The Lessons from The Translations of The QuranIf we pay attention, the words-to-words Quran and the so-called “translation” usually would be different.
The so-called “translation” of the Quran is actually the “end product” of the translation process itself, in which the final process is to make the source texts “readable” in the target language. Therefore, some “adjustments” may be needed. This is common or even natural in the process of translation – mostly to the language with different grammatical rules. However, maybe not many people are aware that by doing so, this final stage of “readability” is actually already included the process of interpretation. This is why the translation of Quran is different between translators, because every translators has their own interpretations regarding the source texts that they read. Once more, this is natural in the process of translation or even in the reading process itself: every readers will have different understanding even if they read the same book. It would highly depends on the background of the readers themselves.
The thing is that we may want to focus more on what is actually mentioned in the Quran itself. Therefore, if it is possible, words-to-words translation would be a great addition to any translations of the Quran. So, every readers of Quran would know
what is actually mentioned in the source text and what is “supplementary” to make the source text “readable” in the target language.
Most people must be aware by now that additional information within the verses of Quran are usually put inside a bracket or “()” symbol in the Quran. Yet,
what most people might not realize is that the final translation of the Quran itself is actually already involved the process of interpretation, in which the deep but wide meanings within the Words of All-Knowing God is simply understood by limited humans’ minds. Humans, no matter how much knowledge we have, are bonded with our very limited understanding. This, actually, has been implied in Al Baqarah (2) 255: we know nothing about what is in front and behind us. All we know is strictly limited by the time and space – and, most importantly, by what He wills. For me, this limitation of mankind, or even creatures, is actually the very essential and most fundamental value within the revelation of Quran itself or in my humble term simply;
the human in humans (as it has been implied within the Ar Rum (30) 30). Thus, again, words-for-words translations of the Quran are essentially required to know exactly what is really mentioned within the Quran itself and how the translators interpret them in the target language.
The easiest way to see the whole process of translation is actually by seeing your own translated version of the Quran and its words-to-words translation (if any) to prove it yourself. However, my recommendation would be the website
http://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp. In that website, you can click the Arabic to see the words-to-words translation.
By comparing the words-to-words translations and also each translations of the Quran, you will see the "basic" difference between a “translation” and “interpretation”. This also concludes that within any process of translation, the involvement of interpretation is actually something natural. Therefore, the word-to-word translation or the translation of each linguistic elements present to the source texts would be a crucial point in understanding the Quran or any so-called sacred texts.
The False Name of GodIn the 10th verse of Mandala X Hymn 121 of the Rig Veda, the “name” of Sole God - with none other besides Him - is mentioned as “Pragâpati” or “Prajāpati” (the Lord of Creatures). Again,
if the original text does literally mention such a concept, the text itself is actually a proof that the God or at least the concept of Oneness of God in Islam is actually already known since a long time ago. It also means the God or at least the concept is known by the Hindus.
However, the language used in the Rig Veda is not Arabic but Sanskrit. Thus, the “linguistic element” used to represent The God or The Creator is not “Allah” but rather “Pragâpati” or “Prajāpati”. This understanding that "Allah" is only a linguistic element to represent "The God" in Arabic not an exclusive name is actually very crucial in finding the truth of Quran. Thus, God explains that
We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people (Ibrahim or chapter 14, verse 4)
. Now, why don't we use this information to find His other "Names" in ancient texts? This is actually why I wrote this very long article. You can see the original text or the Sanskrit of Mandala X Hymn 121 in
www.Sacred-Texts.com (
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rvsan/rv10121.htm).
I know this finding will have its own controversy, mostly because “Pragâpati” or “Prajāpati” has His own statue, while the concept of God in Islam does not have any forms – mostly not in the form of a human.
The thing that we might want to put in mind is that anything could have happened during the course of many centuries. Things like a human became the son of God or the name of a human elevated equally to the name of God do happen in the course of time.
There is actually a logical explanation for the statue itself,
either it is an ancient misconception for the depiction of the Creator and Sustainer of the heaven and earth (Rig Veda 10:121 verses 1, 5, 6, and 9) or there was something happening over a very long-long time. Please note that when I stated “misconception” I did not state it in a disrespectful manner. However, if Prajāpati is the ancient “name” or more precisely “reference” of God in Islam, Prajāpati or the Lord of Creatures (or if I may, the Creator) is simply far too great for any humans’ minds can comprehend. It is actually based on respect and awareness that Islamic people do not depict The God, since God is simply beyond us all.
I do have the same respect for Prajāpati who in the first verse of Mandala X Hymn 121 is mentioned “He alone was the lord of all” . Thus, depicting such an Absolutely Powerful Lord with my limited mind would be far beyond my own or any other humans’ capability as nothing more but a human.
In my respect of His Greatness, I see that depicting Prajāpati as the Lord of Creatures would be a “misconception”. I apologize if you find this offensive. However, this view does not come from “disrespect” but rather “a deep respect”. Surely, there would be different views about this. I just hope you will understand my motive regarding this particular matter.
Other possible explanation is that
the depiction of Prajāpati in the form of statue is a result of the time itself. Williams in Handbook of Hindu Mythology (2008) writes that the supremacy of Prajâpati was taken over by Brahma and later Brahma was replaced by Vishnu and Siva. This has been “subcontracting creation to first seven, then ten, and finally twenty-one or more Prajâpatis, of whom Brahmâ was seen as one” (page 235) . Since Prajāpati was taken over by Brahmâ, Prajāpati often refers to Brahma in later literature followed by Shiva and Vishnu. This is why Prajāpati can also refer to Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu in later Hindu practice (Lochtefeld, 2001. Page 519) . Moreover, according to Roshen Dalal in Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide (2010) there are also “several others referred to as Prajāpati in Mahabharata and Puranas” (page 311) . Still according to Dalal, there are even groups of Prajapatis, which were the descendants of the God Brahma mentioned in Puranas and other texts.
From this information, it can be deduced that there is a possibility where the statue of Prajâpati might actually not have been a depiction of Him, but rather a depiction of other Gods referred to as Him. Yet, during a long course of time, the statue itself was started to be referred to as Him. This is possible. However, to make sure about it, a further study will be needed.
Now, if we take Quran as a point of reference, the event itself might actually have been mentioned in At Tawbah (9) 31. You may want to read the verse yourself.
Based on the explanation above, Quran actually could be used as a point of reference in finding other “names” of God in ancient texts. We just have to follow the characteristics of the God being mentioned in Quran – especially His Supreme Oneness characteristic.
We just have to see beyond the linguistic elements used as tools in delivering meanings. This is actually the method implied in Ibrahim (14) verse 4. Moreover, if we look closely,
the verses in Quran actually could be used to explain the history itself. We just have to keep our eyes and minds open and keep learning about Quran and the world itself. This is how we will understand the truth in Quran. The thing that we should remember is other religions will have their own views. Therefore, there would be a lot of views, whereas
the view used here is from Quranic point of view. This is why this method is called The Quranic Versions; in which the history in general is explained through the verses of Quran.
The Vedas (or here mostly the Mandala X Hymn 121 in Rig Veda), for instance, might be a very important ancient texts for Islam itself. In a blog
Rejuvenasiakal.wordpress.com, some young people from Malaysia wrote about “Agama Hindu berasal dari Islam?” (roughly translated “Does Hindu Religion came from Islam?”). Now, before the title inciting any misunderstanding for the Hindus, Islam here means “to surrender oneself, to commit or resign oneself to the will of God” (Lewis and Churchill, 2008) . The word “Islam” used in the article actually refers to its meaning rather than the religion or "the people of the Quran". If I can take it roughly, the title actually implies that Hindus is essentially a religion that leads to the way to “salvation”, just like the Christian, Jewish, and “Islam”
essentially are. I believe people in this forum can explain this matter more than me. This explanation is merely a just-in-case scenario for those who might misunderstand about the tittle – which may often happen.
Within the article written in Melayunese language, it is explained that
there is possibility where Brahma is actually Ibrahim (Abraham) being mentioned in Quran. This explanation could be found under the subsection “Tuhan Brhama itu Ibrahim a.s?” (sic). It could be roughly translated as “Is God Brahma Ibrahim AS?”. In this subsection, there is an explanation about the etymology of Abraham from the word “Ab” or “Ap”, which means “father” in Kashmir, and “Ram”. It is stated in that site that “the prototypical Jews will call Ram “Ab-Ram” or “father Ram”. It is also explained further in that page that the word “Brahm” (sic) is derived from the word “Ab-Ram” and not the vice versa. I personally believe that it could be the other way around. Unfortunately, I cannot contact the site owner to verify or clarify this. Honestly, I have not conducted my own research regarding this matter, so I cannot say anything further about it. You may want to contact the site owner for further explanation, since I failed to reach them. However,
if Prajāpati (the “name” of the One Supreme God mentioned in Rig Veda) is indeed The Absolute One God mentioned in Quran, then there is a chance that Brahma is indeed the prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) mentioned in the Quran. It will also explains why Prajāpati appears late in the Vedas, why Prajâpati was the Supreme Entity and the father of Gods during the time of Brahmanas (George M Williams, 2008), and why Mandala X Hymn 121 is about "sacrifice". Maybe, only Quran that can explain this. However, I must warn you that before further study is conducted, this shall not be made into a final conclusion. I too want to be right about this, but the truth should always come from evidences - not a mere argument. Therefore, you may want to look up the ancient texts during the time of the Brahmanas. There, you will find the truth.
This is actually my whole point in reminding Mr Joseph of his article “‘ALLAH’ IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE NAME FOR GOD”. It is true that the name of “Allah” is simply a linguistic element in Arabic that represent the concept of God itself. Therefore, it is equivalent with God in English, Tuhan in Indonesian, Dios in Spanish, Dieu in French and such. However, when Mr. Joseph started to enter specific “name of God”, preferably those who are mentioned in other Holy Books, maybe –just maybe- there is actually a better method to confirm it. Remember that
these specific “names” such as Krishna, Khuda, Yahweh, Elohim, Adi Purush (Timeless being); Para Brahman (The absolute Truth), El, Eli, Eloi, and Jehovah are bonded with historical background, which in the end creates religious understanding. Without checking the historical background, I do think it would be quite risky and reckless. Sure, Para Brahman might be known as “The Absolute Truth” nowadays, but did it really refer to “The God” itself a long time ago?
Time can really change many things. Therefore, a little precautions and background study might be required to determine whether it is a “reference” of God or something else. There is actually another lesson that can be learned from the Rig Veda Mandala X Hymn 121 as it is explained by Max Müller in Vedic Hymns. You can read it in
www.sacred-texts.com.
KaIn his note about the 10th verse of Mandala X Hymn 121, Max Müller mentions about a misunderstanding in viewing the pronoun “Ka”, which means “who”. Müller explains that
since “the authors of the Brâhmanas had so completely broken with the past that, forgetful of the poetical character of the hymns, and the yearning of the poets after the unknown god, they exalted the interrogative pronoun into a deity,' and acknowledged a god 'Ka, or Who’”. Müller further explains that the Brâhmans actually have invented “a God” named “Ka”. Thus,
“in the later Sanskrit literature of the Purânas, Ka appears as a recognised god, as the supreme god, with a genealogy of his own, perhaps even with a wife; and that in the Laws of Manu, one of the recognised forms of marriage, generally known by the name of Pragâpati-marriage, occurs under the monstrous title of 'Kâya'”.
This explanation given by Max Müller could be a good example or even hard evidence of Al A’raf (7) 71, Yusuf (12) 40, and An Najm (53) 23 in the Quran. Müller explanation is also the reason why we may want to be very cautious in mentioning “specific reference” of God, mostly those who are mentioned in other sacred books or ancient texts. However, it does not necessarily some “names” of God in ancient texts are not the ancient “names” of Islamic God.
It is just that these “names” of God mentioned in other sacred books or ancient texts must fit the characteristics of God as they are mentioned in Quran – mostly His Absolute Oneness character.
They are actually some benefits in applying this method for us. It can improve our knowledge or understanding about history or other religions. It can show us
the truth that other ancient texts have already mentioned similar concept as it has been informed in Quran even far before the Christian Bible. But, for me,
the most important thing is that we will know the “names” of God in the ancient time. As I am a believer of His Exalted Authority, these “names” are very important to me – no matter how people often laugh and underestimate me for this. For me, these “names” actually the evidence of the truth within Quran itself.
Again, Mr. Joseph is right that God Himself is far beyond our limited capability to understand. Thus, essentially, He simply cannot be represented by any linguistic elements. Therefore, when He sent us His words through His prophet including His Beautiful Names, there must be a very good reason behind it. Allah is the All-Acquainted (Al Khabir/Khobiiro ) after all. This is also what makes me believe that
the verses Mr. Joseph mentioned 017:110 and 007.180 are actually still within the context, which is the Quran itself - not out of it.
I do not say there are 99 Names of Him, since I haven’t counted them. I personally count His Names that are mentioned together as one name, not separately. Now,
the question is: how if we use His Beautiful Names mentioned in Quran for our benefits, like to search His other “names” in the timeline of history?Can this be proven?
Sure! Why not?
There is a way to prove it by using the same method. If we look deeper in the historical timeline, there is actually another ancient text that already mentioned Beautiful Names of God within the Quran in an extinct language several hundred years before the Bible – an ancient text that might often be forgotten by us: the Avestan Gathas. However, since the Avestan Gathas are quite long than "The great Hymn to the Aten" and "Mandala X Hymn 121 of the Rig Veda", I will need more time to prepare it.
In the end, I apologize if there are some "inappropriate" things in my writing or if you find this offensive, as I have no intention to do so. Please remember that any mistakes I made in this writing is mine alone as a limited being. Yet, if this turns out to be truth, please remember that it is Quran that tells you the truth. I am among you who know this kind of truth from the Quran. Therefore, please read your Quran and try to understand its messages. And you will see even more than this piece of writing.