Friday, July 18, 2014

Ali is The Wise

On page 128 of 'Ismaili Tariqah’ appears an English translation of the Quranic verse 4 of chapter 43. I have gone through various English, Urdu and Gujarati translations of the Quran and I have yet to find a single translation that would come close to the one the author has published in his book. His Unique Translation reads:
 "Indeed, to Us, Ali is the Wise as stated in the Mother-book"
Below is the translation of the same verse done by Abdullah Yusuf Ali:
"And Verily it is in the Mother of the Book, in Our presence, high (in dignity), full of wisdom."
Going through the Arabic text, it appears that the author Abualy has translated the words "Aliyyun Hakiim" (لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ) as "ALI IS THE WISE".

In the language of the Quran (Arabic):
Al-‘Aliyyu (العلى) means The Exalted or Most High.
Al-Azizu (العزيز) means The Mighty or Supreme.
Al-‘Aziimu (العظيم) means The Grand or Tremendous.
These are adjectives, as well as the attributes of Allah. At the same time, Ali (علي), Aziz (عزِيز) and Azim (عظيم) are proper names for individuals. The author has substituted one adjective with a proper name and manipulated the entire translation. If his translation mode was to be applied to the Quran, then the entire Quran would read differently e.g. Azizun Hakim would read "Mr. Aziz is Wise". In the celebrated ‘Verse of the throne’ -- Ayat-ul Kursi i.e. chapter 2 verse 255 - the last line which reads "He (Allah) is the Exalted, the Grand" ( الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ) could be translated by a dishonest or unscrupulous translator in the following different ways:
a) "Exalted Azim is He (Allah)"
b) "Grand Ali is He (Allah)".
c) "Ali, Azim (both) are He (Allah)".
Similarly the popular Takbeer "Allahu Akbar" (الله اكبر) meaning "Allah is Great" could be deceitfully and dishonorably translated by a prevaricating translator as:
"Allah is Akbar" or "Akbar is Allah"
(May Allah forgive us for reading these blasphemies).

Allah has given every individual the wisdom to distinguish the truth from falsehood. A missionary's duty is to propagate what he is expected or asked by his superiors or masters to propagate. A reader's duty is to verify the facts with original sources or roots, and then decide what to believe and what not to believe. There is always among us a section who would distort the Scripture and Allah says:
 "There is among them a section who distort the Book with their tongues: (as they read) you would think it is a part of the Book, but it is no part of the Book; and they say, "That is from Allah. But it is not from Allah: It is they who tell a lie against Allah, and well) they know it!" 
 Holy Quran 3:78
(The above article is an excerpt from 'Understanding Ismailism' by Akberally Meherally. The full book can be downloaded from www.mostmerciful.com)

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