004), Ibn
al-Anb r d. 577 /1181 and al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 in the past,
e De Jonge
1993 , Taylor 1954 , Muammad al-Mub rak 1964 and al-Sh yic (1993) in the
present. All of them deny the occurrence of synonymy in natural languages in general
and in the Qur'an in particular. For instance, in (Q. 52: 22), the word za cannot be
interchangeably replaced by limah or jirah (unfair) due to rhetorical, stylistic and
phonetic considerations.8 Similarly, in (Q. 33: 32), the word takhacna (to soften your
speech with men) is rhetorically and stylistically motivated; it is preferably used in
replacement of talna (to talk gently), as in (Q. 20: 44), due to contextual
considerations. To explain, the context of situation in (Q. 33: 32) revolves around a
divine command delivered to the Prophet's wives in particular and Muslim women in
general not to soften their speech when conversing with men, especially ghayr
maharim (non-relatives) to avoid committing sins (Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 ; al-R z
(d. 666/1268); al-Zamakhshar (d. 538/1143)). Conversely, the context of situation in
(Q. 20: 44) deals with a gentle diplomatic speech should the Prophets, namely, Msa
and Harn, deliver to the Pharaoh. Consequently, the unique and well-chosen
selection of lexical items hinges basically on the context of situation as shown above.
2.20.2.1.1 Lexically, Semantically and Syntactically-Compressed Words
In the Qur'an, some certain multi-syllabic and compressed lexical items are
often used; they may result in difficulty of pronunciation out of the Qur'an due to its
incongruous structure in isolation. Their foreignness or strangeness becomes
accurately acceptable only through its appropriate use in the Qur'an in combination
with other neighboring words, inherent in the repetition of some letters and variety of
diacritics. For instance, the word yastakhlifannahum (Q. 24: 55) consists of ten letters,
61
i.e., al-y, al-sn, al-t, al-kh, al-lm, al-f, al-nn al-mushaddadah (double nn),
al-h and al-mm. However, it seems congruous and melodious within the Qur'anic
discourse due to its varied points of articulation and systematic diacritical marks.
Thus, it seems to be comprised of four lexical items, i.e., a four-syllabic word (alR fic, 1973, p. 229 .
Also, fasayakfkahum Allah consists of nine letters, i.e., al-f, al-sn, al-y,
al-kf, al-f, al-y, al-kf, al-h and al-mm, and comprises three syllables, in
which al-y and al-kf are twice repeated, where the former centers the latter. The
secret of rhetoric here lies in al-y (a prolongation letter), which centers al-kafayn,
requiring prolongation of articulation (al-R fic, 1973, p. 229 .
This kind of structure is termed al-alf al-murakkabah (compound or
compressed words), which are derived from triliteral or quadriliteral stems. As for
quinqueliterals, they are never used in the Qur'an due to its incongruity, excluding
non-Arabic proper names such as Ibrahm, Ismacl, L and J lt, etc. Such words are
centrally provided with al-madd (prolongation), and thus each word appears as if
composed of two words (al-R fic, 1973, p. 229 .
In this regard, Hussein Abdul-Raof (2001) investigates the untranslatability of
compressed words, "the syntactic compression of a whole syntactic in one single
word" (p. 46), such as anulzimukumha (Q. 11: 28), fa-asqaynakumh (Q. 15: 22),
zawwajnakaha (Q. 33: 37) and fasayakfkahum (Q. 2: 137). According to him, these
words are considered problematic and, thus, untranslatable, especially when the target
language lacks this morpho-syntactic feature. In doing so, the only available option is
to reproduce the original through a set of words, as follows:
Anulzimukumha = shall we compel you to accept it;
fa-asqaynakumh = (We) give it you to drink;
62
fasayakfkahum = but God will suffice thee as against them;

zawwajnakaha = We gave her to you in marriage (Abdul-Raof, 2001, pp. 46-7)
2.20.2.1.2 Peculiar Words
In the Qur'an, there are words that are peculiar only to the Qur'anic discourse,
and they lose much of their true sense outside the Qur'an. For example, the word z
as in [tilka idhan qismatun z] (Q. 53: 22), is rhetorically and purposefully used in s
Srat al-Najm (the Star), which ends wholly in al-alif al-maqrah (shortened alif)
according to fawil al-yat (the ayah-final endings). So convincing and expressive
z is, as it refutes the allegations of the Arabs, who allegedly claimed that angels
and idols are daughters of Allah (al-R fic, 1973, p. 230).
Here, the word z is morphologically and phonologically motivated.
Morphologically, the strangeness of the word contextually matches the strange
situation, i.e., the pseudo allegation. Phonologically, the strange articulation of the
word is indicative of denial, as in [a-lakumu al-dhakaru wa-lahu al-untha] (Q. 53:
21), and derision, as in [tilka idhan qismatun z] (Q. 53: 22). This literary imagery
is beautifully portrayed. It creates a reader-kinetic response, through moving his head
up and down, indicating agreement or assent to the derision state expressed by the
verses. Furthermore, the explicit state of denial or rebuttal is rhetorically shown side
by side with the lexical oddity of the word itself, as it is used once and for all
throughout the Qur'an, not to mention its morphological deviation (al-R fic, 1973, p.
230).9
The Arabs are familiar with this kind of address or speech. In other words,
they practice in their daily communication incongruous or bizarre lexical items in a
specifically-given context, of which they are morphologically and phonologically
63
motivated to deliver psychologically and emotionally induced effect (al-R fic, 1973,
p. 230).
Though its odd composition, it has another symmetrical feature. It is a
disyllabic lexical item; the first is a hard lengthened syllable, whereas the second is a
light shortened syllable. Additionally, it is preceded by ghunnatayn (two nasal
sounds), a soft sharp ghunnah, as in idhan, and another hard ghunnah mutafashiyyah
(spreading nasal sound) as in qismatun. Thus, it is phonetically juxtaposed to match
the rhythmical intonation inherent in the whole verse. Finally, this four-letter word
indicates all the previous rhetorical and stylistic meanings (al-R fic, 1973, pp. 23031).
2.20.2.1.3 Seemingly Trite Words
Another stylistic aspect of the Qur'anic rhetoric is the use of seemingly trite
lexical items, as claimed by some Arab grammarians. For instance, they claim that the
Qur'an includes some unnecessary syntactic articles like ma, as in [fa-bima ramatin
min Allahi linta lahum] (Q. 3: 159), and ann as in [fa-lamma ann jahu al-bashru
alqahu cala wajhi abh fa-irtadda bara] (Q. 12: 96).
Arguably, some people may conclude that the word order system includes
such unnecessary lexical items. On the contrary, this seemingly excessive use of
words seems to be a literary and stylistic device. In other words, their omission results
in incongruity and lack of elegance. To explain, the first verse tackles the leniency of
Prophet Muammad (pbuh) towards his people, expressed orally in the prolongation
of the article ma. Additionally, lahjit al-nuq (the mode of reading) is highly
expressive and indicative of the intended meaning that cannot be rhetorically
conveyed by any other lexical item. Another functional aspect of such an article is
that it is considered an introductory detachment article, preceded by al-b and
64
followed by ramah, to draw one's attention to the intended meaning and to let one
think attentively about the value of al- ramah (leniency) (al-R fic, 1973, p. 231).
As for the second verse, i.e., [fa-lamma ann jahu al-bashru alqahu cala
wajhi abh fa-irtadda bara] (Q. 12: 96), it indicates the span of time the bearer of
good news took to deliver the shirt of Yusf (pbuh) to his father, exemplified in the
prolongation of fa-lamma, which requires sound prolongation. It also expresses both
the worries and ecstasy his father experienced, waiting for the glad tidings, orally
shown through al-ghunnah (nasalization) in ann j (al-R fic, 1973, p. 231).
2.20.2.1.4
fic's Defense of Excessive Use of Qur'anic Words
This claim is totally inappropriate, as it indicates inaccuracy and imperfection

of the Qur'an as a divine source. In fact, it is a wry twist, adopted by scholastic
intellectuals, being fully influenced either by their own unauthentic and subjective
interpretation or by other's knowledge, deduced basically from the connection
between faith and reason. To explain, this scholastic thought aimed at using reason to
deepen the understanding of the Qur'an. Unlike human activities, the Qur'an has an
organic unity, in which every letter is rhetorically, semantically, systematically and
stylistically functioned and well-chosen (al-R fic, 1973, pp. 231-2).
2.20.2.1.5 Plural Form-based Usage
According to al-R fic 1973 , nam al-Qur'an (the word order of the Qur'an)
is a matchless divine work, in which sentences are perfectly moulded or interwoven.
For example, some lexical items are of special use in the Qur'an; some words are used
in the plural form for certain rhetorical and stylistic considerations. To explain, the
lexical item lubb is used in the plural form in the Qur'an, i.e., al-albb, as in [inna f
dhlika la-dhikra li-ul al-albb] (Q. 39: 21) and [wa-li-yadhdhakkara ul al-albb]
65
(Q. 14: 52), etc. This lexical item is never used in the singular form, except by another
synonym such as al-qalb.
The singular form lubb consists of al-b, which is termed majhrah (vocal)
and shafahiyyah (labial), pronounced with al-shaddah (a diacritical mark placed
above a letter to indicate emphasis), which intensifies through the combination with
al-lm al-shaddah al-mustarkhiyah (hard or emphatic lm). Accordingly, the more
these two letters are detached by another letter, the better the word is easily
pronounced, regardless of arakat al-cirb (syntactic mark) (al-R fic, 1973, p. 232 .
2.20.2.1.6 Single Form-based Usage
On the contrary, some lexical items are used in the Qur'an in the singular
form, such as al-ar (the earth), which is always accompanied by its opposite plural
form al-samawt (the heavens). This lexical item never comes in the plural form in
the Qur'an, as in [Allahu alladhi khalaqa sabca samawtin wa-min al-ari
mithlahunna] (Q 65: 12). In this verse, the word mithlahunna is symmetrically
preceded by al-ari to indicate its plural form. In doing so, it preserves the word order
system and the symmetry inherent in the Qur'an, which vanishes if the plural form alarn is used instead (al-R fic, 1973, p. 233 .
2.20.2.2 Phrase Level
The word order system of the Qur'an is basically based on the meanings of
sentences, which are free from lexical incongruities. In other words, the context of the
Qur'an is much concerned with lexical items that are characterized by
meaningfulness, eloquence, imagery, systematic combination and rhetoric. The
Qur'anic phrase is highly marked by its various potential significance and multilayered interpretations. It is free from oblivion or mistake on the micro or macro level
(al-R fic, 1973, p. 226).
66
Furthermore, the word order system of the Qur'an lies in r al-tarkb (the
spirit of the structure), which is peculiar only to the Qur'an. Its structure is
characterized by consistency and consonance, which hinge basically on the words'
arrangement. Accordingly, each word is harmoniously combined with its neighboring
words, resulting in a new unique structure or form, let alone functionally-based
discursive meanings, as in narratives, parables and fables (al-R fic, 1973, p. 245 .
2.20.2.2.1 Collocations
Collocations are of the most salient stylistic and rhetorical features of the
Qur'an. They are precisely and accurately employed in conformity with the context of
situation, as in (l ilha illa huwa khliqu kulli shay) (Q. 6: 102) and (khliqu kulli
shay l ilha illa huwa) (Q. 40: 62). Here, it is noticeable that the phrase (l ilha illa
huwa) is mentioned twice. This phrase is initially and finally mentioned in the two
verses, in which it is purposefully positioned. In the former verse (Q. 6: 102), it is
initially used to indicate wadaniyat Allah (the Oneness of Allah or monotheism), as
its preceding verses refute the polytheists' claims, especially in (Q. 6: 100).
Conversely, in the latter verse (Q. 40: 62), the phrase (khliqu kulli shay) is
purposefully foregrounded and (l ilha illa huwa) is, thus, backgrounded. It
conforms to the preceding verses, especially (Q. 40: 57 & 62), that manifest the
omnipotence of Allah, His absolute power and endless blessings, such as the creation
of the heavens and the earth and the night and the day. Accordingly, the phrase is not
haphazardly positioned, but it is rhetorically and stylistically motivated (Abdul-Raof,
2012, p. 134).
Another example is clearly stated in [wa-rwadat-hu allati huwa f baytiha can
nafsihi wa-ghallaqati al-abwaba wa-qalat hayta lak] (Q. 12: 23), in which the phrase
[allati huwa f baytiha] seems to be excessively used, and, thus, can be deliberately
67
omitted without contorting either the grammatical structure or the possible holistic
meaning. Arguably, it may be claimed that it is quite enough to say: [wa-rwadat-hu
c
an nafsihi]. But, as a matter of fact, such a claim applies to a human activity, not to a
divine source as the Qur'an. It is only adopted by those who unfairly and wrongfully
twist the Qur'an and interpret it without knowledge or through quoting the opinions of
others (al-R fic, 1973, p. 231). Had the Arabs themselves found out any excessive
use of a lexical item in the Qur'an, they would not have been hesitated for a moment
to take it out and to maliciously defame it (al-R fic, 1973, p. 225). On the contrary,
when thinking attentively about the significance of the phrase, it is highly meaningful
and significant; it is a parenthetical phrase, which adds to the perfect word order
system and the grandeur of the Qur'an; it is purposefully embedded in a context that
sarcastically puts the blame on the wife of the governor, who placed an irresistible
temptation in Yusf's way. Instead, she should have refrained from committing such
evil, as he was considered her foster son, whom her husband intentionally aimed at
benefiting them or adopting him as a son (Q. 12: 21).
2.20.2.2.2 Aplastic Nouns Arrangement
No letter in the Qur'an is incongruously used with its miraculous system. Even
the aplastic nouns are accurately arranged through foregrounding, backgrounding and
its lexical system (al-R fic, 1973, p. 234 . In the following verse, [fa-arsalna
c
alayhimu al-ufana wa-al-jarada wa-al-qummala wa-al-afadic wa-al-dama] (Q. 7:
133), it has five nouns, of which (al-ufana wa-al-jarada wa-al-dama) are easily
pronounced, whereas (al-qummala wa-al-afadic) seem to be difficult to pronounce.
Accordingly, al-ufana is initially used to let the tongue be familiar with it, as it has
two kinds of al-mad (prolongation), i.e., al-waw and al-alif. Next, it is followed by aljarada, which implies one kind of al-madd (prolongation), i.e., al-alif. Then, they are
68
followed by the two difficultly pronounced nouns, i.e., (al-qummala wa-al-afadic),

starting with the easily pronounced one, i.e., (al-qummala), which is marked by alghunnah (nasalization). After that, al-dama is finally mentioned, due to its easy
pronunciation and less-letter combination, to enable the tongue to pronounce it easily,
and to let the word order system be congruous. This is considered one of the
miraculous structural aspects of the Qur'an (al-R fic, 1973, p. 235 .
Changing or altering the structural system of these five nouns leads to
incongruity. Its rhetoric and eloquence are originally derived from its status quo
arrangement. Accordingly, any change of its current position, forwardly or
backwardly, results in difficulty in pronunciation and thus asymmetry (al-R fic, 1973,
p. 235).
2.20.2.3 Ayah Level
At the ayah level, inimitability-based phonetic analysis is much concerned
with "the conceptual chaining, i.e., thematic connectivity, through which consecutive
ayahs dovetail conceptually with each ayah" (Abdul-Raof, 2012, p. 135). There is a
logical phonetic order system on the intra-ayah (a dynamic interrelation within a
single verse) level throughout the Qur'an. For instance, [wa-rwadat-hu allati huwa f
baytiha can nafsihi wa-ghallaqati al-abwaba wa-qalat hayta lak qla macadha Allah
innahu rabb asana mathwa innahu la yufliu al-alimn] (Q. 12: 23) abounds in
the sound al-h, which is initially and finally attached to most of its words, especially
in rwadat-hu, huwa, baytiha, nafsihi and hayta. This sound is known, as Ibn Manr
(d. 711/1311) puts it, to be "a voiceless consonant which is pronounced without the
vibration of the vocal cords, resulting in the absence of one's voice" (VI, p. 4595).
Thus, the rhetoric of the Qur'an lies in the balanced and coherent verses in conformity
with the context of situation.
69
Additionally, the sound al-h here matches the blameworthy action of the
wife of al-cAziz (the governor) intended to do, i.e., to solicit her foster child stealthily
and silently: verbally through lowering her voice, and physically through shutting the
doors firmly to unveil her evil doing away from the eyes of her servants at the palace.
Similarly, at the inter-ayah level (a dynamic interrelation with the verse itself
and its consecutive verses), the previous ayah has a thematic connectivity with its
preceding verses, especially [qla macadha Allah innahu rabb asana mathwa] (Q.
12: 23). To explain, exegetes are divided over the interpretation of the referent rabb.
Some exegetes, like Muj hid, Ibn Ish q and al-Sudd, interpret in accordance with the
preceding verse, i.e., [wa-qla alladh ishtarahu min mira akrim mathwahu casa ann
yanfacna aw nattakhidhahu walada] (Q. 12: 21). Accordingly, the word rabb is much
related to his master, her husband. Linguistically, it is derived from the nominalized
noun al-rabb, which is synonymous with al-mlik, meaning 'a lord, a possessor, an
owner, or a proprietor' to whom obedience or submission is demanded (Lane, 1968,
IV, p. 1003). Interpretively, it maybe mean: 'Your husband is my lord who raised me
well and to whom I'm grateful. So, I should not render his generosity with evil doing
and should not cheat him' (Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 ; al-abar d. 310/923 ).
On the other hand, other exegetes, like al-Zajj j (d. ca. 311/923) and alShacr w (1911-1998), are of the opinion that the word rabb could refer to his Lord,
Allah, and, thus, it could be interpreted as 'He is my Lord Who treated me honorably
and to Whom I owe grateful thanks' (al-Qurb (d. 671/1272), XI, p. 310). Their view
is based on contextual clues. First, at the intra-ayah level, rabb is preceded by the
phrase [macadha Allah], meaning 'I seek refuge in Allah from your evil temptation' (p.
310), and the phrase innahu, consisting of the emphatic particle inna and the attached
pronoun al-h, which relates closely to the nearest referent, i.e., Allah, with regards
70
to grammarians, as in [wa-istacn bi-al-abri wa-al-alah wa-innaha la-kabiratun illa

c
ala al-khshicn] (Q. 2: 45), in which al-abr and al-alah are mentioned
respectively, but the attached pronoun, in wa-innaha la-kabirah10, refers to the latter,
which matches the pronoun in gender and number. Additionally, at the inter-ayah
level, the verse (Q. 12: 23) is followed by the phrase [kadhlika li-narifa canhu alsa wa-al-fash] (Q. 12: 24), meaning that 'Allah protected him from being
engaged in the illegal sexual intercourse'.
2.20.2.4 Surah Level
Inimitability at the surah level lies in the 'textual features' of the thematic
connectivity either "within a single surah or between two or more consecutive suras"
(Abdul-Raof, 2012, p. 136). It is much concerned with the logical cohesion between
preceding and consecutive surahs of the Qur'an. Accordingly, there are three types of
thematic connectivity between the Qur'anic surahs:
2.20.2.4.1 Thematic Connectivity between the Surah and its Name
For example, Srat al-Baqarah (the Cow) takes its name from the story of the cow the
Israelites were ordered to slaughter and their journey of quest for a cow, having some
certain features, as a result of their meticulous queries.
2.20.2.4.2 Thematic Connectivity between Beginning and End of a Single Surah
For example, Srat li-cImr n (the Family of cImr n ascertains some certain facts; it
states for sure that Allah has sent down the Qur'an unto Prophet Muhammad (pbuh),
as the Torah and the ible unto prophets Msa and cEisa, respectively. Accordingly, it
emphasizes two facts: the truthfulness of Muhammad's prophethood and the
authenticity of the Qur'an Jal l al-Dn al-Suy d. 911/849 , 1994, I, p. 551 , as in
(Alif-lm-mm* Allahu l ilha illa huwa al-ayyu al-qayym* nazzala calayka alkitba bi-al-aqqi muaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi wa-anzala al-tawrta wa-al-
71
injla* min qablu hudan li-al-nsi wa-anzala al-furqna inna al-ladhina kafar biyati Allahi lahum cadhabun shaddun wa-Allahu cazzun dhu intiqm) (Q. 3: 1-4).
According to al-Suy d. 911/849 , the beginning and the end of this surah
are thematically related; the concluding statement of the surah investigates the same
concept; it states that some of the People of the Book believe in Allah, the Qur'an and
their Scripture as well (I, p. 675), as in (wa-inna min ahli al-kitbi la-man yuminu
billhi wa-ma unzila ilaykum wa-ma-unzila ilayhim) (Q. 3: 199) (cf. Abdul-Raof,
2005, p. 43).
2.20.2.4.3 Thematic Connectivity between the End of a Surah and the Beginning
of the Following One
For instance, in Srat al-Qamar (Q. 54), the last two verses end with describing the
bliss the pious will enjoy, as they are promised, in the Afterlife, i.e., gardens and
rivers, granted by a Supreme Determiner, as in [inna al-muttaqna f jannatin wanahar* f maqcad sidiqin cinda malkin muqtadir] (Q. 54: 54-5)
In the consecutive surah, i.e., Srat al-Ram n (Q. 55), it begins with
identifying the Provider of the blissful rewards; it consistently conforms to the end of
the previous surah, stating the various attributes of Allah, combining both mighty, as
in [cinda malkin muqtadir] (Q. 54: 55), mercy and omnipotence as well as in [alRamn] (Q. 55: 1) (the All-Merciful) (al- iq c d. 885/1480 , XIX, p. 139; cf.
Abdul-Raof, 2012, p. 136).
72
_______________________________________________________________
Endnote
1 This heading is inspired by a book entitled Stylistic Approaches to Translation by Jean Boase-Beier
(2006).
2 All the descriptive words and examples mentioned here are excerpted from Margaret Atwood's
collection of short stories entitled Dancing Girls and Other Stories.
c
3 According to al-R fi , such a debate took place between al-Khans and Hassan. However, in other
chronicles, such as khaznat al-adab (1997) by Abdul-Qadir al-Baghd d (d. 1093/1682), it is not alKhans , but al-N bighah.
c
4 It is one of the most famous markets of the Arabs before the advent of Islam, known as Sq Uk,
c
"the fair at the western Arabian town of Uk" where "competitions of poetry and musical
performances were held periodically, attracting the most distinguished poet-musicians"
(www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/295642/Islamic-arts/13812/The-pre-Islamicperiod#ref316612).
5 Al-jafanatu refers literary to food utensils, but metaphorically to hospitality and generosity for which
the Arabs were known.
6 The original reads:
:
...
...
: : . :

!
7 For further details, review my book entitled Synonymy in the Glorious Qur'an: Problems Explored &
Strategies Adopted, p. 113-9.
8 For further details, see Chapter 6.
9 For further details, see Chapter 6.
10 At pause, la-kabirah is pronounced with the final sound al-h, but it is pronounced with the final
al-t al-marbuah (nunation) during resuming recitation of the verse.
73
Chapter Three
Chapter Three
Translation Types & Translator's Strategic Decisions
This chapter investigates the multiple categorizations of the process of
meaning-transfer and examines inclusively the strategies and techniques adopted by
translators to reshape the ST adequately and to convey the communicative function
properly. It also probes deeply into the translator's double duty, i.e., as a reader of the
original and as a re-producer of the source text. Through this chapter, the researcher
attempts to show how translation is not a mere replacement of a ST by an equivalent
TL text, but it is a broader concept, requiring a more deliberate approach, as shown
below.
3.1 Towards a Working Definition of Translation
J. Dubois (1973) defines translation, as follows: "Traduire c'est noncer dans
une autre langage (ou langue cible) ce qui a t enonc dans une autre langue source,
en conservant les quivalences smantiques et stylistiques" (Jean Dubois et al., 1973,
p. 490), i.e. Translation is the expression in another language or target language) of
what has been expressed in another, source language, preserving semantic and
stylistic equivalences Roger ell's translation, 1991, p. 5 .
Accordingly, a distinction between 'translation', 'a translation' and 'translating'
should be made to clarify any possible misunderstanding. In this respect, Roger Bell
(1991) disambiguates the ambiguity between the three terms, as follows:
(1) translating: the process (to translate; the activity rather than the tangible object);
(2) a translation: the product of the process of translating (i.e., the translated text);
(3) translation: the abstract concept which encompasses both the process of
translating and the product of that process.
74
3.2 The Process of Translation

E. A. Gutt (1991) defines exclusively and comprehensively the process of
translation through which he sets out the principal target of any translation in general.
He says that translation is to "communicate the meaning of the original accurately and
clearly to the readers of translation" (p. 66). Accordingly, he lays down the broad
lines of the process, as follows:
- The parties, i.e., the sender and the receiver, engaged in the process itself;
- The medium through which the original message is transferred;
- The manner a translator should follow, or the conditions s/he should abide by during
the process of translation.
- The message intended to be conveyed.
Translator
Mediator between
Source Text
Target Text
Delivered
Sender
by
to
Receiver
through
Written Medium
Spoken Medium
to convey
the intended message
Fig. 2 The Process of Translation
This diagram shows the important role adopted by a translator in bridging the gaps
between two cultures.
75
Similarly, Christiane Nord (1992) argues that the communicative function of a

text depends basically on a set of factors, i.e., 'extratextual' and 'intratextual', stated
properly in the communicative situation and interactively through the following
questions: "Who transmits to whom, what for, by which medium, where, when, why a
text with what function? On what subject matter does he say what (what not), in what
order, using which non-verbal elements, in what kind of sentences, in which tone, to
what effect?" (p. 43).
To explain, according to Nord, the 'extratextual factors' are much concerned with the
following questions:
1- The 'author' or 'the sender of the text', i.e., (who?);
2- The 'sender's intention', i.e., (what for?);
3- The 'addressee' or the 'recipient' of the text, i.e., (to whom?);
4- The 'medium' or 'channel' through which the text is conveyed, i.e., (by which
medium?);
5- The 'place', i.e., (where?);
6- The 'time' at which the text is communicated, i.e., (when?);
7- The 'motive' or impulse behind the communication process, i.e., (why?)
8- The desired function achieved by the text, i.e., (with what function?)
As for the 'intratextual factors', according to her, they are much concerned
with the following questions:
1- The 'subject matter' or theme of the text;
2- The 'information' or 'content' shown in the text, i.e., (what?);
3- The 'presuppositions' assumed by the 'author', i.e., (what not?)
4- The 'composition' or structure of the text, i.e., (in what order?);
76
5- The 'paralinguistic elements' inherent in the text, i.e., (in which words?), plus the
'lexical' and 'syntactical' features expressed in the text, i.e., (in what kind of
sentences?);
6- The 'suprasegmental features' represented in 'intonation' and 'prosody', i.e., (in
which tone).
7- The desired 'effect', which refers to "the interdependence or interplay between the
extratextual and intratextual factors" (p. 43), represented in the last question, i.e., (in
what effect?).
In this phase, "the translator is a reader of the source text" (Boase-Beier, 2006,
p. 4) that reflects the author's "particular turn of thoughts and expression" (Lefevere,
1992, p. 104). S/he first explores the "style and manner of writing" (Robinson, 2002,
p. 208ff) of the original and then the "style and effect" (Qvale, 1998, p. 9), being fully
aware of the author's "spirit and intention [that] are often bound up with his style and
choice of words" (Lefevere, 1992, p. 53). Additionally, there is an important step to
be taken. According to Boase-Beier (2006), a translator should "attempt a reasonable
reconstruction of authorial intention" in order to "construct meaning in reading a text"
(p. 4). Thus, such a process is much concerned with 'the style of the source text' and
'how it can be preserved in translation'.
3.3 The Product of Translation
In this phrase, the translator is committed to providing "a direct link to the
work's basic thematic concerns and the kind of experience [the style of the original]
attempts to convey" (Garca & Marco, 1998, p. 65). His presence, as Hermans (1996:
42) points out, should be felt in translation, as opposed to his role as "a functionary of
the target group" (Kohlmayer, 1988, p. 147; as cited in Boaser-Beier, 2006, p. 5).
Strictly speaking, Eco (2001: 45) specifies the characteristics of a good translation,
77
which manages to 'say less', but precisely. He draws our attention to the quality of the
end product and not the quantity. Therefore, translation is seen as a "strategy that aims
to produce, in a different language, the same effect as the source discourse" (p. 93),
"if accepting the challenge of the original text so as to recreate it in another form and
another substance," (p. 94) maintaining the 'guiding spirit' of the text.
3.4 Nida & Taber's Categorization of the Process of Meaning-Transfer
Nida and Taber (1969: 33), in The Theory and Practice of Translation,
classify the stages the process of translation goes through and in which a translator's
main task is to 1) analyze, 2) transfer and 3) restructure. These three stages are shown
in the figure below.
A (Source)
B (Receptor)
(Analysis)
(Restructuring)
(Transfer)
Fig. 3 (Nida & Taber, 1969: 33, Figure 6)

3.5 Meaning-governing Rules
Ajdukiewicz (1978d: 53) differentiates between three types of meaning rules,
as follows:
1) Axiomatic rules of meaning specifying which sentences are to be accepted
unconditionally;
2) Deductive rules of meaning correlating with a sentence of a certain type (as
premiss [sic]) a sentence of another definite type (as conclusion);
3) Empirical rules of meaning coordinating a sentence with definite experiential data
(possibly jointly with certain sentences) (as cited in G. Toury, 1986, p. 1124).
78
3.6 Translation as a Teleological Activity

In 1970s, Hans J. Vermeer introduced Skopostheorie with its three
fundamental elements, i. e., skopos, coherence and culture, as a technical term
to function in translation. The term of Skopostheorie consists of skopos, i. e., the
Greek word for aim or purpose, and theorie, i. e., the Greek word for theory.
This theory applies the notion of purpose (skopos) to translation; it focuses on the
qualities of the target text with regard to the source text (Nord, 1997, p. 36).
Here, Vermeer (1989) explains the notion of skopos, as follows:
Each text is produced for a given purpose and should serve this purpose. The
skopos rule thus reads as follows: translate/interpret/speak/write in a way that
enables your text/translation to function in the situation in which it is used and
with the people who want to use it and precisely in the way they want it to
function. (p. 20; translation from Nord, 1997, p. 29)
In addition, this theory also focuses on the target recipient/receiver during the
process of translation. This means that the target reader is an indication of the success
of translation process undertaken by a communicator, whose principal role is to reproduce the ST directly and adequately without translation loss. According to
Vermeer 1987 , the target of any translator is to produce a text in a target setting for
a target purpose and target addressees in target circumstances p. 29, as cited in
Nord, 1997, p. 12).
3.7 The Role of a Translator
A translator is a key catalyst in the translation process. S/he does not only
transfer the content to "express the sense" (The Concise Oxford Dictionary, 1976, p.
1232), but they are much concerned with "the manner in which it is expressed"
(Boaser-Beier, 2006, p. 11). His or her major task is to uncover the hidden stylistic
features in the source text and to reflect the "motivated choice" (Verdonk, 2002, p. 9)
"verbalized by the author in his text" (Rei, 1981, p. 122). Furthermore, Boaser-Beier
79
(2006) in the very beginning of her book entitled Stylistic Approaches to Translation,
specifically on page 4, focused on the role of a translator as 'a reader of the source
text', but later on page 51, she adds a new comprehensive role to the translator. She
refers to a translator as a 'communicator' whose major task "goes beyond the mental
expansion and cognitive pleasure of the translator" (p. 51). According to her, a
translator, as a writer who "triggers discovery in the reader" (MacKenzie, 2002, p.
24), is held responsible not only for the style of target text, but also for the
"unconscious linguistic motivation" (p. 51).
3.8 Translator's Double Duty
Being a reader of the original and a re-producer of the source text, the
translator has a double mission to achieve. He has first to grasp the source text,
decoding the codes included therein and, second, to reproduce them accurately to the
target reader. As Matthew Arnold (1914) states: "The primary duty of the translator is
to focus on the text of the source language, so that he can serve that text with
complete commitment" (as cited in Das, 2008, p. 20), side by side with maintaining
every peculiar quality of the original, let alone the production of the same impact as
the original.
According to Ian Mason (1994), a translator "has the double duty of
perceiving the meaning potential of particular choices within the cultural and
linguistic community of the source text and relaying the same potential, by suitable
linguistic means, to a target readership" (p. 23).
3.9 Translator as a Reporter
Henry W. Longfellow expands on the mission of a translator as a 'reporter'
and not a 'poet' or a 'commentator'. According to him, a translator's main task is
transfer verbally what the author or writer says and stylistically how he says, outlining
80
his/her own business, as follows: "The business of a translator is to report what the
author says, not to explain what he means; that is the work of the commentator. What
an author says and how he says it" (as cited in William De Sue, 1964, p. 65).
3.10 Trends of Translation Typology
Bassnett-McGuire (1980 [1991]: 71) categorizes the main trends of translation
typology into five groups, as follows:
(1) Translation as a scholar's activity, where the preeminence of the SL text is
assumed de facto over any TL version;
(2) Translation as a means of encouraging the intelligent reader to return to the SL
original;
(3) Translation as a means of helping the TL reader become the equal of what
Schleiermacher called the better reader of the original, through a deliberately
contrived foreignness in the TL text;
(4) Translation as a means whereby the individual translator who sees himself like
Aladdin in the enchanted vault (Rosserti's imaginative image) offers his own
pragmatic choice to the TL reader;
(5) Translation as a means through which the translator seeks to upgrade the status of
the SL text because it is perceived as being on a lower cultural level.
Here, the classification made by Bassnet-McGuire (1991: 71) regarding the
types of translation is much influenced by 'the age of industrial capitalism' and
'colonial expansion' up to the First World War, as she believes. Later on, it is
considered a sign of a shift in attitude to translation due to a revaluation of the role of
poetry and creativity, especially during the Romantic period (cf. Bijay K. Das, 2008,
p. 21).
81
3.11 Literariness-induced Difficulty

In translating literary genres or texts, a translator has to be fully aware of the
basic principles of literature as a delicate and emotive subject, requiring a highly
sensitive, caring translator. Such genres or texts are indirectly motivated, through
which solutions or answers are circuitously posed. In other words, answers are
received rather by suggestion or implication. That is, in literature, "there is no 'yes'
and 'no' type of answer and instead, there is a variety of approach to study a literary
text" (Das, 2008, p. 28), requiring the translator to retain the feel of the original SL
text.
Thus, a literary translation requires some certain prerequisites to achieve the
same literary effectiveness of the originals. Among them are the following:
1) The re-creation of a situation or cohesive semantic block in the new language in
terms of the cultural setting of that language (Wellworth, 1981, p. 143; emphasis in
the original);
2) Decoding the motive of the SL text and re-encoding it in the TL text or recontextualizing the SL text in the TL text (Das, 2008, p. 28);
3) The 'transplantation of experience' (Patil, 1988, p. 170) from one linguistic context
to another (Das, 2008, p. 28).
3.12 Dryden's Categorization of Translation Types
John Dryden (1631-1700), in his outstanding Preface to Ovid's Epistles
(1680), classifies translation into three basic types, as follows:
1) Metaphrase, or turning an author word by word, and line by line, from one
language into another;
2) Paraphrase, or translation with latitude, the Ciceronian 'sense for sense' view of
translation;
82
3) Imitation, where the translator can abandon the text of the original as he sees fit (as
cited in Bassnett-McGuire, 1980 [1991], p. 60).
According to Dryden, the second type is considered to be the most suitable
approach to translation, provided that the translator should practically and
predominantly abide by some sine qua nons of the carefully planned process of
translation. Firstly, a translator, especially in translating poetry, should have the talent
of being a poet; secondly, s/he should be competent in both languages, i.e., the SL and
the TL; thirdly, they should fully grasp and be aware of the 'spirit' of the original
along with the 'aesthetic canons' of their own era (cf. Bassnett-McGuire, 1980 [1991],
p. 60).
3.13 Various Methods of Translation
Andr Lefevere (1975), in his book entitled Translating Poetry, Seven
Strategies and a Blueprint, introduces a number of various methods of translation, as
follows:
1) Phonemic translation, which attempts to reproduce the SL sound in the TL while at
the same time producing an acceptable paraphrase of the sense. Lefevere comes to the
conclusion that although this works moderately well in the translation of
onomatopoeia, the overall result is clumsy and often devoid of sense altogether;
2) Literal translation, where the emphasis on word-for-word translation distorts the
sense and the syntax of the original;
3) Metrical translation, where the dominant criterion is the reproduction of the SL
metre. Lefevere concludes that, like literal translation, this method concentrates on
one aspect of the SL text at the expense of the text as a whole;
83
4) Poetry into prose. Here, Lefevere concludes that distortion of the sense,
communicative value and syntax of the SL text results from this method, although not
to the same extent as with the literal or metrical types of translation;
5) Rhymed translation, where the translator 'enters into a double bondage' or metre
and rhyme;
6) Blank verse translation. Again the restrictions imposed on the translator by the
choice of structure are emphasized, although the greater accuracy and higher degree
of literalness obtained are also noted;
7) Interpretation. Under this heading, Lefevere discusses what he calls versions where
the substance of the SL text is retained but the form is changed, and imitations where
the translator produces a poem of his own which has 'only title and point of departure,
if those, in common with the source text' (as cited in Bassnett-McGuire, 1980 [1991],
pp. 81-2).
3.14 Translation Theory and Language
E. A. Nida (1964) briefly establishes a connecting link between the true
meaning of language, as a means of communication, and translation, as a means of
reproduction. He points out that
Language consists of more than the meaning of the symbols and the
combination of symbols; it is essentially a code in operation, or, in other words,
a code functioning for a specific purpose or purposes. Thus we must analyse the
transmission of a message in terms of dynamic dimension. This dimension is
especially important for translation, since the production of equivalent messages
is a process, not merely of matching parts of utterances, but also of reproducing
the total dynamic character of the communication. Without both elements the
results can scarcely be regarded, in any realistic sense, as equivalent. (p. 120)
Consequently, translation is not the mere replacement of a SL text by an equivalent
TL text; it is a holistic process in different degrees (fully or partially), in respect of
different levels of presentation (equivalent in respect of context, of semantics, of
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grammar, of lexis, etc.) and at different ranks (word-for-word, phrase-for-phrase,

sentence-for-sentence) (as cited in Bell, 1991, p. 6; Hartmann & Stork, 1972, p. 713).
3.15 Approaches to Translation
In the field of translation, many theories and models or approaches are
adopted by translators to communicate the desired message accurately and clearly to
the reader. In this regard, Bell (1991: 23-4) differentiates between the theory and the
model. He states that the former is much concerned with the explanation of a
phenomenon, whereas the latter, which is defined by Bell (1991) as "an attempt at a
description rather than an explanation" (p. 26; emphasis in the original), is much
related to the method of communication or the process of application. Due to this
distinction, various types of translations have been alphabetically listed below
according to Aranda's classification (2007, pp. 6-11), depending upon the nature of
the message, as per the following:
3.15.1 Absolute Translation
This type of translation focuses basically on the 'accuracy of content and form'
during the process of translation. "It is a term used to distinguish between types of
translations", as opposed to "abstract, diagrammatic, keyword, reconstruction,
selective and sight translations" (as cited in Aranda, 2007, p. 6). In other words, it is
"the complete transfer respecting both quantitative and qualitative values of the
document" (Gouadec, 1990, pp. 332-341, as cited in Sager, 1994, p. 184).
3.15.2 Abstract Translation
Abstract translations are simply "summarized versions of a source text"
(Aranda, 2007, p. 6) during the meaning-transfer process. It aims, according to
Gouadec (1990), to offer a 'condensed translation' of the ST and to enable the TR to
85
have 'fast access to specific information', and which involves several sub-types, as
follows:
A) Translation of the generic themes;
B) Description of the generic content, the objectives of the document and its sub-units
and the structure of the document;
C) Abridged translation of all the useful content of a text.
This type is clearly exemplified by the introduction provided by a translator of
the Qur'an to each sra to give the TR a brief outline of the theme(s) and the content
of each chapter. For instance, in Srat al-Nr (the light), Muhammad Abdel-Haleem
(2004), introduces it briefly and concisely, as follows:
This Medinan sura clarifies several regulations for the Muslim community,
mainly to do with marriage, modesty, obedience to the Prophet, and appropriate
behaviour in the household. The initial context is the false rumour against
Aisha, the Prophets wife, who was left behind unwittingly by her traveling
companions after wandering away in search of a dropped necklace. She was
escorted back to Medina by a Muslim man coming later who found her there.
The sura is named after the Verse of Light (verses 356) where Gods light is
contrasted to the darkness in which the disbelievers find themselves engulfed.
3.15.3 Adaptation
Adaptations are known to be 'free versions' or 'limitations' due to 'translational
action', such as the adaptation of Homer's Odyssey (800 B.C.) by Livius Andronicus
in the 3rd century B.C., which was based on a 'target-oriented Latin' adaptation of the
original. Later on, according to Aranda, specifically in the 17th & 18th centuries,
adaptations aimed to enhance the 'literary and cultural tastes' of the target audience,
but they were known as belles infideles, a concept which indicates the impossibility of
combining 'beauty' with 'loyalty/fidelity' in the transference to a TL. In this regard,
such a term is wonderfully epitomized through the following lines of anonymous
verse: "Translation is like a beautiful woman. If beautiful, it cannot be faithful, and if
86
faithful, it cannot be beautiful" (cf. Shastri, 2012, p. 19). Today, a lot of scientific and
technical texts are reproduced for 'non-scientific readers'.
3.15.4 Auto-translation
Auto- or self-translations are carried out by the authors of the original, who are
competent in the SL and the TL, such as Samuel Beckett, Umberto Eco, Maria Luisa
Bombal or Rosario Ferr, to mention but a few. These translations are done either
concurrently with the original or asynchronously after the publication of the original.
Accordingly, self-translators may relatively intervene in the translation process, using
various strategies such as 'additions', 'omissions' or 'corrections'. For instance, the
translated novels of Rosario Ferr from Spanish, e.g., La casa de la laguna, into
English, under the title of House on the Lagoon, are considered a "second chance", by
the author herself, to rectify the inherent mistakes. Additionally, self-translations
seem to be more 'prestigious' than 'regular' ones, as they are not somehow replicas in
their writers' view.
3.15.5 Content-based Translation
According to Gouadec (1990: 332-341), this type is known as 'translation with
reconstructions', by which a translator sacrifices form for content, especially in nonliterary texts, so as to convey the message effectively and directly.
3.15.6 Crib Translation
A crib translation is a 'literal' translation. In other words, it is 'the first draft' of
a translation. It is also called 'pony' or 'trot' as an aid in translation.
3.15.7 Diagrammatic Translation
In this kind of translation, a text is transferred into a diagram. In other words,
it is "the transfer of the SL document content in form of a diagram, in order to permit
the learner to control his own knowledge of the subject" (Sager, 1994, p. 184). With
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regards to the definition of this type, Sager (1994) comments that "This type of
information provision exceeds what is here considered translation" (p. 184).
3.15.8 Ethnographic Translation
This kind of translation pertains to the cultural context of the source text in the
target text; it is appropriate for the cross-cultural studies, such as advertising.
3.15.9 Exegetic Translation
An exegetic translation is much concerned with the explanation and
elaboration of the source text in the target text for cultural, linguistic, rhetorical or
stylistic considerations. It is also called 'an annotated translation', as opposed to a 'gist
translation'.
This kind of translation is frequently adopted by Qur'an translators as a
suitable strategy especially for translating culture-specific terms, such al-firah, alajj, al-cumrah, al-ghusl and al-tayyammum, etc. These actual examples have no full
equivalents in the target language, that is, English. The first term, i. e. al-firah, will
be analyzed in detail to clarify such an issue.
A good example of exegetic translation can be found in various English
translations of the Qur'an. Consider, for instance, the following three translations of
the word firah in Srat al-Rm (The Romans), verse no. 30, by al-Hil l and Kh n
(1997), Ghl (2003) and Pickthall (1981).
(

)36 :) (
[firat Allahi allati faara al-nasa calaiha la tabdila li-khalqi Allahi] (Q. 30: 30)
Below are the translations of the previous verse, as in:
Pickthall's Translation:
The nature (framed) of Allah, in which He hath created man. There is no altering
(the laws of) Allah's creation. (Q. 30: 30)
Gha 's Translation:
(This religion is) the original disposition from Allah upon which He originated
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mankind. There is no exchange for the creation of Allah. (Q. 30: 30)
h 's Translation:
So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion (of pure Islmic
Monotheism) Hanf (worship none but Allh Alone). Allh's Fitrah (i.e., Allh's
Islmic Monotheism) with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in
Khalq-illh (i.e., the religion of Allh - Islmic Monotheism): that is the straight
religion, but most of men not.
It is apparent here that the word fitrah has no identical equivalent due to its
cultural specificity. To explain, Pickthall and Ghal likely render it into the nature
framed of Allah and the original disposition from Allah respectively, while Kh n
exegetically interprets it as a true faith of Islam.
Obviously, the above translations can be regarded as having no exegetical
elements, save for al-Hil l and Kh n's translation, which includes an exegetical gloss,
e.g., 'O Muhammad', and another gloss on anf. Additionally, al-Hil l and Kh n are
much impressed by the dictionary meaning of firah, as defined by Lisn al-cArab
Lexicon, as follows: The natural knowledge of Allah with which every human being
is endowed (V, p 3433)1 (Translation is mine). They also strongly adopt the
interpretation of Al-Zamakhshar (538/1143), a famous Arab exegete, who interprets
the above verse, as follows:
Surely He (Allah) has created them (human beings) susceptible to monotheism
and faith in Islam, (inclined naturally) not to stay away from it or to deny it,
because it Islamic faith sounds harmonious to ones mind. And if they be free
to choose their own religion, the faith of Islam will be preferable to other
religions; otherwise s/he may be lured by (evil spirits of) human beings and
Jinn. (III, p. 245)2 (Translation is mine)
Thus, James Dickins et al. (2002) comment, "while translation proper may include
elements of gist or exegesis, the dominant mode of translation is one which involves
rephrasing between the ST and TT" (p. 12).
89
3.15.10 Fan Translation

A fan translation means the translation of films, videos, television programs or
computer games by fans, as opposed to professionals and specialists, into another
language other than the original. It is also known as 'fansub', short for 'fan-subtitled'.
3.15.11 Full Translation
Full translation explicitly implies the 'complete translation' of the source text,
which is totally preserved in the target text. In this regard, Catford (1965) defines a
full translation as one in which "every part of the SL text is replaced by the TL text
material" (p. 21).
3.15.12 Gist Translation
A gist translation is a brief summary of the major points of the original; it is
also called "translation-cum-summary" (Nigel Armstrong, 2005, p. 157). On the
business level, it is considered economical, less expensive, cheaper and less 'timeconsuming', but, over all, it remains a 'rough outline' of a text, e. g., abstracts, book
reviews, pamphlets, etc.
3.15.13 Gloss Translation
A gloss translation includes marginal or parenthetical 'notes' or extra
explanations for either clarification or rectification. It is an attempt adopted by the
translator to enable the recipient "understand as much as he can of the customs,
manner of though, and means of expression" of the ST (Nida, 1964, p. 159). On the
part of Aranda (2007), it is exclusively employed as 'study guide', as it offers "deeper
insights into the culture and language of the text" (p. 8).
3.15.14 Graphological Translation
This type of translation focuses on transferring the graphological units from
one language into another. However, graphological translation is regarded as an
90
'extreme' or 'exotic' form of translation, for it does not "necessarily produce a 'correct'
translation" (Aranda, 2007, p. 8), as in poetry or advertising. In this regard,
Shuttleworth and Cowie (1997) give an example of this type of translation, as follows:
"The Russian word CTIIK can be graphologically translated into the Roman
form CHYTHNK by substituting Cyrillic letters not with their nearest Roman sound
equivalents, but with those Roman letters which most closely resemble them in
appearance" (p. 68; emphasis in the original).
Graphological translation is a 'restricted translation', in which 'the graphology
of the source language text is substituted by equivalent graphology in the target
language'. Such a substitution is basically based on an equivalent use of the same
graphic substance. Thus, it is considered somehow uneasy, due to the restricted range
of the writing systems used by typographers, who plan to impart an 'exotic flavor' to
written scripts. A good example of this type of translation can be seen in books about
'Islam' or 'the Arabs', whose titles written in 'Arabic-lie-script' (Das, 2008, p. 33).
3.15.15 Idiomatic Translation
Translation, as Mildred Larson (1984) states, is a transfer of meaning
alongside a 'change in form', taking into consideration the ultimate goal-oriented
translator, i. e., 'idiomatic translation', which "does not sound like a translation" but on
the contrary "[i]t sounds like it was written originally in the receptor language" (p.
16). This type of translation aims to reproduce "the meaning of the source language
(that is, the meaning intended by the original communicator) in the natural form of the
receptor language" (p. 17). In this regard, Larson (1984) proposes the following figure
in which he shows the in-between stages a translation process goes through, from
'very literal' to 'unduly free' translations.
91
very
literal
literal
modified
Inconsisten
near
unduly
literal
mixture
idiomatic
idiomatic
free
TRANSLATOR'S GOAL
Fig. 4 Larson (1998: 17 Display 2.1)
3.15.16 Interlineal Translation
As opposed to literal translation, an interlineal translation is basically
grammar-based correspondence between the ST and the TT. According to L. V.
Aranda (2007), this type of translation is of great importance to novice translators or
linguists and language learners.
3.15.17 Interlinear Translation
Interlinear translation is a line per line translation of the ST. It is regarded as a
close reading of a ST and it is useful in language learning.
3.15.18 Interlinguistic Translation
According to George Steiner (1975), this kind of translation is "only a
particular case of the communicational relationship that every successful linguistic act
describes within a given language" (Eco, 2001, p. 72). On the surface level, this
translation seems simple as it defines as 'the translation from one language to another',
but on the deeper level, it is more 'complex', as Theodore Shapiro (1999: 108)
believes. He clarifies his point of view by giving an example of translating a 'noun',
resulting in a 'change in nuance and connotation'. Although lexical items share some
semantic features in common, their connotation or significance greatly varies, as in
the case of the word 'moon'. In English, its mental image is much related to
'measurement' or calendar; in French, it signifies 'brightness' and 'light', whereas, I can
add, in Arabic, it has a special significance and a conventional association, especially
92
in poetry, where it indicates a 'platonic love' or an 'intimate addressee in lonely

sleepless nights'.
3.15.19 Intermediate Translation
An intermediate translation is "the translation that serves as a ST for an
indirect translation" (Aranda, 2007, p. 8).
3.15.20 Intersemiotic Translation
According to Jakobson (1992), this type of translation involves the use of
signs or non-verbal language, such as thumbs up implying Ok.
3.15.21 Intertemporal Translation
According to Aranda (2007), intertemporal translation is "the interlinguistic or
intralinguistic modernization of texts, as opposed to the less frequent archaization of
texts" (p. 8). This type of translation is much concerned with the suitable strategy
adopted in translating 'older' or 'ancient texts', either through a 'cotemporal linguistic
equivalence' and, thus, resulting in 'risk incomprehension' or through 'linguistic
update' and, thus, resulting in 'comprehension'. She also discusses another issue, i.e.,
the translation of 'cultural references' and 'implications'. In this regard, she suggests
three options: 1) 'culturally'-rendered; 2) 'annotated' or 3) 'left'. Finally, she concludes
her argument with the potential use of the 'incorporation of some archaic features', as
a suitable 'historical link to the original'.
3.15.22 Intralingual Translation
An intralingual translation is also called rewarding, paraphrase (emphasis
added). It is a translation of the source text through its language, but in a different
style. In this regard, Aranda (2007) gives an example of the translated American TV
programs into Spanish, addressing specifically the Spanish of Latin America, which
are not similarly translated into the Spanish of Spain.
93
3.15.23 Keyword Translation

According to Gouadec (1990), this type of translation is defined as follows:
"The extraction of keywords from the SL document and translating them into the TL"
(as cited in Sager, 1994, p. 184), resulting in 'a TL index' of the original to evaluate its
relevancy and usefulness and, if necessary, to look for another strategy of translation.
3.15.24 Parallel Translation
This type of translation involves the original text alongside its translation. A
good example, Aranda (2007) gives, is the Rosetta Stone, i.e. "former name of
Rashid, a granitoid slab inscribed in hieroglyphic, demotic and Greek"
(TheFreeDictionary Online) in 196 B.C. Another example I could refer to is the
translation of religious texts, as in the case of the Qur'an, in which the translation is
placed side by side with the original, such as the translation of Ghl, under the title of
Towards Understanding the Ever-Glorious Quran (2003), and al-Hil l and Kh n,
under the title of Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Quran in the English
Language (1996).
3.15.25 Parenthetic Translation
A parenthetic translation, as its name signifies, is a translation enclosed in
parentheses, which may be just a 'word' or 'phrase'. These parenthetic translations are
considered the "most obvious and most common authorial intrusion in cross-cultural
texts" (Bill Ashcroft et al, 1989/2002, p. 60).
3.15.26 Partial Translation
J. Catford (1965) defines partial translations as translations in which "some
part or parts of the SL text are left untranslated" (p. 21). "They are simply transferred
to and incorporated in the TL text" (p. 21) to create an unusual feeling or to add an
'exotic' flavor. Aranda (2007) exemplifies her argument through the English
94
translation of Arturo Prez-Reverte's El maestro de esgrima (The Fencing Master) by

Margaret Jull Costa (1998), in which she focuses on the following sentence: "On the
corners, sellers cried their wares: Horchata de chufa, delicious horchata de chufa!"
(p. 38).
3.15.27 Phonemic Translation
Phonemic translations are also called 'homophonic' translations, which focus
on imitating the sound, the rhythm and syntax of the source text language, allowing
the "sense to emerge as a kind of vaguely suggested impression" (Hervey et al., 1995,
p. 48). Thus, the emphasis on the phonic representation of the ST may result in
'extremely foreignized' or exotic texts.
3.15.28 Phonological Translation
A phonological translation takes care of the SL grammar and lexis, "except the
random grammatical or lexical deviations" (Das, 2005/2008, p. 31). It is a type of
translation in which "the SL phonology of a text is replaced by the equivalent TL
phonology" (Catford, 1965, p. 56). In this regard, Catford (1965) exemplifies the
phonological translation of had. He points out the following:
The phonological translation of English 'had' /had/ into Greek is /xent/. The
distinctive phonic substance related to English /h/ is 'voiceless glottal
fricative'i.e. a 'deep' voiceless fricative, that is, one in which the fricative hiss
is generated by turbulent airflow through the glottis and modulated by the
vocoid-shaping of the mouth. Greek has only one phoneme related to nearly the
same phonic substance /x/i.e. a 'deep' voiceless fricative, the hiss here being
generated by turbulent airflow through a channel formed between the dorsal
surface of the tongue and the roof of the mouth and modulated by the vocoidshaping of the mouth. The English /a/ is a low front vocoid, and the same
phonic features are present in Gk. /e/ (although, in fact, the Gk. vowel is not so
low as the English onebut each is the lowest in the front series of each
language). English /d/ is a voiced apical stop. Gk. has as apical stop /t/, but in
Greek the components 'stop' and 'voice' co-occur only when a nasal precedes.
The translation equivalent of English /d/ therefore must either be Greek /t/, or
Greek /nt/ manifested phonetically as [nd]: Greeks normally use the latter when
speaking English with a 'Greek accent', i.e. in phonological translation. (p. 56)
95
English
Greek
voiceless
deep (glottal)
(dorsal)
vocoid-shaped
fricative
lowest
a
front
vocoid
apical
voiced
d
(nasal +)
nt
stop
Fig. 5 Catford's Phonological Translation of English into Greek
3.15.29 Pseudotranslation
As its name suggests, a pseudotranslation is a fake or 'fictitious' translation. A
famous example of this type of translation is El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la
Mancha, a Spanish translation by Miguel de Cervantes, through a commission from a
collection of notebooks, written in Arabic by El Cide Hamete Benengeli, he found in
a market in Toledo.
3.15.30 Selective Translation
According to Gouadec (1990), selective translation means 'eliminating all
irrelevant information' and 'limiting the translation to one aspect of the topic of the
document' to enable the TR to have a fast access to information.
96
3.15.31 Sight Translation

This type of translation, as Gouadec (1990) proposes, offers 'a running
commentary' and urgent information to the recipient. It is "the oral translation of a
written discourse" (Aranda, 2007, p. 10; Sager, 1994, p. 184).
3.15.32 Total Translation
By total translation, Catford (1965) means "translation in which all levels of
the SL text are replaced by TL material" (p. 22). In other words, he adds: "In 'total'
translation SL grammar and lexis are replaced by equivalent TL grammar and lexis"
(p.
22).
To
explain,
this
substitution
"entails
the
replacement
of
SL
phonology/graphology by TL phonology/graphology" (p. 22). However, such a

process is restricted to some certain kind of replacement and it is not "replacement by
TL equivalents" at all levels. Thus, as Catford concludes, "'total' translation is a
misleading term" (p. 22).
3.15.33 Transcription
Transcription basically maximizes the significance of the form of the ST in the
TL, especially the proper names, usually of no equivalent in the TL. It is also regarded
as an interlingual translation, which implies various media, i.e., change from oral to
written medium.
3.15.34 Transliteration
Transliteration is the replacement of the SL phonological units or writing
systems by the TL phonological units, which, according to Catford (1965), "are not
translation equivalents, since they are not selected on the basis of relationship to the
same graphic substance" (p. 66). This replacement does not haphazardly take place,
but on the contrary it depends on a 'conventionally established set of rules', specifying
transliteration equivalents, which differ from translation equivalents. As Catford
97
(1965) explains, such a distinction resides in two ways: "[F]irst, is not necessarily
being relatable to the same graphic substance as the SL letters; secondly, in being (in
good transliteration) in one-to-one correspondence with SL letter or other units" (p.
66; emphasis in the original).
As for the process of establishing a transliteration system, Catford (1965: 66)
states 'three steps', as follows:
(1) SL letters are replaced by SL phonological units; this is the normal literate process
of converting from the written to the spoken medium;
(2) The SL phonological units are translated into TL phonological units;
(3) The TL phonological units are converted into TL letters, or other graphological
units.
In practice, this process may be simply illustrated as shown below:
SL graph.
Description
Units
SL phon.
TL phon.
TL graph.
Units
Units
Units
Voiced
//
//
TH
//
//
SH
/m/
/m/
/h/
/h/
interdental
fricative
Voiceless
palato-alveolar
fricative
Voiced bilabial
nasal
Voiceless
glottal fricative
98
First of all, there are some facts that need to be emphasized before going
deeper into the explanation of the table illustrated above. First, the transliteration
under discussion is from Arabic into English. Secondly, the Arabic transcription
symbols are adopted from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), representing the
modern standard form of Arabic, with slight modifications for the purpose of
clarification. The previous table is to be interpreted as follows:
In (1) the Arabic graphological letter [ ]is phonologically represented by //
in the SL. This Arabic phonological unit // has phonic features, i. e., voice,
interdentals and fricatives, which are in common with its English phonological
translation equivalent //. Since the English phonological unit // is transformable
into the English graphological unit TH, thus this indicated double-letter TH is the
English transliteration equivalent of the Arabic [].
In (2) the Arabic graphological letter [ ]is phonologically represented by //
in the SL. This Arabic phonological unit // has phonic features, i. e., voice, palatals,
alveolars and fricatives, which are in common with its English phonological
translation equivalent //. Since the English phonological unit // is transformable into
the English graphological unit SH, thus this indicated double-letter SH is the English
transliteration equivalent of the Arabic [].
In (3) the Arabic graphological letter [] is phonologically represented by /m/
in the SL. This Arabic phonological unit /m/ has phonic features, i. e., voice, bilabials
and nasals, which are in common with its English phonological translation equivalent
/m/. Since the English phonological unit /m/ is transformable into the English
graphological unit M, thus this indicated single-letter M is the English transliteration
equivalent of the Arabic [].
99
In (4) the Arabic graphological letter [] is phonologically represented by /h/

in the SL. This Arabic phonological unit /h/ has phonic features, i. e., voice, glottals
and fricatives, which are in common with its English phonological translation
equivalent /h/. Since the English phonological unit /h/ is transformable into the
English graphological unit H, thus this indicated single-letter H is the English
transliteration equivalent of the Arabic [].
3.16 Typological Duality of Translation
3.16.1 Direct Translation & Indirect Translation
Vinay and Darblent (1958: 84) identify two types of translations, as follows:
1- Direct translations, which focus on transferring the linguistic features of the source
text into the target text accurately and clearly;
2- Indirect or oblique translations, in which certain stylistic effects are awkwardly
reproduced. They are also known as 'second-hand' or 'pivot' translations. They
represent a re-production of the source text through another translation. Thus, the
'culture' and 'values' of the intermediate translation will prevail in the target culture. A
good example of this type of translation is clearly shown through the colonial
expansion, which gave rise to English and Spanish as intermediate languages.
3.16.2 Literal Translation vs. Idiomatic Translation
As Mildred Larson (1984) explains "Because a given text has both form and
meaning, there are two main kinds of translations. One is form-based and the other
is meaning-based" (p. 15). He expands on these two kinds, as follows:
1- Form-based or literal translations which "follow the form of the source language"
(p. 15);
2- Meaning-based or idiomatic translations which focus basically on conveying the
intended meaning of the original in conformity with the norms of the target language.
100
A clear distinction between the previous two types will be shown below, especially on
rendering an Arabic passage of high degree of semantic repetition into English.
The Source Text
.
- -
) 48( .
As for a literal translation of the previous text, Johnstone (1991: 90) offers the
following:
Poetry is an expression and description of the feelings of poets and their
thoughts, whether the experience be real or from the fabric of the poet's
imagination. And in both cases, the experience is true, because even if the
experience is not real- that is, imaginary- the poet lives in it for a long time
before he composes his poetry, sensing it in the pulses of his heart and feeling it
flow in his blood. (75 words)
Obviously, the source text is literally reproduced and replaced by an
equivalent set of lexical and grammatical words. It puts much emphasis on the form
of the original, maximizing its significance and abiding to the norms of the source
language. Thus, the target text may be larger in number than the original. For
example, the former consists of 75 words, whereas the latter consists of 48 words.
As for an idiomatic translation of the same text, I offer the following:
Poetry is a lively state, in which a poet reflects on his emotions and thoughts.
Regardless of being real or unreal, his active participation in the poetic process
requires a great deal of time and effort, both emotionally and intellectually. (40
words)
As stated above, the translation I propose hopefully seems concise and precise,
as it focuses on the intended meaning, leading to an equal set of target words. For
example, the original is about 48 words, whereas the target text is 40 words. Thus,
succinctness, along with accuracy, is the optimal target of any idiomatic translation.
101
3.16.3 Semantic Translation vs. Communicative Translation

Peter Newmark (1988) distinguishes between two kinds of translation, as
follows:
1- A semantic translation which "attempts to render the contextual meaning of the
original" (p. 39);
2- A communicative translation which maximizes the significance of the target text
through communicating the message of the source text (cf. Aranda, 2007, p. 23).
He (1991: 11-13) sums up the distinguishing features of semantic and
communicative translation, as follows:
Semantic
Communicative
1. Author-centered.
Reader-centered.
2. Pursues author's thought
Pursues author's intention.
process.
Related to thought.
Related to speech.
3. Concerned with authors as
Adapts and makes the thought and
individual.
cultural content of [the] original more

accessible to [the] reader.
4. Semantic-and syntactic-
Effect-oriented.
oriented.
Length of sentences, position and
Formal features or original sacrificed
integrity of clauses, word position, etc.
more readily.
preserved whenever possible.

5. Faithful, more literal.
Faithful, freer.
6. Informative.
Effective.
7. Usually more awkward, more
Easy reading, more natural,

102
detailed, more complex, but briefer.
smoother, simpler, clearer, more direct,

more conventional, conforming to
particular register of language, but
longer.
8. Personal.
Social.
9. Source language biased.
Target language biased.
10. Over-translated: more
Under-translated: use of 'hold-all'
concentrated and more specific than
terms.
original.
11. More powerful.
Less powerful.
12. Always inferior to the original
May be better than [the] original
because of loss of meaning.
because of gain in force and clarity,

despite loss in semantic content.
13. Out of time and local
Ephemeral and rooted in its
place'eternal'.
context, 'existential'.
14. Wide and universal.
'Trailor-made' or targeted for one

category of readership; does one job,
fulfils one particular function.
15. Inaccuracy is always wrong.
A certain embroidering, a stylistic

synonymy, a discreet modulation is
condoned, provided the facts are straight
and the reader is suitably impressed.
16. The translator has no right to
The translator has the right to correct and
improve or to correct.
improve the logic and style of the

original, clarify ambiguities, jargons,
103
normalize bizarre personal usage.

17. Mistakes in the original
The translator can correct mistakes of
should (and must) be pointed out only in
facts in [the] original.
footnote.
18. Target: a 'true' version, i. e. an
Target: a 'happy' version, i. e. a
exact statement.
successful fact.
19. Unit of translating: tends to
Unit of translating: tends to sentences and
words, collocations and clauses.
paragraphs.
20. Applicable to all writings with
Applicable to impersonal texts.
original expressiveness.
21. Basically the work of
Basically the work of translating
translating is an art.
is a craft.
22. Usually the work of one
Sometimes the product of a
translator.
translation team.
23. Conforms to the 'relativist'
Conforms to the 'universalist'
position of cultural relativity.
position, assuming that exact translation

may be possible.
24. Meaning.
Message.
3.17 Jakobson's Tripartite Model of Translation

Within the 'tripartite model' or 'three-fold division' of Roman Jakobson (1959:
233), there are three ways of conveying the meaning (Fig. 6), especially the
interpretation of verbal signs, as follows:
1- Intralingual translation or rewording: this is an interpretation of the verbal signs by
means of other signs of the same language; it involves, as Gideon Toury (1986) puts
104
it, "the replaced and replacing entities being functions of two variants within one and
the same natural language, whether free (e.g., in a definition) or bound (i. e.,
belonging in two complementary systems of that language, such as two registers, two
historical layers, or two stylistic types)" (p. 1113). It is also called a 'monolingual
translation' (cf. P. D. Shastri, 2012, p. 21)
2- Interlingual translation or translation proper: this is an interpretation of verbal
signs by means of another language; it involves 'two codes', which are "two different,
independent natural languages" (Toury, 1986, p. 1113).
3- Intersemiotic translation or transmutation: this is an interpretation of the verbal
signs by means of signs of nonverbal systems (cf. Kittel et al., 2011, p. 55). But Toury
(1986) expands on this issue; he states that it pertains to "two different sign-systems,
whether one of them is verbal or not" (p. 1113).
Translation
Intralingual
Interlingual
Intersemiotic
Fig. 6 Jakobson's Tripartite Model of Translation

3.18 Translation Equivalence
Bassnett-McGuire (1980 [1991] elaborates on Popovi's distinction between
four types of translation equivalence in the following words:
1) Linguistic equivalence, where there is homogeneity on the linguistic level of both
SL and TL texts, i.e., word-for-word translation;
2) Paradigmatic equivalence, where there is equivalence of 'the elements of a
paradigmatic expressive axis', i.e., elements of grammar, which Popovi 1976 sees
as being a higher category than lexical equivalence;
105
3) Stylistic (translational) equivalence, where there is 'functional equivalence of

elements in both original and translation aiming at an expressive identity with an
invariant of identical meaning';
4) Textual (syntagmatic) equivalence, where there is equivalence of the syntagmatic
structuring of a text, i. e., equivalence of form and shape (p. 25; emphasis in the
original).
3.19 Equivalence as a Satisfactory Criterion
Eco (2001) clarifies why equivalence is not a satisfactory criterion for a correct
translation; he elaborates on this point, saying:
First of all because in order to define the still undefined notion of translation
one would have to employ a notion as obscure as equivalence of meaning, and
some people think that meaning is that which remains unchanged in the process
of translation. We cannot even accept the nave idea that equivalence in
meaning is provided by synonymy, since it is commonly accepted that there are
no complete synonyms in language. Father is not a synonym for daddy, daddy
is not a synonym for papa. (p. 9)
3.19.1 Formal Equivalence vs. Dynamic Equivalence
According to Nida (1964b: 127), two types of translation are identified during
the meaning-conveying process, as follows:
1- A formal-equivalence translation which maintains the form and content of the
original;
2- A dynamic-equivalence translation which aims ultimately to reproduce an
equivalent effect in the target text.
In this regard, Bell (1991) sums up the thorny dilemma a translator is
confronted with during the translation process, as follows:
The translator has the option of focusing on finding formal equivalents which
'preserve' the context-free semantic sense of the text at the expense of its
context-sensitive communicative value, or finding functional equivalents which
'preserve' the context-sensitive communicative value of the text at the expense
of its context-free semantic sense. (p. 7; emphasis in the original)
106
Accordingly, s/he is alone responsible for his choice, which results in her/his
criticism in both cases, as Bell (1991) postulates: "Pick the first and the translator is
criticized for the 'ugliness' of a 'faithful' translation; pick the second and there is
criticism of the 'inaccuracy' of a 'beautiful' translation" (p. 7).
Admittedly, it is likely a battlefield in which a translator loses due to the
absence of a tertium comparationis (a third choice), which enables him/her to find a
suitable outlet. Thus, Bell (1991) emphasizes that "either way it seems, the translator
cannot win, even though we recognize that the crucial variable is the purpose for
which the translation is being made, not some inherent characteristic of the text itself"
(p. 7; emphasis in the original).
3.19.2 Pragmatic Equivalence vs. Functional Equivalence
In this regard, J. C. Sager (1997) presents also two types of equivalence,
which represent "the cardinal problem of language and the pivotal concern of
linguistics" (Jakobson, 1959, p. 233). He classifies equivalence as follows:
1- Pragmatic equivalence refers to 'implicatures', i.e., 'the implied meaning(s) in
conversation or in written discourse' and "strategies of avoidance during the
translation process" (Leonardi, 2007, p. 92); it also implies any contextual changes
brought about within a text, including 'addition' or 'reduction', but "its significance is
[still] the same for the target community as the source community" (Partington, 1998,
p. 49);
2- Functional equivalence is the re-creation of "the author's intention in another
culture in a way that enables the TC (target culture) reader to understand it clearly"
(Leonardi, 2007, p. 92); it is employed to state the 'writer's intention' and concurrently
to meet the 'reader's expectation' (Sager, 1997, p. 32).
107
3.19.3 Koller's Five Types of Equivalence

Koller (1989: 100-101) presents five various types of equivalence, as follows:
1- Denotative equivalence which refers to 'equivalence of the extralinguistic content
of a text' (Munday, 2001, p. 47);
2- Connotative equivalence which regards lexical choices;
3- Text normative equivalence which is 'related to text types, with different kinds of
texts behaving in different ways' (Munday, 2001, p. 47);
4- Pragmatic equivalence (or communicative equivalence) which is receiver-oriented
and resembles Nida's dynamic equivalence;
5- Formal equivalence 'which is related to the form and aesthetics of the text'
(Munday, 2001, p. 47; as cited in Leonardi, 2010, p. 80; emphasis in the original)
3.20 Text Types in Translation
Katharina Reiss (1989) differentiates between four types, of which the first
three types are based on Bhler's classification whereas the fourth one, i. e., audiomedial type, is added by Reiss, as follows:
1- Informative texts, such as newspapers, directions, technical and scientific
literature), "where accuracy of the information is more relevant" (Aranda, 2007, p. 4);
2- Expressive texts, such as poems, novels, plays, "in which aesthetics is the most
salient feature" (Aranda, 2007, p. 4);
3- Operative or vocative texts, "which intend a reaction from the reader, and include
religious or political type texts" (Aranda, 2007, p. 4);
4- Multi-media or subsidiary texts, such as songs or comics.
108
Fig. 7 Reiss' Text Types & Various Text Varieties (Reiss, 1989, p. 105)
The previous diagram demonstrates the overlapping functions of the four
types, stating the fact that each text represents various functions, as "each has its own
characteristic mixture" (Reiss, 1989, p. 105).
3.20.1 Literary Texts vs. Non-literary Texts
Boaes-Beier (2006) differentiates between the translation of literary and nonliterary texts; she believes that the nature of the former requires 'direct translation',
which is much similar to 'direct quotation', focusing on 'how the message is
conveyed', i.e., style, whereas the latter requires translation, which is much similar to
indirect quotation, focusing on 'what is said', i. e., content (Hilal Erkazanci, 2008, p.
183).
3.20.2 Denotation vs. Connotation
Eco (2001) conceives "no one could say that a good translation is not
concerned with the denotation but with the connotation of words." He later explains
his view by giving some examples; he says: "The word cool, in English, denotes a
physical state but in the idiom keep cool connotes a psychological one" (p. 8).
109
3.20.3 Connotation & Multiplicity of Meanings

In this regard, Eco (2001) sheds light on the problems translators may
encounter during the process of translation, duty-bound to preserve connotations of
the original:
The word connotation is an umbrella term used to name many, many kinds of
non-literal senses of a word, of a sentence, or of a whole text. The words,
sentences, and texts usually convey more than their literal sense is a commonly
accepted phenomenon, but the problems are (i) how many secondary senses can
be conveyed by a linguistic expression, and (ii) which ones a translation should
preserve at all costs. (p. 9)
3.21 Baker's Bottom-Up Approach to Equivalence
Noticeably, Baker (1992) introduces a 'bottom up' approach to equivalence,
which begins at the 'lowest level', aiming at investigating the concept of equivalence
and classifying it into 'subgroups', as follows:
1- Equivalence at word or above word level where translators focus on the single
words to find direct equivalents in the TL. Words may carry with them different
meanings according to contexts and in different languages. Translators should also
consider categories such as number, gender and tenses when approaching words
within the text;
2- Grammatical equivalence referring to the grammatical systems in different
languages. Grammatical differences may interfere with the way a specific message is
carried across;
3- Textual equivalence in terms of information, cohesion and coherence where three
main factors, the target audience, the purpose of the translation and the text type, will
determine the translator's choices and strategies;
4- Pragmatic equivalence in terms of implied meanings or what is not explicitly said:
'The translator needs to work out implied meanings in translation in order to get the
ST message across' (Leonardi, 2000, p. 8) (as cited in Leonardi, 2010, p. 80).
110
3.22 Principle of Maximum Relevance (max-max principle) (Sperber & Wilson

(1995))
This principle of maximum relevance (max-max principle) can be applied to
translation; it enables the reader to gain appellative and poetic effects through the
involvement in the meaning production and the interpretation of the rhetorical
implicatures and stylistic choices inherent in the text. In other words, the greater the
cognitive effort exerted by the reader to decode these implicatures embedded in the
stylistic features of a text, the more the appellative & aesthetic effects can refresh his
or her mental representation and, thus, result in pragmatic inferences.
3.23 Translators' Practical Strategies
Below, I provide a practical list of strategies adopted by translators regarding
the translation of some selected Arabic literature into English, as follows:
Original Title
Strategy Adopted
Creative Translation
Sirruh al-btic (1958)
The Secret of His Power (2012)
by Ysuf Idrs
Translated by Rashd El-cEnanc
Thartharah fawqa al-nl

(1966)
by Nagb Mahfz
Adrift on the Nile (1993)

Translated by Frances Liardet
Al-Qalcah al-khmisah (1972)
Cell Block Five (2008)
by F il al-cAzzaw
Translated by William M.
Hutchins
Expanded Translation
Fikhkh al-rihah (2003)
Wolves of the Crescent Moon

(2007)
Translated by Anthony
y Ysuf al-Muhaymd
Calderbank
111
Raalt al-urshag wa-alalwag (1991)
The Time-Travels of the Man

Who Sold Pickles and Sweets (2010)
By Khair Shalab
Translated by Michael
Cooperson
Commercialized Translation
Qlat Doa (1985)
As Doha Said (2008)
by Bah aher
Translated by Peter Daniel
Yawmiyyt nib f al-Aryf
Maze of Justice: Diary of a
(1937)
Country Prosecutor (1989)
By Tawfq al-akm
Translated by Abba Eban

Naturalized Translation
Warraq al-ub (2002)
Writing Love (2012)
By Khall wla
Translated by Alexa Firat
Bic al-fustuq (2006)
The Pistachio Seller (2009)
By Rm asyon
Translated by Osm n Nusayr

Romanticized Translation
Ibitsamt al-qidisn (2004)
The Smiles of the Saints (2007)
By Ibr hm Farghal
Translated by Andy Smart and
Yamutna ghuraba (1973) by
Nadia Foada-Smart
They Die Strangers (2001)
Muammad cAbdel-Wal
Translated by Abubaker Bagader

and Deborah Akers
Dramatized Translation
Al-Thulathiyyah (1957)
The Cairo Trilogy (1992)

consists of:
(Palace Walk, Palace of Desire,
112
By Nagb Mahfz
Sugar Street)
Translated by William Maynard
Hutchins, Olive E. Kenny, Lorne M.
Kenny, and Angele Botros Samc n
Imrit Yacqubyn (2002)
The Yacoubian Building

(2004)
By cAl al-Asw n
Translated by Humphrey Davies

Exaggerated Translation
Awn al-qatf (2002)
Heads Ripe for Plucking (2008)

Translated and with an Afterword by
By Mahmd al-War dn
Hala alm
Provocative Translation
Fattu al-alwa (2010)
Candygirl (2012)
y Muammad Tawfk
Translated by the author
Kin muajjl (2004)
Life on Hold (2012)
By Fahd al-cAtq
Translated by Jonathan Wright
Wadaha shajarat al-rummn
The Corpse Washer (2013)
(2010)
Translated by the author
By Sin n Ann
Moralizing Translation
Al-Khlidiyyah (2004)
Over the Bridge (2006)
By Muammad al-Bis
Translated by Nancy Roberts
Imraat al-qarrah (1990)
The Woman of the Flask

(2005)
By Selm Maar
Translated by Peter Clark
113
In conclusion, this chapter provides a theoretical background on translation.

Specifically, it examines the various types of translation and the strategic decisions
taken by translators. Thus, it paves the way for the next chapters, which represent the
practical section of this study.
114
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Endnote

: ( . 5 )3433

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115
II- Analysis & Discussion
Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Morpho-semantic Shifts
After discussing the theoretical aspects of both stylistics and translation, a
further inquiry, into the various significations of morphological patterns in the Qur'an
and their translations into English, is thoroughly launched in this chapter. In other
words, it practically handles some selected morpho-semantic shifts in the four
translations of the Qur'an in question. In this chapter, not only a linguistic distinction
between these shifts is made, but also exegetical and contextual investigations are
extensively conducted. Additionally, it analyzes and evaluates the translations
suggested by the four translators in question regarding these shifts. Finally, a suitable
and appropriate translation, which hopefully neither distorts the original message, nor
widens the cultural gap between the SR and the TR, is proposed responsively.
4.1 hamzah-initial Forms
4.1.1 nazzala & anzala
These two verbs are mentioned in the following verse:
(
)3 : ) (
[nazzala calayka al-kitba bi-al-aq muaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi wa-anzala altawrata wa-al-injla ] (Q. 3: 3)
4.1.1.1.1 The Secret behind Such a Shift
Some exegetes tried to unveil the secret behind the shift from nazzala, which
collocates with the Glorious Quran, into anzala, which collocates with the Torah and
the Gospel. Most of them, especially al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1143 , concluded that
the pattern faccala, which indicates hyperbole and multiplicity, is quite appropriate to
the Quran, which was revealed in installments
116
munajjaman) unto Prophet
Muammad pbuh) by the Angel Jibrl over a period of twenty three years. Thus, such
a pattern matches the gradual revelation of the Holy Quran. Unlike the Holy Quran,
the two Scriptures, i.e., the Torah and the Gospel, were revealed all at once (jumlatan
widah unto Prophets Msa and csa, respectively. That is why the pattern afcala,
which is void of hyperbole or multiplicity, collocates appropriately with them.
4.1.1.1.2 Morphological Differences between the Two Patterns
The verb anzala is of the measure afcala, which, according to Jrj cAiyya
(n.d., p. 51), may appear to have several functions or purposes. For example, it is used
to indicate al-tacdiyah (transitivity). In other words, it is used to indicate a change
from al-lzim (intransitive) into mutacadd (transitive), as in ajlastu Zaydan (I urged
Zayd to sit down).
According to al-Shacr w 1996 , hamzat al-tacdiyah (hamzah of transitivity)
in the verb anzala indicates that the Torah and the Gospel were revealed by Allah
unto Prophets Msa and csa peace be upon them , respectively, at once (p. 1264).
As for the verb nazzala, it is of the measure faccala. According to cAiyya, it is
used to indicate al-takthr (multiplicity), as in qaactu al-abla (I cut the rope into
pieces . This means that the Quran was revealed over a period of twenty three years
in installments unto Prophet Muammad pbuh) in accordance with the events related
to Muslims that require legislation or clarification in some cases, and support the heart
of the Prophet (pbuh) in other ones (p. 1265).
4.1.1.2.1 The Linguistic Difference between al-tanzl and al-inzl
In this regard, al-R ghib al-Afah n d. 502/1108 , in al-Mufradt (n.d.),
differentiates between al-inzl and al-tanzl, as follows: The former conveys the
immediate sending down of the Quran all at once, whereas the latter, the sending
117
down of the Quran in installments. An instance of this is obviously shown in sra III,
verse no. 3, as follows: [nazzala calayka al-kitba bi-al-aqq musaddiqan lima bayna

yadayh wa-anzala al-tawrta wa-al-injla] (
)in which the Quran is characterized by al-tanzl as it was revealed in
installments, whereas the two Scriptures are characterized by al-inzl as they were
revealed all at once (pp. 488-489).
According to al-Shacr w 1991 , the Glorious Quran was revealed twice; the
first revelation is called inzl, a verbal noun derived from anzala. Through such a
stage, the Quran was revealed from al-law al-maf (the Preserved Tablet) into alsam al-dunya (the Firmament) on laylat al-qadr (the Night of Glory) munajjaman
(in installments) unto Prophet Muammad pbuh by Jibrl during a period of twenty
three years in accordance with the events that require legislation or clarification (p.
1265).
As for the second stage, it is called tanzl, a verbal noun derived from nazzala,
through which the Quran was revealed from al-sam al-dunya (the Firmament).
That is why the past verb nazzala collocates with the Quran. Unlike the Glorious
Quran, the other Scriptures, specifically the Torah and the Gospel, were revealed at
once unto Prophets Msa and csa, respectively. That is why the past verb anzala
collocates with the Torah and the Gospel (p. 1265).
In addition, Ibn cshr (1984) adds that the doubling of the medial consonant
in nazzala indicates the intensification of the action, whether quantitatively or
qualitatively. Thus, shift from hamza of transitivity to the doubling of the medial
consonant is for the purpose of intensifying the meaning of the action. In other words,
the statement of nazzala calayka al-kitba is more significant than that of wa-anzala
118
al-tawrta wa-al-injla, indicating the greatness of the revelation of the Quran (III,
pp. 147-148).
Here, in this verse, there are two morphological patterns, i.e., faccala, which
characterized by the doubling of the second medial consonant. This pattern indicates
hyperbole, multiplicity and emphasis as well. The other pattern is afcala, which is
characterized by the prefixed a-, or known as a hamza-initial form. This pattern
indicates a factitive sense (III, pp. 147-148).
A deeper look at the translation of the previous verse is needed:
Abdel-Haleem: Step by step, He has sent the Scripture down to you [Prophet] with
the Truth, confirming what went before: He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.
Ghl: He has been sending down upon you the Book with the Truth, sincerely
(verifying) what was before it, and He sent down the Tawrh and the Injil.
h : It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur'an) to you (Muhammad SAW)
with truth, confirming what came before it. And he sent down the Taurat (Torah) and
the Injeel (Gospel).
Zidan: He sent down to you the Book (Quran) in Truth, confirming what was sent
before it and He sent down the Torah and the Injeel.
4.1.1.3.1 Comments on Translators' Strategies
Having reviewed the above translations, it seems that the verb nazzala is
problematic because the four translators translated it into various equivalents, whereas
the verb anzala, they all render it into "sent down." For example, it is translated into
has sent down by both Kh n and Abdel-Haleem, into sent down by Zidan, and
into has been sending down by Gh l . In other words, Kh n and Abdel-Haleem
preferred the present perfect tense as an equivalent to the past form. After reviewing
the four English translations of the previous verse, we find that the translators, namely
Kh n, Abdel-Haleem, Zidan, and Ghl, adopt different approaches to translation.
They are divided into or classified into three categories/parties:
119
1) As for the first party, represented by Kh n and Abdel-Haleem, they are aware of
the difference between the two verbs, but render them improperly. To explain, they
feel satisfied to translate nazzala into has sent down and anzala into sent down.
In other words, they opt for using two different tenses for the two past forms. They
use the present perfect to express the occurrence of the action in the past. Thus, there
is no big difference between the translations of the two verbs, as the present perfect
here indicates that the action of the sending down was done in the past.
2) The second party, represented by Zidan, opts for a literal approach to translation.
To explain, he prefers translating nazzala and anzala into sent down. He believes
that the two patterns are past forms, and, thus, there is no difference between them,
ignoring the rhetorical, stylistic and semantic connotations inherent in their use.
3) Third party, represented by Ghl, opts for the present perfect continuous tense,
which indicates that the action started in the past, but it is continuing now, for
nazzala, and the past tense for anzala.
In brief, all of them, except Abdel-Haleem, succeeded partially in rendering
the two morphological forms into English. He professionally used the modifier "step
by step" to indicate the gradual revelation of the Qur'an, but he ignored the other verb
and felt satisfied to find a lexical equivalent. Thus, the above translations can be
defined as 'faithful', but are certainly 'literal', and, as a consequent, they lose the
rhetorical sense of the original, as they hinge heavily on "the lexical meaning of the
single words" (Eco, 2001, p. 8), not on the meaning of the whole sentences.
After evaluating the four translations mentioned above, I suggest the following
translation to avoid the translation loss discussed earlier, as follows:
120
Step by step, He sent down to you the Qur'an with the Truth, confirming what went
before it and He sent down the Tawr h and the Injl at once.
Here, the adverbial modifiers, i.e., "step by step" and "at once", are used to
disambiguate the words' sense in the context. Additionally, translation by intervention
is purposefully used to convey the rhetorical and stylistic features inherent in the
original. Basically, it fairly represents the consensual exegeses of the Qur'an. Hence,
the requirement for 'an informative periphrastic' translation is inevitable. The word
nazzala, however, is appropriately rendered as 'sent down step by step', by AbdelHaleem, or 'sent down gradually', perhaps by coincidence, or by profession, whereas
the word anzala is appropriately rendered as 'sent down at once'.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
0%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
12
60%
Ghl
(C)
20%
Kh n
(D)
0%
Zidan
(E)
20%
As shown above, the table shows the statistical representation of the

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of anzala and nazzala. Here, the total
number of responses is 20, representing 100%. Only 4 out of 20 participants (20%)
prefer Ghl's translation. Other 4 participants out of 20 (20%) prefer Zidan's
121
translation. The remaining participants, i.e., 12, who represent 60%, opt for my
suggested translation.
Most of the participants, who preferred my suggested translation of the current
morpho-semantic shifts, realized the distinction made between anzala and nazzala
through the suitable choice of their English equivalents. As for those participants who
preferred Ghl's translation, they justified their choice that the present perfect
progressive and the past tenses are sufficient to express the intended meaning of the
two morphological verbs with no need to use excessive lexical items. As for the other
choices, namely those who preferred Zidan's translation, they are fully convinced of
their preference, ignoring the morphological, semantic and contextual distinctions
explained in the questionnaire.
Accordingly, through my humble attempt I do not claim it to be inclusive or
perfect, but it is acceptable at least in accordance with the commonly accepted norms
of translation, though being aware of the impossibility of perfect translation, for
translation is an uphill task. Translators in particular and people in general proceed to
translate, heedless of such a fact. In this regard, Umberto Eco (2001) points out that
"Every sensible and rigorous theory of language shows that a perfect translation is an
impossible dream. In spite of this, people translate" (Introduction, ix). I am principally
influenced by the translation of both Abdel-Haleem and Zidan. In spite of their
succinctness and directness, some slight linguistic modifications are proposed to
avoid any possible distortion caused by unintentional or inattentive attempts of the
translators at hand.
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4.1.2 mahhil and amhil

)41 : (
[fa-mahhil al-kfirn amhilhum ruwayda] (Q. 86: 17)

4.1.2.1.1 Proponents of Dissimilarity
According to Ibn Jenn d. 392/1001 , fa-mahhil al-kfirn differs from
amhilhum as emphasis is preferably used to avoid repetition, which is clearly shown
first through the morphological deviation, as in the sense of the form afcala instead of
faccala, and secondly through the replacement of al-tathlth (the three repetitive forms
of the main form), i.e., mahhil, amhilh and imhlan or tamhlan for a different but
semantically similar lexical item, i.e., ruwayda. To explain, the word ruwayda is
preferred either as a replacement for the verbal noun imhlan, meaning imhlan
ruwaydan, or as a replacement for an elliptic adverb, meaning amhilhum ghayr
mustacjil lahum (wait patiently and be in no hurry) (as cited in al-ubrus (d.
548/1153), X, p. 250).
4.1.2.1.2 Indifferent Opinions
Some exegetes, like al-M ward (d. 450/1058), believe that mahhil and amhil
have two interpretations: either they are lexically different, but semantically
synonymous, or they are both lexically and semantically different. To explain, mahhil
is in the sense of fa-mahhil al-kaff canhum, meaning 'wait patiently', and amhil is in
the sense of amhilhum intir al-cazb lahum, meaning 'wait and see the punishment
they will receive' (VI, p. 250). According to Ibn Abb s, this verse entails a threat to
the disbelievers and an intimidation from Allah, telling His Prophet to be unfailingly
patient with them, but for a while, as they will be sooner or later punished (as cited in
al-Kh zin (d. 725/1324), IV, p. 416).
123
4.1.2.1.3 Rhetorical Purposes behind Shift from mahhil into amhil

According to Ab Hayy n (d. 725/1324), mahhil al-kfirn means e patient
and you, Prophet, will see their inevitable fate, and do not make haste, and then
Allah, Almighty, says amhilhum ruwayda, which means amhilhum imhlan. In other
words, the repetition of commands, specifically for the purpose of emphasis, requires
different morphological words or disparity in words and syllables. Accordingly, the
first is functionally used to indicate absoluteness whereas the second, for
limitedness through the use of the collocated word ruwayda (VIII, p. 451).
4.1.2.2.1 Methodology of Word Length Study
The verse, [fa-mahhil al-kfirn amhilhum ruwayda], under study shows
relatively the reciprocal connection between the lexical structure and semantic
relation. To explain, through the study of syllables, which is 'closely related to the
studies of phonemes, stress and tone', these two words consist of two bound long
syllables, as follows:
Number of Syllables
1
mah+
hil
am+
hil
Description
bound long syllable
However, they are appropriately used, as the form mahhil, which is medially
geminated through the voiceless glottal fricative al-h, indicates 'gentle and lenient
talk with the disbelievers'. Thus, its articulation signifies 'long delay'. Interestingly,
the second form amhil is used side by side with ism al-ficl (nominal verb) ruwayda,
which is the diminutive form of irrwd, meaning 'for a while'. Parallelly, mahhil and
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ruwayda indicate emphasis; the former includes phonetic and semantic emphasis
whereas the latter includes lexical emphasis, as in (Q. 10: 99), where the two
modifiers kulluhum and jamca, meaning 'all of them', are collocated together, to
mention but a few. In other words, variety in words is rhetorically and uniquely used
to avoid a triple repetition implied lexically in mahhil, mahhil and mahhil. Thus, they
are rhetorically and stylistically motivated and any lexical interchangeability could
result in dissonance and cacophony.
Thus, the phrase amhilhum ruwayda may be interpreted as a varying command
and stylistic deviation from long-term deliberation into temporary respite while
preaching to the disbelievers. Thus, shift in verbal forms is stylistically and
rhetorically justified and convincing then.
3- Furthermore, in our daily life, many conversations take place, in which verbal
emphases are variously used to avoid repetitions. For example, one may say, ibir..alabr ya-camil-aj shuwayyah..el-donya mish-har. Here, the two words ibir and alabr are fully synonymous, though the former is an imperative and the latter is a
verbal noun. They indicate semantic emphasis, as they are mutually derived from one
stem, i.e., the triliteral root d-b -r ( ) to mean 'to be patient'. Thus, lexical
diversity or variety may be functionally employed to enhance communication and at
the same time to avoid jargon.
4.1.2.2.2 Lexis-based Levels of Interpretations = Elliptical Structure
The verse under discussion may be interpreted as follows:
Mahhil
al-kfirn
Tamhlan
qallan
amhil
al-kfirn
Imhlan
qallan
mahhil
mahhil
Mahhil
al-kfirn
amhil
al-kfirn
Amhilhum
amhilhum
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In the first interpretation, the verb mahhil, which is of the pattern faccala, is
used to indicate graduation, multiplicity, and deliberation, which require enough
time to be unfailingly patient with the disbelievers throughout their journey to belief.
In this regard, Ibn Jenn d. 392/1001 comments: The reduplicative medial radial of
the verb indicates the multiplicity of the action taken place, as in kassara, qaaca,
fattaa and ghallaqa (I, p. 223). Consequently, the verbal noun tamhila is derived
from the verb mahhil. Finally, the word qalila, which is equivalent to ruwayda, is an
attribute, which modifies the manner in which the Prophet had to behave.
In the second interpretation, the verb amhil, which is of the pattern afcala, is
used to indicate transitivity, which requires less time and shows haste regarding the
delivery of his message to the disbelievers as a result of their long resistance.
Consequently, the verbal noun imhla, which is derived from the verb amhil, may be
interpreted here as ism marra (noun of occurrence), indicating specifically the shortterm of respite or delay.
In the third interpretation, al-Naysabr (d. 728/1327) comments on the
structure of the verse; he refers to the inimitability inherent in using concise and
elliptical words, such as mahhil, amhil, which indicate being patient while calling the
disbelievers into Islam, and ruwayda, which means gently but for a while (VI, p.
481). Such an eloquent statement is rhetorically and stylistically motivated; it is used
to avoid unnecessary lexical repetition of imperatives that is exemplified by the third
interpretation discussed above, which does not match the Word of Allah.
Finally, in the fourth interpretation, al-Als d. 1270/1853 states that all the
commands inherent in the previous verse are synonymous, or they have the same
meaning; it can be read as: amhil al-kfirn amhilhum amhilhum, and the actual
emphasis intended is indicated through the first mention of amhilhum, not through the
126
third one. He adds that emphasis may be achieved through words that are lexically
and semantically common, quoting the following Hadith: [ayyuma imraah ankaat
nafsaha bi-dn waliy fa-nikuha bil bil bil] (Any woman who gets married in
person without a guardian, her marriage is deemed null and void)1 (Translation is
mine). In a nutshell, he believes that any dispute basically arising out from the
sentences and words is nothing but a superficially-based one.
As for the original, it is eloquent and adequate, as it combines between two
forms, i.e., mahhil, which is of the pattern faccala, indicating deliberate graduation,
and amhil, which is of the pattern afcala, indicating temporary deliberation,
collocated together with a temporal modifier, i.e., ruwayda.
4.1.2.2.3 Morphological Patterns-based Interpretation
Since the form tafcl, which is the pattern of the verbal noun of tamhl, may
indicate extension or elongation, a lexical deviation, i.e., amhil, from which the verbal
noun imhl is derived, is purposefully used, first, to let the Prophet know that
respite is intended, but for a short period of time, and, secondly, to reassure the
Prophet that their evil end will take place sooner or later and thus he will feel
powerful and iron-willed. Consequently, according to al- iq c d. 885/1480 , the
shift inherent in the verb amhilhum implies turning away from the disbelievers
abruptly after a previously deliberate respite, supported by the adverb ruwayda,
meaning a very limited interval (XXI, pp. 385-386).
The translations of the previous verse drive this argument home:
Abdel-Haleem: [Prophet], let the disbelievers be, let them be for a while.
Ghl: So give the disbelievers (more) leisure; give them leisure awhile.
h
: So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal you gently with them for a while.
127
Zidan: So give respite to the unbelievers, leave them for a while.

4.1.2.3.1 Dictionary-based Meaning
Eco (2001) elaborates on the criteria for a good translation; he establishes the
rules a translator should bear in mind before deciding to take on a new task, focusing
not completely on
The dictionary, but rather on the basis of the whole history of two literatures.
Therefore, translating is not only connected with linguistic competence, but
with intertextual, psychological, and narrative competence. Thus, the translator
is forced at all times to go beyond linguistic competence to the cultural
spectrum. Consequently, translations do not constitute a comparison between
two languages but the interpretation of two texts in two different languages. (pp.
13-14)
4.1.2.3.2 Negative Connotations
After consulting various dictionaries, it is obvious that the English equivalents
of the original, i.e., mahhil and amhil, are either inadequate, such as leisure by
Ghl, or irrelevant, such as deal with them gently for a while for amhilhum by
Kh n, or formal, such be by Abdel-Haleem, or of negative connotation, such as
respite for mahhil by Kh n and Zidan, and leisure for mahhil and amhilhum by
Ghl.
As for the translations of Ghl and Abdel-Haleem, they commit themselves to
adopt a one-to-many strategy; they render mahhil into more leisure and amhil into
leisure by Ghl, and be for both by Abdel-Haleem, ignoring the linguistic
features of the origin, especially stylistic and rhetorical ones. Their approach to
translation here is considered inadequate, though Abdel-Haleems is concise. For
example, as for Ghls translation, he renders mahhil, which according to the
majority of exegetes means be unfailingly patient with them and do not invoke curse
upon them, and amhilhum, which means be patient with them, but not for ever,
into more leisure. However, the New Oxford's Online Dictionary defines "leisure"
128
as use of free time for enjoyment. Thus, their rendition is not adequate here
according to famous exegetes, as it negatively connotes time-consuming duties,
though the message is serious and the situation is perilous.
Similarly, Kh n renders mahhil into respite. Although it literally seems
faithful, it is referentially inadequate. After consulting the Cambridge Advanced
Dictionary Online, in which it defines as a pause or rest from something difficult or
unpleasant, it is obviously unsuitable as it logically contradicts the message or
command, which is on the contrary good and pleasant. Hence, inadequacy results
from its negative connotation. Respite here translates as iramhum min al-dacwah
(preach to them no more), which implies a negative connotation in Arabic, similarly
as the phrase yafirr min instead of yafirr il, instead of iramhum bi-al-dacwah (keep
preaching them . In addition, his translation looks unfaithful or irrelevant, as he
renders amhilhum ruwayda into deal with them gently for a while. In doing so, he
falsely and dishonestly adheres to the original without a reasonable pretext, ignoring
the authorized well-known exegeses.
4.1.2.3.3 Criteria for Judgment
As for Abdel-Haleems translation, it is formal and concise rather than
adequate and acceptable. To explain, according to Lawerence Venuti (1995), the
acceptance of a translated text depends upon fluency, the absence of any linguistic
peculiarities, transparency, accessibility of the foreign writers personality or
intention or the essential meaning of the foreign text (p. 1), and domestication,
the risk of reducing individual authors styles and national tricks of speech to a plain
prose uniformity (as cited in Venuti, 1995, p. 6).
In this regard, Venuti (1995) summarizes the criteria for judging or evaluating a
translated text as follows:
129
A translated text, whether prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction, is judged

acceptable by most publishers, reviewers, and readers when it reads fluently,
when the absence of any linguistic or stylistic peculiarities makes it seem
transparent, giving the appearance that it reflects the foreign writers personality
or intention or the essential meaning of the foreign textthe appearance, in
other words, that the translation is not in fact a translation, but the original. p.
14)
The above translations save Abdel-Haleems seem to be faithful; they
certainly abide by and adopt a literal approach. However, they preserved the sense
of the original, which depends on the lexical meaning of the single words (Eco,
2001, p. 8). He feels satisfied to render the two verbs mahhil and amhil, which are
seemingly synonymous but semantically not, into be, which the American Heritage
Dictionary Online defines as remain in a certain state or situation undisturbed,
untouched, or unmolested. In doing so, it negatively implies that the Prophets
message is annoying and disturbing instead of being serious and good.
As a result, to be consistent with the authorized well-known exegeses and to be honest
to the original, the following proposed translation will be a bit appropriate:
"So [Prophet], be unfailingly patient with the disbelievers; respite them for awhile."
As shown above, although my translation is not literary, it attaches greater
importance to linguistic understanding of the original and the reproduction of the
subtle shades of the source language than to the effort to give translation literary
status in the target language (as cited in Akira Mizuna, 2009, p. 33). I tried to be
concise and close as much as I could to the original, which is notable for its use of
figurative language and for its ability to evoke emotion (as cited in Akira Mizuna,
2009, p. 33). Accordingly, it adopts strict adherence to exegeses, aiming as closely as
130
possible to preserve the structures of the SL but concurrently not to distort or ignore
the TL structures.
Here, being a reader of the original and a re-producer of the source text, I feel
that my task is to grasp the source text first, through the authorized exegeses,
including but not limited to Al-Qurub, Ibn Kathr, al-abar, Ibn cshr and AlAls, and, secondly, to render it, both verbally and stylistically, by a suitable
linguistic means to a target readership. For example, mahhil, according to the majority
of the commentators of the Qur'an, is meant to imply la tadc bi-halkihim wa-latastacjil bih ([Prophet!] Do not call down curses upon them and be patient!) by alR z and al-Naysabr, or tamahhal f al-amr ([Prophet!] Be patient!) by Al-Qurub.
Accordingly, I prefer to adopt an exegetical translation, capable of maintaining every
peculiar quality of the original in conformity with the norms of the TL. That is why I
prefer to render mahhil into "be unfailingly patient", using purposefully the modifier
'unfailingly', referring implicitly to the phrase, i.e., '[Prophet]! Be patient regardless of
difficulty or frustration', and amhilhum ruwayda into "respite them for awhile" as a
lexical replacement of the SL text.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
30%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
20%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
15%
131
(D)
Zidan
(E)
35%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of mahhil and amhil. Here, only 6
participants (representing 30%) prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation; 4 participants
(representing 20%) prefer my suggested translation; other 3 participants (representing
15%) prefer Kh n's translation. The remaining participants, i.e., 7, who represent
35%, opt for Zidan's translation.
The majority of the participants (representing 65%) preferred the translations
of Abdel-Haleem and Zidan for some certain reasons. They focused greatly on the
formal equivalence, as in Zidan's case, and lexical economy, as in Abdel-Haleem's
case. On the other hand, the minority, which represents 35%, preferred my suggested
translation and Kh n's translation as well. They focused principally on the intended
meaning. It seems that those participants are aware of the distinction made between
mahhil and amhil through the suitable choice of their English equivalents. As for
those participants who prefer my translation, they justify their choice, as follows:
The two alternative expressions chosen by the translator are more expressive.
The gemination of the middle /h/ sound in mahhil implies emphasis and
determination. It is effectively rendered by the use of the adverb unfailingly.
Also, the adjective patient seems to have a favorable sense of compassion and
mercy, which is the essence of the Prophets message.2
Accordingly, they are of the opinion that such a translation is sufficient to express the
intended meaning of the two morphological verbs through the adoption of a certain
exegetical school. As for Kh n's translation, they are fully convinced of their personal
132
preference, for it seems to them very close to the original, ignoring the morphological,
semantic and contextual distinctions explained in the questionnaire.
Statistically, the translated text is far less economical than the original. In
other words, the original, which consists -briefly but meaningfully- of 4 words, has
been compensated by a set of words, totaling 13, in translation. Thus, succinctness
and brevity are of the linguistic features of the original, particularly in this context. To
this end, the target language lacks the identical equivalents to the original wording,
equal in number and similar in function.
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4.2 Morphologically-Prefixed Forms

4.2.1 T-prefixed form: tawaffhum and tatawaffhum
(

)31 :) (
[inna alladhina tawaffhum al-malikah limi anfusihim ql fma kuntum ql
kunna mustaafina f al-ar ql alam takun aru Allahi wasicah fa-tuhajir fha faulika mawhum jahannamu wa-st maira] (Q. 4: 97)

)

(

)22 :(
[alladhina tatawaffhum al-malikah limi anfusihim fa-alqaw al-salama makunna nacmal min s bala inna Allaha almun bi-ma kuntum tacmaln] (Q. 16: 28)
4.2.1.1.1 Context-and-Situation Awareness
Many exegetes agree that the two verbs are semantically similar. However,
Ibn Jenn's opinion contradicts theirs. He believes that if two words are
morphologically similar except in one letter, this results in a minute change in the
intended meaning (II, p. 277). Thus, the addition of the letter al-t to the verb
tawaffhum is functionally used in accordance with the context. To explain, each verb
is totally appropriate to its situation. According to Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , this verse
is about some hypocrites, who left the Prophet (pbuh) in Mecca, and accompanied the
people of Quraysh, though they were able to immigrate with their Muslim brethren in
the battle of Badr, where they were killed. They had to abandon the disbelievers and
settle down away from them, especially in case of failure to practice their rituals.
They were physically able to immigrate, but they did not. Thus, they did injustice to
134
themselves. Accordingly, the verse shows their mistaken discretion and blameworthy
action (II, pp. 388-389).
As for the second verb, i.e., tatawaffhum, it is functionally used in an
appropriate situation. According to Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , this verse tells us about
the state of the unjust disbelievers during the agonies of death and the advent of
angels to take their evil souls. They will pretentiously say: We did nothing wrong,
but Allah knows best what they have truly done. Commenting on their end, Ibn Kathr
(d. 774/1372) says they will abide in hell since their death and be tortured in its
flames until the Day of Judgment on which their souls will return to their bodies to
abide eternally in hell. Accordingly, the situation here describes the state of those
disbelievers whoever do wrong to themselves and how their souls will be taken,
regardless of temporal-spatial boundaries (IV, p. 567).
Thus, it is very obvious that the first verse describes a certain kind or category
of people and a certain event in the past. That is why the verb used, i.e., tawaffhum,
is past in tense, concise in form, and purposeful in function. On the other hand, the
second verse describes the fate of a very general and recurrent type of people, who
defy the messengers of Allah and deny their divine messages. That is why the verb
used, i.e., tatawaffhum, is present in tense, and significant in function.
4.2.1.1.2 Rhetorical & Stylistic Reasons behind Shift from tawafft-hum to
tawaffhum
Having carefully read the verse in which the verb tawaffhum is mentioned,
one will think attentively over the following question, i.e., why does the Quranic text
employ the verb tawaffhum instead of tawafft-hum, as long as the two verbs express
the past?
135
After consulting various and well-known exegeses, such Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , alQurub d. 671/ 1272 , al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 , etc., hoping to find an answer
to my raised question. Unfortunately, I found nothing. In addition, I surfed the whole
Quran in search of tawafft-hum, which is mentioned only in Srat Muammad,
verse no. 27, as follows:

)21 : ) (

(
[fa-kayfa idha tawaffat-hum al-malikah yaribn wujhahum wa-adbarahum]
(So how will it be when the Angels take them up, striking their faces and their hind
parts?)
So, what is the difference between the two verbs? And are they interchangeable in the
two verses? Again, I consulted various exegeses as much as I could and as far as I
know, but all were in vain. Among them was al-Kashshf, in which al-Zamakhshar
(d. 538/1144) states that tawaffhum is recited tawaffat-hum. He justifies his opinion
saying: According to lections, it could function either as a past form, i.e., tawaffathum, or a present form, i.e., tatawaffhum, derived from waffaytu, meaning that Allah
enable the angels to take up the disbelievers' souls. Similarly, al-Shawk n d.
1250/1834), in his book entitled fatal-qadr, points out that "It could be interpreted
either as a past form, i.e., tawaffat-hum, from which t al-tanth (the feminine
marker), directly attached to the verb, is deleted due to the angels' untrue femininity,
or a future form, i.e., tatawaffhum, from which the letter al-t is omitted" (p. 323).
4.2.1.2.1 Contextual Structure
An attentive reading of the two verses shows how they are symmetrically
arranged and chosen. Each verb is functionally used in accordance with the context.
For example, the verb tawaffhum and tatawaffhum are morphologically and
136
semantically motivated. To explain, as for the first verb, i.e., tawaffhum, it

stylistically and semantically matches the specific state of people at a certain period of
time. That is why it is used in the past form. In addition, the whole situation is
narrated in the past tense. For example, they were questioned by the angels at the
moment of taking their lives: What circumstances were you in? They replied, We
were oppressed in this land. Thus, all verbal statements are in the past, as in ql,
kunna, and kuntum.
On the contrary, the situation of the second verse differs from the previous
one. It is regarded as a stereotypical case. It talks in general about a category of
disbelievers all over the world anytime and their retribution at the Day of Judgment.
That is why the present verb, which describes habitual or recurrent actions or stated
facts, is used to draw a picturesque description of their down-to-earth future state. As
for the contextual structure, it constitutes a fundamental part of a complete situation.
In other words, this verse is much related to the preceding and following verses. For
example, the preceding verse ends in describing al-kfrn, and then the verse itself
under discussion, in which the verb tatawaffhum is mentioned, determines the
characteristics of such a category, and describes how their lives will be taken up, and
shows their fake argumentation and wrong self-defense. Finally, the following verse
foreshadows their predestined fate, i.e., eternal abode in hell. Thus, the context of
situation is magnificently and splendidly expressed through a well-organized
contextual structure that functions in favor of the context. In other words, the
contextual structure clarifies the context of situation.
4.2.1.2.2 Contextual Necessity
When I attentively read the two verses, in Srat al-Nis
and Muammad,
trying to find the logical reasons behind such an inimitable shift, I did not feel
137
satisfied with al- Zamakhshars justification or al- Shawk ns comment, as I am

totally convinced that the Quran is eloquent and each word, if not each letter, is
functionally and purposefully used.
It is quite important to examine the reason why tawaffhum is used instead of
tawafft-hum in Srat al-Nis . First of all, the verb tawafft-hum could be used
interchangeably with tawaffhum, but the latter is rhetorically, semantically and
structurally preferred. To explain, tawaffhum is phonetically more appropriate than
tawafft-hum. The former indicates uneasiness and difficulty in taking up the lives of
the disbelievers. The letter alif, which comes after al-f, requires long articulation,
not to mention its rhetorical function. It is a voiceless labio-dental sound, which is
produced with an aspirate. Here, the lexical inimitability of the Quran is shown. To
explain, when we examine the relation between agonies of death and the articulation
of tawaffhum, we find that they are closely related to each other. In death, ones soul
goes out from his body and then his breath stops suddenly. Similarly, articulating the
verb tawaffhum, with a special focus on the syllable f, we notice that your breath
will gradually stop more or less, and the pitch bit by bit becomes low. Thus, such a
verb gives a picturesque description of the agonies of death one will experience. On
the contrary, the latter, i.e., tawafft-hum, indicates taking time less than that of the
former, i.e., tawaffhum, in death, although they are similar in syllabicity. For
example, they consist of three syllables, as follows:
Number of Syllables
tatawaf
hum
tawaf
fat
hum
Thus, it also matches the context of situation and the very common category. In
addition, any morphologically-attached increase in the word indicates a semantically-
138
loaded increase in its meaning as most rhetoricians believe. Thus, the verb
tatawaffhum implies signification and multiplicity at the same time.
4.2.1.2.3 Eventfulness and Tellability
According to al-Samarr 2006 , the dying people in Srat al-Nis
are part
of those who engaged in wronging themselves, who are generally mentioned in Srat
al-Nal. As for those who are mentioned in Srat al-Nis , they are the oppressed and
represent minority. That is why the omission of the letter al-t from the verb
indicates the brevity of the action in comparison with that in Srat al-Nal. In other
words, the verb tatawaffhum matches the large section, which requires a long time,
whereas the verb tawaffhum matches the few section, which requires a little time.
Here, the choice of verbs is appropriate for the events taken place (p. 11).
4.2.1.2.4 Diversity in Gender Juxtaposition
The verb tawaffhum, in Srat al-Nis , indicates masculinity, whereas the
verb tatawaffhum, in Srat al-Nal, indicates femininity. As for the former, some
exegetes, such as al-Qurub, are of the opinion that angels are the pure servants of
Allah, and they are not females as Quraysh claimed. Thus, the verb may be
interpreted or functioned as a masculine past form as the word al-malikah is not a
genuine feminine noun.
1- Qurayshs false assumption is refuted in the Quran. It reads:
(

)43 :) (

[wa-jacl al-malikah alladhn hum cibadu al-Raman inatha a-shahid khalqahum
sa-tuktabu shahadatuhum wa-yuscaln] (Q. 43: 19)
(And they make the angels -who are the servants of the Beneficent Allah- female
(divinities). What! Did they witness their creation? Their evidence shall be written
down and they shall be questioned.) (Q. 43: 19)
139
Thus, the noun al-malikah is mu annath lafan (orthographically feminine), but in

reality it is mudhakkar aqq (masculine) (cf. Ibn le al-Fawz n, 1416 [1995], pp.
333-338).
2- Diversity in the verbal forms, i.e., tawaffhum and tatawaffhum, is functionally
motivated. It matches the context of situation in the two suras. As for the former verb,
its brevity and the omission of the letter al-t is much appropriate for those few
people, who backed the disbelievers and abandoned the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).
On the contrary, the latter is a morphologically t-prefixed verb to match the major
category of people addressed or specified in the Quranic context.
4.2.1.2.5 Apparent Incongruity
The Quran is extensively rich in verses that are apparently incongruous, but
in fact they are not. For example, in Srat Yusf, verse no. 30, it reads:
)36 :(( (
[wa-qla niswatun f al-madnati imratu al-cazzi turwidu fataha can nafsihi qad
shaghafaha ubba inna la-narha f allin mubn] (Q. 12: 30)
(And women in the city said: "The wife of Al-cAziz is seeking to seduce her (slave)
young man, indeed she loves him violently; verily we see her in plain error.) (Q. 12:
30)
Here, the masculine verb qla grammatically mismatches the feminine subject
niswah. It violates the Arabic norms of grammar, which requires verb-subject
agreement in number and gender. According to grammarians, jamc al-taksr (broken
plural may take either a masculine or a feminine verb, as in Srat al-ujur t, verse
no. 14, in which the phrase qlat al-carbu instead of qla al-carbu.
In this regard, al-Samarr 2006: 90-97) comments that in Arabic a feminine
verb may be used with a masculine subject to indicate smaller number of the subject.
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Conversely, a masculine verb may be used side by side with a feminine subject to
indicate plurality of the subject. Thus, according to him, the Arabs used to violate the
verb-subject-agreement for the purposes of majority and minority.
4.2.1.2.6 Ingenuous Femininity
According to al-R z d. 604/1207 , this shift inherent in the phrase qla
niswatun instead of qlat niswatun is functionally used for two reasons: First, the
word niswah is a singular collective noun for the plural form of al-marah, and its
femininity is not genuine. That is why the verb is devoid of t al-tanth (the
feminine marker). Secondly, according to al-W id, the precedence or foregrounding
of the verb requires deleting the feminine marker, i.e., al-t. In addition, according to
al-Kalb, those women are only four, as follows: the maid of al-Azizs butler, the
maid of al-Azizs baker, the maid of al-Azizs jailer and the maid of al-Azizs
animals guard, but Muq til added the maid of al- jib usher (XVIII, pp. 127-128).
These are the translations of the two verses:
Abdel-Haleem:
When the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves, they ask
them, What circumstances were you in? They reply, We were oppressed in this
land, and the angels say, ut was Gods earth not spacious enough for you to
migrate to some other place? These people will have Hell as their refuge, an evil
destination. (Q 4: 97)
Those whose lives the angels take while they are wronging themselves will show
submission: We were doing no evil. Yes you were: God knows fully everything
that you have done, so enter the gates of Hell. There you will remain the home of the
arrogant is evil indeed. Q 16: 28
Ghl:
Surely the ones whom the Angels take up, (while) they are unjust to themselves- (to
them) (the Angels) say, "In what (condition) were you?" They say, "We were deemed
weak in the earth." They (the Angels) say, "Was not the earth of Allah wide so that
you (could) have emigrated in it?" So, the abode for those (men) is Hell, and what an
odious Destiny! (Q 4: 97)
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(The disbelievers are the ones) whom the Angels take up while they are unjust to
themselves. So they will cast forth full submissiveness. "In no way were we doing
anything odious." Yes indeed, (yet) surely Allah is Ever-Knowing of whatever you
were doing. (Q 16: 28)
h :
Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging
themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was
obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): "In what (condition) were you?"
They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on earth." They (angels) say: "Was not the
earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" Such men will find their
abode in Hell - What an evil destination! (Q 4: 97)
Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves (by
disbelief and by associating partners in worship with Allah and by committing all
kinds of crimes and evil deeds)." Then, they will make (false) submission (saying):
"We used not to do any evil." (The angels will reply): "Yes! Truly, Allah is AllKnower of what you used to do. (Q 16: 28)
Zidan:
Those who accepted oppression for themselves, surely when the angels seize their
souls saying, Why have you accepted this oppression? They shall say, We were
deemed weak in the land. The angels shall say, Was GODs earth not spacious
enough for you to emigrate from that oppression? So these it is whose abode is Hell,
an evil resort. (Q 4: 97)
Those who wronged themselves, when the angels will come to seize their souls they
will surrender, saying: We were doing no evil, the angels say: Yes indeed, GOD
is All-knowing of what you were doing. Q 16: 28
4.2.1.3.1 Common Remarks
It is noticeable here that all the four translators overlooked the following:
1- The tense of the two verbs, i.e., tawaffhum, which is a past form, and
tatawaffhum, which is a present form. All of them used the present simple tense
instead;
2- The accuracy or appropriateness of the verb tawaffhum in comparison with the
verb tatawaffhum;
3- The contextual necessity of the two verbs except for Kh n, who resorted to using
within-the-text explanatory notes;
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4- The unexchangeability or uninterchangeability of the two verbs as each word, if not

each letter, in the Quran has its own function, and conveys a certain message that is
impossible to be replaced by another;
5- They overlooked syllabicity and meaning-stress relation between the two verbs. In
other words, they are not aware of the semantic change that is much associated with
their morphological change. For example, tawaffhum, which is morphologically less
than tatawaffhum, implies few number of people at a certain period of time, whereas
the latter implies a great number of people anytime;
6- Phonetic inimitability of the two verbs that corresponds to the agonies of death and
the cessation of ones breath in a very realistic portrait and clear-cut situation as it
takes place exactly in reality.
4.2.1.3.2 Specific Remarks
As for Kh ns translation, he succeeded in clarifying the context of situation
of the two verses through within-the-text explanatory notes. For example, he clarifies
the context of situation in Srat al-Nis
in which the verb tawaffhum is used through
a parenthetical explanation, i.e., "as they stayed among the disbelievers even though
emigration was obligatory for them." Satisfactorily, he explains the special
circumstances under which the verse in general and the verb tatawaffhum in
particular were revealed in Srat al-Nal through the following parenthetical gloss:
"[B]y disbelief and by associating partners in worship with Allah and by committing
all kinds of crimes and evil deeds." However, he failed to adopt an equivalent
translation. His translation of the two verbs never reflects their eloquence in Arabic.
Instead, he feels satisfied to render tawaffhum and tatawaffhum into whom the
angels take in death and whose lives the angels take respectively. Here, it is very
clear that he uses the present simple tense, though he, in the first verse, explains the
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circumstances of those people and the reasons for sending down such a verse, using a
past tense.
The translation of Zidan is a little bit acceptable. He, in the first verse, showed
the fate of ill-willed disbelievers, who did not emigrate and preferred to stay under the
patronage of the unfaithful, but he used the verb tawaffhum in the present form, as a
recurrent state. However, he, in the second verse, used the future simple tense to
indicate the fate of those who wronged themselves. In doing so, he re-states or retranslates the first verse and draw a recurrent image of the two parties engaged in the
two various situations. However, his translation of the two verses is still similar, and
does not show the rhetorical and stylistic aspects of the Quranic Arabic verbs.
As for Ghls translation, it is a literal translation as he stated early in his
Introduction. That is why his choice of English equivalents is repetitive. His
translation does not provide convincing or acceptable alternatives for the source
words. He just renders them into English, regardless of their linguistic differences.
As for Abdel-Haleems translation, despite its concision and adequacy, it does
not seem to be different from the three translators. Instead of focusing on the
synonymous verbs tawaffhum and tatawaffhum, his emphasis was put on the
adverbial phrase, i.e., lim anfusihim, in which he used the present perfect, in the
first verse, and the present continuous, in the second verse. In doing so, his translation
ignores the rhetorical distinction between the two Arabic verbs.
Thus, their renditions seem to be 'translated', and not 'natural', incapable of
giving the reader 'an unobstructed access to great thoughts' to what is 'present in the
original'. In addition, all of them are fully aware that "the linguistic elements of the
original cannot be replaced adequately in structural, linear, functional or semantic
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terms in consequence of a lack of denotation or connotation" (as cited in BassnettMcGuire, 1980 [1991], p. 34).
Verily! As for those who live under oppression (willingly), the angels
(reprehensively) will ask them, on their deathbed, What circumstances you were
in? They will reply, "We were oppressed in this land." Cynically , the angels will
reply: "Was not Allah's earth spacious enough for you to migrate to some other
place?" Hell will be their abode, an evil destination. (Q. 4: 97)
Those who associate partners with Allah undergo an extreme death agony by the
angels, whom (the disbelievers) submissively-but-falsely address, saying: "We were
doing no evil." "No! (You were.) Allah knows fully everything that you have done."
(Q. 16: 28)
As has already been suggested, I try to find a suitable strategy through which
the most daunting of problems could be conquered with respect to the governing
system of interpretation and exegesis. Additionally, I aim to rectify unintentional
errors committed by translators due to linguistic incompetence, producing "an
accessible and aesthetically satisfying vernacular style" (Bassnett-McGuire, 1980
[1991], p. 49). I am totally aware of the difficulty, if not impossibility, of finding
identical equivalents, capable of reproducing the same effect the original has on the
SR, but it is a humble attempt, through which I try to avoid the blunders other
translators may commit.
Here, I prefer adopting the semantic approach to translation to avoid repetition
and convey the intended message at the same time. For instance, the verb tawaffhum
is semantically rendered into "on their deathbed", implying their near-death scene. In
other words, this rendition is purposefully and intentionally functioned to indicate
metaphorically al-wafah (death/act of dying) and to visualize the scene of a particular
group of people to whom the verse was revealed. Conversely, in Srat al-Nal, I
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prefer to render tatawaffhum into "undergo an extreme death agony", as a factitive

state and a picturesque fate of the disbelievers anytime. Here, this translation focuses
on a recurrent category of people, who are wronging themselves by associating other
partners with Allah and their evil end at the moment of death. That is why I use the
present tense to foreshadow the same end of those who follow in their steps.
Additionally, I communicatively render lim anfusihim into "those who live
under oppression" in accordance with the context of situation, which refers to a
certain kind of ulm, i.e., staying behind along with the disbelievers satisfactory,
despite no genuine disability, when emigration was mandatory for them. Also, it is
collocated with a parenthetical modifier, i.e., willingly, to show their physical ability
to migrate, but they acted passively. The same phrase is typically mentioned in (Q.
16: 28), but in a different context. To explain, it is revealed to the disbelievers, who
associate partners to Allah and commit all kinds of evil deeds. That is why I prefer to
render it as "who associate partners with Allah", as al-ulm here means al-shirk
(disbelief), which is clearly stated in [y bunayy la-tushrik bil-lh inna al-shirk laulm cazm] (Q. 31: 13).
In the same vein, the parenthetical modifier 'reprehensively' is functionally
used to transfer stylistically what the angels say and to show their disapproval of the
disbelievers' passive reaction. Accordingly, the intended message is my chief concern,
being fully aware of the 'spirit' of the original, and through abiding by the sine qua
nons of the TL norms.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
16
146
80%
(A)
Proposed
Translation
(B)
20%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
(D)
0%
Zidan
(E)
0%
As shown above, the chart shows the statistical representation of the

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of tawaffahum and tatawaffahum.
Here, 16 participants (representing 80%) preferred Abdel-Haleem's translation and
only 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred my suggested translation.
The majority of the participants (80%) preferred the translations of AbdelHaleem for some certain reasons. They focused greatly on his stylistic variation,
simplicity and directness. For example, one of them comments: Because it matches
the words of the verses closely. No extra details which are supposed to be a part of
Tafseer.3 In addition, some participants4 suggest some modifiers to be added to
Abdel-Haleem's translation. She adds 'at once' to the verse in which the verb
tawaffhum is mentioned, believing that they were killed in the Battle of Badr directly
by swords, per the following:
When the angels take [at once] the souls of those who have wronged
themselves, they ask them, What circumstances were you in? They reply, We
were oppressed in this land, and the angels say, ut was Gods earth not
spacious enough for you to migrate to some other place? These people will
have Hell as their refuge, an evil destination. (Q. 4: 97)
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She also adds 'gradually' to the verse in which the verb tatawaffhum is mentioned to
express the agonies of death per the following:
Those whose lives the angels take [gradually] while they are wronging
themselves will show submission: We were doing no evil. Yes you were: God
knows fully everything that you have done, so enter the gates of Hell. There you
will remain the home of the arrogant is evil indeed. Q. 16: 28
On the other hand, the minority (20%) prefer my suggested translation. They
focus principally on the intended meaning of the two morphological terms and the
details that are poignant to the recepient. They place significant weight on the
ordinary meanings due to their awareness of the distinction made between
tawaffahum and tatawaffahum through the suitable choice of their English equivalents
inherent in my translation. For example, one of them justifies her choice of my
translation, as follows:
The translator has managed to render a translation that reflects the difference
between both terms tawaff and tatawaff. For the first, the adverb
reprehensively is used since the focus is on the censure received by those who
wrong themselves. In the second, however, the focus is on the severe emotional
and physical suffering by them on deathbed, which is expressed in undergo an
extreme death agony. No such difference is highlighted in any other
translation.5
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4.2.2 T-prefixed Forms: tadhakkarn and tatadhakkarn

(

)3 :( )
[inna rabbakum Allah al-ladh khalaq al-samwt wa-al-ar f sittat ayym thumma
istawa cala al-carsh yudabbir al-amr ma-min shafc illa min bacd idhnih dhlikum
Allah rabbukum fa-cbudh afala tadhakkarn] (Q. 10: 3)
(

)4 :) (
[Allah al-ladh khalaq al-samwt wa-al-ar wa-ma baynahuma f sittat ayym
thumma istawa cala al- carsh malakum min dnih min waliyy wala shafc afala
tatadhakkarn] (Q. 32: 4-5)
4.2.2.1.1 Seemingly-Exotic Word Order
The sentence-finally position (afala-tadhakkarn) is purposefully and
rhetorically-motivated. Linguistically, al-tadhakkur is derived from dh l k f r
), which originally means the habitual use of a certain lexical item in one's tongue.
Additionally, it implies recalling or bringing back to one's mind, especially through
attentive and conscious effort.
afala-tadhakkarn is preferably used instead of (lacallakum tatafakkarn), as the
Oneness of Allah is inferentially and instinctively induced, as stated clearly in (Q. 7:
172), as follows:

(

)412 :) (
149
[wa-idh akhadha rabbuk min ban adam min uhrihim dhurriyyatahum waashhadahum cala anfusihim a-lastu bi-rabbikum qal bala shahidna an taql yawma
al-qiyama inna kunna can hadha ghfln] Q. 7: 172 .
Secondly, the Oneness of Allah is clearly stated through the messengers, whose main
mission is to worship only Allah, and through the salient universal signs, such as the
creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of day and night, etc.
According to al-Als d. 1270/1853 , cajz al-yah (ending part of the verse)
entails a two-fold rhetorical question. First, it is directed or addressed to the
unbelievers to insinuate that they are to blame for not taking heed and for being
unmindful. Secondly, it is rhetorically employed to indicate their mindlessness in the
presence of cosmic signs, which necessitate contemplation and consideration (XI, pp.
65-66).
4.2.2.2.1 The Function of the Context
According to al-Zarkash d. 794/1391 , the function of the context should include the
following:
1- clarifying the obscure;
2- determining the intention of the speaker;
3- particularizing the general;
4- qualifying the unqualified; and
5- varying signification (as cited in Ali, 2000, p. 53).
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Thus, according to Ali (2000), the context, as far as its function is concerned, does not
provide information only, but it, as a sign of the intention of the speaker, confines and
modifies instead.
4.2.2.2.2 Context Disambiguation
This requirement is one of the most salient features of context disambiguation.
Here, it is clear that morphological disambiguation is based on the context of the
verses, which helps clarify the intended meaning. In other words, the context of each
verse consists of a set of signifying elements, as follows:
4.2.2.2.3 Guiding Lexical Markers
The context, in which the two verbs are mentioned, contains some guiding
lexical markers or lexical collocations. These markers justify the rhetorical and
stylistic reason behind the brevity of the verbal form afala-tadhakkarn, as opposed
to the t-prefixed verbal form afala-tatadhakkarn. They reside in the following:
4.2.2.2.4 Context-induced Analysis/Interpretation
Although the two contexts apparently seem similar, the context in Srat alSajdah is detailed and comprehensive. To explain, there are much detailed
descriptions in it. For example, the Sra begins with the creation of the heavens and
the earth, what is between them, the establishment of Allah above the Throne and the
question of protection and intercession. The following verse describes the mighty and
power of the Creator, Who manages the affair of all things. Finally, it concludes with
the duration of the ascension of His affair.
As for Srat Ynus, the events and descriptions are concise and less detailed.
In other words, the context briefly describes the creation of the heavens and the earth,
the establishment of Allah above the Throne, the management of all things, and,
finally, the impossibility of intercession except after Allahs permission. Thus, the
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context, in Srat al-Sajdah, is detailed and eventful. That is why the verb form is
prefixed with the letter al-t. On the contrary, the context, in Srat Ynus, is concise
and eventless. That is why the verb form lacks the additional letter al-t.
Thus, the success of any communication hangs basically upon the harmony
and agreement between 'the intended meaning' and 'the interpreted meaning',
otherwise the message is ambiguous and misunderstanding or distortion is inevitable.
Consider the following Hadith:
Before Prophet Muhammad's death, he told his wives: "asrckunna liqan b
awalukunna yadan" (lit., the first one amongst you who will meet me immediately is
the one who has the longest hand).6
In the above example, the Prophet's wives misunderstood the intention of the
Prophet (pbuh). They literally conceived of awalukunna yadan as 'the one who has
the longest hand' in its surface meaning, whereas the Prophet intended it to be the
most generous one. Accordingly, the true interpretation of the previous Hadith is:
"The first one who will die after me is the most generous one among you."
4.2.2.2.5 Pragmatic Implications
Pragmatic implications play an important role in justifying the appropriate and
adequate use of each form of the two imperfect verbs, i.e., tadhakkarn in Srat
Ynus and tatadhakkarn in Srat al-Sajdah. To explain, the morphologically reduced
form, i.e., tadhakkarn, is functionally and rhetorically used. It is used in a context
pregnant with certain pragmatic implications that justify its appropriateness and the
impossibility of its interchangeability, as follows:
4.2.2.2.6 Category-centered Address
The first verses in Srat Ynus begin with the address of the disbelievers. The
verses show the signs of the Creator that prove His monotheism and His ability to
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administer all the affairs of His creatures. Following that, Allah enjoins those
disbelievers to worship and obey Him alone. Verse no. 3 starts with addressing the
disbelievers with the word rabbakum, which comprises rabb, a noun, followed by
kum, the 2nd person masculine plural possessive pronoun, which implies the address of
the disbelievers. It is an emotive word that addresses the reader in a very delicate
manner and lets him/her react emotionally to the event. Such words, which appeal to
one's emotions, are used to create an intimacy and an atmosphere of friendship
between the speaker and the hearer. For example, when an old man asks a youngster
to help him cross the street, he calls him on by a pet name, saying: y bunayy or ya
wald mumkin ticadn el-shric (O sonny! Could you help me cross this street?) In
addition, the word rabb lexically means the one who creates and brings up. It literally
means a lord, a possessor, an owner, or a proprietor; it is a synonym of mlik. That is
why we say rabb al-usrah and rabb al-bayt, meaning the houses chief/master and the
familys leader. Technically, this term is concerned with Allah, the Creator, Who is
the Lord of believers and disbelievers, the obedient and the disobedient, the good and
the evil.
Furthermore, in Srat Ynus, the context vividly shows the features and
characteristics of the address directed to the disbelievers. According to the most
famous exegetes, this verse is mainly mentioned to refute the deeply-rooted belief,
which states that idols will intercede with Allah on behalf of the disbelievers, and thus
seek Allahs forgiveness for them. That is why the word shafc is solely mentioned
without the apparently synonymous word waliyy as in Srat al-Sajdah.
4.2.2.2.7 Syntax-based Analysis
Through an attentive reading of the two verses in Srat al-Sajdah and Ynus,
the reader will find some syntactic features that show the grandeur of the Quranic
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discourse. To explain, in Srat al-Sajdah, for example, verse no. 4 begins with the
nominative proper noun, i.e., Allah, accompanied by a masculine singular relative
pronoun, i.e., al-ladh, as a signifying modifier, which is functionally used to
emphasize the Oneness and Unity of Allah. Then, the verses denote the absolute
power of Allah, the Creator, and His exclusive intercession.
As for Srat Ynus, verse no. 3 is frequently initiated and concluded with an
emphatic syntactic structure. First, it is initiated with inna, an accusative particle,
which functions as an emphatic particle in Arabic, followed by rabbakum, which
consists of rabb, an accusative masculine noun that is syntactically affected by inna,
and thus it is to be in an accusative mood, and kum, the 2nd person masculine plural
possessive noun, then followed by Allah, a nominative proper noun, and finally
followed by al-ladh, a masculine singular relative pronoun. Thus, the Quranic
structure here serves a certain purpose and fulfills a certain function. It asserts the
certainty and absolute power of the Creator for those who deny either the existence of
Allah or the Resurrection Day. In Arabic, it is commonly known that when a sentence
contains more than one emphatic particle, it implies certainty against deniers.
Splendidly, the verse ends with the same emphatic structure. It ends with
dhalikum, which consists of dha, a demonstrative pronoun, referring to Allah, and li,
which implies distance, and kum, a 2nd person masculine plural pronoun, followed by
Allah, a nominative proper noun, followed by rabbukum, semantically implying
emphasis, which consists of rabb, an accusative masculine noun, and kum, a 2nd
person masculine plural possessive noun. Here, we notice that there is a variety in the
head (beginning) verse and in the tail (end) verse. Such a variety is functionally
employed. It begins with rabbakum, which has three meanings: (i) Lord and Master;
(ii) Sustainer, Provider, Supporter, Nourisher and Guardian, and (iii) Sovereign and
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Ruler, He who controls and directs, as the verse demonstrates the Absolute Power of
the Creator. It is a comprehensive epithet, which is not peculiar to the believers or the
obedient, but it extends to include all humans. Furthermore, it collocates with the
word Allah twice in the verse, initially and finally-positioned, purposefully to indicate
the following facts:
- Allah is rabb in all the three meanings of the term;
- The rational of the basic Qur'anic message is to serve none but Allah;
- Since Allah is man's rabb, meaning Lord, Sustainer, Provider, Nourisher, etc., He
alone should be the object of man's worship and service.
4.2.2.2.8 The Marked Qur'anic Word Order
Here, the discourse is directed to the polytheists. That is why the verse initially
begins with the emphatic particle inna, and the phrase afala-tadhakkarun is placed
sentence-finally to mark a reproaching question. In one way or another, interrogation
is functionally used here to fulfill four communicative goals:
- Disapprobation of what the unbelievers say;
- Bringing to the attention of the reader the notion of calumny which the unbelievers
usually make about God;
- Deploring and condemning the association of others with God;
- Preserving the supreme status of God as Creator by foregrounding (Allah) and
placing it before (rabbukum) which is taken from its sentence-initial position.
It is of prime importance to examine the translation of the previous verse:
Abdel-Haleem:
- It is God who created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six
Days. Then He established Himself on the Throne. You [people] have no one but Him
to protect you and no one to intercede for you, so why do you not take heed?
155
- Your Lord is God who created the heavens and earth in six Days, then established
Himself on the Throne, governing everything; there is no one that can intercede with
Him, unless He has first given permission: this is God your Lord so worship Him.
How can you not take heed?
Ghl:
- Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days;
thereafter He levelled Himself upon the Throne, (How He did do is beyond human
understandings) conducting the Command. In no way is there any intercessor (ever)
excepting ever after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him. Will
you then not be mindful?
- Allah is (The One) Who created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between
them in six days; thereafter He leveled Himself upon the Throne. (How He did so is
beyond human understanding) In no way do you have, apart from Him, any patron nor
any intercessor. Will you then not remind yourselves?
h :
- Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and
then Istawa (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty),
disposing the affair of all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His
Leave. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him (Alone). Then, will you not
remember?
- Allah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between
them in six Days. Then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His
Majesty). You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper etc.)
or an intercessor. Will you not then remember (or be admonished)?
Zidan:
- Indeed your Lord is GOD, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of
time, and is firmly established on the Throne, directing the affairs. No intercessor,
except by His leave. This is GOD your Lord, therefore worship Him, will you be
admonished?
- GOD is the One Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them,
in six periods of time, and is established on the Throne. You have no guardian or
intercessor other than Him, will you not be admonished?
As for Abdel-Haleems translation, it seems to be professional and adequate. It
is also precise and concise in wording. He, as a native speaker of Arabic and a
prominent scholar in Quranic studies, not to mention his mastery of English, has
succeeded in rendering the two negative interrogative questions into English without
much loss. Instead of focusing on the verbal forms and reproducing two adequate
equivalents of them in English, he spared no effort to fully grasp the context of
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situation and then to produce a distinguished and fit-to-the-context translation. In fact,

the two verbal forms are confusing and indistinguishable, especially when most of the
famous and common exegeses fail to give a fully comprehensive or distinctive
justification. For example, most exegetes, like al-abar and Ibn shr, do not
differentiate between the two forms, believing in their synonymity, though they are
not in fact. On the other hand, some of them did not elaborate on such a matter, like
al-Qurub.
4.2.2.3.1 Intonation-based Interpretation
On the part of Abdel-Haleem, his focus primarily goes to the intended
message delivered to the hearer, complying with the surface structure of the original,
which he kept intact. He has succeeded in producing an adequate English structure
instead. To explain, he is fully aware of the fact that the two tailed verses are used in
the negative interrogative forms. In addition, he is fully aware of their functions in
Arabic as rhetorical questions. Having kept all these in mind, he felt satisfied to reproduce the original adequately. His acceptable and adequate translation is based on
the intonation pattern of the two situations in which the two forms are mentioned. In
other words, he has rendered the contracted negative-interrogative form afala
tadhakkarn? into a similar form in English, but with much emphasis on the wordquestion how, and through its intonation-based recitation, which expresses reproach
and irony in accordance with many exegetes. As for the extended negativeinterrogative form afala tatadhakkarun?, he has rendered it into a similar form in
English, but with much emphasis on the word-question why, seeking the reasons or
motives behind their insistence on worshiping deities other than Allah, though His
Knowledge is predetermined and predestined in advance, as He knows the stealthy
looks and whatever the hearts conceal.
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4.2.2.3.2 Ghl's Translation

As for Ghls translation, although he declares in his introduction that he
adopts a literal approach to translation, in this situation, he adopts a semantic one in
which he focuses on the intended meaning and on the message the verse conveys. As
for afala tadhakkarn?, he has succeeded in rendering it into Will you then not be
mindful? His choice of words is suitable and adequate, as the word mindful is
defined as be careful of, or give attention to something/ careful not to forget about
something (The Cambridge Dictionary Online). Similarly, he has succeeded in
rendering the verse afala tatadhakkarn? into Will you then not remind yourselves?
Here, he is much influenced by Al-Shacr ws exegesis, which is:
Such a matter [being mindful of the creation] seems to be intrinsically motivated
and woven into the fabric of our lives. Thus, you should not be inattentive to
(the remembrance of) Allah, as man is subject to fluctuation. Events take place
in rotation. (For example), you have ups and downs; sometimes you are rich,
and sometimes else you are poor. Sometimes you are healthy, and sometimes
else you are sick. Sometimes you are strong, and sometimes else you are feeble.
So, you have to remember permanently that there is no protector or supporter
but Allah to feel relaxed and self-assured forever. No wonder in that since you
rely on a sincere and perpetual Protector and Supporter, Who never abandons
you or lets you down for a moment. Whenever you live such a moment, no
more fears could ever penetrate your brave heart, without affecting your
strength and power.7 (Translation is mine)
Ghl is here much impressed by al-Shacr w's words, especially the initial
part, i.e., Such a matter [being mindful of the creation] seems to be intrinsically
motivated and woven into the fabric of our lives. Thus, you should not be inattentive
to (the remembrance of) Allah, as man is subject to fluctuation. That is why his
translation sounds to be different and distinctive. Also, it shows his being fully aware
of the stylistic and rhetorical distinctions of the original.
4.2.2.3.3
's Translation
As for Kh ns translation, he adopts literal translation. He feels satisfied to

render the two negative interrogative questions, i.e., afala tadhakkarn? and afala
158
tatadhakkarn?, into Then, will you not remember? and Will you not then
remember or be admonished ? respectively. He resorts to using an additional
parenthetical explanation for the second tailed verse, i.e., afala tatadhakkarn?, which
functions as a compensating strategy for a potential loss that may take place. In doing
so, he considers them fully synonymous, and thus they are interchangeable, while in
fact they are not. Each word, if not each letter, in the Quran is purposefully and
functionally employed. Its substitution or interchangeability is impossible since it is
governed by certain considerations, such as the context of situation, juxtaposition,
lexical collocations, etc. Accordingly, his translation may fail to reproduce the
stylistic and rhetorical effectiveness of the original, and which is considered one of
the most salient features the Quran abounds with. That is why his translation seems
to be inadequate, but acceptable.
4.2.2.3.4 Zidan's Translation
As for Zidans translation, he adopts one strategy, i.e., one-to-many. In other
words, he renders afala tadhakkarn? and afala tatadhakkarn? into will you be
admonished? and will you not be admonished? respectively. In my point of view,
as for the first choice, he either forgot that the verse ends with a negative interrogative
question and thus he rendered it without the negative particle, or he intentionally
overlooked the negative particle. As for the first assumption, this means that he has
committed a human mistake, and he is to blame for that, and he should revise it and
make necessary corrections. As for the second assumption, this means that he
intentionally overlooked the negative particle for certain considerations according to
him, but without any justification. Stylistically, there is a difference between the
affirmative interrogative question, i.e., will you be admonished? and the negative
interrogative question, i.e., will you not be admonished? As for the former, the
159
speaker, i.e., Allah, does not anticipate a certain response one way or another. In other
words, He does not know whether they will reply affirmatively or negatively, and this
is not true or impossible, as Allah knows the stealthy looks and whatever the hearts
conceal.
On the contrary, the latter indicates the Speakers anticipation and certainty of
the hearers response and reaction. He knows that the hearers are inattentive and
heedless to His signs indicating His absolute power and uniqueness around them. In
English, for instance, the utterance Are you ashamed of yourself? is stylistically
different from Arent you ashamed of yourself? To explain, the former implies the
speaker's uncertainty or inexpectancy of a response one way or another, whereas the
latter indicates that the speaker's supposition or anticipation of the addressee's certain
response, i.e., being ashamed of something. Thus, his translation of afala
tadhakkarn? is considered inadequate, as it contradicts the context of situation, and
distorts the intended meaning.
After evaluating the four translations mentioned above, I prefer the following
translation to avoid the translation loss discussed earlier. My favorite translation in
this particular situation is Abdel-Haleems. That is why I did not suggest any other
translation.
- Your Lord is God who created the heavens and earth in six Days, then established
How can you not take heed?
to protect you and no one to intercede for you, so why do you not take heed?
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4.2.2.4.1 Statistical and Grahpic Representation of the Questionnaire Findings

Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
40%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
0%
Ghl
(C)
20%
Kh n
(D)
20%
Zidan
(E)
20%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of afala tadhakkarn? and afala
tatadhakkarn? Here, the total responses are shown as follows: 8 participants
(representing 40%) prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation; 4 participants (representing
20%) prefer Ghl's translation; 4 participants (representing 20%) prefer Kh n's
translation; and, finally, 4 participants (representing 20%) prefer Zidan's translation.
A large number of the participants (representing 40%) prefer the translations
of Abdel-Haleem for some certain reasons. They are much impressed by his stylistic
variation of the original and his ability to convey the two morpho-semantic forms into
the target reader with clarity and efficiency. For example, one of them comments, as
follows: A is more idiomatic.8 Accordingly, Abdel-Haleem's translation seems to be
a 'moderate remodeling of the original' according to the target norms. It is based on
the Qur'an exegeses, especially al-R z's, to 'guarantee an optimal fit' between the ST,
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which is "pregnant at all times with alternative realizations" (Ross, 1981, p. 21) and
multi-layered interpretations, and the TT, which is a replica of the original, as
consistently as possible. Relativizing the concept of dynamic equivalence, he, as a
'dependable mediator', sets himself the goal to be faithful as much as possible to the
ST and to "reproduce it in a manner that is acceptable to the ST author's intentions
[according to reliable exegetes] and the TT reader's expectation(s)", "in terms of
knowledge and skills translators must have in order to engage in ST/TT interplay
successfully" (Wilss, 1996, p. 82). Professionally, he distinguishes between the semisynonymous finally-verse words. Instead of reproducing the original word for word,
he renders them stylistically and semantically into English to stimulate all the positive
and negative connotations related to the context of situation. Accordingly, I
personally prefer his translation to the other ones and strongly recommend it.
Conversely, other participants defend their choice of Ghl's translation,
believing that it conveys best the spirit of the original.9 Others justify their
preference of Zidan's translation, as per the following: The rhetorical questions in the
original, which indicate contemplation and refelection, as in (Q. 10: 3), or reproach
and censure, as in (Q. 32: 4), are rendered professionally by Zidan, through his
appropriate choice of English equivalents, such as 'admonish'.10
Thus,
regarding
the
translation
of
afala
tadhakkarn?
and
afala
tatadhakkarn?, only four, and not five, translations, are intentionally chosen in the
questionnaire, as I myself feel satisfied with that of Abdel-Haleem.
162
_____________________________________________________________________
Endnote

:

} . {
2 It is one of the participants' justifications; her name is Fat-iyya Refq.

3 It is one of the participants' justifications; her name is Tehreem Muneeba.
4 Her name is Maryam Kamel.

:

:

:
"

:

" ( . )4431

.
( )44134
9 It is one of the participant's justifications; his name is Chris Miller.
10 It is one of the participant's justifications; his name is Jenny Taylor.
163
Chapter Five
Chapter Five
Morphologically-Assimilated Forms
This
chapter
discusses
the
practical
aspects
in
rendering
some
morphologically-assimilated shifts into English. An in-depth survey and a thorough

analysis of such shifts, based on authorized exegeses and modern linguistics, are
made. Furthermore, it also sheds light on context-induced reinterpretations of the
selected shifts, though they are seemingly synonymous.
5.1 yataarracn & yaarracn
(
)42 :) (
[wa-laqad arsalna il umamin min qabilika fa-akhadhnhum bil-bas wal-arr lac
allahum yataarracn] (Q. 6: 42)

(
)34 :) (
[wa-ma arsalna f qaryatin min nabyyin illa akhadhna ahlaha bil-bas wal-arr lac
allahum yaarracn] (Q. 7: 94)
5.1.1.1 Context-induced Reinterpretation
In balaghat al-kalimah (the Rhetoric of the Word), al-Samarr 2006: 39
differentiates between the two verbs, i.e., yataarracn and yaarracn. He gives a
detailed analysis of the context of situation of each verse in which each verb is
functioned or employed. For example, he explains the context of situation of the verse
in Srat al-Anc m, which includes the sending of messengers into umam (nations),
whereas in Srat al-Acr f the sending of messengers is into qaryah (a village). In
other words, the word nations implies majority whereas the word village implies
minority. Accordingly, the nations require a long period of sending messengers.
This simply means that the action takes time and thus it is continuous. Thus, the form
of the verb seems to be morphologically long. On the contrary, in Srat al-Acr f, the
164
village requires a short period of sending a messenger. This means that the action
takes time less than that is required for nations. Thus, the form of the verb seems to
be morphologically short.
5.1.1.2 Directionality
On the other hand, al-Samarr 2006 elaborates on the distinction between
the two contexts of situation. He analyzes the collocations accompanying each verb.
For example, he states that in Srat al-Anc m, the phrase wa-laqad arsalna ila
umamin is a clause which implies that the process of sending messengers to peoples
requires preaching and reporting, and not stay. In this regard, he gives an example; he
says that you may send a message to a person, and get back once you fulfill your task.
On the contrary, in Srat al-Acr f, sending in a village or a town requires preaching
and stay as well. The preposition f (in) indicates al-arfiyyah (conditional and
temporal aspects). This means that the prophet stayed among them, preaching and
reminding them of supporting signs of Allah. Undoubtedly, this requires them to
submit excessively and fully to Allah. Accordingly, the hyperbole form is employed
to indicate the hyperbole of action and multiplicity (p. 39).
Additionally, the context of Srat al-Anc m is totally different from that of
Srat al-Acr f. To explain, the former narrates the stories of a group of messengers,
and thus the intended message is generalized to state a universalized wisdom that
resulted from the long journey of messengers to their peoples at the revelation era and
afterwards.
On the contrary, the latter is much concerned with the state of dacwah
(preaching the principles and teachings of Islam) commissioned by Prophet
Muammad pbuh), and his polemic with the opponents. Accordingly, the discourse is
informative to: 1) relieve his preaching-induced sufferings; 2) fortify his heart and
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strengthen his soul; 3) and, finally, intimidate the infidels of Quraysh and admonish
them on the other hand (cf. al-Samarr , 2006, p. 39 .
5.1.2.1 Recitation-induced Reinterpretation
In Srat al-Anc m, the verse wa-laqad arsalna il umamin includes the
preposition il, which ends with the letter al-alif al-maqurah, which is one of the
three-vowel Arabic letters, collocated with umamin, which initially begins with the
letter al-hamza. According to the rules of tajwd (elocution of the Qur'an), this kind is
defined as al-madd al-munfail (detached/disconnected prolongation), which is one of
six subdivions of al-madd al-farc (secondary prolongation). It requires that one of the
prolongation letters, i.e., al-alif, al-waw and al- y, which is abbreviated in the word
wy, finalizes a word or comes at the end of it, and the succeeding word should
initially begin with al-hamz (initially prefixed words with the letter a-). For example,
inn acaynk al-kawthar, wa-f anfusikum, wa-Allahu yadc ila al-jannah, etc. All
these phrases have this type of al-madd, which is called al-munfail, as the letter of
prolongation, as in inn, f and yadc, is detached from al-hamz, and appears in an
independent word, as in acaynk, anfusikum and ila. In other words, they are written
separately in two words, not in one word, as in al-sm, taf or tab, which is known
as al-madd al-muttail (connected prolongation), in which the letters of prolongation
and al-hamz are combined together in one word. Accordingly, the ruling of tajwd in
al-madd al- munfail is jiz (permissible). It means that the reciter of the Qur'an is
permitted either to abide by al-madd (prolongation) or al-qar (shortening/reduction)
according to al-riwyah (lection/mode of Qur'anic recitation), including but not
limited to af, cim and al-kas for the former, and thus prolongation ranges from
4 to 6 arakah movement , or Ibn Kathr, al-Ss and Ab cAmr for the latter, and
166
thus prolongation disappears and the two words are normally recited. Thus, al-madd
may be employed here to indicate the unknown large number of nations inherent in
the context, and that is why the stretched form of the verb yataarrac is used (M.
Misin, 2002, pp. 34-5).
5.1.2.2 Double Gemination
Gemination is defined as "any phonological change in which a simplex
segment is converted to a geminate" (The Dictionary of Historical and Comparative
Linguistics, p. 130). It is noticeable that the verb yaarrac is of the pattern yaffaccal,
which includes double gemination, whereas the verb yataarrac is of the pattern
yatafaccal, which includes single gemination.
As for the first pattern yaffaccal, it is extensively used in the Quranic
discourse whenever hyperbole is meant or motivated. Gemination is frequently
employed for the purpose of hyperbole, as in qataca and qattaca, kasara and kassara.
To explain, qattaca and kassara are of the pattern faccala, and indicate multiplicity
and hyperbole (for further details, see Ch. 1; al-Samarr , 2006, pp. 37-8).
As for the second pattern, i.e., yatafaccal, it indicates graduation. In other
words, the action takes place step by step, as in takhaa, tamashsha, tabaara, and
tajassasa. Accordingly, there is a linguistic difference between khaa, which indicates
a steady or constant movement, and takhaa, which indicates a gradual movement. In
addition, this pattern may imply exaggeration and exertion, as in taabbara, which
denotes ones capacity or willingness to endure hardship (for further details, see Ch.
1; al-Samarr , 2006, pp. 37-8). Accordingly, it signifies a long period of time and
deliberate talks, as degemination of the medial letter of the verb implies long
articulation. Thus, such a pattern matches the action or the event (cf. Al-Samarr ,
2006, pp. 37-8). In this regard, Ibn Jenn comments that They the philologists
167
inferred the frequent occurrence of an action from the gemination of cayn al-ficl (the
medial letter of the verb), as in kassara, qattaca, fattaa and ghallaqa as cited in alSamarr , 2006, pp. 38 .
5.1.2.3 Syllabicity-oriented Interpretation/Morphological Stress
The two verbs used indicate another stylistic feature of the Quran, i.e.,
syllabicity. In other words, one of them is more syllabic than the other. To explain,
the verb yataarac, which is of the pattern yatafaccal, consists of four syllables,
whereas the other verb, i.e., yaarrac, which is of the pattern yafaccal, consists of
three syllables. Accordingly, the form having four syllables indicates long and gradual
action, and thus takes too much time. On the contrary, the form having three syllables
indicates short and hasty action, and thus takes less than the former. In doing so, it
proves the grandeur and splendidness of the Quranic discourse.
5.1.2.4 Splendid Arrangement/Word order
In Srat al-Anc m, the verses 42 and 43 are splendidly arranged. The first
verse, i.e., no. 42, ends with the verb yataarracn, which is of the pattern yatafaccal,
indicating graduation and long time, and the succeeding verse, i.e., no. 43,
employs the verb taarrac, which is of the pattern tafaccal, indicating graduation
and long time.
5.1.2.5 Seemingly-Synonymous Items
Another Quranic feature is the occurrence of seemingly synonymous items,
but, in fact, they are not. For example, the words al-bas and al-arr seem to be
synonymous, but they have slight differences or nuances of meanings. Exegetes of the
Qur'an have various interpretations. They are interpreted either separately or
collectively. Separately, the former indicates 'abject poverty' or 'straitened
circumstances' whereas the latter, 'diseases and aches' or 'curable illnesses' (al-R z d.
168
604/1207), 1981, XII, p. 235; al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, IX, p. 242; Ibn Kathr d.
774/1372), 1999, III, p. 256). Collectively, they together indicate 'adversity,
wretchedness or loss' (al-Zamakhshar, 1999, II, p. 346; al-Als d. 1270/1853 , n.d.,
VII, pp. 150-1).
5.1.2.6 Arabic Hendiadys
The term hendiadys literally means hen dia duoin, derived from Greek,
meaning "one through two" (Collins Dictionary Online) or "one by means of two"
(The American Heritage Dictionary Online), but linguistically it is a "phrase that uses
two words connected by a conjunction [usually and] to express a complex concept"
(Babylon English Dictionary). In English, it is a rhetorical device through which two
nouns are used either instead of an adjective and a substantive, such as grace and
favor instead of gracious favor (The American Heritage Dictionary Online), or
instead of a noun and a modifier, as in to run with fear and haste instead of to run
with fearful haste (Collins English Dictionary Online). Similarly, this linguistic
phenomenon is extensively used in Arabic, which is known for its recurrent use of
lexical couplets, including but not limited to noun couplets, as in al-ulm and al-jawr
(injustice); verbs couplets, as in tatawalladu wa-tanshau (emerges); participialadverbial couplets, as in wad wadan (only alone); and modified-modifier couplets,
as in bi-kull quwwah wa-thiqal (with powerful stability) (B. Johnstone, 1999, pp. 3950). Thus, this device is common in Arabic and so common to the ears of the native
speakers of Arabic as well.
5.1.2.7 Rhetorical Use of Prepositions
According to Ibn cAshr (2000), there is a shift in prepositions here in this
verse; he says that the verb arsalna is collocated with the preposition f instead of ila
for some certain rhetorical purposes. In his view, it is properly functioned to match
169
the genitive feminine indefinite noun, i.e., al-qarya, which is not literally meant, but it
is figuratively used to imply "the people of the village." He elaborates that "A village
(itself) is not a target, but its people instead; it is elliptically comprised of (a looselyrepetitive clause), i.e., [wa-ma arsalna f qarya min nabiyy ila ahlaha illa akhdhna
ahlaha] (When We send a prophet as a warner into a village, We test its people with)
(IX, p. 17).
That is why the word ahlaha is explicitly mentioned in Srat al-Acr f instead
of akhdhnaha, as al-qaryah itself is not spatially, but demographically, meant,
whereas the other verse in Srat al-Anc m the word fa-akhdhnahum is economically
mentioned, in which the pronoun -hum, referring to umam (nations/communities), is
attached to the verb fa-akhadhnahum.
5.1.2.8 Subaudition
There is a subaudition in this verse. According to Al- aghaw d. 516/1122 , it
includes two implied-but-understood omitted phrases, such as fa-kadhdhabh (they
denied him), and ina lam umin (as a result of their disbelief). Thus, the whole verse
reads: "Whenever We sent a prophet unto the people of any village, and they denied
him, they would be afflicted and suffered severely, due to their denial and disbelief,
so as they might repent to Allah immediately." Here the message implied is rendered
communicatively to avoid translation loss and likely misunderstanding (p. 419).
5.1.2.9 Ellipsis-related Functionality
Here, when you recite the Qur'an, you have to be aware of the message, which
is sometimes conveyed explicitly and sometimes implicitly; sometimes partly and
sometimes wholly as in (Q. 58: 3) (Al-Zarkash d. 794/1391 , n.d., III, pp. 216-18).
Accordingly, the reciter has to bear in his/her mind that the Qur'an is not a book of
instructions, in which a list of actions or rules is stated one by one, but it is rather a
170
book that addresses a human being endowed with a mind, able to grasp and/or read
between the lines. Thus, ellipsis is one of multiple rhetorical devices in which the
Qur'an abounds to let your mind wander, and your heart be overly attentive.
Therefore, the harder you make up your mind inquisitively to think over the rhetorical
function of ellipited or omitted sequences, the greater delectation and pleasure you
reap (p. 105).
In this regard, al-R z d. 604/1207 justifies the ellipsis functioned here; he states that
it is rhetorically used, as the ellipted words are understandable within the text Al-R z
(d. 604/1207), 1981, XII, p. 235).
5.1.2.10 Rhetorical Purposes of Ellipsis
Ab Sh d 1992: 149-51) in his book entitled al-adhf al-balgh f al-quran
(rhetorical ellipsis in the Qur'an) enumerates the numorous merits of ellipsis, as
follows:
1- Brevity and straightforwardness;
2- Admonition and encouragement-oriented purposes, as in [fa-ql lahum rasl Allah
naqat Allah wa-suqyaha] (Lit., and the messenger of Allah said: "the she-camel of
Allah and her drink) (Q. 91: 13). Here, the phrase naqat Allah implicitly indicates a
warning, i.e., dhar (do not harm her & let her go), and the phrase wa-suqyaha
implies an encouragement, i.e., ilzam (let her drink);
3- Let the unsaid be said or imagined, especially in elaboration-related situations, such
as the verses describing the dwellers of the paradise, as in [atta idha jha wafutiat abwbiha] (Q. 39: 73) [the moment they reach it, and its gate will be opened
thereof]. Here, the verse implies an ellipsis where the hidden treasures and beauties
are kept unsaid to indicate their endless meaure or increadible description and to let
171
one's imagination conjure up a vision of the possible anticipated blessings of the

paradise.
4- Avoiding unnecessary repetitive words, as in [Yusf acrid can hadha] (Yusuf! Turn
away from this!) (Q. 12: 29), where the vocative particle ya is omitted due to its
previous re-occurrence;
5- Allah-related or specific ellipsis, as in [clim al-ghayb wa-al-shahdah] (AllKnower of the Unseen and Seen) (Q. 6: 73) and (the best Doer of what He wills)
[faccal lima yurd] (Q. 85: 16);
6- Allah-related glorification, as in [qala Fircawn wa-ma Rabb al-clamn* qala Rabb
al-samwat] Pharaoh said: "Who is the Lord of the two worlds?" He [Moses]
replied: "He is the Lord of the heavens" Q 26: 22-3). Here, the verse implies three
ellipses related to Allah, e.g., Rabb, Allah Rabbukum and Allah Rabb al-mashriq waal-maghrib, indicating the glorification of Allah.
7- Degradation-related ellipsis, that is, to keep one's tongue intact from atrocity, as in
[um bukm cumy] (deaf, dumb and blind) (Q. 2: 18). Here, the ellipsis embedded
implies the hypocrites to indicate that they are not worthy of mention.
8- Inclusiveness-bound ellipsis, as in [iyyk nacbud wa-iyyk nastacn] (You [alone]
we worship and You [alone] we ask for help) (Q. 1: 5). Here, the verse inclusively
refers to Allah alone, Whom we seek none but Him.
9- Refrain verse endings-bound ellipsis, as in [ma waddacak Rabbuk wa-ma qala] ([O
Muammad!] Your Lord has neither forsaken you nor detested you. Q. 93: 3 . Here,
qala is interchangeably replaced by qalak to preserve the preceding and succeeding
verse endings-induced cadence;
172
10- Hearer's emotional attachment-based ellipsis, especially in the verbs-related

willingness, as in [fa-law sh la-hadkum] (to certainly guide you is [only] at His
disposal) (Q. 6: 149). Here, once the willingness of Allah is mentioned, one's self
emotionally and psychologically attaches to it, hoping to attain His satisfaction (my
translation, with paraphrase of Ab Sh d's reference to ellipsis).
Consequently, ellipsis is functionally employed throughout the Qur'an. For
example, here, it lets the target reader interact with the Qur'anic discourse and think
attentively over the ellipted-but-alluded markers. By doing so, the intended message,
i.e., admonition and warning, is properly conveyed (Muafa Ab Shad, 1992, p.
149). But, al-Als d. 1270/1853 adds another explanation for the ellipsis inherent in
the two verses. In other words, he justifies the ellipsis of the object for a rhetorical
consideration, viz., the context of situation is much concerned with ascertaining the
state of the sendee, not the sender (Al-Als d. 1270/1853 , n.d., VII, pp. 150-1).
5.1.3.1 Abdel-Haleem's Translation
-We sent messengers before you [Prophet] to many communities and afflicted their
people with suffering and hardships, so that they could learn humility. (Q. 6: 42(
- Whenever We sent a prophet to a town, We afflicted its [disbelieving] people with
suffering and hardships, so that they might humble themselves [before God], and then
We changed their hardship into prosperity, until they multiplied Q. 7: 94-5)
5.1.3.2 Brief Parenthetical & Footnote Explanations
It is so clear that Abdel-Haleem uses brief parenthetical and footnote
explanations to convey the intended message in the TL to the TR adequately and
successfully. For example, he specifies the intended addressee, i.e., Prophet, in the
context of situation, in Srat al-Anc m, whereas, in Srat al-Acr f, he specifies the
intended category, i.e., disbelieving people, which will be afflicted due to their
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ingratitude, alluding to the implication inherent in the verse by al-R z in a footnote.

Additionally, he inserts the phrase 'before God', in Srat al-Acr f, in his translation to
clarify the intended message of the Arabic verb yaarracn.
5.1.3.3 Al-
z-based Translation
Obviously, as stated above by Abdel-Haleem in his footnote, he seems to be

much impressed by the commentary of al-R z throughout his translation, without
underestimating his mastery in rendering the original adequately as much as he can.
Here, he professionally differentiates between the two verbs under discussion. He
grasped the context of situation in the two verses, and attempted to render them
differently. For example, he renders yataarracn into "so that they could learn
humility" and yaarracn into "so that they might humble themselves [before God]."
Although the context of situation in the two suras conveys an indirect warning
message to whoever denies the Prophet, i.e., Muammad (pbuh), and disbelieves in
Allah; through the narratives of the past nations, he has rendered the former in a way
in which they should learn the lesson and benefit from the bad fate of the past nations,
whereas he has rendered the latter in a way in which they might repent to Allah and
behave well. Accordingly, his first choice implies that they might be unaware and
unintentionally and mistakenly react, whereas his second one implies that they might
be aware of the message of all previous messengers, but they arrogantly deny and
persistently challenge the messengers of Allah.
5.1.3.4 Communicative Approach Revisited
Abdel-Haleem opts for a communicative approach to translation, by which he
focuses on reproducing the ST accurately. In other words, he maximizes the
importance of the TT at the expense of the ST norms, overlooking the verbatim et
literatim approach to avoid translation loss and distortion. For example, he prefers to
174
render the two near-synonymous words al-bas and al-arr, which are
controversial and problematic among the commentators of the Qur'an, concisely and
precisely into "suffering and hardships." To explain, it is considered controversial due
to its varied senses. For example, it has been said that Ibn Mascd defined al-bas as
"abject poverty", whereas al-arr is "accidental diseases", "drought", "bane" or "bad
conditions." Additional definitions are included, such as al-bas is much related to
"straiten circumstances", "desperate straits" or "destitution", whereas al-arr,
"physical harm" or "injury." On the other hand, other earlier scholars pointed out that
the former is "much related to the times of war", whereas the latter is "much
concerned with drought" (cf. Al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981, XII, p. 235; al-abar d.
310/923), 2001, IX, p. 242; Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , 1999, III, p. 256). Additionally,
he semantically, not literally as Ghl, renders fa-akhadhnhum and akhadhn ahlaha
into "afflicted their people" and "afflicted its [disbelieving] people." In doing so, he
keeps the intended message intact and valid.
5.1.3.5 Maximization vs. Minimization
Here, it is noticeable that Abdel-Haleem is much influenced by the
commentary of al-R z, who explains that disbelievers seek Allah's refuge only in
case of hardships. But this does not underestimate the artistry of Abdel-Haleem; he
has successfully translated the two seemingly-synonymous phrases; he rendered lac
alahum yataarracn and la-calahum yaarracn professionally; he translated the
former into "they could learn humility" and the latter into "they might humble
themselves" respectively. In so doing, he is much aware of the semantic differences
that are morphologically induced.
175
5.1.3.6 Khn's Translation

And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its
people with suffering from extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss of health and
calamities, so that they might humiliate themselves (and repent to Allah).
5.1.3.7 Excessive Use of Parenthetical Explanations
Here, it is very clear that Khn's translation is loose and verbose; he provides
the target reader with excessive use of parenthetical glossies that are somehow
repetitive and wordy as well. For example, he renders al-bas and al-arr into
"with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth)" and "loss in health with calamities", as in
Srat al-Anc m, or "loss of health and calamities", as in Srat al-Acr f, respectively.
By so doing, he also lacks consistency, for he sometimes renders al-arr into "loss
in health with calamities" and sometimes into "loss of health and calamities". Thus,
the target reader gapes in astonishment and surprise.
5.1.3.8 Translation by Addition Strategy
There is also another strategy Khn adopted, which is that of 'translation by
addition'. In other words, he has resorted to reproducing the original plus interpolating
extra meanings out of the context, such as "so that they might humble themselves
(believe with humility)" for la-calahum yataarracn and "so that they might
humiliate themselves (and repent to Allah)" for la-calahum yaarracn. Accordingly,
he violates the role attributed to the translator as an honest mediator and breaches the
convent of honor, though he stated that his translation depends deeply on a
commentary of the Qur'an, i.e., al-abar d. 310/923 by whom he is very impressed.
In doing so, he neither sticks fully to the original nor to the commentary.
5.1.3.9 Separate Unit of Thoughts Resulting in Meaning Distortion
Another feature inherent in Khn's translation is the division of the verse into
sub-sentences, through the use of a full-stop, as in Srat al-Anc m; he renders the first
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part of the verse, i.e., [wa-laqad arsalna ila umamin min qabilika], which fragmentaly
represents a part of a whole, and thus it cannot stand alone, or grasped apart from the
whole verse. Here, Khn has rendered it separately, through the use of a full-stop,
which indicates the end of a sentence in English, and which in turn carries a complete
unit of thought. Then, he resumes rendering the second half of the verse, i.e., [faakhdhnahum bi-al-bas wal-al-arr la-calahum yataarracn], which represents
the inevitable outcome of the disbelievers' denial. Later on, he realized such a
violation and avoided it regarding translating the verse of Srat al-Acr f, where he
divided the verse into three clauses through the use of a comma, indicating the
combination of two independent clauses:
And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its
calamities, so that they might humiliate themselves (and repent to Allah).
Accordingly, this reflects his inattention and partial awareness of the ST and TT as
well.
5.1.3.10 Verbatim Adherence to the Original
It is obviously clear here that verbatism is a salient aspect of Khn's strategies
in translation. In Srat al-Acr f, he literally translates [wa-ma arsalna f qaryatin min
nabiyn illa] into "And We sent no Prophet unto any town but"; he mistakenly
translated uslb al-qasr (restriction style), which in Arabic consists of ma illa
nothing but); he feels satisfied to render them into "no" and "but". Thus, the
reproduction of the original is distorted and meaningless.
Formally speaking, the conjunction
"but"
indicates
"exception" or
"contradiction" in meaning; for example, "He is poor but happy", "No one but Yusuf
attended the lecture." However, it has some other informal usages, including the
following:
177
1) "without the result that", as in "It never rains but it pours";

2) "that", which is "often used after a negative", as in "There is no doubt but right
will prevail";
3) "merely, just, or only", as in "Hopes that lasted but a moment";
4) or "than", as in "They had no sooner arrived but they turned around and left"
(The American Heritage Dictionary Online).
Thus, each language has its distinguishing features and characteristics, and no
two languages are totally interchangeable, especially Arabic and any other European
languages.
5.1.3.11 Ghl's Translation
And indeed We have already sent to nations even before you; so We took them (to
task) with misery and tribulation, that possibly they would supplicate to (Us). (Q. 6:
42)
And in no way have We sent any Prophet into a town except that We took its
population with misery and tribulation that possibly they would earnestly supplicate
(Us). (Q. 7: 94)
5.1.3.12 Excessive Use of Adverbs
Excessive use of adverbs is one of the salient features of Ghl's translation of
the two verses under discussion. He feels satisfied to interpret [wa-laqad arsalna ila
umamin min qabilika] into "And indeed We have already sent to nations before you";
he literally and intentionally reproduced the original; he renders uslb al-takd (the
binary emphasis style) in Arabic, i.e., wa-laqad, which consists of al-lm and qad,
into "indeed" and "already." In doing so, the TT seems wordy and verbose. Similarly,
he uses adverbs to differentiate between la-calahum yataarracn and la-calahum
yaarracn. For example, he renders the former into "that possibly they would
supplicate to (Us)", and the latter into "that possibly they would earnestly supplicate
(Us)." He compensates the lack of the TL through the use of adverbs. He feels that
178
using more adverbs fills the gap between the original and the TT and disambiguates
the fog of the TL. On the contrary, the result leads to distortion.
5.1.3.13 Consistency vs. Inconsistency
Through an attentive reading of the translation of the two verses, we find that
Ghl adheres sometimes to consistency and to inconsistency elsewhere. In this
example, he adopts consistency, he renders al-bas and al-arr into "misery and
tribulation", but he idiomatically renders fa-akhadhnhum into "We took them (to
task)", whereas he simply translates akhadhn ahlaha into "We took its population."
Accordingly, his translation lacks consistency, which is one of the necessary
prerequisites of translation.
5.1.3.14 Lexical Indeterminacy
Additionally, Ghl seems unlucky in his choice of the word ahlaha; he
renders it into "its population", which is much related to demographical statistics. He
ignored other possible equivalents, such as "its people", as Abdel-Haleem, Yusuf Ali,
Kh n, and Shakir did. Similarly, Pickthall translates it into "its folk", an archaic word,
believing that it matches the ancient arena or Bedouins. In spite of its simplicity, they,
mainly both Ghl and Pickthall, failed to translate it properly into English.
5.1.3.15 Zidan's Translation
We have already sent Messengers to nations before you, and We tested them with
good and bad so they might be submissive. (Q. 6: 42)
And whenever We sent a Prophet to any town, We first afflicted its people with
adversity and calamity, that they might humble themselves. (Q. 7: 94)
5.1.3.16 Adherence to the TL Word Order
Here, it is clear that all the translators, save Kh n, regarding the translation of
the verse in Srat al-Acr f, abide by the word order of the TL; they give priority to the
TL to which the original is reproduced. For example, Zidan renders [wa-laqad
arsalna ila umamin min qabilika] and [wa-ma arsalna f qaryatin min nabiyn] into
179
"We have already sent Messengers to nations before you" and "And whenever We
sent a Prophet to any town" respectively. They maximize the importance of the
intended message through their honest adherence to the word order of the TL.
5.1.3.17 Slight Modifications Inserted
Zidan here feels free to render the two verses under study communicatively;
he reproduces figuratively the original fa-akhdhnahum, which literally means "took
them", into "tested them" in accordance with the context and the message intended.
Here, the choice of "tested" is appropriate and acceptable, as the word "test" implies
"a means of so examining" or a procedure to identify or reveal "a person's or
something's qualities" (The Concise Oxford English Online Dictionary). Here, and
according to Zidan's point of view, it is not a punishment, but rather a trial to be
submissive and learn humility as well. That is why he preferred to collocate "good
and bad", which represent hetero-equivalents to al-bas and al-arr according to
Arab commentators and linguists, with "tested."
As for Srat al-Acr f, he figuratively reproduces akhdhna ahlaha into "We
first afflicted its people"; he opts for another equivalent, i.e., "afflicted", though the
original is orthographically and morphologically the same in the two situations, i.e.,
fa-akhdhnahum and akhdhna. To clarify, he uses the modifier "first", which the
original lacks, to imply that affliction is a little bit grievous trial that takes the shape
of punishment as a sign of admonition. That is why he opted for "adversity and
calamity" for al-bas and al-arr. In so doing, he ignores the rhetorical ellipsis
implicitly inherent in the verses, either intentionally to avoid translation loss and
distortion, or professionally to fill the gap inherent in the TL and to re-produce the
original meaningfully.
180
5.1.3.18 Concise-but-Imprecise Strategy

Zidan's strategy is characterized by concision and imprecision as well. As for
concision, he adheres to the norms of the TL and renders the message directly. He
opts for seemingly various equivalents to the ST, i.e., la-calahum yataarracn and
la-calahum yaarracn. He renders the former into "they might be submissive",
whereas he renders the latter into "they might humble themselves." In doing so, he is
aware of the morphologically-based difference inherent in Arabic, but in fact the
equivalents seem semantically similar, but structurally dissimilar. To explain, he
variously used English equivalents to the original, i.e., "be submissive", which is an
adjective, and "humble themselves", which is a verb. Having consulted dictionaries,
the result is that the two equivalents, Zidan uses, can be generally functioned as
interchangeable adjectives, but the latter is grammatically functioned here as a
transitive verb, requiring an object. Accordingly, it seems that he was intentionally
aware of choosing the two equivalents.
5.1.3.19 Inconsistency
It is obvious that Zidan preferred staying out of trouble and ignored the
controversy over the precise definitions of al-bas and al-arr in most popular
commentaries of the Qur'an. He makes a decision and opts for one-to-one strategy; he
believes that footnotes or parenthetical expansions distract the target reader and be
meaningless in case of literal transfer. His criterion for choosing equivalents is the
given context. To clarify, in Srat al-Anc m, he opts for "good and bad" on purpose,
as the given context concerns the narratives of the previous messengers with their
disbelieving peoples. Accordingly, the situation is pregnant with both caveat and
advice. On the contrary, in Srat al-Acr f, he intentionally chooses "adversity and
181
calamity", as the given context concerns the retribution of denial and disbelief.
Accordingly, the situation is pregnant with punishment and warding off.
After evaluating the four translations mentioned above, I prefer the following
- We have already sent Messengers to nations before you, and We tested them with
good and bad so they might be willingly submissive. (Q 6: 42)
- And whenever We sent a Prophet to any town, We first afflicted its people with
adversity and calamity, so that they might forcibly humble themselves. (Q 7: 94)
Although the four translators have spared no effort to reproduce the ST
adequately, imperfection, through a critical eye and careful study, is revealed. In other
words, none of them could render the lexical items explained earlier perfectly as in
the original, but each one succeeded partially in reproducing "the mesh of special
rhetorical texture and culture-bound references" (Al-Qinai, 2012, p. 73) and the
morpho-semantic ambiguity inherent in the Qur'an.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
20%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
0%
Ghl
(C)
40%
Kh n
(D)
0%
Zidan
(E)
40%
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questionnaire findings regarding the translation of yaarracn and yataarracn.
Here, the total number of responses is as follows: 4 participants (representing 20%)
prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation; 8 participants (representing 40%) prefer Ghl's
translation; and, finally, 8 participants (representing 40%) prefer Zidan's translation.
The majority of the participants, i.e., 16 participants (representing 80%) are
equally divided into two parties: one prefers Ghl's translation and the other prefers
Zidan's. Each of them has his own personal justification. For example, one of the
participants comments on his preference of Zidan's translation, as follows: It reads
better and makes more sense.1 The remaining few number of participants, namely 4
(representing 20%), prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation. Some of them rejected my
proposed translation and other translations, as follows: Some of the translations
adopt the word 'forcibly' instead of 'earnestly' as a strategy of evasion to twist the
meaning of the original text.2
Accordingly, my proposed translation is not haphazardly attempted, but, on
the contrary, it hinges deeply on their praiseworthy attempts to reach a mostly
acceptable rendition. In my point of view, the translations under study would have
been adequate if they had used adverbial modifiers to the two assimilated words to
unfold the ambiguity of similarity. For example, it is possible to add 'willingly
submissive' or 'leisurely submissive' for la-calahum yataarracn, as the given target
context broadly concerns, and 'forcibly humble themselves' or 'briskly humiliate
themselves' for la-calahum yaarracn, as the given target context conditionally and
specifically concerns. Having consulted Roget Dictionary (1989), the chosen
equivalents, i.e., 'submissive' and 'humiliate', are defined as follows:
183
Submissive
1. Willing to carry out the wishes of others;
2. Submitting without objection or resistance.
Humiliate
To deprive of esteem, self-worth, or effectiveness
From the above definitions, some semantic connotations and distinguishing
features can be identified, though they seem to have common features. As for
'submissive', it seems to have the following componential features: [+willingness],
[+determination],
[+flexibility]
[-resistance]
[-objection].
Thus,
its
positive
connotation is considered an appropriate equivalent to la-calahum yataarracn in

conformity with the context. But, on the other hand, 'humiliate' seems to have the
following features: [+shame] [+humiliation] [-selfrespect] [-dignity]. Thus, its
negative connotation matches the context of situation in Srat al-Acr f and represents
an accurate equivalent to la-calahum yaarracn.
5.1.4.3 Zidan's Translation-based Attempt
[We have already sent Messengers to nations before you, and We tested them with
good and bad so they might be willingly/leisurely submissive.] (Q. 6: 42)
[And whenever We sent a Prophet to any town, We first afflicted its people with
adversity and calamity, that they might forceibly humble/briskly humiliate
themselves.] (Q. 7: 94)
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5.2 yahurna and taahharna

(

[223-222 ) [
[wa-yasalnak can al-mad qul huwa adha fa-ctazil al-nis f al- mad wa-la
taqrabhunna atta yahurna fa-idha taahharna fa-thunna min haythu amarakum
Allah inna Allah yuibbu al-tawwabn wa-yuibbu al-mutaahhirn] (Q. 2: 222)
5.2.1.1 Morphology-based Justification
Here, the shift is morphologically justified by some commentators, like alabar and al-Zamakhshar. Al-ma is interchangeably used to mean al-ay. In
Arabic, there is a rule, allowing the interchange of nouns and infinitive nouns,
provided that the medial letter of the verb is marked by the diacritical sign al-fat-a
for the past form and al-kasra for the imperfect form, as in aa and ya. Thus, alma and al-ay are morphologically and semantically the same, as both are
derived from the same stem, i.e., at and ta. It is conventionally acknowledged
among the Arabs that al-madar (infinitive noun) is in the pattern of al-mafcal, like alay or al-marab, whereas al-ism (noun), which is in the pattern of al-mafcil, such as
al-ma or al-marib (cf. al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 , 1999, I, p. 432; al-abar
(d. 310/923), 2001, III, p. 720).
5.2.1.2 Various Interpretation of al-ma
5.2.1.2.1 Menses
[fa-ctazil al-nis f al-ma] means to avoid sexual intercourse with women during
menses.
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5.2.1.2.2 Vagina
Some commentators are of the opinion that al-ma here means the place
where the monthly flow of blood discharges from the uterus. In this regard, it is
narrated on the authority of Thana Sacd that Masrq asked cisha: "What is
forbidden for a husband towards his wife during menstruation?" She replied: "Her
vagina" (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 726 .
5.2.1.2.3 Sexual Intercourse
It is narrated on the authority of Masrq ibn al-Ajdac that he asked cisha
(may Allah be pleased with her): "What is permissible for one to practice with his
wife during her menses?" She replied: "All except sexual intercourse" (Translation is
mine) (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 725 .
5.2.1.2.4 From the Waist Up
All the narratives unanimously state that it is permissible for a husband to hug,
cuddle and embrace his wife gently, not to mention petting and stimulating erogenous
zones in her body from the waist up. It is related to have been said by Maymna that
the Prophet (pbuh) used to fondle any of his wives with clothes on during menses (alabar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, pp. 729-30).
5.2.1.3 Recitation-based Interpretation
Reciters of the Qur'an differ over the reading of the word yahurn. Some read
it yahurn, in which the letter al-h is being pronounced with al-amm (fully rounded
lips) without gemination, whereas some else read it yaahharn, in which al- and
al-h are geminated. Accordingly, the same word has two interpretations based on its
two readings. First, the reading of the former, i.e., yahurn, implies the primary
orientation of meaning, which is the cessation of menses, according to Mujahid,
c
Uthm n ibn al-Aswad and cIkrimah (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 731-32).
186
Lexically, the phrase ahurat al-i aw al-nufas means the cessation of her
menses (al-Mucjam al-Wa).
Secondly, the reading of the latter, i.e., yaahharn, implies the secondary
various meanings, which include performing ghusl (full bath), only al-wu
(ablution) or cleaning one's private parts, as shown below (al-abar d. 310/923 ,
2001, III, p. 732). The advocates' point of view is that the word is originally
yatahharn, but the letter al-t is assimilated with the letter al-, due to their close
points of articulation. Lexically, taahharat al-marah means she performed ghusl (alMucjam al-Wa). Their views are basically based on a consensus, i.e., it is forbidden
for a husband to engage in sexual intercourse with his wife after the cessation of
menses without being physically clean (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 732 .
5.2.2.1 The Juristic Controversy over the Process of al-taahhur (cleanliness)
Some Muslim jurists or scholars are of the opinion that al-taahhur implies alghusl (washing the whole body). On his commentary, al-abar points out that there is
a mutual agreement among Muslim scholars that performing prayers is considered
invalid unless she (a menstruating woman) first performs ghusl. Hence, it is
prohibited to engage in sexual intercourse unless otherwise physically purified. Some
else conceive that it means performing al-wu (ablution), so as to be able to pray).
Others state that it means cleaning one's vagina, as a condition before having sexual
intercourse with her husband (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 732 .
Conversely, some are of the opinion that it is permissible for a husband to
engage in sexual intercourse with his wife after the cessation of menses and before
having bath and cleanliness. Similarly, al-abar comments that this opinion differs
from that of the majority of Muslim scholars, who believe that purification does not
187
only mean the cessation of menses, but a woman should also purify her whole body
with water (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 734).
5.2.2.2 Exegetical Analysis
The people of the pre-Islamic era, specially the Jews and Magus (cf. alZamakhshar d. 538/1144 , 1999, I, p. 432 , used to abandon the menstruating
woman during meals, i.e., eating, drinking, or sitting together or dwelling at the same
place. Consequently, the early Muslims misunderstood the verse at the time of
revelation. They caused their wives to go outdoors during menses in bitter winters.
Having known that, the Prophet (pbuh) simply explained the intended message. He
told them to avoid having sexual intercourse during menses, not to force them to stay
outdoors, following in the footsteps of the non-Arabs. Accordingly, this verse
moderately commands the Muslims neither to have anal sex with their wives during
menses, nor to abandon them physically, but to avoid only sexual intercourse during
their periods (al-abar d. 310/923 , 2001, III, p. 721 .
5.2.2.3 Shift from al-ay into al-ma
This morphological form may be used in the sense of a position/place, like almabt, al-maql, or al-mafirr, or in the sense of an infinitive noun, like aat maan,
ja majan, or bata mabtan (al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981, VI, p. 67; Al- aghaw d.
516/1122 , 2002, p. 126; Sbawayh, 2008, IV, pp. 87-88).
It seems that this word is controversial, and such a controversy is over its
significance. On one hand, some scholars state that al-ma is of the pattern mafcil,
and not the standard pattern mafcal. On the other hand, some else state that the
significance of the word al-ma depends upon identifying its category, whether it is
madar mm (a mimated infinitive, ims makn (noun of place), or ism zamn (noun of
188
time) (H. al-Jish, 2005, p. 53; al-Afah n d. 502/1108 , n.d., p. 136; al-Shawk n
(d. 1250/1834), 2007, p. 145).
Each party has his own justification. Some opponents deny the interpretation
of al-ma into the sense of mawdic al-ay; they refute this view, depending on the
Qur'anic context itself. They prove that the phrase huwa adha is meant to describe the
harm or infection caused by the menstrual blood. Accordingly, the adjectival phrase is
functioned to describe al-ma, which is in the sense of al-ay (menses), not alma, which is in the sense of the place where the menstrual blood flows. In
response to their disapproval, another group of advocates defend their point of view.
They believe that the phrase huwa adha implies ellipsis, i.e., huwa dh adha, which
means it causes harm or huwa mawf bi-kawnh adha, which means "it is known to
cause harm." Also, they claim that the phrase huwa adha indicates another ellipsis,
i.e., huwa mawdic adha, which means "it is a harmful place/position" (al-Zamakhshar
(d. 538/1144), 1999, I, p. 432). Thus, al-ma can be interpreted as mawdic al-ay
(the vagina where the menstrual blood discharges), as it is understood through the
ellipsis hidden in the previous phrase (al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981, vol. 6, pp. 68-9).
5.2.2.4 Multi-layered Interpretation of al-ma
The word al-ma is mentioned twice in this verse. However, the
interpretation of the first one is not similar to the second. In other words, although
they are lexically the same, they are semantically different. Such interpretations can
be inferred from the context of situation. To explain, the word al-ma in wayasalnak can al-ma could be read as damm al-ay (menstrual blood) or al-i
(a menstruating woman), or itiyn al-i (having sex with a menstruating woman)
(al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981, VI, pp. 68-9; al-Shawk n d. 1250/1834 , 2007, p. 145).
189
As for the word al-ma in fa-ictazil al-nis f al-ma, it could also be

read as fa-ictazil al-nis f zaman al-ay, meaning avoid having sex with your
wives during menses, or fa-ictazil al-nis f mawic al-ay, meaning avoid the
vagina or the place where her monthly blood discharges (al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981,
VI, pp. 68-9; al-Shawk n d. 1250/1834 , 2007, p. 145 .
Accordingly, the interpretation of al-uhr, al-taahhur and al-mutaahhir can
be easily construed. As for the first, it may imply the cessation of blood or menses in
accordance with the context, whereas the second may indicate performing ghusl,
performing al- wu (ablution), or cleansing one's vagina. As for the final, it may be
interpreted either as those who perform ghusl to remove impurity in conformity with
the context, or as those who avoid anal sex, being construed from other contexts in the
Qur'an on the same topic, specifically tackling the message of Prophet L to his
people, warning them of homesexuality, in which the verse reads: [akhrijhum min
qaryatikum innahum uns yataahharn] ("Expel them from your hand! Verily, they
are folk who make themselves out to be pure") (Asad's translation) (al-R z (d.
604/1207), 1981, VI, pp. 68-9; al-Shawk n d. 1250/1834 , 2007, p. 145).
Now, lets have a look at the translation of the previous verse:
Abdel-Haleem
They ask you [Prophet] about menstruation. Say, Menstruation is a painful condition,
so keep away from women during it. Do not approach them until they are cleansed;
when they are cleansed, you may approach them as God has ordained (i.e., the Arabic
expressions used here are clear euphemisms for do not have sexual intercourse with
them). God loves those who turn to Him, and He loves those who keep themselves
clean.
5.2.3.1 Rhetorical Aspects Ignored
Here, it seems that Abdel-Haleem sticks to one-to-one strategy. He prefers to
choose one equivalent to the original, regardless of their rhetorical considerations in
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the target source. For example, he ignores all the views expressed by linguists and
philologists regarding the possible interpretations of al-ma, yahurn/taahharn and
wa-la taqrabhunna/fa-thunna. Instead of finding appropriate equivalents capable
of expressing the rhetorical and stylistic aspects of the original, he felt satisfied to
interpret them verbatimly. For example, he translates al-ma, which is mentioned
twice in two different contexts, into 'menstruation'; yahurn/taahharn into 'they are
cleansed'; and wa-la taqrabhunna/fa-thunna into 'do not approach/you may
approach' respectively. In doing so, his translation seems to be acceptable, but
inaccurate.
Ghl
And they ask you concerning menstruation. Say, "It is hurt; so keep apart from
women during menstruation, and do not draw near them till they are pure. So, when
they have purified themselves, then come up to them (i.e., to have sexual intercourse)
from where Allah has commanded you." Surely Allah loves the ones constantly
repenting, and He loves the ones constantly purifying themselves.
Like Abdel-Haleem, Ghl adopts a literal approach to translation; he does not

differentiate between the two contexts of situation in which the word al-ma is
mentioned. Instead, he renders them into 'menstruation'. Like Zidan, he feels satisfied
to render the three morphologically-similar forms, i.e., yahurn, taahharn and almutaahhirn, into "they are pure", "they have purified themselves" and "the ones
constantly purifying." Here, he is much aware of their linguistic differentia; he opts
for various grammatical categories. For example, he uses an adjective for yahurn, a
present perfect for taahharn and a present participle for al-mutaahhirn. According
to him, the structure is clear as the morphological forms are plainly identifiable.
Although his choices are grammatically acceptable, they are rhetorically and
stylistically inaccurate.
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h :
They ask you concerning menstruation. Say: that is an Adha (a harmful thing for a
husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses),
therefore keep away from women during menses and go not unto them till they are
purified (from menses and have taken a bath). And when they have purified
themselves, then go in unto them as All h has ordained for you go in unto them in
any manner as long as it is their vagina . Truly, All h loves those who turn unto Him
in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning
and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies, for their prayers).
5.2.3.2 Transliteration Strategy
Transliteration is a common strategy in Kh n's translation of the Qur'an in
general. Here, he transliterates adha, which is not a culture-specific term or
problematic and is easy to be translated, into 'harm', 'harmful', 'to cause harm' or 'hurt',
etc. Additionally, he explains the Arabicised word by using an improper parenthetical
expansion based on exegetical views. His expansion defines as "a harmful thing for a
husband to have a sexual intercourse with his wife while she is having her menses." In
so doing, he limits the harm caused by the mutual sexual intercourse to a husband
only, and not to both of them. Thus, this explanation is not completely acceptable.
5.2.3.3 Loose & Unnecessary Explanations
Kh n excessively uses repetitive alternatives as equivalents to the original; he
sticks literally to the original, trying to be as close as possible to it. For example, he
renders [wa-la taqrabhunna atta yahurna fa-idha taahharna fa-thunna min
haythu amarakum Allah] into "and go not unto them till they are purified (from
menses and have taken a bath). And when they have purified themselves, then go in
unto them as All h has ordained for you go in unto them in any manner as long as it
is their vagina)". Here, his rendition is not as concise as the original, but he uses
unnecessary and repetitive explanations instead, such as "go not unto them" versus
"go in unto them", and "till they are purified" versus "when they have purified
themselves."
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5.2.3.4 Fussy Matches

It is clear that Kh n ignores the morphological shift inherent in yahurn, which
is in the pattern of facala, implying the natural cessation of menses, and taahharn,
which is in the pattern of tafaccala, indicating exaggeration in action, i.e., performing
ghusl. On the contrary, he does not differentiate between them in English, using the
same target equivalent, i.e., "are purified" for yahurn and "have purified" for
taahharn. To overcome the morphological difficulty, he uses explanatory
parentheses, mismatching the two separate meanings of each verb in Arabic, feeling
that they are more conveniently defined in English, being elliptically expressed in the
meaning of one verb only.
5.2.3.5 Multiple Exegetical Views Adopted
Although rendering the phrase [wa-yuibbu al-mutaahhirn] into English
seems to be controversial in conformity with both the context and the exegetes as
explained earlier, Kh n combines all the various exegetical views together through a
parenthetical gloss. For instance, he renders it into "and loves those who purify
themselves (by taking a bath and cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts,
bodies, for their prayers)." Thus, his rendition seems loose and fussy. It does not show
the rhetorical and stylistic effectiveness of the original, not to mention the concision
and eloquence. He is completely convinced that exegetic translation is "a rather
specialized type" (Nigel Armstrong, 2005, pp. 156-57), peculiar to religious texts,
"used where practices or phenomena across the two cultures are different enough to
require detailed comment" (pp. 156-57). According to him, this kind of translation
offers "deeper insights into the culture and language of the text" (Aranda, 2007, p. 8).
193
5.2.3.6 Lexical Alternatives

Like Zidan, it is clear that Kh n resorts to using lexical alternatives or
equivalents to the original. For example, he renders al-ma, in [wa-yasalnak can
al-mad], into 'menstruation' and al-ma in [fa-ctazil al-nis f al- mad] into
'menses'. He feels satisfied that 'menstruation' is a suitable equivalent to the exegetic
meaning of the original, i.e., 'monthly discharge of blood', and 'menses' as a suitable
equivalent to one of the exegetic meaning of the original, i.e., 'the time of
menstruation' (The Concise Oxford English Dictionary Online).
Zidan
And they (the believers) question you concerning menstruation, say: "It is a harm", so
keep away from women during their courses, and do not approach them until they are
clean, but when they have cleansed themselves, then approach them as GOD has
commanded you. Surely GOD loves those who repent constantly, and He loves those
who keep themselves pure and clean.
It is clear that Zidan adopts a strategy that is based on synonymy. Although
the original text uses or sticks to one lexical form, i.e., al-ma, which has various
lexical and rhetorical interpretations by exegets in accordance with the context of
situation, he tries to use a variety of synonyms, such as 'menstruation' and 'courses'.
As for the two verbs yahurn and taahharn, he renders them into 'clean' and
'have cleansed themselves' respectively. The former is an adjective to express the
meaning of the cessation of menses, whereas the latter is a verb to express the
meaning of performing ghusl. However, the English equivalent is not enough to cover
or convey the exact meaning of the original.
5.2.3.7 Comprehensive Alternatives
Interestingly, Zidan uses a comprehensive set of lexical alternatives,
specifically on translating the end of the verse, i.e., al-mutaahhirn, a plural active
participle which is derived from taahhara, which is in the pattern of tafaccala,
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indicating exaggeration in action. He interprets it into a double set of adjectives, i.e.,

'pure and clean', which does not express the Islamic specificity or the ruling.
They ask you about menstruation. Say, 'it is harmful'. So, avoid women sexually until
the blood ceases. And do not approach them properly as stated by Allah unless ghusl
[washing the whole body in a prescribed manner] is performed afterwards. Surely,
Allah loves the oft-repentant and loves the physically pure.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
40%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
40%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
(D)
20%
Zidan
(E)
0%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of yahurn and taahharn. Here, the
total number of responses is shown as follows: 8 participants (representing 40%)
prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation; 8 participants representing 20
suggested translation; and 4 participants representing 20
195
prefer my
prefer Kh n's translation.

A large number of the participants (representing 40%) prefer the translation of
Abdel-Haleem. Some of them do not justify their choices, whereas others commented
on the translation. For example, one of the participants, voted for Abdel-Haleem's
translation, but after inserting some slight modifications; he disagrees with AbdelHaleem regarding the use of 'clean' and prefers 'pure' instead.3 For them, AbdelHaleem's translation seems to be a 'moderate remodeling of the original' according to
the target norms, not to mention its faithfulness to the original.
Conversely, a large number of participants, totally 8 representing 40%,
preferred my suggested translation, believing that it the most elaborate and coherent
with juristic rulings and tafsirs4, as it includes a cross-referential note, explaining the
purely Islamic term 'ghusl'. Similarly, some of them, including specialized scholars or
researchers, professionally justify the reasons behind choosing my translation:
The translation perfectly shows the intended meaning according to the views of
some exegetes. The first verb yahurna means when the period stops, while
taahharna means that a woman has a shower to purify herself from the menses.
Also, the translation is especially remarkable for the use of the transliteration of
an Islamic technical term, i.e. ghusl, which has juristic implications and
specifications.5
As for the remaining number of participants, they prefer Zidan's translation,
with no comments ro reservations. Perhaps, they chose it either randomly or
judgementaly selected, but unjustifiably.
Through my humble attempt, my proposed translation seems much closer to
the original. In other words, I focus on the function of the text and the given purpose
the text is reproduced for in a way that enables my translation to function in the
situation in which it is used (For further readings, see Nord, 1997, p. 29). Here, my
principal role is to reproduce the ST directly and adequately without translation loss
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through adopting a sole context-bound exegesis, maximizing the manner in which the
verse is expressed.
In practice, I rendered the first mention al-ma into 'menstruation', which
means 'the menstrual cycle' of a woman. The English equivalent I opt for seems
consistent with the causal successive co-text, which represents a reply to a question
raised about al-ma. As for the second al-ma, I concisely rendered it into an
adverbial based equivalent, i.e., 'sexually', implying the place where the cyclical
discharge of blood flows, consistently with the phrase 'until the blood ceases', aiming
at transferring the content to show the Islamic ruling euphemistically expressed in the
original.
Additionally, I sacrificed the long conditional clause of the original, which
consists of uslb nahiy (a negative imperative), as in wa-la taqrabhun, specifying the
prohibition of sexual intercourse, and uslb amr (an imperative), specifying the
proper place of coitus, for an economical English sentence, i.e., 'And do not approach
them properly as stated by Allah unless'. Finally, I do not claim that my attempt in
any way conclusive, but I have merely explored one facet of the mode of
representation in the Qur'an, which is not only "words, clauses and sentences which
are juxtaposed, but larger semantic units are juxtaposed in a manner which I
endeavored to describe as mosaic or patchwork" (Marais, 1998, p. 172).
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5. Patterns-Medial Fortition
5.3 isca and istaca
(
)31 : ) (
[fa-ma isac an yaharhu wa-ma istac lahu naqba] (Q. 18: 97)
Here, the Quranic context used two verbs, i.e., isac and istac, which are
derived from one stem, i.e., -w w-cayn ( ).
5.3.1.1 Similarity-adopted Interpretation
Some exegetes of the Quran believe that the two forms have the same
meaning, and t al-ifticl is used for the purpose of facilitation as the letter al- t is
very close to the point of articulation of the letter al- (See: al-Zamakhshar, 1999,
II, p. 402; al-R z, 1981, I, p. 173; al- aghaw d. 516/1122 , 2002, III, p. 236 .
5.3.1.2 Syntactic-based Phonological Explanation
Al-Khab al-Isk f d. 420/1029 magnificently justifies such a shift. Here, he
replies to the ever raised question behind the deletion of the letter in the first form
only. He is of the opinion that the second form, i.e., istac, is followed by a verbal
noun, i.e., naqba, which is easy to pronounce. Accordingly, the verb is fully used in
its complete form with no omission. Additionly, its object is impeded in the use of almadar al-muawwal (subjunctive mood), comprising an (a subordinating
conjunction) and the verb following it. Here, the phrase an yaharhu consists of four
parts, as follows:
1- an: subordinating conjunction;
2- yahar: 3rd person masculine plural imperfect verb;
3- : subject pronoun;
4- hu: 3rd person masculine singular object pronoun.
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Accordingly, this complete structure requires the deletion of al-t. In brief,

the whole verse is phonologically balanced. To explain, the assimilated form isac is
used to compensate for the difficulty in pronunciation inherent in its attached
complement, i.e., an yaharhu. Similarly, as a result of using the easy-to-pronounce
attached complement, i.e., naqba, dissimilated form istac is used instead (AlKhab al-Isk f (d. 420/1029), 2001, II: 883-4).
5.3.1.3 Critical and Logical Thinking
Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharna d. 708/1308 logically justifies the shift from a
form into another. Undoubtedly, according to him, climbing the barrier is easier than
digging it, as the latter requires exerting great efforts. That is why the easy action is
combined with the easy verb and the difficult action is combined with the difficult
verb. The verbs are successfully functioned, and if the verbs are changed, oddity and
incongruity will result (Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharna d. 708/1308 , 2007, II: 790-1).
Logically, this explanation is so convincing. Climbing the barrier, made of
melted iron and copper, requiring less time and effort, is easier than piercing or
digging such a fortified barrier. That is why the deletion of the letter al-t matches
the action and the time needed to accomplish the intended task. On the contrary, the
second action requires considerable time and difficulty in carrying out such a task.
Accordingly, it matches the target intended (Ibn al-Zubayr al-Gharna d. 708/1308 ,
2007, vol. 2, pp. 790-1).
5.3.1.4 Reply to the Sameness of the Two Forms
abl 1988 expresses his uneasiness for the previous opinions inherent in
exegeses and books of linguistics. He does not accept the idea of the sameness of the
two forms, believing that such decisiveness diminishes the grandeur of the Quranic
language. According to him, it is difficult to believe that easiness of pronunciation is
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the ultimate goal, if it is so, the repetition of the first form instead of the second one
will achieve such a goal asan abl, 1998, p. 64).
5.3.2.1 Discrepancy between isca and istaca
We assume that the two forms have the same meaning, but they have some
nuances or slight shades of meanings. The variety of usage indicates a secret to be
justified. Each of them occurs in a negative context, indicating lack of ability. To
explain, the inability inherent in the phrase wa-ma istac signifies the inability to
take any action, being emotionally attached to it, after a series of trials and laborious
efforts. On the other hand, the inability inherent in the phrase fa-ma isac signifies
increasingly frustrated inability, which inspires hope to get what one wants and totally
diverts him from emotional attachment or exerting any effort to fulfill it asan abl,
1998, pp. 64-5).
5.3.2.2 ab 's Stance on the Controversy over the Two Verbs
abl shows the verses in which the verb istaca is mentioned, positively and
negatively, in the Quran, through which he tries to prove that it indicates exertion of
physical efforts and consumption of energy. For example, in Srat al-Taghabun, verse
no. 16 reads: [fa-ittaq Allah ma-istacum wa-ismac wa-ac ] (Q. 64: 16)
Remain, then, conscious of God as best you can, and listen [to him], and pay heed
(Asad's translation) (Q. 64: 16)
And in Srat al-Anf l, verse no. 60 reads:
[wa-acidd lahum ma istactum min quwwatin wa-min rib al-khayl] (Q. 8: 60)
(Hence, make ready against them whatever force and war mounts you are able to
muster Asad's translation) (Q. 8: 60)
And in Srat l-imr n, verse no. 97 reads:
200
[wa-lil-lh cala al-ns ijju al-bayt man istaca ilayh sabla] Q. 3: 97

Hence, pilgrimage unto the Temple is a duty owed to God by all people who are
able to undertake it Asad's translation) (Q. 3: 97)
It is also mentioned in some verses, indicating a negative connotation, in
which it expresses inability to do something, especially after exerting ones efforts
and the consumption of all possible means. For example, in Srat al-Nis , verse no.
129 reads:
[wa-lan tastaac an tacdil bayna al-nis wa-law aratum] Q 4: 129
(And it will not within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however
much you may desire it Asad's translation Q. 4: 129
And in Srat Y -Sn, verse no. 67 reads:
[wa-law nashu la-masakhnhum cala maknatihim fa-ma istac muiyyan wa-la
yarjicn] (Q. 36: 67)
(And had it been Our will [that they should not be free to choose between right and
wrong], We could surely have given them a different nature [and created them as
beings rooted] in their places, so they would not be able to move forward, and could
not turn back.) (Asad's translation) (Q. 36: 67)
As for the second form, i.e., isc, it is mentioned in the Quran in two
situations, indicating a negative connotation, i.e., the inability to achieve ones
expectations that are beyond his scope asan abl, 1998, p. 65 .
5.3.2.3 Definition of al-isticah
Al-R ghib al-Afahan d. 502/1108 defines al-isticah (ability) as follows:
It is [a verbal noun], derived from al-awc, indicating some senses by which
enable someone to achieve what is beyond his capacity. Accordingly, it
comprises four elements, as follows: 1) a specific structure for the doer; 2)
conceptualization of the action; 3) a material susceptible to influence; and 4) an
instrument if the action is automatic Should all these elements are available,
the doer will inevitable mustaic (able to carry out the action); otherwise, he will
201
absolutely become cjiz (unable accomplish it). But, in case of partial

availability of them, he becomes in-between, i.e., mustaic (able) on one hand
and cjiz (unable) on the other hand. However, it is most likely impossible.6
(Translation is mine) (p. 310)
Quite clearly being much impressed by al-Afahan's previous definition, abl
differentiates between the two forms, which are negatively used, indicating the
inability of someone to fulfill something due to the lack of the conditions of alisticah (ability). In addition, the first form, i.e., fa-ma isc, indicates someones
early awareness of the lack of such conditions, and, thus, his attempt diminishes or
collapses. As for the second form, i.e., wa-ma istac, it indicates someone's
misguided awareness of the availability of such conditions, and, thus, his attempts are
first resumed and his efforts are to be continued, resulting in inevitable failure at the
end before admitting his inability abl, 1998, footnote 1, p. 65 .
5.3.2.4 The Two Separately-Mentioned Forms
In Srat al-Kahf, verses no. 78 & 82, the two forms are separately mentioned,
as follows:
[qala hadha firaqun bayn wa-baynik sa-unabbiuka bi-tawl ma-lam tastaic calayhi
abra] (Q. 18: 78)
([The sage] replied: "This is the parting of ways between me and thee. [And now] I
shall let thee know the real meaning of all [those events] that thou wert unable to bear
with patience") (Asad's translation) (Q. 18: 78)
[wa-amma al-jidru fa-kana li-ghulmayni yatmayni f al-madnah wa-kana ta-tahu
kanzun lahuma wa-kana abhuma alihan fa-arada rabbuka an yablugha
ashuddahuma wa-yastakhrija kanzahuma ramatan min rabbika wa-ma facaltuhu can
amr dhlika tawlu ma-lam tasac calayhi abra] (Q. 18: 82)
("And as for that wall, it belonged to two orphan boys [living] in the town, and
beneath it was [buried] a treasure belonging to them [by right]. Now their father had
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been a righteous man, and so thy Sustainer willed it that when they come of age they
should bring forth their treasure by thy Sustainer's grace. And I did not do [any of]
this of my own accord: this is the real meaning of all [those events] that thou wert
unable to bear with patience.") (Asad's translation) (Q. 18: 82)
Through an attentive reading of the two situations, the secret behind such a
shift seems exegetically justifiable and so contextually convincing as well. To
explain, the situation, inherent in the first verse, revolves around the in-depth
explanation and clarification of the actions, undertaken by the pious servant to
Prophet Msa
pbuh , i.e., scuttling the ship, killing the innocent chap and
involuntarily erecting a wall. Accordingly, the verb is fully mentioned without

deletion (abl, 1998, p. 66).
As for the second verse, in which the letter al-t is deleted, the situation
involves separation between Prophet Msa and the pious servant, who did not speak a
word afterwards. Accordingly, deletion is here functional and meaningful, as it
indicates no more talk will be resumed.
5.3.2.5 Illumination-related Spiritual Wisdom
In this regard, abl has another interpretation for the orthographical
discrepancy inherent in the two forms. His explanation is subdivided into two stages,
i.e., before illumination and after illumination, which are shown below.
As for the first stage, he justifies the reaction of Prophet Msa towards the
unjustifiable and excusable incidents taken place before him. He behaved in a pure
humane manner, believing firmly in his limited human capacities and potentialities to
decipher the inexplicable incidents. Through patience in case of failure to utterly
conceptualize the status quo, he had nothing but a promise to vow before the
occurrence of those incidents, as in:
203
[qala sa-tajidun in sh Allah biran wa-la aci laka amra] (Q. 18: 69)
(Replied [Moses]: "Thous wilt find me patient, if God so wills; and I shall not disobey
thee in anything!") (Asad's translation) (Q. 18: 69)
Later on, Prophet Msa could not remain patient, especially after the
seemingly-illogical actions taken by the pious servant, i.e., making a hole in the boat
they embarked on. Accordingly, feeling blameworthy, he apologized, as in:
[qala la-tukhidhn bi-ma nastu wa-la turhiqn min amr cusra] (Q. 18: 73)
(Said [Moses]: "Take me not to task for my having forgetton [myself], and be not
hard on me on account of what I have done!") (Asad's translation) (Q. 18: 73)
Here, according to abl, Prophet Msa's oblivion-based apology does not only
indicate his long-stay and endless patience, but it shows also his unshakeable selfconfidence in abiding by his promise (p. 66).
After illumination, the unsaid is said, especially when the pious servant
justified the divine wisdom behind those incidents. At that time, Musa reached the
moment of enlightenment, being fully aware of his inability to question the wisdom of
those actions due to his limited human capacity. Accordingly, the first form indicates
c
ajz al-muwalah (the lack of attempt), especially when he was externally attached
to the incidents, whereas the second one indicates cajz al-taslm (the lack of
obedience/submissiveness), especially after being told of the secrets behind such
divine incidents abl, 1998, p. 66 .
Now, we will have a look at the translations of the previous verse:
Abdel-Haleem: Their enemies could not scale the barrier, nor could they pierce it,
Ghl: So, in no way were they able to surmount it, and in no way were they able to
bore it.
h : So they [Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog)] could not scale it or dig through
it. (Q18:97)
Zidan: So they were unable to scale it or to cut through it;
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5.3.3.1 Language-specific Economy

Zidan and Abdel-Haleem succeeded in reproducing the original economically,
though they overlooked the rhetorical considerations and morphological distinctions
between the two verbs. For example, the total word count of the translation of both
Zidan and Abdel-Haleem is 12 words, as opposed to the translation of Ghl, which
totals 2o words, and Kh n, which totals 16 words, though the original is 8 words.
Accordingly, the four translators have failed to reproduce a succinct equivalent text
similar to the original.
5.3.3.2 Stuffed with Parenthetical Asides
Having scrutinized Kh n's translation, it is noticeable that his translation is
stuffed with parenthetical digressions or departures that sound an unnecessary slog for
the reader. For example, he adopts the strategies of transliteration side by side with
the translated terms. He renders the 3rd subject plural pronoun in isac into "Ya'juj
and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog)]." So far as he could, Kh n tried hard to live up to some
exegetical and Prophetic elaborations. In doing so, he strives for 'equivalence rather
than identity' and his focus has shifted then from the response of the receptor to the
form of the message. Accordingly, his translation lacks, despite its sheer fidelity, the
economy, directness and simplicity of the original.
5.3.3.3 Translation of Exoticness
Abdel-Haleem's translation seems unfaithful to the original to some extent. He
renders the subject and object pronouns, i.e., istac and yaharh, into nouns, i.e.,
"their enemies" and "the barrier", respectively. He prefers translation-cum-alteration
strategy through which, as he believes, the contextual voids will be filled. In other
words, he is much obsessed with the explanations of the source text in the target
language for clarification. Thus, foreignization or alienation is inevitable.
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5.3.3.4 Common Ground Approach to Translation

Here, it is apparent that the translators are divided into two groups; one prefers
communicative approach and focuses only on the intended meaning and the message
conveyed, represented by Kh n and Zidan, on one hand. The other prefers semantic
approach and focuses only on the form of the ST at the expense of the content,
represented by Abdel-Haleem and Ghl, on the other hand. In other words, Ghl and
Abdel-Haleem adopt a different approach to translation, i.e., literal. As a result, they
stick literally to the original, because they are either unable to find adequate
equivalents in the TL, or they follow the Arabic word order, overlooking the stylistic
and rhetorical congruity motivated.
5.3.3.5 Cohesion through Passivity & Modality
As for the translated text, the translators opt for different strategies of
translation. For example, Kh n uses the passive form to indicate the innate inability to
do the action. In other words, they were devoid of power to scale it or to dig
through it. Unlike Kh n, Ghl and Zidan use descriptive verbs, i.e., unable, to
indicate their lack of power to surmount it or to bore it. On the contrary, AbdelHaleem prefers using the modals of ability and possibility, e.g. can and could, in the
negative form.
5.3.3.6 Ghl- h
and Textual Equivalence
Ghl succeeded in achieving the textual equivalence of the original; he

reproduces the original word by word; he declares from the very beginning in his
Introduction that his translation is regarded as a modest attempt at an accurate
linguistic rendering p. xiv , which can only be achieved through adopting the literal
method of translation (See Ahmed Ali, 2011, p. 91). Here, he is completely convinced
that "the source-language content, form, style, function, etc. must be preserved, or at
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least that the translation must seek to preserve them as far as possible Werner
Koller, 1979, p. 187; as cited in Nord, 1997, p. 7; emphasis in the original).
[So, they did not give in to trial by surmounting (the barrier), nor did they give up
piercing it.]
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
15%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
20%
Ghl
(C)
20%
Kh n
(D)
40%
Zidan
1
5%
(E)
questionnaire findings regarding the translation of isc and istac. Here, the total
number of responses is shown in order as follows: 3 participants (representing 15%)
prefer Abdel-Haleem's translation; 4 participants (representing 20%) prefer mine; 4
participants (representing 20%) prefer Ghl's translation; 8 participants (representing
40%) prefer Kh n's translation; and, finally, 1 participant (representing 5%) prefers
Zidan's translation.
207

The majority of the participants (representing 40%) prefer the translation of
Kh n for some certain reasons. They are much impressed by his stylistic variation of
the original and his ability to convey the two morpho-semantic forms into the target
reader with clarity and efficiency. For example, one of them comments, as follows:
D identifies Gog and Magog.7
The responses of the remaining participants are varying. Some of them, for
instance, defend their choice of Ghl's translation, believing that it is to the point
and matches the words of the verse almost.8 Others justify their preference of my
proposed translation, as per the following: is the most accurate and coherent with
the background information.9
Finally, only one participant prefers none of the five translations mentioned,
commenting, as follows:
None. The yah indicates their lack of adequate might and resources to do the
two tasks shown; namely climbing the barrier and piercing it. It also makes a
difference between the first task and the second [sic]. Climbing the barrier is
said to be easier than trying to pierce it, so isac (morphologically shorter) is
used with the former, whereas istac (one-syllable longer) is used with the
latter. It is thought that such a morphological difference has to do with the
nature of the task assigned in each case. Accordingly, the translation should
include a distinction, or correlation, between a smaller task and a greater one.10
Ostensibly, her argument seems to be morphologically convincing, but it does
not propose a clear strategy or alternatives for the two problematic words. So, further
reflection reveals that she attributes their failure in the two cases or tasks, as she
claims, to the lack of power and tools, ignoring the distinction made by abl between
c
ajz al-muwalah (the lack of attempt) and
ajz al-taslm (the lack of
obedience/submissiveness), as discussed earlier.

As discussed above, the four translators left no stone unturned in reproducing
the ST, close as much as they could, in the TL. However, insufficient familiarity of
208
native-culture concepts seems to be a salient problem in their translation.

Accordingly, I prefer to adopt a considerable interpretation through which the sublime
linguistic features of the original are properly transferred to the TR, especially if "the
problem is a product of the nonexistence of the referred item or of its different
intertextual status in the cultural system of the readers of the target text" (Aixel,
1996, p. 58). Here, I'm much impressed by abl's elaboration on the situation-related
morphological differences, and, thus, my proposed translation is mainly based upon
his praiseworthy effort.
In doing so, I feel satisfied that my reconcilable attempt may bring the two
cultures and cultural identities present in the interaction into a relationship of
communication", through which the TR will be able to "perceive and understand the
culture(s) of the native-speaker, to reflect on his/her own culture(s) as seen from the
foreign perspective" (Byram and Risager, 1999, p. 65).
209
5.4 kla & iktla

* {
) 3-4 :} ( *
[waylun lilmutaffifin* Alladhina idha iktalu ala al-nasi yastawfun* wa-idha kaluhum
aw wazanuhum yukhsirun] (Q. 83: 1-3)
5.4.1.1 Morphological Implications
Here, the two verses are stylistically balanced. One of them implies addition,
whereas the other implies omission. For example, the verb iktala is morphologically
distinguishable from the verb kla, as the former is initially, through the addition of
the prosthetic letter a-, and medially augmented, through the addition of the letter t-.
In other words, it is of the pattern iftacala, which indicates al-mushraka (taking part
or sharing in the event), al-ijthad f al-taarruf (doing one's best), al-mublagha f alalab (overdemand), al-ihar (showing), al-mublagha f macna al-ficl (verbal
exaggeration), and al-ikhtiyar (selection/choice). Thus, the initial and medial
augmentation signifies the overweight, and, thus, matches the context of situation.
On the other hand, the verb kla is of the pattern facala, the basic stem. As
opposed to the verb iktala, it lacks the initial and medial augmentation, i.e., al-alif and
al-t. Additionally, the form of the two verbs, i.e., kla and wazana, is elliptically
shown, lacking the lexical collocation of the preposition li (for) and the direct object
of the sentence, i.e., al-nas (people), which is lexically compensated for through the
coarticulation of both the 3rd masculine plural verb, i.e., kl and wazan, and the 3rd
masculine plural object pronoun, i.e., -hum. Accordingly, the economical form of the
two verbs, i.e., klm and wazanm, is rhetorically functioned to indicate the
insufficiency of weight or underweight, and thus, it matches the context of situation.
210
5.4.1.2 Phonological Implications

The two refrain verse endings, i.e., yastawfn and yukhsirn, are not only
lexically connotative, but they are also phonologically expressive. To explain, the
final syllable in the two verbs takes a primary strong stress, preceded by a secondary
weak stress on the second syllable, occurring in alat al-waqf (cases of pause) and laal-wal (not in the continual speech). It is commonly known that Arabic words are
described as having stress on the final syllable, provided 1) they come at the end of
speech or occur at the boundaries of alit al-waqf (pause mood) and 2) they consist
of stress units as follows (See M. Rizq Shicr, 2008, p. 93):
yas yukh awt skin (unvowelled
sound) +
consisting
of
sukn,
arakah and sukn
#
-taw
-si
awt ln qasr (short soft
sound) +
consisting
of
sukn,
arakah and sukn
secondary stress
-fn
-rn
awtn
sakinan
(two
unvowelled sounds)
consisting
of
sukn,
arakah, sukn and sukn
primary stress
Additionally, the final syllable in the two words consists of arf mad abic,
i.e., al-waw, which requires long articulation or prolongation that is often used
pragmatically to focus attention on the ideas associated with or accompanying them,
such as overweight, as in yastawfn, and underweight, as in yukhsirn.
5.4.1.3 Componential Analysis
Componential analysis or lexical decomposition is a tool for disambiguation
and for explication of the different meanings possessed by ambiguous lexical items
(Malmkjr & Anderson, 1991, p. 534). It is a highly praised method of analysing and
classifying the given words into their essential components in terms of either
markers, i.e., common features, and distinguishers, i.e., distinguishing features, or
'pluses and minuses' (Ali, 2011, pp. 121-26). For example, the components of klal
and iktala will be analyzed below, as follows:
211
Distinguishing Features
iktala
kla
Exaggeration
Dogged Insistence
Pretension
Exertion
Participation
Showing
Premeditation
Pilferage
Villainy
Here, the table shows that the verb iktala is more comprehensive and
inclusive than the verb kla. To explain, the former has negative connotations, such as
"pretension", "dogged insistence", "exaggeration", and "premeditation", and its
meaning has been emphasized by the collocation of the second part of the descriptive
conditional state, i.e., yastawfn, meaning having more than one's due share or
weight.
On the other hand, the latter has positive ones as opposed to the former, but it
has acquired a negative connotation through accompanying the second part of the
descriptive conditional state, i.e., yukhsirn, meaning giving less than one's due share
or weight.
212
5.4.1.4 Balance Stricken

The two verses are also structurally and lexically balanced; they consist of 5
lexical items. Each verse expresses a condition; the former indicates the greedy nature
of those measurers who take overfull measure, whereas the latter indicates the stingy
nature of those measurers who give less measure. Furthermore, they are finally
rhymed; for example, the first verse ends in yastawfn and the second in yukhsirn.
5.4.2.1 Etymology Explored
The verb kla, meaning to measure corn and the like, is derived from al-kayl,
meaning a measure of capacity, kayyl, meaning a measurer, and mikyl, meaning a
measure with which corn or the like is measured (Ibn Manr (d. 711/1311), 1980, V,
pp. 3968-9).
Additionally, al-ladhna idha iktal cala al-nas yastawfn means those who receive
measure or weigh more than they deserve for themselves when buying. Similarly, the
phrase iktaltu min fuln has the same meaning of iktaltu calayhi and kiltu fulanan
icaman, meaning I receive measure, whereas wa-idha klhum aw wazanhum
means one gives measure to others. In other words, iktaltu calayhi means I received
measure from him/her; and it is commonly said kla al-muci wa-iktala al-khidh,
meaning the giver performs the process of measure, whereas the taker receives it (Ibn
Manr (d. 711/1311), 1980, V, pp. 3968-9).
The sura begins with the admonition for the measurers, who give short
measure and then the successive verses show their ugly and bad traits; for instance,
they take full measure for themselves when buying, whereas they give short measure
or weight for others when selling cf. Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , 1999, VIII, pp. 34650).
213
Accordingly, the Qur'anic discourse is characterized by coherence, which is

highly shown through "the appropriateness of an utterance in discourse depends upon
the possibility of establishing a connection between it and the preceding utterance
only in the sense that the interpretation of the latter yields assumptions that are used in
the interpretation of the former" (Fabb, 1997, p. 252).
5.4.2.2 The Omission of the Preposition lahum
The phrase [kalum aw wazanuhum] entails omission, which is inherent in
[lahum], meaning 'They measure or weigh for people'. Accordingly, the verb and the
object are attached/combined together. This process is termed al-hadhf wa-al-isaal
'omission and attachment/combination'.
5.4.2.3 The Function of Particles al-wawan and Pronouns
The two particles, i.e., al-wawan, in [kaluhum aw wazanuhum] refer to the
relative pronoun mentioned in [alladhina idha iktalu], whereas the two detached
pronouns, i.e., [hum], refer to al-nas 'people' cf. Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , 1999, VIII,
pp. 346-50).
5.4.2.4 Change in Prepositions
idha iktal cala al-nas entails change in preposition, i.e., cala instead of min.
In Arabic, the perfect verb iktala collocates with the preposition min, and not cala.
Here, such a change is rhetorically motivated. It implies or denotes their ugly, unfair
deed. In this regard, al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 justifies the reason behind the shift
in the preposition of cala; he states that the change here in the verse signifies the harm
or the negative impact resulting in taking more than one's due measure,
underestimating the quantity of others (Al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 , 1998, VI, pp.
334-35).
214
5.4.2.5 Preposition-verb-based Interpretation

Additionally, al-Zamakhshar
d. 538/1144
provides another syntactical
justification for the change in preposition; he is of the opinion that the preposition cala
is much relevant to the verb yastawfn, preceded presumably the object al-nas for the
purpose of al-khuiyyah (particularity/specificity). Thus, it could be read: yastawfn
c
ala al-nas khah, fa-amma anfusahum fa-yastawfn laha (For themselves, they
excessively take full measure and, for people, prejudicially give short measure) (VI,
pp. 334-335; al-Als d. 1270/1853 , n.d., XXX, p. 68).
5.4.2.6 Substitutability of Prepositions
According to al-Farr
(d. 207/822), the prepositions cala and min are
interchangeable in this regard. In other words, the former is in the sense of the latter.
They have the same meaning, as when you say, iktaltu calayk, it simply means iktaltu
mink (I took what I owe you) (al-Farr (d. 207/822), 1983, III, p. 246).
It is commonly known that the verb iktala takes one object, i.e., al-makl (the
measured item). For instance, you say, iktala fulanan icaman, meaning X bought
food. But when it collocates with the preposition min, it takes more than one object,
e.g., iktala icaman min fulan, meaning X bought some food from Y. Here, in the verse
under discussion, there is a shift in prepositions, where cala is used instead of min so
as to imply the sense of injustice and underestimate (Ibn cshr, 1984, XXX, p. 190).
5.4.2.7 The Omission of the Object
The phrase iktal cala al-nas literally means they bought from people, but the
verb itself iktal refers implicitly-but-understandably to such ellipsis, meaning iktal
makilan (they bought measurable items), where the object makilan is ellipted.
Similarly, the successive verse, i.e., wa-idha klhum aw wazanhum yukhsirn
syntactically and rhythmically matches the previous one, i.e., al-ladhna idha iktal
215
ala al-nas yastawfn. Syntactically, the object, i.e., makila, is explicitly omitted, but
it is still known and understood within the context, as it could be read as follows: "But
in case of sale or weight, they sell insufficiently." As for rhythm or meter, the two
verses are metrically balanced, and thus the deletion or addition of any lexical item
leads to dissonance, unless otherwise compensated. To explain, the omission of the
relative pronoun al-ladhna and the genitive masculine plural noun al-nas in the
second verse are compensated for through the addition of al-wawn in klhum and
wazanhum in compensation for the former and through the detached/connective
pronouns, i.e., hum in klhum aw wazanhum in compensation for the latter.
5.4.2.8 Relevance-based Analysis/ Reciprocal Ellipsis
In the verse, it is noticeable that the verb iktl is solely mentioned without the
verb ittazan, but they are both mentioned in the succeeding verse, i.e., wa-idha
klhum aw wazanhum yukhsirn. Ibn cshr rhetorically justifies such ellipsis; he
is of the opinion that it suffices to have the weight mentioned in the second verse to
avoid using the verb ittazan, which is rarely or uncommonly used in discourse and
which is difficult to pronounce in the context. Additionally, on his part, there is
another consideration that al-muaffifn, especially the people of Yathrib, were known
to engage in buying and selling; they used to barter goods brought and measured
almost with al-kayl, such as dates and wheat and the like, for gold or silver, whether
coined or not; their daily transactions were limited to al-iktiyl due to the customs or
conventions commonly adopted at the time. Furthermore, the two types of measure,
i.e., al-kayl and al-wazn, are both mentioned in the second verse, as al-muaffifn used
to sell their goods with al-kayl and receive awzan in return (Ibn cshr, 1984, XXX,
pp. 190-91).
216
5.4.2.9 Exactitude of Usage

The verb yastawfn is derived from the stem awfa, which means to meet,
satisfy, fulfill, or measure up. Here, it is morphologically of the pattern istafcala, but
semantically of the pattern afcala, to indicate hyperbole and exaggeration inherent in
action, such as ajaba (respond/reply/satisfy) and istajaba (respond/reply/satisfy
quickly & favorably) (Ibn cshr, 1984, XXX, p. 192 .
5.4.2.10 Deviation from iktal min al-nas into iktal cala al-nas
The Qur'anic context refers here to a certain type of merchants or vendors
whom the Qur'an condemns; it's a category of Quraish chiefs, who had an upper hand
and authority, being able to force people to do whatever they want; they practice alkayl with coercion cala al-nas over people, due to their high rank or authority,
enabling them to have full weight or measure. It is not meant here that they get their
due share or weight fully, as the sura starts with intimidation and warning, i.e., waylun
lil-muaffifn, and declaring war against them. Thus, the intended message is that they
get their excessive unworthy share by force and coercion.
The Qur'anic discourse portrays the whole image of their injustice; it divulges
their bad characteristics in selling. They forcibly measure underweight for people,
making use of either their supremacy or tribal high rank, or due to their financial
authority, which oblige needy people to compulsively and commercially deal with
them. In other words, they exercise exclusive control of commodities and goods in a
particular market, obliging people to accept such injustice as a bitter reality, which
spread widely at that time. That is why the Qur'an earlier tackled it through
confronting injustice and ethical or moral violation or deviation and abiding by the
divine doctrine Sayyid Qub, 2003, VI, p. 3855 .
217
5.4.2.11 Difference between al-kayl and al-wazn

Cheating in al-kayl is stealthily less than cheating in al-wazn, which is easily
influenced by any trick and could lead to much loss. To clarify, the first verse exposes
their parsimony, as they do not blink the banal measure of their share for people when
buying. Similarly, the second verse exposes their insatiable desire for possessing more
than they deserve when selling. Accordingly, al-wazn is explicitly mentioned in the
second verse to uglify or disfigure their illegal and inhuman acts and bad conduct in
buying and selling. Also, the omission of ittazan in the first verse is being
compensated for by the subsequent contextual addition of wazanhum in the second
verse. This kind of rhetorical device is termed al-itibk (al-Als d. 1270/1853 ,
n.d., XXX, p. 69).
Accordingly, al-istif (excessively sufficient weight) is exaggeratedly
expressed through the hyperbole form of the verb iktal, whereas al-ikhsr
(excessively insufficient weight) is doubly expressed through the twofold daily
transactions, i.e., al-kayl and al-wazn (cf. al- iq c d. 885/1480 , n.d., XXI, p. 313 .
The Qur'an eloquently and picturesquely portrays the bad conduct and lack of virility
or generosity of vendors or dealers to disaffect, distrust and disfigure their image in
society.
The infinitive noun al-taff, which means short measure or weight, is derived
from the verb affafa, which means he made defective or deficient (Lane, 1968, V, p.
1857). Lexically, it is antonymous, meaning al-waf (full/sufficient quantity) or alnaq short/insufficient quantity Ibn Manr d. 711/1311 , 1980, IV, p. 2680). But,
here, in this particular situation, it indicates cheating in measure or weight, either
through taking 'full or over' when buying, or through giving 'short or deficient' when
selling Ibn Kathr d. 774/1372 , 1999, VIII, p. 346 .
218

Now, we will have a look at the translations of the previous verse:
Abdel-Haleem:
Woe to those who give short measure, who demand of other people full measure for
themselves, but give less than they should when it is they who weigh or measure for
others!
Ghl:
Woe to the stinters, who, when they measure against mankind (i.e., when they take
from others), take full (measure), and when they measure for them or weigh for them
(i.e., when they give to others), they cause them loss.
h :
Woe to Al-Mutaffifn (those who give less in measure and weight). Those who, when
they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when they have
to give by measure or weight to (other) men, give less than due.
Zidan
Woe to those who give insufficient measure; who when others measure for them they
take full measure; But when they measure out, or weigh out for others, they give less
than due.
5.4.3.1 Definition-based Strategy
It is obvious that the four translators adopt an explanatory approach. They opt
for many-to-one strategy. For example, Abdel-Haleem renders al-muaffifn into those
who give short measure and Zidan renders it into those who give insufficient measure.
As for Ghl and Kh n, the former prefers an inaccurate equivalent; he renders it into
stinters, which generally means one who restricts or limits (The American Heritage
Online Dictionary). But Kh n feels satisfied to use transliteration side by side with
parenthetical expanses to gulf the gap between the source and target languages. He is
much convinced that the Qur'anic Arabic is inimitable and culturally-specific. Thus,
he tries to offer the original as it is, accompanied by their dictionary meanings
between parentheses. In doing so, the efforts exerted above by the four translators
indirectly indicate either the deficiency of the target language to have full equivalents
to the original, or the uniqueness and specificity of the original.
219
5.4.3.2 Fussy Equivalence

Adopting loose and imprecise equivalents for the translation of the two
morphologically derived verbs, i.e., iktl and klhum, is quite distinct. For instance,
Ghl violates the original and translates iktl literally into they measure against
mankind. He verbatimly translates the original into English, especially the Arabic
preposition ala, which literally means above or on, but metaphorically means from. In
addition, the phrasal verb "measure against" simply means "to compare someone with
someone else or to compare something with something else" (The Online Dictionary
of American Idioms & Phrasal Verbs). That is why he resorts to using compensation
by footnoting (Hervey & Higgins, 1995, pp. 27-31) to disambiguate any distortion
may arise out of his verbatim.
The alternative approach the four translators propose is give-and-take strategy.
Most of them render iktl and klhum into demand and give by Abdel-Haleem, take
and cause by Ghl, receive and give by Kh n, and take and give by Zidan,
respectively.
However, their rendition is fussy and wordy, for they fail to find
adequate equivalents to the original, which is briefly expressed through

morphologically-and-syntactically compressed words, due to the lack of the target
language.
5.4.3.3 Varied Gender-based Reception
The four translators at hand render al-ns variously into English. For instance,
Abdel-Haleem typically translates it into people. His main aim is to be as close as
possible to the original without prejudice. On the contrary, Kh n biasedly translates it
into men, being unable to maintain gender balance (Michael Sells, 1999, p. 5) in the
Qur'anic discourse. His patriarchal approach to translation may be affected either by
the exegetical chronicle of past events or the conventions of transactions in "a society
220
in which the public voice of leadership was largely male" (p. 5). Another considerable
justification is that "Arabic is a highly gendered language and English is not" (Rim
Hassen, 2011, p. 214).
Similarly, Ghl adopts the same approach of Kh n. He renders it into
mankind, which is a generic noun, specifying neither masculine nor feminine gender
(The American Heritage Online Dictionary). As for Zidan, he ambiguously renders
al-nas into others, which impartially indicates the meaning of people. In doing so, he
remains aloof from being biased to either gender. Apart from the said mentioned, his
rendition seems to be closer to the original as opposed to the other three translators.
Woe to the defrauders:
Who take full measure when buying;
And give less than due when selling.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
0%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
12
60%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
(D)
40%
Zidan
(E)
0%
221

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of kala and iktala. Here, the total
number of responses is shown as follows: 12 participants (representing 60%)
preferred my suggested translation and 8 participants (representing 40%) preferred
Kh n's translation.
The majority of the participants (representing 60%) preferred my suggested
translation for some certain reasons acording to their own views. In general, they are
deeply impressed by the diction, the style of writing and variety in sentence
structures. For example, one of them comments, as follows: is much more poetic.
Similarly, one of the participants justifies her argument, as follows: The analogy
made is effective in conveying a simple and concise, but strongly resonant, message
to the foreign reader of the Glorious Quran. The translation provides information that
is easier to understand, commit to memory, and retain.11 Others preferred mine, but
with some reservations, claiming that it is simple and idiomatic but less faithful to
the original.12
Conversely, some participants preferred Kh n's translation, with brief
comments, believing that it is clear and easy.13 Others preferred his translation, but
without justification.
My proposed translation focuses on the message intended without distortion or
jargon. All of the previous translators mistranslate al-muaffifn. They concentrate on
one aspect of its meaning, which is al-nuqn (insufficiency), ignoring the other sense
of the word, which is al-waf (sufficiency). They render it into those who give
insufficient measure, like Zidan, or those who give less in measure or weight,
222
preceded by a transliteration, like Kh n, or those who give short measure, like AbdelHaleem.
Additionally, I attempt to propose a dynamic translation, which contains a
balance that is constructed and modulated through Michael Sells, 1999, p. 5
parallel structures. For instance, I did my best to render the two morphological verbs,
i.e., iktl and klhum, precisely and properly into take full measure when buying
and give less than due when selling, respectively, trying to be as much as possible
close to the original and to reproduce the same rhetorical and metrical nuances of the
source text through simplicity of expression. In other words, my attempt is a mode of
recreation that "aims to reproduce, in a different language, the same effect as the
source discourse" (Eco, 2001, p. 93), i.e., the Qur'an, maintaining the 'guiding spirit'
of the original.
To conclude, in this chapter, an attempt has been made to examine some
selected samples of Qur'anic shifts, especially morphologically-assimilated ones. The
objective of this investigation is three-fold: to identify shifts of cohesion in the STTT text pairs that occurred through translation, to explain and justify their occurrence
and, finally, to describe the likely consequences of shifts in the translated texts K.
al-Amri, 2004, p. 279).
223
_____________________________________________________________________
Endnote
1 It is one of the participants' justifications; his name is Muammad Ibrahm.
2 It is one of the participants' justifications; his name is Peter Smith.
3 It is one of the participants' justifications; his name is David Kesler.
4 It is one of the participants' justifications; his name is Chris Miller.
:"
. :

)346 " ( .
7 It is one of the participants' justifications; her name is Maryam Kamel.
13 It is one of the participants' justifications; his name is Peter Williams.
224
Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Context-bound Morphological Shifts
This
chapter
selectively
but
thoroughly
scrutinizes
context-bound
morphological shifts. In other words, it postulates that change in morphological

patterns is due to some certain rhetorical considerations, driven from the context, as a
reliable criterion for determining the intended meaning. Some morphological patterns
are changed into other forms within the context for some certain rhetorical
considerations. In other words, their meanings are context-bound, as shown below.
For example, the pattern facl may be used to mean either fcil or mafcl, or both of
them, depending upon the context, which determines the intended meaning, as
follows:
6.1 Shifting from mafcl into facl
According to some prominent rhetoricians, such as al- iq c d. 885/1480
(XI, p. 56), this kind of shift takes place for the purpose of hyperbole, as in:
(
)43: )(

[qla fa-ukhruj minha fa-innaka rajm] (Q. 15: 34)
Here, the word rajm, which is in the pattern of facl, is functionally used
instead of marjm, which is in the pattern of mafcl, as the former indicates a great
degree of hyperbole than the latter. Secondly, it means that rajm is an indispensable
attribute of al-shaytn (the devil), who is cursed forever until the Day of Judgment.
Thirdly, the word rajm is easy to pronounce than marjm. Fourthly, rajm is a fourletter word whereas marjm is a five-letter word.
6.2 Shifting from fcil and mafcl into facl
The pattern facl may be interpreted as fcil and mafcl at the same time, as in:
)4 :) (

(
225
[ wa-cindana kitbun af] (Q. 50: 4)

Here, the word af, which is in the pattern of facl, may indicate that the
Book of Allah, i.e., the Qur'an, will remain either maf, which is in the pattern of
mafcl, meaning protected against the devils and/or any form of falsehood or
deviation at all times, or afi, which is in the pattern of fcil, meaning protector or
guardian.
6.3 Shifting from mafcl into fcil
The pattern fcil may be used in the context, but it is meant to be in the sense
of mafcl to indicate hyperbole in description, as in:
(
)43 :( )

[qla l cim al-yawma min amr Illh illa man raim ] Q. 11: 43
Here, the word cim, which is in the pattern of fcil, is rhetorically used to
mean macm, which is in the pattern of mafcl, meaning savior.
) 6-5 :)) (6() 5(

(
[fal-yanur al-insnu mimma khuliq* khuliqa min min dfiq] (Q. 86: 5-6)
Here, the word dfiq, which is in the pattern of fcil, is rhetorically used to
mean madfq, which is in the pattern of mafcl, meaning gushing forth.
(
)1-6 :)) (1(
) 6(

[fa-amma man thaqulat mawazinuh* fa-huwa fi cshatin riyah] (Q. 101: 6-7)
Here, the word riyah, i.e., a feminine indefinite active participle, which is in
the pattern of fcil, is rhetorically used to mean mariyyah, which is in the pattern of
mafcl, meaning a pleasant life (in Paradise).
6.4 Shifting from fcil into afcal
The pattern fcil shifts into afcal to emphasise the intended meaning of the
word and the message conveyed to the recipient, as in:
226
[rabbukum aclam bikum ] Q. 17: 54

Here, the word aclam, which is in the pattern of afcal, is rhetorically used to
mean clim, which is in the pattern of fcil, meaning the All-Knower.
6.5 Shifting from facl into facil
The pattern facl shifts into facil to simplify the pronunciation through
removing al-madd letter (lengthening), i.e., al-y, as in:
[ yaqlu al-kfirna hdha yawmun casir] (Q. 54: 8)
Here, the word casir, which is in the pattern of facil, is rhetorically used to
mean casr, which is in the pattern of facl, meaning this is a hard, terrible, horrifying
and distressful day.
6.6 Shifting from facala into fcil
In some other situations in the Qur'an, the pattern fcil is employed instead of
facala for some certain considerations. In other words, it is rhetorically and
stylistically motivated, as in:

(

)442 :) (
[inna al-munfiqna yukhdicn Allaha wa-hwa khdicuhum wa-idha qam illa alsalati qam kusla yurn al-nsa wa-la yadhkurn Allaha illa qalla ] (Q. 4: 142)
Here, the 3rd person masculine plural verb yukhdicn is of the pattern fcila,
which is derived from al-mufcla, which indicates al-mushraka (reciprocity or
mutual participation of the parties involved in the action). On the macro-level, the
context of situation narrates or describes the stereotypical repetitive practice of
hypocrites, regarding their support to the disbelievers and their hostility towards the
believers and intrigues against them.
227
The verse refers concisely but precisely to the long and various histories of
hypocrites' cunning schemes against the believers, who abide by the rulings of Allah
and the teachings of His messenger. To explain, the hypocrites deceptively conceived
that their evil plot against the believers had a favorable outcome. In doing so, they
enjoyed life to the full, and indulged in unrestrained pleasures and desires, mistakenly
believing that they could scheme against Allah (see Q. 57: 13-15). Accordingly, the
shift here in the verbal mood is rhetorically and stylistically motivated; it is
functioned to jog the listeners' memory, especially the believers', and to be fully aware
of the hypocrites' failure scheme and of their unexpectedly overtaken punishment at
the end reciprocally.
6.6.1.1 Qur'anic Intertextuality
There is another fascinating feature of the Qur'an, i.e., explainability. In other
words, the Qur'an interprets itself, and what is briefly mentioned somewhere in the
Qur'an is elaborately given elsewhere. Thus, any embedded or hidden ambiguity
becomes unfold through tracing thematically and semantically similar verses in
various situations throughout the Qur'an.
6.6.2.1 Potentiality-versus-Decisiveness-based Choice of Verbs
Another unique feature of the Qur'anic rhetoric is the choice of verb forms,
which are morphologically various, for certain considerations inherent in the given
context and in conformity with the given situation. In other words, the verbal shift
indicates rhetorical function grasped through attentive care and in-depth study of the
shift taken place to get the intended message and to react accordingly in a certain way.
To explain, the imperfect verb yukhdic, i.e., form III, implies the potentiality of the
doer to achieve his/her goal unlawfully or illegally by any means. Additionally, it
228
presents a factitive view of the status quo of the hypocrites at anytime, who used to
practice deception in the past during the spread of Islam. It is a recurrent picturesque
image of the same attitude or behavior by the same type of people.
6.6.2.2 Generality of Wording vs. the Specificity of Occasion
Some scholars refute the specific occasion-based significance, citing the most
common juristic rule, i.e., cumm al-laf l khu al-sabab (the generality of the
wording rather than the specificity of the occasion). They firmly believe that the
wisdom learnt while reading the Qur'an, unless otherwise stated clearly or implied
overtly in accordance with authorized exegeses, is not confined to the surrounding
habitat or arena of the revelation at that time or the specified circumstances of the
verse at hand, but to the general meaning intended.
On the other hand, the nominative masculine active participle khdic implies
the static reaction, in a manner suitable to the Creator only, in retaliation for their
intended action, targeting a potential goal, but dynamic, in a sense that it is valid for
any time and any place. In other words, it implies continuity plus decisiveness
predetermined in Allah's knowledge. Generally speaking, the active participle
employed in any given context differs functionally from the imperfect verb; the
former is used to indicate a factitive and stable image of the reaction taken, whereas
the latter is liable to change, either to cease or to take another shape. Accordingly,
accurate and adequate choice of words adds to the grandeur of the Qur'an.
6.6.2.3 Tense-induced Rhetoric
Splendidly, the hypocrites' evil practice is expressed in the present simple
form, i.e., yukhdicn, which consists of yukhdic, 3rd person masculine (form III)
imperfect verb+(n), subject pronoun, indicating plural form. This tense implies a
recurrent situation or state in all times. Furthermore, it implies that their recurrent
229
attempts are no longer valid or successful, as the past form would read as follows:
[inna al-munafiqin khadac/khdic Allah] (Surely, the hypocrites did deceive
Allah/are deceiving Allah). Thus, the original reveals their human failure as opposed
to their challenge to their Creator. In other words, the verse shows their foolishness
and stupidity to think, not to proceed indeed, of the possibility of attaining their evil
goal.
6.6.3 Output Header
It is quite important to have a close look at the translations of the verse at hand:
Abdel-Haleem: The hypocrites try to deceive God, but it is He Who causes them to
be deceived. When they stand up to pray, they do so sluggishly, showing off in front
of people, and remember God only a little.
Ghl: Surely the hypocrites try to deceive Allah, and He is deceiving them; and
when they rise up for prayer, they rise up lazily, showing off to (other) men, and they
do not remember Allah except a little.
h : Veirly, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allh, but it is He Who deceives them.
And when they stand up for As-Salt (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be
seen of men, and they do not remember Allh but little.
Zidan: Surely the hypocrites seek to deceive God, but God is leaving them to deceive
themselves, and if they stand up pray, they stand up lazily to be seen of the people,
and do not remember God except a little.
6.6.3.1 Similarity-based Approach
Abdel-Haleem and Ghl successfully opt for rendering yukhdicn into "try to
deceive", which implies their serious and recurrent attempts and great failure at the
same time. Additionally, there is another semantic value inherent in their acceptable
choice of words, that is, the possibility of success or failure, which the verb "try"
implies. Due to either their professionality and experience or coincidence, they have
succeeded in choosing the verb "try" for the following reasons:
230
- It implies a hidden intent to achieve one's goal in general, regardless of being good
or bad, as defined by Concise Oxford English Dictionary Online (COED), as follows:
"to make an effort to achieve; to make an effort with a view to success";
- It implies one's attempt to use any means to get benefits, as defined by COED
Online, as follows: "to examine the effectiveness or usefulness of for a purpose";
- It implies one's attempt to test the outcomes, as defined by COED Online, as
follows: "to make an experiment to find out."
Similarly, Kh n and Zidan have succeeded in rendering yukhdicn into "seek
to deceive", regardless of being intentional or not. Having consulted the COED
Online, there is no big difference between "seek" and "try." But, the former is more
comprehensive than the latter in a sense that "seek" implies "determination" plus
"attempt", as it's defined by COED Online, as follows: "to try or want to find or get."
Thus, the translators attempt to show the failure of the hypocrites to deceive Allah,
and to express verbally the unattainability of their goal, though their persistence and
serious attempts.
Thus, translationg yukhdicn into Eglish is not problematic, as the four
translators have successfully found an appropriate equivalent, capable of conveying
the message properly.
6.6.3.2 Dissimilarity-based Approach
As for the second part of the verse, it seems that the four translators are
divided into two parties; namely, literal-oriented approach, represented by Gh l and
Kh n, and semantic-oriented approach, represented by Abdel-Haleem and Zidan.
. .3.3 Gh
's
's i e a
roach
As for Ghl, he seems to be aware of the morphological distinction

embedded; he renders the clause wa-hua khdicuhum into "and He is deceiving them."
231
He prefers the present progressive tense to express the hypocrites' failure regarding
their vain expectations of deceit, and, secondly, to show the ever determined and
known result, i.e., Allah's will is of perpetual priority. In doing so, he adheres to the
literal approach of translation; he maximizes the significance of the original at the
expense of the target text. He is totally satisfied to stick to verbatim translation to
avoid misunderstanding based on self-subjectivity approach or exegesis. Thus, this
verbatim approach may be acceptable, but not accurate, as it lacks the rhetorical
effectiveness of the original.
As for Kh n, his translation lacks here the grandeur of the Qur'anic Arabic; it
sticks to the surface meaning of the verse, and thus the translation loss is inevitable.
He overlooks the semantic connotations inherent in the morphological shift in
yukhdicn and khdicum. Accordingly, his translation reflects either his unawareness
of the fully target equivalent, or his unawareness of the linguistic difference
embedded in the two morphological forms.
6.6.3.4 Abdel-Haleem's & Zidan's Semantic Approach
As for Abdel-Haleem, he also seems to be aware of the rhetorical purpose
inherent in the shift in the two morphological forms, i.e., yukhdic, which is of the
pattern yufcil, and khdic, which is of the pattern fcil. Accordingly, he avoids the
verbatim approach to translation and prefers the communicative one instead.
Professionally, he renders wa-hua khdicuhum into "it is He who causes them to be
deceived." Though the original is concise, he has elaborately reproduced it, to fill the
gap inherent in the lack of the full English equivalent, and to unfold the ambiguity
may result from literal translation. Here, he reproduces the original accurately, in a
manner suitable to Allah, the Almighty, and acceptable and imaginable to the reader.
To explain, he differentiates between the action undertaken by the hypocrites and the
232
bad consequence thereof, being fully aware of the divine attributes of Allah. In doing
so, he keeps the original intact, since no two languages are completely similar,
through rendering the intended message accurately and professionally due to being
competent
in
the
two
languages.
Additionally,
he
avoids
distortion
or
misunderstanding, resulting from translation loss.

As for Zidan, his primary duty here is to decode the message of the ST
appropriately and to re-encode it accurately to the target reader, preserving the same
impact the original has. Obviously, Zidan is fully aware of the morphological
distinction between yukhdicn and khdicum, which have distinctive connotations,
requiring a highly sensitive caring translator. His rendition is not a mere replacement
of the two source forms by English equivalents. His approach to translation is direct,
where he focuses on distinguishing between the present form yukhdicn and the
active participle form khdicum.
It is clear that Abdel-Haleem's and Zidan's ultimate goal is an accurate transfer
of meaning, which "does not sound like a translation", but rather it should sound "like
it was written originally in the receptor language" Larson, 1984, p. 16 . Unlike Kh n
and Ghl, they focus on the meaning, abiding by the most authentic exegeses. They
do not translate it literally, but semantically. Although the original is concise, both of
them have to find a set of equivalent words to convey the meassage properly. In doing
so, they professionally refute any possible similitude of deception between the
hypocrites and Allah. Communitvely, they render khdicum into a phrase entailing
divine predetermination and guilty pleaure as well. In other words, his rendition is
exegetically oriented.
233

1- Verily, the hypocrites try in vain to deceive Allah; they perform prayers inactively;
they pretend to be worshippers before people; they rarely glorify Allah.
2- Indeed, the hypocrites stealthily act to deceive Allah, Who will punish them
thereof; they improperly and hardly perform prayers; they pretend to be worshippers
before people; they rarely glorify Allah.
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
20%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
20%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
(D)
40%
Zidan
(E)
20%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of yukhdicn and khdicum. Here, the
total number of responses is shown, as follows: 4 participants (representing 20%)
preferred Abdel-Haleem's translation; 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred my
suggested translation; 8 participants (representing 40%) preferred Kh n's translation;
and, finally, 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred Zidan's translation.
The majority of the participants, i.e., 8 participants (representing 40%),
preferred Kh n's translation and the other participants preferred the remaining
234
translations, excluding Ghl's translation. Each of them had his own personal
justification. For example, one of the participants commented on his preference of
Abdel-Haleem's translation, as follows:
The word khdichum takes the form of an active participle, which describes an
inherent characteristic. Translating it as causes them to be deceived
communicates the meaning, because the deception by Allah to hypocrites is
more serious than they think it is, whereas their plots are actually futile. They
are deceived without being aware that theyre driven to their doom. Using also
it is He Who emphasizes the adverse effects of their hypocrisy, which turn to
afflict them instead of causing worldly gains.1
Others preferred my translation as it is 'simpler', whereas some participants
preferred Zidan's translation as it is considered, according to them, the best among
the five translations.2
Though the renditions of Abdel-Haleem and Zidan seem to be acceptable, they
do not show the rhetorical and stylistic effectiveness of the original. Since a
translation cannot replace the original, and since no two languages are identical, an
exegetical approach to Qur'an translation is highly recommendable. Accordingly, a
proper and consensual exegesis is preferable. In this regard, the following translation
may be reasonable:
1- Verily, the hypocrites try in vain to deceive Allah; they perform prayers inactively;
they pretend to be worshippers before people; they rarely glorify Allah.
2- Indeed, the hypocrites stealthily act to deceive Allah, Who will punish them
thereof; they improperly and hardly perform prayers; they pretend to be worshippers
before people; they rarely glorify Allah.
6.6.4.4 Translation by Omission Strategy
In the first proposed translation, I followed Translation by Omission Strategy,
in which I ignored the phrase wa-hua khdicum, not because it is not particulary
important. The real reason is that its translation may unnecessarily distort the target
text and disambiguate the message. Thus, I focused completely on the false act of the
235
hypocrites, using the modifier in vain to prove their failure in performance before the
Creator.
As for the second proposed translation, I adopted the exegeses of al- aghaw
(d. 516/1122), al-R z d. 604/1207 and al-Qurub d. 671/1272 , which revolve
around the following interpretation of the phrase wa-hua khdicum: [mujzihim bi-alc
iqb cala khidcihim] (inevitably, they will be punished for their deception).
Here, their interpretation shows the possible paradox inherent in al-
mushkalah (the seemingly contextual agreement), as shown below, between the two
forms yukhdicn and khdicum. Though they seem to have a similar connotation, one
of them differently signifies the opposite, as discussed earlier.
6.6.4.5 Suitably Representative Metaphor
Here, the shift implies a representative metaphor, which matches the context
of situation in retaliation for the hypocrites' evil deeds and cunning schemes. Its
rhetorical efficacy, in which the Qur'an as a whole abounds, is highly and richly
reinforced through al-mushkalah (the seemingly-contextual agreement), i.e., which
depends upon the use of near-synonyms in neighboring words, implying extra
connotations within the context, unlike the micro-level ones, i.e., the surface ones, due
to the act of lexical collocation. It is based on borrowing or employing a word, which
is similar to another root-cognate one, to indicate a connotation contrary to its first
sense; however, the semantic value between the signified and the signifier is derived
only from the word's imitation. In other words, it is a cluster of words, which has the
same pronunciation and spelling, but they differ in their intended meanings as in the
verse of cAmr ibn Um Kulthm, as follows:

...
[al l yajhalan ahadun calayn fa-najhala fawqa jahli al-jhlna]
236
[We only overstep the standards of proper conduct the way we are overstepped.]
(Translation is mine)
Here, the word fa-najhala is lexically similar to yajhalana. Both of them are
derived from the same stem, i.e., jm-h -l m (--), but they denote contrary
meanings within the context at hand. Literaly, both of them indicate the accusation of
being ignorant. But, technically and according to the context, the former means bad
temper, rage or fury, as opposed to patience, resulting in bad deeds, whereas the
latter indicates the retribution incurred due to the impoliteness of the ignorant, though
punishment and disciplinary rules are irrelevant to ignorance.
237
6.7 Shifting from fcil into facl

For example, in Srat al-Ins n (the Man), verse no. 3, there is a morphological
shift from fcil into facl, as follows:
)3 :) ( (
[inn- hadaynhu al-sabla imma shkira wa-imma kafra] (Q. 76: 3)
Here, there are two different patterns, i.e., fcil, for the word shkir, and facl,
for kafr. In other words, there is a shift in the Quranic discourse. Purportedly, the
verse reads as follows:
) (
[inn- hadaynhu al-sabla imma shkira wa-imma kfira]
Or
) (
[inn- hadaynhu al-sabla imma shakra wa-imma kafra]
Here, the reader noticeably discovers that there is a shift in the morphological
patterns used in the above verse. In other words, such a shift is rhetorically employed
to let the reader think attentively of the reason behind it. Consensually, it is regarded
as one of the rhetorical and inimitable aspects of the Quran that cannot be imitated
because it is not haphazardly used, but it is functionally employed to convey a certain
message to the recipient (cf. Ibn al-Athr (d. 637/1239), 1959, II, p. 180).
Although the two patterns indicate hyperbole in description, there is wisdom
behind shifting from fcil into facl. Such wisdom cannot be realized on the surface
level, but on the deeper one instead to apprehend the intended message. To explain
the verse says that Allah has showed the way to mankind, and has made it clear to
them, and, thus, they are free to be grateful or ungrateful.
238
As for the wisdom behind such a morphological shift, some exegetes of the
Quran justify and explain the reason behind such a shift in the patterns used in the
Quranic discourse. Al-Qurub d. 671/1272 , for example, comments saying that the
active participle, i.e., shkir, is rhetorically employed in the previous verse to indicate
that not all the human beings, but a few of them, are grateful to Allah, the Creator.
But, as for the ingratitude and the denial of the blessings granted by Allah, the
hyperbolic pattern kafr is rhetorically employed in the previous verse (al-Qurub (d.
71/1272), XXI, p. 450). Other exegetes state that such a pattern suits the majority who
deny the countless blessings of Allah, whereas the pattern shkir suits the minority,
who thank Allah and seek His pleasure. That is why the morphological shift is
functionally and reasonably used in the Quranic discourse (Abdul-Raof, 2001, pp.
42-3).
6.7.1.1 Functionality of the Active Participle
According to al- iq c d. 885/1480 , the active participle is rhetorically
employed without hyperbole to imply the impossibility of thanking all the countless
bounties and blessings of Allah. Thus, he differentiates between the two epithets of
shakr and shkir. To explain, the former is semantically used to imply one's
permanent and continuous gratitude by the grace of Allah, whereas the latter is
semantically used to imply one's intermittent and random gratitude (XXI, pp. 133134).
.7.1.2 The Qu a ic e evance Theory
In this regard, al- iq c d. 885/1480 maximizes the importance of cilm
munsabt al-Qur'an the Quranic relevance theory in decoding the context of
situation and the rhetoric of the Quran, as follows:
c
ilm munsabt al-Qur'an the Quranic relevance theory) is a branch of

knowledge by which the secrets of its internal arrangement are unveiled or
239
decoded, and which is known as the secret of rhetoric, aiming at the

concordance between the intended meanings and the context of situation. Its
perfection requires being fully aware of the skopos of the sura under discussion.
In doing so, the intentionality of its all sentences will be clearly stated. Thus, it
was of great importance, and it was highly appreciated, due to its close
relatedness to the science of exegesis, which is similar to that of eloquence to
syntax.3 (Translation is mine) (I, p. 6)
According to al- iq c, the hyperbole pattern is used to show the inseparable
imperfection of mankind, accompanied by denial and transgression somehow, to be
fully aware of the expected consequences hereof, feeling ashamed of his/her
ingratitude as opposed to Allah's tolerance and forgiveness, and repenting constantly.
Also, it may imply that denying one bounty leads to denying all bounties (XXI, pp.
133-134).
6.7.1.3 Rhetoric of the Patterns Arrangement
The verse is finally concluded with shkir, which is in the pattern fcil, first,
and, then, followed by kafr, which is in the pattern facl, due to the originality of the
former and its preference over the latter. To explain, man is innately created to be
grateful to Allah, the Creator. In this regard, al- iq c quotes a saying of the Prophet
(pbuh) as follows: "Every child is innately born with a true faith, i.e., to worship non
but Allah Alone, till his/her tongue expresses on his/her behalf, either gratefully or
ungratefully"4 (Translation is mine). Thus, man is inherently created to thank the
Creator for His countless bounties.
6.7.2.1 The Emphatic Particle inn-
The verse begins with the emphatic particle inn-, comprising inn, i.e., arf
nsikh (an accusative particle), and , i.e., 1st person plural object pronoun. It is
functionally employed to refute the false assumption of the polytheists or pagans, who
claim the falsification of the Quran (Ibn cshr, 2000, XXIX, p. 376).
240
In this regard, rhetoricians deny repetition and tautology in Arabic. For

instance, they narrate a tale on the authority of Ibn al-Anb r d. 328/939 showing the
adequacy of Arabic. It is narrated that al-kind, a famous philosopher, went to Ab alc
Abb s and said: 'There is redundancy in Arabic.' Ab al-cAbb s inquired: "In which
situation did you notice that?" The man answered: "I noticeably found the Arabs
practising it. For example, they say: cAbdullah qim, inna cAbdallahi qim, and
inna cAbdallahi la-qim. Thus, there is redundancy, though the meaning is the
same." Then, Ab al-cAbb s commented: "The meanings are different due to the
difference in words. To justify, their first statement, i.e., cAbdallahi qim, refers to
the action of standing, and their second statement, i.e., inna cAbdallahi qim, is an
answer to a question, whereas their final statement, i.e., inna cAbdallahi la-qim, is a
reply to whoever denies that cAbdullah is standing"'5 (Translation is mine) (al-Jurjan
(d. 471-74?/1078-81?),1984, p. 315.; Ali, 2011, p. 52).
Consequently, the repetition of words, especially in Arabic, does not
necessarily imply the same meaning. On the surface level, they seem to be redundant
or repetitive, but, on the deeper one, they denote a certain kind of meaning. In
addition, the previous dialogue shows the ignorance of the inquirer as he lacks the
faculty for grasping the Arabic rhetoric.
6.7.2.2 Functionality of the Particle imma
Here, the particle imma can be variously interpreted in accordance with the
context. For example, it may be interpreted either as adt tafl (an
elaboration/explanation particle), which in turn implies the multiple moods or
attitudes and the unity of the self. In doing so, it means We guided mankind the way
by which s/he achieves the target, i.e., the right path, through universal signs, after
241
reaching the age of taklf (discretion or maturity), in case of both thankfulness and
ingratitude.
On the other hand, this particle may be interpreted as adt taqsm (a division
particle) for the guided, including various identities and attributes. In doing so, it
means We guided him/her the way over which they are deeply divided; some are
thankful, being guided by the truth, and some else are ungrateful, through turning
away from the right path. Briefly, it simply interprets, as follows: "We showed
him/her the guidance and Islam, among them some who are Muslims and some else
who are disbelievers" (al-Als d. 1270/1853) (n.d.), XXIX, p. 153; al-Zamakhshar
(d. 538 / 1143) (1998), VI, p. 275).
6.7.2.3 Relevance-based Interpretation
The final part of the verse, i.e., imma shkira wa-imma kafra, could be
variably and flexibly interpreted within the context. First, this phrase may be
interpreted as a resumed explanatory phrase, which qualifies the first object al-insn,
represented in the 3rd person masculine singular object pronoun, i.e., al-h, in the
verb hadaynhu. Thus, it means that Allah metaphorically shows the right path to
mankind, who will be divided into two groups: thankful and ungrateful (al-Als d.
1270/1853), n.d., XXIX, p. 153; al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1143 , VI, p. 275).
inn- hadaynhu
al-insn
either
or
shkiran
kafran
Secondly, it may be interpreted as a resumed explanatory phrase, which

qualifies the second object, i.e., al-sabl, an accusative masculine noun. Thus, it
242
means that Allah metaphorically shows mankind the right path, through which s/he is
to be thankful, or through which s/he is to be ungrateful (al-Als d. 1270/1853 , n.d.,
XXIX, p. 153; al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1143 , VI, p. 275).
inn- hadaynhu al-sabl
either
or
imma sablan shkiran
imma sablan kafran
6.7.2.4 Al-Zamakhshar's Interpretation of imma

There is another interpretation adopted by al-Zamakhshar (d. 538 / 1143) for
imma al-tafliyyah (an explanatory particle). According to him, it implies the
meaning of a circumstantial condition in the sense of imma shkiran fa-bi-tawfqina,
meaning in case of being thankful, it is due to success granted by Allah; or it may be
in the sense of wa-imma kafran fa-bi-s ikhtiyarih, meaning in case of being
ungrateful, it is due to one's wrong choice (VI, p. 275; al-Als d. 1270/1853 , n.d.,
XXIX, p. 153; Ibn cshr, 1984, XXIX, p. 376).
6.7.2.5 Al- s's I e
e a io of imma
Also, according to al-Als d. 1270/1853 , this particle is interpreted in

accordance with the ellipsis implicitly embedded in the phrase to be conceived as
follows: "imma shkiran fa-muthb, meaning being thankful, you will be rewarded
and wa-imma kafran fa-mucqab, meaning being ungrateful, you will be punished
(XXIX, p. 153).
6.7.2.6 Shift from kfira into kafra
Here, the hyperbole pattern kafra is functionally employed to maintain
fawil al-yt (regular verse endings) or (refrain verse endings) and to draw one's
attention to the fact that it is rare to come across a fully grateful man, but s/he is to
243
blame in case of excessive ingratitude (al-Als d. 1270/1853 , XXIX, p. 153; alZamakhshar (d. 538 / 1143), VI, p. 275).
In addition, the expression of al-huda (guidance) is associated with al-shukr
(thankfulness) prior to al-kufr (ingratitude), as the former takes precedence over the
heart of the guided, especially after being reminded by Allah that man was nothing
before their birth, then Allah created them. To explain, man is granted the senses of
hearing, seeing and the faculty of gaining knowledge, then the right path is differently
shown and clearly distinguished among others to choose freely which one to take or
tread (Qub, 2003, VI, p. 3780).
Now, after discussing the reason behind the morphological shift inherent in the
above verse, a close look at the translation of the previous verse reveals the following:
Abdel-Haleem: "We guided him to the right path, whether he was grateful or not"
(Q. 76: 3).
Zidan: "Indeed, We showed him the way, it is for him whether he is grateful or
ungrateful" (Q. 76: 3).
h : "Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful" (Q.
76: 3).
Ghl: "Surely, We have guided him upon the way, whether he be thankful or most
disbelieving" (Q. 76: 3).
As for the evaluation of the above translations, the said translators have opted
for a different approach to translation, as shown below:
6.7.3.1 Equivalence-oriented Approaches
As shown above, it is obvious that the four translators are divided into two
parties: Abdel-Haleem, Zidan, and Kh n, who prefer "dynamic equivalence" (Nida,
1964, p. 159), which "seeks to render the original language with a language (words
and syntax) in the receiver language that has the same function as the original"
244
(Cosgrove & Edgerton, 2007: 39, emphasis in the original), on one hand. In other
words, they seek to express the meaning of the original into clear and contemporary
English. On their part, the importance of this approach lies in its clarity and
simplicity; however, interpretive bias may be closely associated with the TT.
6.7.3.2 Exegetical Translation
Here, Abdel-Haleem is much influenced by the exegesis of al-Zamakhshar,
ignoring the emphasis in the very beginning of the verse inherent in the emphatic
particle inn-. For example, the original does not specify or qualify al-sabl, which is
interpreted into "We showed him (mankind) the route to misery and bliss" by
Muj hid, or into "the womb from which a baby emerges" by Ab li and al-Sudiyy,
or "We showed him the route to monotheism through obvious signs" (Translation is
mine; al-Qurub (d. 671/ 1272), 2006, XXI, p. 449).
Also, Abdel-Haleem renders imma shkira wa-imma kafra into "whether he
was grateful or not." In doing so, he renders the original in accordance with the
ellipted meaning herein, which is sawan kana shkiran aw kana kafran as stated
by al-Zamakhshar and al-Shawk n. Although his rendition is grammatically and
semantically acceptable, it is not accurate in accordance with the original. It does not
show the grandeur and rhetoric of the original inherent in the morphological shift
from fcil into facl, exemplified by kafra instead of kfira. Here, he sacrifices the
rhetorical considerations for the norms of the target language, through which he fails
to express the original professionally.
As for Zidan and Kh n, they feel satisfied to render shkir and kafr into
grateful and ungrateful respectively. In doing so, they fail to distinguish between the
two forms in English and overlook the rhetorical and semantic effectiveness inherent
in their morphological shift, i.e., from fcil into facl.
245
6.7.3.3 Tense Incoherence

Zidan's translation seems to be grammatically incoherent. He uses the past
tense in the first part of the verse, as in Indeed, We showed him the way, whereas he
uses the present tense in the second part, as in it is for him whether he is grateful or
ungrateful. According to the exegeses, the verse refers to the predestination and origin
of humanity, and it reminds them of their pre-creation process. Thus, the suitable
tense is the past simple tense. Conversely, Kh n and Gh l avoid the contradiction
inherent in tenses. They choose an ambiguous tense, i.e., 'verb to be', which may be
interpreted as a present or a past tense.
6.7.3.4 Wordiness
As for Zidan, it seems that he sacrifices the target text for the original; he
typically adheres to the exegeses of the Quran, which explain the ellipted meaning
inherent in the original. He interferes in the translation by adding the clause 'it is for
him'. It is unnecessarily added to the target text, as it is repetitive as opposed to the
first half of the verse itself. For example, al-Qurub (d. 671/ 1272), in this regard,
points out: hadaytuhu al-sabl wa-lil-sabl wa-ila-al-sabl (lit., I showed him the way,
or for the way, or to the way) (as cited in al-Farr (d. 207/822), 1983, III, p. 214).
On the other hand, Ghl prefers "formal equivalence" (Nida, 1964, p. 159), or
"formal closeness" (Liu Chan & Pollard, 1997, p. 1037), which is meant to "represent
each word by its literal equivalent in the receiver language and to reproduce the
syntax of the original as far as the receiver language permits without awkwardness"
(Cosgrove & Edgerton, 2007, p. 39). In such a translation, the focus of his attention is
to render the original as close as possible into English and/or to "find the closest
possible equivalent" (Nida, 1964, p. 159). On his part, the importance of this approach
lies in its closeness to the original; however, verbatim can lead to misunderstanding of
246
the meanings of the Quran. Here, the word kafr is derived from al-kufr, that is, the
opposite of al-shukr (gratitude or thankfulness). It indicates jud al-nicmah
(ingratitude) (Ibn Manr d. 711/1311 , 1980, V, p. 3897). In this regard, according
to Muslim scholars, al-kufr is of four kinds:
1-Kufr inkr indicates the denial, or disacknowledgment, of God with the heart and
the tongue, having no knowledge of the unity of God;
2- Kufr jud indicates the acknowledgment with the heart without confessing with
the tongue;
3- Kur al-mucnadah indicates the knowledge of God with the heart, and confession
with the tongue, with refusal to accept [the truth];
4- Kufr al-nifq indicates the confession with the tongue with disbelief in the heart (V,
pp. 3897-3898; Lane, 1968, VII, p. 2621).
Accordingly, the intended meaning is kufr jud in conformity with the
contextual clues inherent in its opposite, i.e., shkir. Thus, it is not kufr inkr as Ghl
presupposes in his rendition. In doing so, he contorts the intended message.
Additionally, he renders inn- hadaynhu al-sabla into "Surely, We have guided him
upon the way." Thus, his translation seems ungrammatical.
[Verily, We showed mankind the path, through which s/he will be either thankful, due
to success granted by Allah, or ungrateful, due to her/his wrong choice.]
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
247
0%
(A)
Proposed
Translation
(B)
20%
Ghl
(C)
40%
Kh n
(D)
0%
Zidan
8
40%
(E)
questionnaire findings regarding the translation of shkir and kafr. Here, the total
number of responses is, as follows: 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred my
translation; 8 participants (representing 40%) preferred Ghl's translation; and,
finally, 8 participants (representing 40%) preferred Zidan's translation.
The majority of the participants, i.e., 16 participants (representing 80%) are
equally divided into two parties: one preferred Ghl's translation and the other
preferred Zidan's, whereas the remaining 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred
my translation. Each of them had his own personal justification. For example, one of
the participants commented on his preference of Ghl's translation, as follows:
The translation reflects the morphological difference between the fcil and facl
patterns. Using just the opposite of the adjective used for the first pattern may
not be effective in highlighting the morphological and the semantic differences.
So, the adjective disbelieving is more expressive than ungrateful or
unthankful, since it shows that man should always be thankful to Allah, or
else he would be designated as a disbeliever.6
Here, the suitable strategy to achieve "the principle of equivalent effect" (Rieu
& Phillips, 1954, p. 760) is to adopt an exegetical approach. To explain, a translator
may render the Quran in accordance with a certain exegesis to convey the message
properly and to avoid translation loss. As for this verse, my above-mentioned
248
translation may be used to make up for the desired effect based upon the exegeses of
al-Als and al-Zamakhshar.
249
6.8 Shifting from fcil into facil

)44 :( ) (
[a-idha kunna ciman nakhirah] (Q. 79: 11)
6.8.1.1 Controversy over the Determinacy of nakhirah and nkhirah
Al-Farr
(d. 207/822) and al-Akhfash (d. 215/830) argue that nakhirah and
nkhirah have the same meaning, and then they are interchangeable, such as al-mic
and al-amic, meaning greedy; and al-bkhil and al-bakhil, meaning stingy. They
believe that the two readings are similar dialects. Consequently, the two readings are
acceptable.
On the contrary, it is said to have different meanings, like Ab cUbaydah, who
states that the attribute nakhirah seems acceptable in accordance with the literature
we traced regarding al-cim (bones), and he denies the soundness of the attribute
nkhirah. For example, nkhirah is said that it is derived from yankhuru, and thus it is
described as nakhir, like cafin, which is the attribute of yacfanu, particularly when it
becomes weary and broken when touched. Also, it is said to mean hollow bones, or
bones having a hole through which the wind blows, producing the sound of al-nakhr,
and thus al-nkhirah is derived from al-nakhr, similar to the sound occurring while
sleeping or suffocation, whereas nakhirah is said to mean wasted and crumbling when
touched.
6.8.1.2 Al-Zamakhsha 's Exegesis
Nakhirah, which is of the pattern facil, is more rhetorical than nkhirah, which
is of the pattern fcil, as the former implies constancy, whereas the latter, recurrence;
for example, al-Zamakhshar differentiates between iq and ayyiq. He justifies the
shift in the two patterns by explaining the connotations implied by the former, which
250
is of the pattern fcil, which is used whenever temporariness or recurrence is meant, as

Prophet Muammad (pbuh) was noted as the most tolerant. On the contrary, the latter,
which is ifah mushabbahah (an epithet or attributive adjective), is used whenever
permanence or constancy is meant. Additionally, he gives another instance to clarify
the meaning and distinction implied. He says: "When you say Zayd sayyid wajawwd, you mean al-siydah (mastery/leadership) and al-jd (generosity), two
permanent attributes or epithets, but when you mean temporary occurrence, you may
say sid and jid." Another distinction is made between al-nkhirah, meaning
partial caries, i.e., the two sides save the center, and al-nakhirah, meaning total
caries. Additionally, Ibn cAtiyyah (d. 546/1151) has another distinction between alnkhirah, which is no longer carious, and al-nakhirah, which is rotten.
6.8.1.3 Al- s's Exegesis
Al-Als d. 1270/1853 states that the most common reading of nakhirah is
more preferable than the less common reading of nkhirah. He refutes the absolute
accuracy of the semantic plurality-induced morphological augmentation; he is of the
opinion that it is not in general cases, provided the patterns are the same. Similarly,
the two patterns we have here are different. To explain, nakhirah is of the pattern facil
and nkhirah is of the pattern fcil. He partially agrees that the latter is agreeable in
form with the endings of the other verses, but this does not necessarily mean that it is
more preferable than the former, or they have equal connotations as most people
believe.
6.8.1.4 Ibn csh 's Exegesis
Ibn cshr justifies the feminine form of the word nakhirah, which is
morphologically derived from the verbal phrase nakhira al-cam. He states that it is
251
syntactically motivated here, as it is agreeable with the al-mawf (substantive noun),

i.e., cim (bones), which is a broken plural that requires femininity in use.
Accordingly, the context is pregnant with astonishment, mockery, and
exclamation. They deny the resurrection by referring to materialism, using their logic,
which contradicts with the absolute power of the Creator. They wonder how their
decayed bodies will be returned into life. The context expresses their towering
dudgeon through the choice of high-low pitch by which are characterized the endings
of the preceding verses, as in al-rjifah, al-rdifah, wjifah, khshicah, and alhfirah, and the succeeding verses, as in khsirah, whidah, and al-shirah.
6.8.2.1 Phonologically-induced Connotation
Here, the Qur'anic rhetoric is vividly shown. To explain, the choice of the
word nakhirah is highly adequate and quite appropriate for the context of situation. In
other words, such a word is rhetorically and stylistically motivated; it is employed to
convey a certain meaning.
The best choice of the word nakhirah matches the state of resentment the
disbelievers felt at that time; the internal structure of the word itself and the
accumulation or the cluster of its letters, i.e., nn-kh -r
(--), enhance their state
of denial, as a loud snoring sound accompanying its pronunciation.

6.8.2.2 Onomatopoeically-formed Words
Here, the disbelievers of Mecca were astonished and surprised when this sura
was revealed; they exclaimed how they will return again to life after death, a case in
which their bodies become dust and bones, decayed, rotten, and wasted.
Each letter has its distinguishing features, orthographically, or phonologically,
depending on its position within the word itself, whether initially, medially, or finally,
252
and the neighboring words. They "imitate the sounds associated with the objects or
actions they refer to" in nature (The American Heritage Dictionary Online). For
example, the word karaca imitates or signifies the sound of water in one's mouth,
passing through one's throat, while drinking. Similarly, the word daraja, meaning he
rose in grade, degree, rank, condition, or station, implies motion from downward to
upward in accordance with the arrangement of these letters; and its opposite is jarada,
implying the motion from upward to downward (cf. Zarqa, 1993, pp. 63-64).
In this regard, Ibn Sna d. 428/1036 elaborates on the formation of Arabic
words that sound like the meaning they represent, as follows:
The letter al-dl is clearly shown while uttering the words al-dandanah
and al-dabdabah; al-h in al-has_hasah, al-hamhamah, and al-hazhazah;
al-qf in al-qahqahah; al-nn in al-nahnahah and al-naqnaqah; al-ww in
al-wawaah; al- in al-amamah; al-b in al-babaah; al-f in alfarfarah; al-d in al-ararah; al-kh in al-kharkharah; al-ghn in alghargharah; al-jm in al-jacjacah; al- in al-ananah; al-zi in alzamzamah; al-th in al-thartharah; al-t in al-tamtamah; and al-mm in
al-malmalah and the like, all of which acoustically imitate the natural
sounds.7 (Translation is mine) (as cited in Zarqa, 1993, p. 58)
6.8.2.3 The Characteristics of al-kh
Al-kh occurs when the back of the tongue rises towards the soft palate,
leaving a small space for exhaling or breathing, causing a stertorous sound, with the
stillness of the vocal cords. It is one of the sounds termed mahmsah (non-vocal), i.e.,
pronounced by the breath only without the voice. That is why it is one of those termed
alqiyyah (faucial or guttural letters) (Ibn Manr (d. 711/1311), 1980, II, p. 1085).
6.8.2.4 Etymologically-based Distinction
Nakhr and nakhr are infinitive nouns of the verb nakhara, i.e., to breathe
from al-khayshm (air-passages of the nose), as in humans, or from nostrils, as in
animals. The former is commonly used than the latter, and which is said of a man, an
ass, and a horse. Additionally, nakhr, a sound which comes out from the nose or the
253
nostrils, differs from shakhr, a sound which comes out from the mouth, and from
karr, a sound which comes out from the chest.
On the other hand, nakhr, an infinitive noun, is derived from nakhir, which is
said of a bone and wood. Nkhir, a masculine form, signifies old and wasted bones,
and nkhirah, a feminine form, a hollow bone, having a hole passing through it, when
the wind blows (Ibn Manr (d. 711/1311), 1980, VI, p. 4375).
Accordingly, there are two readings of the verse (Q. 79: 11), i.e., ciman
nakhirah and ciman nkhirah. Some commentators, such as al-R z d. 604/1207 ,
prefer the former, as it is agreeable in form with the refrain verse endings of the sura,
both the preceding and the succeeding ones, as in al-rjifah, al-rdifah, wjifah,
khshicah, al-firah, khsirah, widah, and al-shirah (Q. 79: 6-14) (XXXI, pp.
36-37).
Abdel-Haleem: They say, What? Shall we be brought back to life, after we have
turned into decayed bones?
Ghl: They will say, "Will we surely be turned back to our former state? Even when
we are decayed bones?"
h : They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life? Even after
we are crumbled bones?"
Zidan: They shall say: "Are we being restored to our former state?" When we have
become hollow rotten bones?"
Here, it is obvious that the translators at hand opt for one-to-one strategy, save
for Zidan, who prefers choosing more adjectival modifiers to unfold the ambiguity
and to avoid controversy about the connotation implied by nakhirah. To explain,
Ghl and Abdel-Haleem reproduce the original similarly; they render nakhirah into
"decayed bones", whether coincidentally or otherwise. Furthermore, Abdel-Haleem
254
interprets the verse interrogatively, but it would be more appropriate if he interpreted

it exclamatory to indicate their wonder and denial of resurrection.
As for Khn, he follows the same footsteps and the same track; he renders it
into "crumbled bones." As for Zidan, he differs from the three translators a little bit;
he renders nakhirah into "hollow rotten bones." In doing so, he opts for two-to-one
strategy; he is much influenced by the commentators' controversy over the
determinacy of nakhirah and nkhirah. All of them replace the components of the L1
by components of L2, formally and not dynamically.
They have succeeded in reproducing the 'textual surfaces' of the original,
being unable to reproduce the rhetorical, stylistic, and situational effectiveness of the
ST. Their failure may result either from the lack of target-language equivalents, or
from their unawareness of the message intended and their inability to express the
grandeur of the Qur'an as a result, and thus translation loss becomes inevitable.
Here, the textual rhetoric, which is morphologically and phonologically
employed, and shown by expressive and eloquent lexical items, has been formally,
not dynamically, reproduced. Accordingly, the target reader does not feel the rhetoric
of the original, but receives it as an ordinary text.
[Astonishingly, they wonder: "What! Shall we be brought back from the grave? How
weary bones return to life?"]
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
13
255
75%
(A)
Proposed
Translation
(B)
0%
Ghl
(C)
0%
Kh n
(D)
0%
Zidan
(E)
25%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of nakhirah and nkhirah. Here, the
total number of responses is, as follows: 13 participants (representing 75%) prefer
Abdel-Haleem's translation and 7 participants (representing 25%) prefer Zidan's
translation.
The participants are divided into two parties: one large party preferred AbdelHaleem's translation and the other remaning number of participants preferred Zidan's.
Each of them has his own personal justification. For example, one of the participants
commented on his preference of Zidan's translation, as follows: It reads better and
makes more sense.8 However, the majority is deeply impressed by Abdel-Haleem's
translation. For example, most of them praised it as 'simple', 'clear', 'direct', and
'contemporary'. On the other hand, the proponents of Zidan's approach praised his
translation as per the following: The facil pattern is thought to give a stronger
meaning and describe a more serious situation than fcil, so it is rendered by the
translator in two adjectives 'hollow rotten' that support the message intended.9
256
I personally prefer a stylistically-oriented approach, which gives priority to the

state and mood of the speakers involved in the situation. As explained earlier, the
verse is an expression of denial and astonishment of the disbelievers, who satirically
wonder how they will return to life after death.
In my translation, I adopted a stylistic approach to translation. I attempted to
render not only the original semantically, but I also verbally expressed the state, as
with regard to the context of situation. I used expressive words, namely
'astonishingly', 'wonder', and wh-question, such as 'what'. These alternatives are
adopted to compensate for the loss associated with the meaning-transfer process,
especially the semantically succinct Arabic word nakhirah.
257
6.9 Shifting from fcil into ficla

For example, in Srat al-Najm (the Star), verse no. 22, there is a
morphological shift from fcil into ficla, as follows:

)22 :) (

(
[tilka idhan qismatun za] (Q. 53: 22)
Al-abar d. 310/923 has an explanation regarding the reference of tilka
idhan. He makes a connection between the preceding verse, i.e., a-lakum al-dhakaru
wa-lahu al-untha, and the verse under discussion. He says that the verse may be
interpreted, as follows: "Do you [disbelievers] claim that males, you like, belong only
to you, and females, you dislike, to Allah. Sure, your claim is unfair" (XXII, p. 51).
6.9.1.1 Multi-layered Interpretation
Here, the verse tilka idhan qismatun za can be interpreted in accordance
with the preceding verse, both on the lexical level and on the semantic level as well.
On the lexical level, tilka idhan qismatun za begins with a feminine singular
demonstrative pronoun, i.e., tilka, which could be syntactically associated with the
final word of the preceding verse, i.e., al-untha, meaning tilka al-nisbah. It is the
closest referent within the context, and it is also followed by feminine sequences, i.e.,
qismah and za, as contextual evidence from which such an interpretation is inferred.
Thus, it can be lexically interpreted as follows: Do you preferably attribute males to
you and undesirably attribute females to Allah? Indeed, attributing females to Allah is
unjust, deniable, and incorrect. Here, tilka is associated with nisbatu al-bnti li-llh
(attributing only females to Allah). This meaning is expressed in other situations in
the Quran. For example, in Srat al-Nal (the Bees), it reads:
[wa-yajcalna li-llhi al-banti subanahu wa-lahum ma-yashtahn] (Q. 16: 57)
258
(And they assign daughters for Allah! -Glory be to Him!- and for themselves (sons,
the issue) they desire!) (Q. 16: 57) (Yusuf Ali's translation)
[wa-yajcalna li-llhi ma-yakrahna wa-taifu alsinatuhum al-kadhiba anna lahum
al-usna la-jarama anna lahum al-nara wa-annahum mufran] (Q. 16: 62)
(They attribute to Allah what they hate (for themselves), and their tongues assert the
falsehood that all good things are for themselves: without doubt for them is the Fire,
and they will be the first to be hastened on into it!) (Q. 16: 62) (Yusuf Ali's
translation)
On the semantic level, the meaning of tilka idhan qismatun za is closely
dependent on that of the preceding interrogative verse, i.e., a-lakum al-dhakaru walahu al-untha? To explain, the demonstrative pronoun singles out qismatun za,
which is the unjust share or division the disbelievers claimed (cf. Ibn cshr, 1984,
XXVII, p. 106).
6.9.1.2 Examples Explained
In this regard, Ibn al-Athr d. 637/1239 differentiates between al-macn
(meanings) and al-tawl (interpretation) or al-aml (syllepsis or semantic
approximation). According to him, the former is simple and clear. It is easily
understandable, whereas the latter is hidden and ambiguous, and it, thus, should be
accompanied by contextual clues. To support this explanation, Ibn al-Athr d. 637/
1239 gives an example from the Quran. As for al-macn (meanings), he rounds off,
as follows:
The verse wa-thiybaka fa-ahhir (Q 74: 4), meaning "And cleanse your
garments", is very clear, and not ambiguous. The word thiybaka (garment/clothing)
does not need to be explained in other words, or to be differently interpreted.
According to him, the meaning is simply grasped from the text in accordance with
259
their surface usage, which is a criterion for understanding the intended meaning (Ibn
al-Athr (d. 637/1239), 1959, I, p. 62).
As for al-tawl (interpretation) or al-aml (syllepsis or semantic
approximation) (Baalbaki, 2008, p. 280), he explains how the same verse could be
differently or contradictorily interpreted in comparison with the collocated lexical
items. To explain, the word thiybaka, which simply means your garment is
interpreted as your heart. Here, it is figuratively and symbolically interpreted. But,
Ibn al-Athr comments that al-muawwil (the interpreter) should provide evidence,
and his interpretation should be grounded, as his/her interpretation violates the surface
meaning induced by the given lexical items (Baalbaki, 2008, p. 280).
Accordingly, the contextual relatedness between any two successive verses is
essential in grasping the intended meaning. In this regard, al-Zarkash d. 794/1391
elaborates on the concept of connectedness as follows:
A meaning, linking two verses together, may be general or specific,
intellectual, or sensuous, or unreal, or of any other type of relationship. It
could be termed as al-talzum al-dhihn (a mental concurrence),
indicating a cause-and-effect, or reason-and-consequence relationship, or
two analogues, or two antonyms, or the like. Or, it could be also termed as
al-talzum al-khrij (a propositional concurrence) inherent in a subjectto-predicate relationship.10 (Trans. by El-Awa, with some modifications of
mine, p. 9) (I, p. 131)
6.9.1.3 Identifying the Authoritative Voice11
Here, this verse is preceded by a rhetorical question, inherent in [alakum aldhakaru wa-lahu al-untha?] (Do males, the superior gender in your view, belong to
you, and females, the inferior gender in your view, to Allah?). This rhetorical question
shows how the disbelievers were unfair, and their argument seems illogical, as Allah
(glory be to Him) has neither a child nor a concubine (Q. 72: 3). He is the only
Creator of everything and the All-Omniscient (Q. 6: 101). Thus, it is functioned to
emphasise and negate their allegation and their lies. Also, it is followed by a
260
reprehensibly authoritative voice inherent in [in hiya illa asmun sammaytumha

antum wa-bakum ma-anzala Allahu bi-ha min suln] (Sure, those idols are mere
names, with no real existence, both you and your forefathers have fabricated) to refute
their false assumption (al- iq c d. 885/1480), XIX, pp. 59-60).
6.9.1.4 Al-itibk (Reciprocal Ellipsis)12
Lexically, al-itibq is derived from abaka al-shay, meaning to hold or
tighten firmly, and abaka al-thawb, meaning to interweave artistically, and abaka
amrahu, meaning to behave reasonably (cf. al-Mucjam al-Wa, 2004; Amad M.
c
Umar, 2008); al-R z d. 666/1268 , Mukhr al-i, 1986). Technically, it is a
type of ellipsis employed in an utterance, which entails two-relevant-and-coherent

antitheses. One is explicitly stated, whereas the other is implicitly and elliptically
omitted, due to its implication expressed by its counterpart (cf. al-Zamakhshar (d.
538 / 1143), 1998, III, p. 129; al- iq c (d. 885/1480), IV, p. 263).
Thus, it is a linguistic device, employed extensively in the Quran, as a
distinguishing feature, rhetorically and stylistically-motivated. It is peculiar to Arabic
in general and the Quran in particular to avoid redundancy and to stir one's
enthusiasm towards understanding the intended message. In other words, brevity in
structure and emotive effectiveness in style are intentionally oriented (cf. alZamakhshar (d. 538 / 1143), 1998, III, p. 129; al- iq c d. 885/1480 , IV, p. 263).
According to al- iq c d. 885/1480 , the verse entails itibq, in which the
verse tilka idhan qismatun za is explicitly mentioned to indicate two elliptical
utterances in two relevant given situations, i.e., first, worshipping false goddesses
other than Allah and, secondly, attributing only females to Allah. To explain, on the
deeper level, the verses can be read, as follows:
261
[a-faraaytum
al-Lt
wal-cUzza*13
wa-Mant
al-thlithata
al-ukhra
allat
itakhadhtumha liha min dn Illh] 14 (Q. 53: 19-20)

[tilka al-anm allat itakhadhtumha liha min dn Illh idhan qismatun za] (Q.
53: 22) (XIX, p. 59).
My translation: (Do you consider al-Lt, al-cUzza, and the third one, i.e., Mant,
deities other than Allah?) (Q. 53: 19-20)
(Nay! These idols you consider goddesses other than Allah are indeed nothing but a
false allegation.) (Q. 53: 22)
Here, the feminine demonstrative pronoun, i.e., tilka, is rhetorically
functioned, either to refer to the immediate preceding feminine referent, i.e., the third
Mant, or to all the preceding feminine referents, i.e., al-Lt, al-cUzza, and Mant. All
these deities the disbelievers intentionally feminized to allegedly assume their
similitude to the effeminacy of the angels, let alone their claim that the angels are the
daughters of Allah (al- iq c d. 885/1480 , XIX, p. 59).
[a-lakum al-dhakaru duna al-untha min al-khalq wa-lahu al-untha duna al-dhakar
min al-khalq] (Q 53: 21)
[tilka al-nisbah idhan qismatun za] (Q. 53: 22)
My translation: (Do you attribute only male creatures, and not females, to you? And
attribute female creatures, and not males, to Allah?) (Q. 53: 21)
(Nay! Such an attribution is indeed illogical.) (Q. 53: 22)
Here, tilka, the feminine demonstrative pronoun, is rhetorically functioned
either to refer to the immediate preceding feminine referent, i.e., al-untha (female), or
to the attribution of the two genders, i.e., qismah (division). Thus, this linguistic
device is rhetorically functioned here to negate the two allegations of the disbelievers.
Furthermore, it is stylistically employed to avoid unnecessary or wordy phrases and
262
stir up the recipient's attention, being fully aware of the given context and the
intended message (al- iq c d. 885/1480 , XIX, p. 59).
6.9.1.5 Apparently Thematic Disconnectivity15
Unfamiliarity with the norms of any language in general and Arabic in
particular results in misunderstanding and, thus, false assumptions related to form and
content. For instance, in the case of the Quran, it is arguably said that the Quran
lacks coherence, due to "misplacements occurred during the process of editing the
text", as claimed by Richard Bell (1991), or connectivity, and abounds in ambiguity.
ut, in reality, this is not true, as the Quran communicatively addresses all humanity,
in a highly literary style of language, imbued with a deep understating of its sublime
techniques, challenging Quraysh, the people of rhetoric and poetry, to provide similar
eloquent work.
So convincing was the view of al- iq c d. 885/1480 , revolving around the
impossibility of understanding the Quran in isolation of the order of verses, namely
consecutive ones (Sperber & Wilson, (1986/1995), p. 200). In this regard, according
to him, one's inability to 'uncover the implicit implications' and 'the fabulous
meanings' is due to one's failure to realize the connectivity of the verses of the Quran
(El-Awa, 2006, p. 16).
6.9.1.6 Rhythmic Symphony
Qub 2003 expands greatly on the order of the verses, in the whole sura in
particular and the Quran in general. Not only is it eloquently interweaved as a
rhythmic symphony, but it is also imbued with rhymed verse endings, both on the
'inter-verse' level, i.e., 'between the verses of each sura', and on the 'inter-sura' level,
i.e., 'between the preceding and consecutive suras throughout the Quran (El-Awa,
2006, p. 11).
263
Qub is completely convinced of the purposefully fabulous order, clearly

shown in some certain situations, through the accurate choice of words and rhymes
for the sake of cadence, not to mention the intended meaning, conveyed by the text as
usual, as every single word is intentionally employed in its adequate given context.
For instance, the word al-ukhra is functioned both rhythmically, to maintain the
metrical pattern of the verses, and meaningfully, to mock the disbelievers and the
manner they worshipped their idols.
6.9.1.7 Hapax Legomenon Qur'anic Term
Through an attentive reading of the Quran, uniqueness and adequate choice of
wording are the salient features of such a religious text. Here, the suitable choice of
za, morphologically, orthographically and phonologically, obviously shown in its
weird combination of al-d and al-za, resulting in difficulty in pronunciation,
matches the context of situation. Its uniqueness lies obviously in its first mention
throughout the Quran. Therefore, its unique and single use indicates the oblique and
odd stance adopted by the disbelievers, touching upon their unfair and illogical
allegations.
6.9.2.1 Potential Referentiality of tilka
The demonstrative pronoun tilka is rhetorically employed. In Arabic, it is used
to refer to a feminine singular animate or inanimate object; it is used for persons or
things. It consists of the letter al-t, a feminine demonstrative pronoun, followed by
the letter lm, which is termed as lm al-bucd (vocative remote lm), implying a faroff referent, and the letter al-kf, which is termed as kf al-khib (kf of address),
implying a singular second person addressee.
264
Rhetorically speaking, this demonstrative pronoun refers in this context to an

ellipted
utterance,
i.e.,
tilka
al-qisma
qismatun
za,
meaning
that
share/allotment/quota is unfair, or tilka al-nisbah qismatun za, meaning that

attribution is unfair or illogical. In this regard, al-R z d. 604/1207 elaborates on
elucidating the unjust process undertaken by the pagans. He affirms that they claimed
first that angels are the daughters of Allah, and, secondly, attributed females to Allah
and males to themselves. They were accustomed to hating or disliking the former, as
revealed in another verse, as follows: [wa-yajcalna li-llhi ma-yakrahn] (Q. 16: 62).
Thus, according to al-R z (d. 604/1207), the attribution or the false allegation is
considered an unjust allotment (XVIII, pp. 297-298).
As for idhan, it is termed in Arabic arf fajah (a surprise particle). In other
words, Ibn Sdah d. 458/1065 elucidates its definition, as follows: "It indicates
jawb (a reply), and it also implies jaz, i.e., reward or punishment, signifying 'if so
accordingly', or 'if it is as you mentioned or as it happened'" (Ibn Manr (d.
711/1311), 1980, I, p. 49).
6.9.2.2 Functionality of idhan
According to al-R z d. 604/1207 , it likely signifies some interpretations:
First, your assumption that females belong to Allah is groundless and, thus, unfair.
Secondly, attributing females, i.e., angels, to Allah, albeit the pagans prejudicially and
allegedly prefer males to females, due to the imperfection of the latter in their view, is
biased and unfair.
6.9.2.3 Concision of idhan
According to al-R z d. 604/1207 , idhan consists of idha (a conditional
particle), meaning if/in case of, but when its attached complement or sequence is
ellipted or omitted, then al-tanwn (nunation) takes place. He exemplifies, saying: 'if
265
someone supposedly said to you: "tk (I'll pay you a visit)", you will reply, saying:
"Idhan ukrimuka (then I'll welcome you)."' Here, in this example, the particle idhan is
elliptically used to refer implicitly to the conditional statement of the utterance, that
is, "Once/if you come, I'll warmly welcome you." Accordingly, al-tanwn (nunation)
is functionally employed in Arabic, as one of its distinguishing linguistic features. It is
used here in the example shown above to compensate for the omission inherent in its
reply (XVIII, p. 298).
Accordingly, this conditional particle is employed in the previous verse to
imply 'If it is so as you claim, thus your division is prejudicially unfair'. Thus, the
aesthetic and stylistic effectiveness inherent in Arabic language in general and in the
Quranic Arabic in particular is unique and matchless as opposed to English.
6.9.2.4 Context-based Relevance
Most commentators of the Quran consensually agree that the word za is of
the measure ficla, like dhikra; it is an infinitive noun, from which the verb aaza,
linguistically meaning he deviated from the right course, or he acted unjustly,
wrongfully, or injuriously (cf. Ibn Manr (d. 711/1311), 1980, XVIII, pp. 2540-2541;
Lane, 1968, V, pp. 1759-1760; al-R z d. 604/1207 , 1981, XVIII, p. 298; al-Qurub
(d. 671/ 1272), 2006, XX, pp. 37-38). Accordingly, za is used instead of izah to
indicate hyperbole. Similarly, it is commonly said, and also known, that awazu is
more symbolic than iz, and za is more symbolic than izah (al-R z d.
604/1207), 1981, XVIII, p. 298).
6.9.2.5 Brevity and Succinctness
The ellipted word nisbah, i.e., attribution of females to Allah, is replaced by
qismah, which is indefinitely used, accompanied by the attributive za to indicate
offense and denial, and to specify the type of al-qismah (division) that is unjust. The
266
verse concisely, but precisely, expresses the disbelievers' fabricated assumption and
illogical attribution of females to Allah in few words. It practically addresses the
reader through giving a picturesque situation in which one of two partners or
shareholders, after obtaining his share, greedily shares the quota of his partner.
Accordingly, the word qismah, accompanied by the negative connotation of za, is
emotionally used to show the reader's disgust with injustice, and to refuse the illogical
fabrication of the disbelievers.
6.9.2.6 Rhetorical & Stylistic Considerations
The word za, which is used instead of za, is of the pattern fucla, i.e., a
superlative noun, like kubra and wa, meaning shaddatu al-ayz (extremely
disrespectful/unfair). According to the rule, za should be pronounced za, but such
a graphological change is justifiable here for some considerations, related to the
context of situation. To explain, when al-y al-skinah, i.e., "the vowel of the medial
radical letter being thus rendered full in sound" (Lane, 1968, IV, p. 1393), is preceded
by al-ammah in order, it is pronounced with al-kasr, and, thus, al-waw in za turns
to be y in za as a result. Having difficulty in pronunciation is due to the rise of the
extremity of the tongue towards the later incisors, resulting in the blockage of air
passage, then falls, accompanied by the vibration of the vocal cords (Zarqa, 1993, p.
83). In addition, the form za is considered improper (Ibn cshr, 1984, XXVII, p.
107).
6.9.2.7 Combination of Letters & Mental Image
Phonologically speaking, sounds are mutually influenced by neighboring
letters in an utterance. So, change in the letter order or in its arrangement, forward or
backward, preceded by improper diacritics, will result in incongruity or disharmony
(Zarqa, 1993, p. 38). The word za consists of 4 letters, i.e., al-d, al-y, al-za and
267
al-alif al-laiyyinah. The first lengthened syllable, i.e., , is phonologically

characterized with a falling tone, whereas the second shorter one, i.e., za, with a rising
tone (Zarqa, 1993, p. 38; al-Raj, 1979, p. 168).
Also, it initially starts with the letter al-d, which is defined in Lisn alc
Arab, as follows:
The fifteenth letter of the alphabet; it is one of the letters termed majhrah
(vocal) and shajriyyah, derived from al-shajr, which is the place of the
opening of the mouth; its place of utterance is from the extremity of the
tongue [extended as to reach] to the part next to the [lateral teeth called]
ars. (Lane, 1968, III, p. 839, square brackets in the original)
This letter is also known in Arabic as one of the letters termed al-ajjiyyah
(noisy or chaotic letter), through which a loud coarse sound occurs while
pronunciation. Additionally, al-d is commonly known as the most difficult sound,
which requires proficiency and professionalism (al-M rghan d. 1349/1930 , 1995, p.
161). That is why it is known to be peculiar to Arabic, the language of al-d (Zarqa,
1993, p. 44).
Abdel-Haleem: That would be a most unjust distribution!
Zidan: This is indeed an unjust division;
h
: That indeed is a division most unfair!
Ghl: Lo, that were (really) a division most unreasonable.

As for the evaluation of the above translations, the said translators have opted
for a different approach to translation. To explain, Kh n and Gh l adopt a semantic
approach, which is "usually more awkward" (Newmark, 1991, p. 12) as it is a "source
language-biased" (Newmark, 1991, p. 12). They adhere literally to the word order of
the original. They, for instance, render qismatun iza into "a division most unfair", by
Kh n, and "a division most unreasonable", by Ghl. In doing so, they ignore the
268
norms of the TL, maximizing the importance of the norms of the SL. Thus, although it
seems to be 'faithful', it is 'more literal', for 'the equivalent effect' is not 'secured'
(Newmark, 1991, p. 11). They are much impressed by the commentary of al-Qurub,
in which he literally explains the meaning of qismatun za, which is qismatun dhata
ulm (lit., a division with injustice). Accordingly, translation loss and distortion
become inevitable due to the lack of lexical substitutes.
In this regard, Khadiga Al-Tayeb (1985) ascribes the potential of distortion
and translation loss to two elements, i.e., linguistic and cultural, as follows:
"Untranslatability is considered either 'linguistic' due to the unavailability of lexical
and syntactical substitutes in the target language or 'cultural' due to the absence in the
target-language culture of a relevant situational feature for the source language text"
(p. 42).
In Arabic, the phrase qismatun iza consists of a nominative feminine
indefinite noun, i.e., qismatun, and a nominative feminine adjective, i.e., za
(http://www.corpus.quran.com). In other words, the adjective, in Arabic, follows the
noun it describes, unlike English, in which an adjective precedes the noun it describes.
Each language has its own distinguishing features and norms. Thus, the rendition of
Kh n and Gh l seem to be inappropriate, as they sacrificed 'meaning' to 'exactitude'
(Michaels, 1997, p. 109).
On the other hand, Zidan and Abdel-Haleem adopt another approach, i.e.,
communicative, which is an 'effect-centered' translation, and by which they sacrifice
'exactitude' to 'meaning'. As for Zidan, he focuses on the norms of the TL. He feels
satisfied to render qismatun za simply into "an unjust division." In doing so, he
adopts a one-to-one strategy. He is committed here to the surface meaning, ignoring
269
the multiple explanations, especially rhetorically, stylistically, or phonologically,

adopted by commentators.
As for Abdel-Haleem, he seems to be fully aware of the rhetorical aspects
inherent in the ST. He renders qismatun za into "a most unjust distribution." He
adopts a many-to-one strategy. For example, he opts for using two modifiers, i.e.,
'most + unjust', as an adequate equivalent to the single original, i.e., za, but he,
unlike the three other translators, renders qismah into 'distribution', which visualises
the abstract process to match the denial expressed through the authoritative voice.
Additionally, he uses another strategy, i.e., 'compensation in footnote', by which he
elaborates on the exegetical explanation of the ellipsis embedded in the original.
However, the attempts of the four translators at hand can convey neither the
aesthetic aspects of the original, inherent in the metrical pattern, nor the linguistic
aspects, inherent in the morphological pattern of the word za.
[Nay! These idols are indeed nothing but a false allegation, and such attribution is
indeed illogical.]
Translators
Number of
Percentage
Participants
Abdel-Haleem
(A)
20%
Proposed
Translation
(B)
40%
Ghl
(C)
0%
270
Kh n
(D)
20%
Zidan
(E)
20%

questionnaire findings regarding the translation of za. Here, the total number of
responses is, as follows: 4 participants (representing 20%) preferred Abdel-Haleem's
translation; 8 participants (representing 40%) preferred my suggested translation; 4
participants (representing 20%) preferred Kh n's translation; and, finally, 4
participants (representing 20%) preferred Zidan's translation.
The majority of the participants prefer my translation and the other remaning
number of the participants prefers those of Abdel-Haleem, Kh n and Zidan. Each of
them has his own personal justification. For example, one of the participants
comments on his preference of my translation, as follows:
[It's] a communicative translation that goes beyond the literal meaning. The
word qismatun does not describe something that is to be shared by God and
people. It refers to the tendency of disbelievers to attribute females to God and
males to themselves; which is an unreasonable act. The morphological shift is
highlighted by using the adverb 'indeed'.16
Although Kh n's translation seems to be 'usually more awkward' as it is a
'source language-biased', some participants preferred it. He adheres literally to the
word order of the original. He, for instance, renders qismatun iza into "a division
most unfair", like Ghl, who renders it into "a division most unreasonable." In doing
so, they ignore the norms of the TL, maximizing the importance of the norms of the
SL. Thus, although it is 'faithful', it is 'more literal', for 'the equivalent effect' is not
'secured'.
271
The suitable strategy to achieve "the principle of equivalent effect" (Rieu &
Phillips, 1954, p. 760) is to adopt an exegetical approach. A translator may render the
Quran in accordance with a certain exegesis to convey the message properly and to
avoid translation loss. Accordingly, adopting a consensual exegetical commentary
during the rendering of the verse, under discussion, sounds acceptable.
To conclude, according to cAiyya, these shifts are not haphazardly used in
any natural language, especially Arabic, but they follow a pattern for some certain
considerations, rhetorically, stylistically and semantically. That is to say they are
functionally used in the context to convey a certain meaning or message to the
recipient. In addition, as shown above, these derivational patterns are usually
accompanied by the addition of a conceptual content.
272
_______________________________________________________________
Endnotes
"
.
)6 4 " (.
" :

:

) (. "
: : :

:
: : :
.
. : :
. :
. :
:) ( :
: (
.)243 242

)52 ( .
-
-
.

)434 4 (
11 But Abdul-Raof refers to this feature as 'antithesis'; for further reading, see: Hussein Abdul-Raof,
'Textual Progression and Presentation Technique in Qur'anic Discourse: An Investigation of Richard
Bell's Claims of 'Disjointedness' with Special Reference to Q. 17-20', Journal of Qur'anic Studies 7
(2005), 37-60, p. 42
12 For further details, read two articles by cAbdel-Ram n A. cAbdel-Ram n, 'The Translation of alItibk (Reciprocal Ellipsis) in the Glorious Qur'an into English', db al-Rafidayn 64 (2012), 503c
526; and Amad F. Rama n
Abdel-Sal m cAdn n, 'Al-Itibk f al-quran al-karm: ruyah
balghiyyah', Journal of Elementary Education College 4: 2 (2006), 42-88
13 The asterisk implies the end of verse.
14 The underlined words signify the reciprocal ellipsis.
15 For further details, see: Textual Relations in the Quran by Salwa M. El-Awa.
273
Conclusion
Conclusion
This stylistic study of morpho-semantic shifts in some selected English
translations of the Qur'an has made no attempt to be comprehensive or meant to be so;
for it only points out some of the translation problems related to shift in the Glorious
Qur'an.
In this study, an attempt has been made to analyse some selected morphosemantic shifts in the Qur'an, which abounds in various patterns that are semantically
and stylistically motivated. For instance, there are facala as in nazala; afcala as in
anzala; faccala as in nazzala; tafaccala as in tanazzala; tatafaccalu as in tatanazzalu;
fcil as in ghfir; faccl as in ghaffr; facl as in ghafr, etc. Such shifts are not
expected to represent any problem if the translator has the ability to distinguish
between them and/or to find adequate equivalents in the target language (TL), capable
of conveying the message without distortion.
Key Objectives of the Study
The importance of this study lies in the fact that this shift is one of the most
recurrent and rich rhetorical phenomena in the Quran. However, little concern has
been given to it. In other words, it did not receive a detailed and comprehensive study,
especially in the field of translation, as far as I know, to unveil the aesthetic values
and the inimitable aspects of the Quranic discourse. For this reason, an intensive
study was conducted on this topic, basically
1) to evaluate some selected English translations of the meanings of the Quran;
2) to draw up a suitable strategy to meet the criteria of an accurate translation;
and;
3) to analyze this feature, stylistically and rhetorically.
274
Research Questions
The present study has attempted to answer the following research questions:
Research Question No. 1: Does morphological change account for change in
lexical meaning? If so, what are the rhetorical purposes of such a change?
This study postulates that change in morphological patterns does not take
place haphazardly due to some certain rhetorical considerations, driven from the
context, as a reliable criterion for determining the intended meaning. In other words,
their meanings are context-bound, as shown earlier. For example, the pattern facl may
be used to mean either fcil or mafcl, or both of them, depending upon the context,
which determines the intended meaning. This kind of shift takes place for the purpose
of hyperbole, as in: [qla fa-ukhruj minha fa-innaka rajm] (Q. 15: 34)
Here, the word rajm, which is in the pattern of facl, is functionally used
instead of marjm, which is in the pattern of mafcl, as the former indicates a great
degree of hyperbole than the latter. Secondly, it means that rajm is an indispensable
attribute of al-shaytn (the devil), who is cursed forever until the Day of Judgment.
Thirdly, the word rajm is easy to pronounce than marjm. Fourthly, rajm is a fourletter word whereas marjm is a five-letter word.
Thus, morpho-semantic shift is a linguistic device, employed extensively in
the Quran, as a distinguishing feature, rhetorically and stylistically-motivated. It is
peculiar to Arabic in general and the Quran in particular; it is functionally used to
1) avoid redundancy;
2) stir one's enthusiasm towards understanding the intended message.
3) preserve fawil al-yat (the ayah-final endings) in some cases, as in (Q 53:
22) & (Q 76: 3)
275
4) be simple and concise in structure, emotive and expressive in style and

relatively easy in pronunciation.
Research Question No. 2: How are morpho-semantic shifts rendered by the four
a s a o s u de s udy i o E g ish i some Qu a ic ve ses?
Although the four translators of the Qur'an, namely Abdel-Haleem, Ghl,
Kh n and Zidan strove to maintain the spirit of the Qur'an, they adopt different
approaches to translation. To explain, most of them, if not all, argue that the Qur'an
should be taken literally in many cases; they seek to present a translation, not an
interpretation like Ghl and Zidan. They attempt to "go further than previous works
in accuracy, clarity, flow, and currency of language" (Abdel-Haleem, 2004, p. xxiv).
To explain, they are divided into two categories; for instance, Kh n and Gh l adopt a
semantic approach, which is "usually more awkward" as it is a "source languagebiased." They adhere literally to the word order of the original. They, for instance,
render qismatun iza into "a division most unfair", by Kh n, and "a division most
unreasonable", by Ghl, respectively. In doing so, they ignore the norms of the TL,
maximizing the importance of the norms of the SL. Thus, although it seems to be
'faithful', it is 'more literal', for 'the equivalent effect' is not 'secured'. They are much
impressed by the commentary of al-Qurub, in which he literally explains the
meaning of qismatun za, which is qismatun dhata ulm (lit., a division with
injustice). Accordingly, translation loss and distortion become inevitable due to the
lack of lexical substitutes.
On the other hand, some of them, like Zidan and Abdel-Haleem, adopt another
approach, i.e., communicative, which is an 'effect-centered' translation, and by which
they sacrifice 'exactitude' to 'meaning'. As for Zidan, he seems to be aware of the ST,
focusing on the norms of the TL. For example, he feels satisfied to render qismatun
276
za simply into "an unjust division." In doing so, he adopts a one-to-one strategy. He
is committed here to the surface meaning, ignoring the multiple explanations,
especially rhetorically, stylistically, or phonologically, adopted by commentators.
Research Question No. 3: What are the blunders related to morpho-semantic
shif
a s a o s of he Qu a shou d avoid?
As for morpho-semantic shifts, Quran translators may encounter three kinds
of problems, as follows:
1- Multi-functional Patterns
Some morphological patterns have various meanings or functions. In Arabic,
one morphological pattern may indicate various semantic values. For example,
according to Jurj cAiyya n.d., p. 18 , the pattern afcala may appear to have several
functions or purposes, such as al-tacddiyah (transitivity), makn (movement towards a
place or destination) and 'declarative' or 'estimative' states, as shown earlier in chapter
one.
2- Mono-functional Patterns
There are various morphological patterns, such as faclah / ficlah and mifcal /
mifcl, which indicate one semantic value. For example, the pattern faclah is termed
ism al-marrah (the noun of instance or occurrence), which indicates the single
occurrence of the action or state of the verb, as in arbah (the act of hitting), jalsah
(the act of sitting), and sharbah (the act of drinking), meaning 'once' or 'one time'
(Thackston, 1994/2000, pp. 30-31; Ibn al-N im d. 686/1287 , 2000, p. 313 .
3- Context-bound Morphological Shifts
Some morphological patterns are changed into other forms within the context
for some certain rhetorical considerations. In other words, their meanings are contextbound, as will be shown later in chapter 6. For example, the pattern facl may be used
277
to mean either fcil or mafcl or both of them, depending upon the context, which
determines the intended meaning.
Thus, such shifts are not expected to represent any problem if the translator has the
ability to:
1- distinguish between them;
2- find adequate equivalents in the target language (TL), capable of conveying the
message without distortion;
3- be fully aware of the similarity-based derivation and context-bound signification,
which are considered pivotal criteria for analyzing such a rhetorical phenomenon;
4- focus on the context of situation, which assists in retrieving the intended meaning;
5- know the historical context in which the Qur'anic verse was revealed.
Limitations of the Study
Although this research is carefully prepared, there are still unavoidable

limitations and shortcomings. Due to the scope of this study, some limited
examples, namely 12, are investigated in detail, excluding many other forms of
this kind of shift. These examples are purposefully and functionally chosen;
they are classified as follows:
1- Morpho-semantic shifts, which are divided into hamzah-initial forms, such
as nazzala & anzala, mahhil & amhil, and morphologically-prefixed forms, viz.
T-prefixed forms, such as tawaffhum and tatawaffhum, tadhakkarn and
tatadhakkarn;
2- Morphologically-assimilated forms, such as tadhakkarn and tatadhakkarn and
isca and istaca;
278
3- Context-bound morphological shifts, including shifting from facala into fcil,

shifting from fcil into facl, shifting from fcil into facil and shifting from fcil into
ficla.
Recommednations for Future Research
Since the Qur'an is not an easy text even for native Arabic speakers due to its
classic language and unique verse structure, the suitable strategy to achieve the
principle of equivalent effect is to adopt an exegetical approach. A translator may
render the Quran in accordance with a certain exegesis to convey the message
properly and to avoid translation loss. Accordingly, adopting a consensual exegetical
commentary during the rendering of the verse, under discussion, sounds acceptable.
Additionally, various genres of ltift require an in-depth study, including the
following:
1) Shift in Person, including 1st, 2nd and 3rd person;
2) Shift in Number, including singular, dual and plural;
3) Shift in Articles includes definite, indefinite, addition and omission;
4) Shift in Syntactic Structure includes a change from the accusative case; and
finally
5) Shift in Diction implies the choice or use of words in the Quranic discourse that
share the central connotation but they differ in their marginal or contextual
connotation or nuances.
279
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292
Appendix
Appendix
University of Notre Dame

Faculty of Arts & Letters
Theology Department
August 2014
Questionnaire
Dear Prospective Participant,
My name is Ahmad Ali. I am a Visiting Researcher at Notre Dame University, IN,
USA. I am conducting this questionnaire about the rendering of some selected
morpho-semantic shifts in the Qur'an into English. The purpose of this questionnaire
is to gather information about the most salient problems encountered by Qur'an
translators regarding such a rhetorical phenomenon. The results of this survey will be
used to help me find the appropriate strategies to reproduce the source text (ST)
adequately and effectively to the target reader (TR).
Your task is to answer the questions stated below as thorough as you can, paying
special attention to the underlined/bold-face words/phrases in the ST and the TT and
their explanatory notes, i.e., parentheses and/or footnotes. The Arabic verse, the
original, is presented first, accompanied by its transliteration, with a brief introduction
about its occasion of revelation, followed by its English translations.
Kindly note that all fields with asterisks are mandatory and all the information
provided including your personal data is confidential.
This questionnaire will take maximally 20 minutes to complete all the questions
included therein so to achieve the desired results, or within one week.
Your participation is greatly valued and I do appreciate your precious time and
cooperative effort in advance.
Name:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Age:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Religion (optional, but strongly recommended):--------------------------------------------Country:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Field of Specialization:------------------------------------------------------------------------*Job Title:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Years of Experience:---------------------------------------------------------------------------*Mother Tongue:---------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Your Research Interests:-----------------------------------------------------------------------* How many years of Arabic study, if any? --------------------------------------------------Thank you for your consideration in advance.
Sincerely,
Ahmad Ali
293
1- The Original:
)3 :) ( (
Transliteration:
[nazzala calayka al-kitba bi-al-aq muaddiqan lima bayna yadayhi wa-anzala altawrata wa-al-injla ] Q. 3: 3)
Occasions of Revelation:
The verse here talks about the piecemeal revelation of the Quran as opposed to the
previous scriptures, namely the Torah and the Gospel, which were revealed at once.
Translations:
A: Step by step, He has sent the Scripture down to you [Prophet] with the Truth,
confirming what went before: He sent down the Torah and the Gospel.
B: Step by step, He sent down to you the Qur'an with the Truth, confirming what
went before it and He sent down the Tawr h and the Injl at once.
C: He has been sending down upon you the Book with the Truth, sincerely
(verifying) what was before it4, and He sent down the Tawrh5 and the Injil6.
D: It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur'an) to you (Muhammad SAW)
with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Taurt (Torah)
and the Injeel (Gospel).
E: He sent down to you the Book (Quran) in Truth, confirming what was sent
before it and He sent down the Torah and the Injeel.
1- Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts nazzala, which is
in the pattern of faccala, and anzala, which is in the pattern of afcala, which
translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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4
5
6
Literally: between its two hands.

The Book revealed to Msa (Moses).
The Book revealed to Isa (Juses).
294
2- If you are not satisfied with any of the previous translations of the underlined
words, kindly explain your choice!
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295
2- The Original:
)17 :) ( (
Transliteration:
[fa-mahhil al-kfrn amhilhum ruwayda] (Q. 86: 17)
The verse is concerned with tolerance and patience towards the disbelievers. It is
directly addressed to Prophet Muammad to preach them gently and do not invoke
curse upon them. That is why it contains two imperatives, i.e., mahhil and amhil.
Translations:
A: [Prophet], let the disbelievers be, let them be for a while.
B: So [Prophet], be unfailingly patient with the disbelievers; respite them for
awhile.
C: So give the disbelievers (more) leisure; give them leisure awhile.
D: So give a respite to the disbelievers. Deal you gently with them for a while.
E: So give respite to the unbelievers, leave them for a while.
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts mahhil and amhil,
which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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2-If you are not satisfied with any of the previous translations of the underlined
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296
3- The Original:
(

)97 :) (
(
:) (
)28
Transliteration:
[inna alladhna tawaffhum al-malikah lim anfusihim ql fima kuntum ql
kunna mustacafina f al-ar ql alam takun ar Allah wsicah fa-tuhajir fha faulika mawhum jahannam wa-st masra] (Q. 4: 97)
[alladhna tatawaffhum al-malikah lim anfusihim fa-alqaw al-salama makunna nacmal min s bala inna Allah calm bima kuntum tacmaln] (Q. 16: 28)
The first verse (Q. 4: 97) is revealed about some hypocrites, who left Prophet
Muammad in Mecca, and accompanied the people of the tribe of Quraysh, though
they were able to immigrate with their Muslim brethren, in the battle of Badr, where
they were killed. They had to abandon the disbelievers and settle down away from
them, especially in case of failure to practice their rituals. They were physically able
to immigrate, but they did not. Thus, they did injustice to themselves. Accordingly,
the verse is sent down to show their mistaken discretion and blameworthy action.
The second verse (Q. 16: 28) describes the state of the unjust disbelievers during the
agonies of death and the advent of angels to take their evil lives. They will be
engrossed in a little make-believe of their unconvincing submission and obedience on
the Day of Judgment, wrongly saying: We did nothing wrong, but Allah knows best
what they have truly done.
Translations:
A:
- When the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves,7 they ask
them, What circumstances were you in? They reply, We were oppressed in this
land, and the angels say, ut was Gods earth not spacious enough for you to
migrate to some other place? These people will have Hell as their refuge, an evil
destination. (Q 4: 97)
- Those whose lives the angels take while they are wronging themselves will show
submission: We were doing no evil. Yes you were: God knows fully everything
that you have done, so enter the gates of Hell. There you will remain the home of the
arrogant is evil indeed. Q 16: 28
B:
- Verily! As for those who live under oppression (willingly), the angels
(reprehensively) will ask them, on their deathbed, What circumstances you were
7
By living in a place where they are unable to practise their religion.
297
in? They will reply, "We were oppressed in this land." (Cynically), the angels will
reply: "Was not Allah's earth spacious enough for you to migrate to some other
place?" Hell will be their abode, an evil destination. (Q4: 97)
- Those who associate partners with Allah undergo an extreme death agony by
the angels, whom (the disbelievers) submissively-but-falsely address, saying: "We
were doing no evil." "No! (You were.) Allah knows fully everything that you have
done." (Q 16: 28)
C:
- Surely the ones whom the Angels take up, (while) they are unjust to themselves- (to
them) (the Angels) say, "In what (condition) were you?"8 They say, "We were deemed
weak in the earth." They (the Angels) say, "Was not the earth of Allah wide so that
you (could) have emigrated in it?" So, the abode for those (men) is Hell, and what an
odious Destiny! (Q 4: 97)
- (The disbelievers are the ones) whom the Angels take up while they are unjust to
themselves. So they will cast forth full submissiveness. "In no way were we doing
anything odious." Yes indeed, (yet) surely Allah is Ever-Knowing of whatever you
were doing. (Q 16: 28)
D:
- Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging
themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was
obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): "In what (condition) were you?"
They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on earth." They (angels) say: "Was not the
earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" Such men will find their
abode in Hell - What an evil destination! (Q 4: 97)
- Those whose lives the angels take while they are doing wrong to themselves (by
disbelief and by associating partners in worship with Allah and by committing all
kinds of crimes and evil deeds)." Then, they will make (false) submission (saying):
"We used not to do any evil." (The angels will reply): "Yes! Truly, Allah is AllKnower of what you used to do. (Q 16: 28)
E:
- Those who accepted oppression for themselves, surely when the angels seize their
souls saying, Why have you accepted this oppression? They shall say, We were
deemed weak in the land. The angels shall say, Was GODs earth not spacious
enough for you to emigrate from that oppression? So these it is whose abode is Hell,
an evil resort. (Q 4: 97)
- Those who wronged themselves, when the angels will come to seize their souls
they will surrender, saying: We were doing no evil, the angels say: Yes indeed,
GOD is All-knowing of what you were doing. Q. 16: 28)
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts tawaffhum and
tatawaffhum, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
(i.e., In what circumstances were you? Of what religion were you?)
298
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299
4- The Original:
(

)3 :( )
)4 : ) (
Transliteration:
[inna rabbakum Allah alladh khalaq al-samwt wa-al-ar f sittat ayym thumma
istawa cala al-carsh yudabbir al-amr ma-min shafc illa min bacd idhnih dhlikum
Allah rabbukum fa-cbudh afala tadhakkarn] (Q 10: 3)
[Allah alladh khalaq al-samwt wa-al-ar wa-ma baynahuma f sittat ayym
thumma istawa cala al-carsh malakum min dnih min waliyy wala shafc afala
tatadhakkarn] (Q 32: 4)
Although the two contexts apparently seem similar, the context in Srat al-Sajdah is
detailed and comprehensive. To explain, there are much detailed descriptions in it. For
example, the Sra begins with the creation of the heavens and the earth, what is
between them, the establishment of Allah above the Throne and the question of
protection and intercession. Also, the verse that follows describes the mighty and
power of the Creator, Who manages and takes over the affairs of the entire universe.
Finally, it concludes with the period the ascension of these affairs to Him takes.
As for Srat Ynus, the events and descriptions are concise and less detailed. In other
words, the context briefly describes the creation of the heavens and the earth, the
establishment of Allah above the Throne, the management of all things, and, finally,
the impossibility of intercession except after Allahs permission.
Translations9
A:
- Your Lord is God who created the heavens and earth in six Days 10, then established
How can you not take heed? (Q 10: 3)
to protect you and no one to intercede for you, so why do you not take heed? (Q 32:
4)
C:
- Surely your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days;
thereafter He leveled Himself upon the Throne, in a way that suits Him, conducting
the Command. In no way is there any intercessor (ever) excepting ever after His
permission. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him. Will you then not be
mindful? (Q 10: 3)
- Allah is (The One) Who created the heavens and the earth, and whatever is between
them in six days; thereafter He leveled Himself upon the Throne, in a way that suits
9
Here, only four, not five, translations are intentionally chosen.

Not the sort of days we knowsee 32: 5; 70: 4.
10
300
Him. In no way do you have, apart from Him, any patron nor any intercessor. Will
you then not remind yourselves? (Q 32: 4)
C:
- Surely, your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and
then Istawa (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty),
disposing the affair of all things. No intercessor (can plead with Him) except after His
Leave. That is Allah, your Lord; so worship Him (Alone). Then, will you not
remember? (Q 10: 3)
- Allah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between
them in six Days. Then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His
Majesty). You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper etc.)
or an intercessor. Will you not then remember (or be admonished)? (Q 32: 4)
D:
- Indeed your Lord is GOD, Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of
time, and is firmly established on the Throne, directing the affairs. No intercessor,
except by His leave. This is GOD your Lord, therefore worship Him, will you be
admonished? (Q 10: 3)
- GOD is the One Who created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them,
in six periods of time, and is established on the Throne. You have no guardian or
intercessor other than Him, will you not be admonished? (Q 32: 4)
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts afala tadhakkarn
and afala tatadhakkarn, which translation seems to be the most appropriate
one? Why?
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301
5- The Original:
)42 ) ( (
)94 ) (
(
Transliteration:
[wa-laqad arsalna ila umamin min qabilika fa-akhdhnahum bi-al-bas wal-al-arr
la-calahum yataarracn] (Q. 6: 42)
[wa-ma arsalna f qaryatin min nabiyn illa akhdhna ahlaha bi-al-bas wal-alarr
la-calahum yaarracn] (Q. 7: 94)
Srat al-Anc m is totally different form Srat al-Acr f. To explain, the former narrates
the stories of a group of messengers with their peoples, and thus the intended message
is generalized to state a universalized wisdom, which resulted from the long journey
of messengers to their peoples at the revelation era and afterwards.
On the contrary, Srat al-Acr f is much concerned with the state of dacwah (preaching
the principles and teachings of Islam commissioned by Prophet Muammad, and his
polemic with the opponents. Accordingly, the discourse is informative to: 1) relieve
his preaching-induced sufferings; 2) fortify his heart and strengthen his soul; 3) and,
finally, intimidate the infidels of Quraysh and admonish them on the other hand.
Translations
A:
- We sent messengers before you [Prophet] to many communities and afflicted their
people with suffering and hardships, so that they could learn humility. (Q 6: 42)
- Whenever We sent a prophet to a town, We afflicted its [disbelieving]11 people with
suffering and hardships, so that they might humble themselves [before God] (Q 7:
94)
B:
good and bad so they might be willingly submissive. (Q 6: 42)
adversity and calamity, so that they might forcibly humble themselves. (Q 7: 94)
C:
- And indeed We have already sent to nations even before you; so We took them (to
task) with misery and tribulation, that possibly they would supplicate to (Us). (Q 6:
42)
- And in no way have We sent any Prophet into a town except that We took its
population with misery and tribulation that possibly they would earnestly
supplicate (Us). (Q 7: 94)
11
Abdel-Haleem's footnote: "This is implied in Arabic (Razi)."
302
D:
- Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad SAW).
And We seized them with extreme poverty (or loss in wealth) and loss in health with
calamities so that they might humble themselves (believe with humility). (Q 6: 42)
- And We sent no Prophet unto any town (and they denied him), but We seized its
calamities, so that they might humiliate themselves (and repent to Allah). (Q 7: 94)
E:
good and bad so they might be submissive. (Q 6: 42)
adversity and calamity, that they might humble themselves. (Q 7: 94)
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts yataarracn and
yaarracn, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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303
6- The Original:
(

)222 :) (
Transliteration:
[wa-yasalnak can al-mad qul huwa adha fa-ctazil al-nis f al-mad wa-la
taqrabhunna atta yahurna fa-idha taahharna fa-thunna min hayth amarakum
Allah inna Allah yuibb al-tawwabn wa-yuibb al-mutaahhirn] (Q. 2: 222)
The people of the pre-Islamic era, specially the Jews12 and Magus13, used to abandon
their menstruating women during meals, i.e., eating, drinking or sitting together or
dwelling at the same place. Consequently, the early Muslims misunderstood the verse
at the time of revelation. They caused their wives to go outdoors during menses in
bitter winters. Having known that, the Prophet (pbuh) simply explained the intended
message. He advised them to avoid having sexual intercourse with their wives during
menses, and not to force them to stay outdoors as the non-Arabs used to do.
Accordingly, this verse moderately commands the Muslims neither to have anal sex
with their wives during menses, nor to abandon them physically, but to avoid only
sexual intercourse during their periods.14
Translations:
A: They ask you [Prophet] about menstruation. Say, Menstruation is a painful
condition, so keep away from women during it. Do not approach them until they are
cleansed; when they are cleansed, you may approach them as God has ordained.15
God loves those who turn to Him, and He loves those who keep themselves clean.
B: They ask you about menstruation. Say, 'it's harmful'. So, avoid women sexually
until the blood ceases. And do not approach them properly as stated by Allah unless
ghusl, [i.e., washing the whole body in a prescribed manner] is performed
afterwards. Surely, Allah loves the oft-repentant and loves the physically pure.
12
Al- aghaw d. 516/1122 , Maclim al-tanzl, p. 126. In this regards, Ibn cshr, in his book entitled
Al-Tarr, vol. 2, p. 364, quotes several verses from the Book of Leviticus, Ch. 15, as follows: "19 And
if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and
whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20 And everything that she lieth upon in her
separation shall be unclean: everything also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21 And whosoever
toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22
And whosoever toucheth anything that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water,
and be unclean until the even. 23 And if it be on her bed, or on anything whereon she sitteth, when he
toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. 24 And if any man lieth with her at all, and her flowers
be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean."
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-15-23/
13
Al-Zamakhshar d. 538/1144 , al-Kashshf, vol. 1, p. 432.
14
Al-abar d. 310/923 , Jmic al-bayn, vol. 3, p. 721.
15
The Arabic expressions used here are clear euphemisms for do not have sexual intercourse with
them.
304
C: And they ask you concerning menstruation. Say, "It is hurt; so keep apart from
women during menstruation, and do not draw near them till they are pure. So, when
they have purified themselves, then come up to them16 from where Allah has
commanded you." Surely Allah loves the ones constantly repenting, and He loves the
ones constantly purifying themselves.
E: And they (the believers) question you concerning menstruation, say: "It is a harm",
so keep away from women during their courses, and do not approach them until
they are clean, but when they have cleansed themselves, then approach them as GOD
has commanded you. Surely GOD loves those who repent constantly, and He loves
those who keep themselves pure and clean.
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts yahurna and
taahharna, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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16
I.e., to have sexual intercourse.

305
7- The Original:

)97/ ) (

(
Transliteration:
[fa-ma isac an yaharhu wa-ma istac lahu naqba] (Q 18: 97)
The verse describes the hopeless trials of Gog and Magog to surmount the barrier,
built by Dh al-Qarnayn (lit. the possessor of the two horns, and recently identified as
Alexander the Great) to prevent them from attacking his people. Obviously, the two
verbs occur in a negative context, indicating the inability of someone to fulfill
something due to the lack of the conditions of al-isticah (ability), i.e., 1) a specific
structure for the doer; 2) conceptualization of the action; 3) material susceptible to
influence; and 4) an instrument if the action is automatic.17 In addition, the first form,
i.e., fa-ma isc, indicates someones early awareness of the lack of such conditions,
and, thus, his attempt diminishes or collapses. As for the second form, i.e., wa-ma
istac, it indicates someone's ultimately misguided awareness of the availability of
such conditions, and, thus, his attempts are first resumed and his efforts are to be
continued, resulting in inevitable failure at the end before admitting his inability.18
Translations
A: Their enemies could not scale the barrier, nor could they pierce it. (Q18: 97)
B: So, they did not give in to trial by surmounting (the barrier), nor did they give
up piercing it. (Q18: 97)
C: So, in no way were they able to surmount it, and in no way were they able to
bore it. (Q18: 97)
D: So they [Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and Magog)] could not scale it or dig through it.
(Q18: 97)
E: So they were unable to scale it or to cut through it. (Q18: 97)
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts isac and istac,
which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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17
18
Translation is mine; Al-R ghib al-Afahan d. 502/1108 , Al-Muffradt, p. 310.

Ibid.: footnote (1), p. 65.
306
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307
8- The Original:
)3-1 :) ( * * (
Transliteration:
[wayl lil-muaffifn* alladhna idha iktl cala al-ns yastawfn* wa-idha klhum
aw wazanhum yukhsirn] (Q. 83: 1-3)
The Qur'anic context refers here to a certain type of merchants or vendors whom the
Qur'an condemns; it's a category of Quraysh chiefs, who had an upper hand and
authority, being able to force people to do whatever they want. They practice al-kayl
(weighing) with coercion cala al-ns (over people), due to their high rank or authority,
enabling them to have full weight or measure. It is not meant here that they get their
due share or weight fairly, as the sra starts with intimidation and warning, i.e., wayl
lil-muaffifn, and declaring war against them. Thus, the intended message is that they
get their excessive and unworthy share by force and coercion.
Translations:
A: Woe to those who give short measure, who demand of other people full measure
for themselves, but give less than they should when it is they who weigh or measure
for others! (Q 83: 1-3)
B: Woe to the defrauders:
Who take full measure when buying;
And give less than due when selling. (Q 83: 1-3)
C: Woe to the stinters, who, when they measure against mankind,19 take full
(measure), and when they measure for them or weigh for them,20 they cause them
loss. (Q 83: 1-3)
D: Woe to Al-Mutaffifn (those who give less in measure and weight). Those who,
when they have to receive by measure from men, demand full measure, and when
they have to give by measure or weight to (other) men, give less than due. (Q 83:
1-3)
E: Woe to those who give insufficient measure; who when others measure for them
they take full measure; But when they measure out, or weigh out for others, they
give less than due. (Q 83: 1-3)
19
20
I.e., when they take from others.

I.e., when they give to others.
308
1-Regarding the rendering of the two morpho-semantic shifts iktl and

klhum, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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309
9- The Original:

(

)142 :) (
Transliteration:
[inna al-munfiqn yukhdicn Allah wa-huwa khdichum wa-idha qm ila al-salh
qm kusla yurn al-ns wa-la yadhkurn Allah illa qalila ] (Q. 4: 142)
The verse refers concisely, but precisely, to the long and various histories of
hypocrites' cunning schemes against the believers, who abide by the rulings of Allah
and the teachings of His messenger. To explain, the hypocrites deceptively conceived
that their evil plot against the believers had a favorable outcome. In doing so, they
enjoyed life to the full, and indulged in unrestrained pleasures and desires, mistakenly
believing that they could scheme against Allah (see: Q. 57: 13-15).
Translations:
A: The hypocrites try to deceive God, but it is He Who causes them to be
deceived. When they stand up to pray, they do so sluggishly, showing off in front of
people, and remember God only a little.
B- Verily, the hypocrites try to deceive Allah, but in vain; they perform prayers
inactively; they pretend to be worshippers before people; they rarely glorify Allah.
C: Surely the hypocrites try to deceive Allah, and He is deceiving them; and when
they rise up for prayer, they rise up lazily, showing off to (other) men, and they do not
remember Allah except a little.
D: Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allh, but it is He Who deceives them.21
And when they stand up for As-Salt (the prayer), they stand with laziness and to be
seen of men, and they do not remember Allh but little.
E: Surely the hypocrites seek to deceive God, but God is leaving them to deceive
themselves, and if they stand up pray, they stand up lazily to be seen of the people,
and do not remember God except a little.
21
(v. 4: 142) see (v. 57: 12-15).
310
1-Regarding the rendering of the two context-bound morphological shifts

yukhdicn, which is in the pattern of facala, and khdichum, which is in the
pattern of fcil, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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311
10- The Original:

)3 : ) ( (
Transliteration:
[inn- hadaynhu al-sabla imma shkira wa-imma kafra] (Q. 76: 3)
The verse briefly says that Allah has showed the way to mankind, and has made it
clear to them, and, thus, they are free to be grateful or ungrateful.
Translations:
A: "We guided him to the right path, whether he was grateful or not." (Q 76: 3)
B: "Verily, We showed mankind the path, through which s/he will be either
thankful, due to success granted by Allah, or ungrateful, due to her/his wrong
choice." (Q 76: 3)
C: "Surely, We have guided him upon the way, whether he be thankful or most
disbelieving." (Q 76: 3)
D: "Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful." (Q 76:
3)
E: "Indeed, We showed him the way, it is for him whether he is grateful or
ungrateful." (Q 76: 3)
shkira, which is in the pattern of fcil, and kafra, which is in the pattern of
facl, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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312
11- The Original:

)11 :( ) (
Transliteration:
[a-idha kunna czm nakhirah] (Q 76: 11)
The disbelievers of Mecca were astonished and surprised when this sra was
revealed; they exclaimed how they will turn again to life after death, a case in which
their bodies become dust and their bones, decayed, rotten and wasted.
Translations:
A: They22 say, What? Shall we be brought back to life, after we have turned into
decayed bones?
B: Astonishingly, they say: "What! Shall we be brought back from the grave? How
shall weary bones return to life?"
C: They will say, "Will we surely be turned back to our former state? 23 Even when
we are decayed bones?"
D: They say: "Shall we indeed be returned to (our) former state of life? Even after we
are crumbled bones?"
E: They shall say: "Are we being restored to our former state?" When we have
become hollow rotten bones?"
nakhirah, which is in the pattern of facil, instead of nkhirah, which is in the
pattern of fcil, which translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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22
23
The disbelievers of Mecca.

(Some interpret the Arabic to mean "in the grave" or "gravediggers").
313
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314
12- The Original:

)22 :) (
(
Transliteration:
[tilka idhan qismatun za] (Q 53: 22)
The meaning of tilka idhan qismatun za is closely dependent on that of the
preceding interrogative verse, i.e., a-lakum al-dhakar wa-lahu al-untha? (Do you
attribute only male creatures to you and female ones to Allah) To explain, the
demonstrative pronoun singles out qismatun za, which is the unjust attribution the
disbelievers claimed.24
Translations:
A: That would be a most unjust distribution!25
B: (Nay! Such an attribution is indeed illogical.) (Q 53: 22)
C: Lo, that were (really) a division most unreasonable.
D: That indeed is a division most unfair!
E: This is indeed an unjust division;
1-Regarding the rendering of the two context-bound morphological shifts za,
which is in the pattern of ficla, instead of iz, which is in the pattern fcil which
translation seems to be the most appropriate one? Why?
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24
They claimed to have males and claimed Allah has females; Cf. Ibn cshr, Al-Tarr, vol. 27, p.
106.
25
Because the pagan Arabs regarded daughters as a humiliation, the Qur'an argues with them according
to their own logic that it was particularly illogical of them to attribute daughters to God. See also 16:
57-62; 43: 16-20.
315
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316
:
: :. / : : - :

" : "
( ) 1991 " " ( )1991
" " ( )3002 " :
" ( . )3002

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Schema Theory

"" Questionnaire/Survey .
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A Stylistic Study of Morpho-Semantic Shifts in Some Selected English Translations of The Glorious Qur'an PDF

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A Stylistic Study of Morpho-semantic Shifts in

Some Selected English Translations of the

Prof. Abdel-Hakim Radi

Professor Emeritus of Arabic Rhetoric

Prof. Gabriel S. Reynolds

possible. I am sincerely grateful and honored to the Egyptian Ministry of Higher

Title: A Stylistic Study of Morpho-semantic Shifts in Some Selected English

Arabic Transliteration System

1. Al-iltift (shift) in Arabic

1.1 A Historical Overview

1.2 Various Genres of al-iltift

1.3 Various Names of al-iltift

1.4 The Most Common Type of al-iltift

1.5 Statement of the Research Problem

1.6 Problems Explored

1.6.1 Multi-functional Patterns

1.6.2 Mono-functional Patterns

1.6.3 Context-bound Morphological Shifts

1.7 Importance of the Study

1.8 Research Questions

1.9 Review of Literature

1.11 The Schema Model as a Cognitive Approach

1.12 Tools Used

1.12.1.1 Objectives & Goals

1.12.1.2 Questionnaire Format

1.12.1.5 Questionnaire Administration Modes (Shelly & Rosenblatt,

1.13 The Definition of Morphology

1.14 Patterns of Various Significations

1.15 Morphology-induced Meaning

1.16 Arabic Morphological Features

1.16.1.1 Antonymously-homogenous Morphological Patterns

1.16.1.2 Antonymously-heterogeneous Morphological Patterns

1.17 Triliteral Paradigm

1.18 Mono-functional Patterns

1.19 Multi-functional Patterns

2. Stylistic Approaches to Translation

2.1 What is Style?

2.2 The Importance of Stylistics

2.3 Preservation of the Stylistic Dimension

2.4 Stylistic Dexterity and Language

2.5 Language Specificity

2.6 Principles of Stylistic Analysis

2.7 Levels of Stylistic Analysis

2.8 The Components of Context

2.9 Context-motivated Style

2.10 Style as a Persuasive Strategy

2.11 Style in Translation

2.12 Functionality of Style in Translation

2.13 Translation-implied Participants

2.14 Multiple Transferred Meanings

2.15 Principles of Stylistics

2.15.1 Text-oriented Analysis

2.15.3 Eclecticism & Universality

2.15.4 Choice, Analysis & Interpretation

2.16 Stylistic Features

2.17 The Inimitable Style of the Qur'an

2.18 Secret of the Qur'anic Rhetoric

2.19 The Inimitable Symphony of the Qur'an

2.20 Stylistic Inimitability of the Qur'anic Discourse

2.20.1 Diacritically-based Inimitability

2.20.2 Inimitability-based Linguistic Analysis

2.20.2.1 Word Level