Kamel Quranic Dictionary in English, A Work Beyond Translation

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Speaking to IQNA, author of the Kamel Quranic Dictionary in English added that in that way, a great part of meaning is lost during translation. Anwar Mujib Faruqi noted that the Kamel Dictionary is a work that goes beyond translation in providing the meaning of Quranic words. He said he has spent 15 years to complete the work. “At first, I began mastering Arabic language, which took me a long time. Then, I started studying the Holy Quran in Arabic and after a long time I finished studying the entire Holy Book.” Faruqi said that at that time he thought of compiling a Quranic dictionary in which the Quranic words in each Surah are explained in English so that English readers can benefit from the Holy Book directly. “Hence, I began compiling the dictionary and currently the first volume of the work has been completed in 617 pages.” He added that the entire dictionary will be published in 6 volumes and around 4000 pages. “The first volume includes the words of the four first Surah of the Holy Quran, namely Al-Fatiha, Baqara, Al-e Imran and Nisa.” According to the Pakistani scholar no other such Quranic dictionary has so far been compiled in English. “This work is not a simple translation of the Quran, but something more. It not only provides the meaning of every single word in English, but also analyses the words so that the meaning is properly conveyed to the English readers.” He said in his dictionary, the meaning and explanation of the words of each verse has been presented in an ordinal way based on the order of the verses. Faruqi told IQNA that he has started writing the draft version of the second volume, which will be revised after completion. Compiling the dictionary is full-time task as typing, revising and editing takes a lot of time, he said, predicting that the remaining five volumes will take around five years to complete. The Pakistani Quran scholar also noted that no one has yet financially supported the work, adding that he is looking for a trustable publisher to publish the first volume. “In compiling this work, I have made every efforts to help English speakers understand the meaning of the Quran directly.” Faruqi also stressed that the beliefs of no sects or schools of thought have been reflected in the Quranic dictionary, and only the text of the Quran has been presented. He went on to say that in writing his Quranic Dictionary, he benefited from a number of Quran translations and interpretations.End item/ 149