Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (2/612)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

because it is needed to make the person addressed understand in his own language, while the sound meaning is made clear, there is [no harm in that, for it is permissible] (1) to translate the Quran and hadith when needed to convey their meaning. Many people have become accustomed to a particular mode of expression; if they are not addressed in it, they neither understand nor can they discern (2) whether a statement is sound or false. They may even accuse the person addressing them of not understanding what he is saying.

Most of those who delve into speculative theology and philosophy are of this kind: you may present one of them (3) with sound meanings through scriptural texts, yet they will not accept them, supposing that their own terminology contains meanings absent from those texts. But when the meaning indicated by revealed law is taken and formulated (4) in their terminology, and is used (5) to demonstrate the falsity of their position, which contradicts the meaning established by revelation, they submit to it (6) and acquiesce.

This is like addressing a Turk, a Berber, [a Byzantine] (7), or a Persian with the Quran in Arabic and explaining it to him: he will not understand until something is translated for him into his own language (8). His happiness and joy then become immense, and he accepts the truth and abandons his falsehood, because the meanings brought by the Messenger are the most perfect, finest, and soundest of meanings. This, however, requires complete mastery of both, like an interpreter who [wishes to] be skilled in understanding both languages (9).

(1) The text between brackets is omitted only from (ن). (2) “Nor does it become clear to him”: the entire phrase is omitted from (ب), while “nor does it become clear” is omitted from (أ). (3) “To him” is omitted from (ع). (4) (ب) and (أ): “and encompassed”; (ن): “and was neglected,” which is a textual corruption. The word is undotted in (م). (5) “By it” is omitted from (ب) and (أ). (6) (ع): “They submitted to it.” (7) “And the Byzantine” is omitted from (ن) and (م). (8) (ب): “whom you address with the Arabic Quran and its explanation, but he does not understand until you translate something for him into his own language”; (أ): “whom he addresses with the Arabic Quran and its explanation, but he does not understand until he translates something for him into his own language”; (ن) and (م): “whom he addresses with the Noble Quran and its explanation, yet he does not understand it until he translates something for him into his own language.” (9) (ن) and (م): “who is skilled in understanding both languages.”

لِلْحَاجَةِ إِلَى إِفْهَامِ الْمُخَاطَبِ بِلُغَتِهِ مَعَ ظُهُورِ الْمَعْنَى الصَّحِيحِ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِذَلِكَ [بَأْسٌ، فَإِنَّهُ يَجُوزُ] (١) تَرْجَمَةُ الْقُرْآنِ وَالْحَدِيثِ لِلْحَاجَةِ إِلَى الْإِفْهَامِ، وَكَثِيرٌ مِمَّنْ قَدْ تَعَوَّدَ عِبَارَةً مُعَيَّنَةً إِنْ لَمْ يُخَاطَبْ بِهَا لَمْ يَفْهَمْ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُ (٢) صِحَّةُ الْقَوْلِ وَفَسَادُهُ، وَرُبَّمَا نَسَبَ الْمُخَاطِبَ إِلَى أَنَّهُ لَا يَفْهَمُ مَا يَقُولُ. وَأَكْثَرُ الْخَائِضِينَ فِي الْكَلَامِ وَالْفَلْسَفَةِ مِنْ هَذَا الضَّرْبِ: تَرَى أَحَدَهُمْ يَذْكُرُ لَهُ (٣) الْمَعَانِيَ الصَّحِيحَةَ بِالنُّصُوصِ الشَّرْعِيَّةِ فَلَا يَقْبَلُونَهَا لِظَنِّهِمْ أَنَّ فِي عِبَارَتِهِمْ مِنَ الْمَعَانِي مَا لَيْسَ فِي تِلْكَ، فَإِذَا أَخَذَ الْمَعْنَى الَّذِي دَلَّ عَلَيْهِ الشَّرْعُ وَصِيغَ (٤) بِلُغَتِهِمْ، وَبُيِّنَ بِهِ (٥) بُطْلَانُ قَوْلِهِمُ الْمُنَاقِضِ لِلْمَعْنَى الشَّرْعِيِّ، خَضَعُوا لِذَلِكَ (٦) وَأَذْعَنُوا لَهُ، كَالتُّرْكِيِّ وَالْبَرْبَرِيِّ [وَالرُّومِيِّ] (٧) وَالْفَارِسِيِّ الَّذِي يُخَاطِبُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ الْعَرَبِيِّ وَيُفَسِّرُهُ فَلَا يَفْهَمُهُ حَتَّى يُتَرْجِمَ لَهُ شَيْئًا بِلُغَتِهِ (٨) فَيَعْظُمَ سُرُورُهُ وَفَرَحُهُ، وَيَقْبَلَ الْحَقَّ وَيَرْجِعَ عَنْ بَاطِلِهِ، لِأَنَّ الْمَعَانِيَ الَّتِي جَاءَ بِهَا الرَّسُولُ أَكْمَلُ الْمَعَانِي وَأَحْسَنُهَا وَأَصَحُّهَا، لَكِنْ هَذَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى كَمَالِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ لِهَذَا وَلِهَذَا، كَالتُّرْجُمَانِ الَّذِي [يُرِيدُ أَنْ] يَكُونَ حَاذِقًا فِي فَهْمِ اللُّغَتَيْنِ (٩) .

(١) مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعْقُوفَتَيْنِ سَاقِطٌ مِنْ (ن) فَقَطْ. (٢) وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُ: سَقَطَتِ الْعِبَارَةُ كُلُّهَا مِنْ (ب) وَسَقَطَتْ عِبَارَةُ " وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ " مِنْ (أ) . (٣) لَهُ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ع) . (٤) ب، أ: وَسِعَ ; ن: وَضُيِّعَ، وَهُوَ تَحْرِيفٌ. وَالْكَلِمَةُ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوطَةٍ فِي (م) . (٥) بِهِ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ب) ، (أ) . (٦) ع: خَضَعُوا لَهُ. (٧) وَالرُّومِيِّ: سَاقِطَةٌ مِنْ (ن) ، (م) . (٨) ب: الَّذِي تُخَاطِبُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ الْعَرَبِيِّ وَتَفْسِيرِهِ فَلَا يَفْهَمُ حَتَّى تُتَرْجِمَ لَهُ شَيْئًا بِلُغَتِهِ ; أ: الَّذِي يُخَاطِبُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ الْعَرَبِيِّ وَتَفْسِيرِهِ فَلَا يَفْهَمُ حَتَّى يُتَرْجِمَ لَهُ شَيْئًا بِلُغَتِهِ ; ن، م: الَّذِي يُخَاطِبُهُ بِالْقُرْآنِ الْعَزِيزِ وَتَفْسِيرِهِ وَلَا يَفْهَمُهُ حَتَّى يُتَرْجِمَ لَهُ شَيْئًا بِلُغَتِهِ. (٩) ن، م: الَّذِي يَكُونُ حَاذِقًا فِي فَهْمِ اللُّغَتَيْنِ.