مقایسه گزینش واژگان در ترجمه برخی آیات قرآنی «با تکیه بر ترجمه های محدث دهلوی وگرمارودی»

Shah Waliullah Dehlavi is considered one of the greatest Quran scholars and activists in the field of Hadith sciences in the 12th century AH in the Indian subcontinent. He was a Quran scholar, Hadith scholar, jurisprudence scholar, and an unparalleled theologian of his time. One of Dehlavi's most important masterpieces is the Persian translation called "Fath al-Rahman". Dehlavi's valuable work has attracted the attention of many Quran scholars and researchers of Quranic sciences due to its special features. The translation of the Quran into Persian in the subcontinent is important in terms of Persian and Arabic linguistics and in terms of the translator's level of depth in topics related to Quranic sciences and literary aesthetics. In order to explain the aforementioned aspects, this research has been conducted using a descriptive and analytical method and in comparison with the literary and authoritative translation of the Holy Quran by Ali Mousavi Garmarudi in the field of the structure of the command and the translation of the concept. The findings of the research, in comparison with Garmarudi's translation, show that Muhaddis Dehlavi's translation is a noteworthy and distinguished translation in terms of its attention to literary subtleties, consideration of rhetorical nuances,
 

Introduction

The context and structure of every language possess their own distinctive features and characteristics. These features function as instruments for conveying meaning and enable the transmission of concepts embedded within a language to the مخاطب (audience). In Arabic, the semantic range of expressions and constructions is notably extensive. Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, one of the most prominent Qur’anic scholars and leading figures in Hadith studies in the 12th century AH in the Indian subcontinent, occupies a distinguished position in this field.
The translation of the Qur’an into Persian in the subcontinent began approximately two centuries prior to Dehlawi with the translation of Makhdoom Nuh in 998 AH. However, Dehlawi’s translation is undoubtedly regarded as the most precise and scholarly translation in that region (Haddad-Adel, 1390: 58). The Persian translation of the Qur’an in the subcontinent is significant both from the perspective of Persian and Arabic linguistics and in terms of Dehlawi’s depth of engagement with Qur’anic sciences and literary aesthetics.
In order to better understand the conceptual and structural merits of Dehlawi’s Persian translation and to highlight his sensitivity to the linguistic requirements of both Arabic and Persian, his translation is compared with one of the finest contemporary Persian translations of the Qur’an, namely that of Garmaroudi. This comparison aims to reveal the distinctiveness and dignity of Dehlawi’s translation through lexical and structural analysis.
Problem Statement, Research Significance, and Research Questions
The translation of the Holy Qur’an is essential for those who lack proficiency in Arabic. This need is particularly evident in the Indian subcontinent. Without an accurate and comprehensible translation, access to the profound meanings of the Qur’an and the ability to benefit from its teachings become difficult. Despite its antiquity, Dehlawi’s Persian translation is recognized as a valuable work due to its precision and subtlety. Baha’ al-Din Khorramshahi describes Garmaroudi’s translation as one of the most eloquent, Persianized, and fluent translations of the Qur’an throughout its more than 1,200-year history (Garmaroudi, 1383: 629).
This study seeks to answer two fundamental questions:

a) What are the characteristics of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi’s translation in terms of grammatical structure and adherence to semantic requirements?
b) In comparing the translations of Dehlawi and Garmaroudi, which demonstrates greater fidelity to conceptual and lexical precision?

 

Methodology

This research is conducted using a descriptive-analytical method. First, the general features of Dehlawi’s Qur’anic translation are examined. Subsequently, selected cases from Dehlawi’s Persian translation are analyzed comparatively alongside Garmaroudi’s translation. To elucidate semantic and lexical subtleties, reference has been made to works on Qur’anic exegesis, Arabic linguistics, and grammatical studies. Data collection has been carried out through library-based and documentary (digital) methods.
 

Discussion

Both Dehlawi and Garmaroudi are distinguished representatives who, through their engagement with Qur’anic translation, have contributed to the dynamism and enrichment of Persian literature. In the following, selected verses from various surahs are examined from rhetorical and structural perspectives, with attention to linguistic subtleties, in order to determine how sensitivity to context and structure affects the accurate conveyance of meaning.
Example 1: Surah al-Qadr (97:2)      ﴿وما أدراک ما لیلة القدر﴾
One of the distinctive Qur’anic stylistic features is the expression “wa mā adrāka”. This construction is a significant element of Qur’anic discourse, often employed to emphasize the عظمت (magnitude) of a subject. It appears twelve times in the Qur’an, consistently indicating the عظمت and importance of the موضوع (subject).

Dehlawi: “What has made you know what the Night of Decree is?”
Garmaroudi: “What do you know what the Night of Decree is?”

From a syntactic perspective, Dehlawi’s translation more closely aligns with the grammatical structure of the original verse. The agreement between the verb and its subject is explicitly preserved. In contrast, Garmaroudi offers a more interpretive rendering and leaves the subject of the verb adrā implicit. Consequently, his translation does not fully convey the intended nuance, which emphasizes the mediating cause that informs the مخاطب about the Night of Decree. This nuance is preserved in Dehlawi’s translation but overlooked in Garmaroudi’s.
Example 2: Surah al-Baqarah (2:264) )... علیه تراب فأصابه وابل ...(
This verse likens charity accompanied by harm or reproach to a barren surface.

Dehlawi: “Upon it is a small amount of dust.”
Garmaroudi: “Upon it lies dust.”

Here, Dehlawi’s precision becomes evident. The word turāb appears as an indefinite noun, which inherently conveys a sense of smallness or insignificance. Dehlawi reflects this nuance in his translation, whereas Garmaroudi and many other translators overlook the descriptive implication embedded in the indefinite form (Shaykh al-Hind, 1393: 44; Ravaqi, 1402: 1/9).
Example 3: Surah Quraysh (106:1)     ﴿لإیلاف قریش﴾

Dehlawi: “For the gratitude of the familiarity granted to Quraysh”
Garmaroudi: “For the cohesion of Quraysh”

Garmaroudi interprets īlāf as cohesion (i.e., the continuity of winter and summer journeys). According to this interpretation, the reason for worship would be the continuity of these journeys. However, based on Dehlawi’s translation, the cause relates to the نعمت (blessing) of familiarity, which encompasses both prosperity and امنیت (security). This interpretation is supported by Surah al-Anfal (8:26): “snatched away from around them”. Dehlawi demonstrates particular attentiveness to this contextual nuance.
 

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that although both Dehlawi’s and Garmaroudi’s translations are distinguished and stylistically significant, each reflects a distinct interpretive approach in conveying meaning. The findings indicate that Dehlawi pays meticulous attention at the rhetorical level to secondary meanings, contextual coherence (siyāq), grammatical variations (i‘rāb), and subtle morphological and syntactic features.
This is particularly noteworthy given his geographical distance from the primary centers of Arabic scholarship in the subcontinent, underscoring the depth, precision, and breadth of his studies in Arabic literary sciences, Shari‘ah, and Qur’anic exegesis.
In contrast, Garmaroudi’s translation is fluent and accessible, sparing the reader from linguistic complexity. However, in terms of grammatical and rhetorical precision, it is, in certain instances, less exact when compared to Dehlawi’s translation.
 

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