Qur’ānic figurative language

Islam, as the final and most comprehensive religion, offers a divine plan for a purposeful and prosperous life. It has continued to spread through the Glorious Qur’ān and the Straight Path of Ahlul-Bayt, divine peace be upon them. When reading the Qur’ān, figurative language often presents challenges, as readers may encounter ambiguity in understanding its message and religious teachings. Therefore, the accurate translation of Qur’ānic idioms is of utmost importance. However, existing English translations sometimes diverge from the source text, with idiomatic expressions being a key source of such discrepancies. Thus, comparing different translations of Qur’ānic idioms based on scientific principles of translation is essential. This study examines the interpretations and English translations of idioms found in verse 12 of Surah al-Mumtaḥanah and verse 8 of Surah al-Saff in the Noble Qur’ān. To achieve this, translations by prominent scholars were selected through purposive sampling, ensuring a variety of translation methods. Seventeen translations were analyzed for Surah al-Ṣaff and thirteen for Surah al-Mumtaḥanah. Given the descriptive nature of this research, the study aimed to identify and explain the methods used by these translators. The theoretical foundation of this research is based on Friedrich Schleiermacher’s (2012) translation methods, followed by an evaluation of the translations using Waddington’s (2001) holistic model of translation quality assessment. Finally, based on the observed strengths and weaknesses of the translations, new versions of the verses were proposed, designed to be more comprehensible and appealing to younger generations.