02-03-2005, 01:29 PM
Bismillah,
Ronniv,
There are several translations, IF you are interested in translations, here is more some of 29:48.
YUSUFALI: And thou wast not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: In that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted.
PICKTHAL: And thou (O Muhammad) wast not a reader of any scripture before it, nor didst thou write it with thy right hand, for then might those have doubted, who follow falsehood.
SHAKIR: And you did not recite before it any book, nor did you transcribe one with your right hand, for then could those who say untrue things have doubted.
All of the same verse, and there are others too.
Now you say about these translations ''These translations are vastly different, in my opinion, and I have seen this in several different verses. There is such a huge difference between translations as to totally alter the meaning of particular passages.
Why is this and how does one know which translation to trust?''
Can YOU explain to me, in what way they are 'vastly different' and then I will give you my understanding of them. But I will give you the priority to explain first.
Since you say that you have noticed this 'difference' in other verses too, do you UNDERSTAND the language of the Qur'an? Sometimes Allah, SWT speaks to us about things that has happend, sometimes of things happening and sometimes about things that will happen in future. If you do not understand the direct LANGUAGE of Allah, SWT and at the same time stop to LISTEN to Him, you will stay right where you are. Then you can pick out verses, without creating no understand what so ever about in what connections we are told these things, and say, 'well look here how should this be'? But this is NOT reading nor understanding His Message, it is interpreting His Message in a way that suits you. Not the right way to approach His Message.
But as a Muslim, I have been taught, that it is not the religion that should be adjusted to suit the believer, but it is the believer that shall adjusted to the belief. And THAT makes sense to me.
The translations of the Qur'an to a lot of languages are a HELP for those that do not know Arabic, likewise is the tafsir of the Qur'an a HELP to understand the more deeper understanding of the Qur'an.
How do you expect it to be possible to translate the Words of Allah, SWT, so directly? Remember we are not talking about an English authors memories being translated into another language, but the WORDS OF ALLAH, SWT. We have to endeavour a bit to be able to understand His Words. And that needs some serious engagement. Otherwise we can take the easy way out, and draw the conclusions that you draw and say, 'that's that'. That is one of the choices we have to make in this life.
Salam