Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

I have heard from many people that reading translation of the holy quran is forbidden in our community. How far this is true? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Forbidden to read the translation of the Holy Quran

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Our Merciful and Wise Lord has revealed His Message so that people read, understand, obey, follow and live their lives according to the clear commands and teachings of the Glorious Quran. Thus, for the believers who do not understand the Arabic language, a translation of the Holy Quran will give them a very good understanding of the Message of their Lord; so that they may strive to live according to its guidance and commands.

If one does not read the Quran with understanding, he obviously would be deprived of the guidance and teachings of His Lord and Creator; and thus would fall astray from the Straight Path of Islam. It is the ardent duty of every believer, who sincerely believes in Allah as His Creator, to read and understand the Message that his Merciful Lord has sent for the guidance of all mankind.

If a normal king of this world were to send one of us a letter in a language we cannot understand, the first thing we would do is go to someone who understands the language and try to understand the message that the king has sent for us. The Glorious Quran is a Message from the King of Kings to His created slaves; thus it is only common sense that one who does not understand the language of the Quran, to try and understand the Message of his Lord in the language he understands best.

The people or leaders who command that their followers should not understand the Quran, are in fact criminals in the sight of Allah; for they are trying to conceal the clear guidance and teachings of the Lord of the Worlds, which He revealed for the guidance of all mankind! Their only aim in denying their followers the understanding of the Quran is so that they can lead them astray from the Straight Path of the Holy Quran and to the everlasting torture of the Hell Fire. They are those who have sold or bartered the very Words of Allah Subhanah, in order to gain a paltry worldly gain from their followers! On the Day of Judgement, both; these leaders who deny their followers the understanding of the Quran, and those who obeyed and followed them, will both be brought as criminals to the Court of Allah Subhanah for a severe accounting.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Al-Baqarah verse 174:Indeed those, who conceal the commands that Allah has sent down in His Book and barter them away for paltry worldly gains, fill their bellies with fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He regard them as pure and there is a painful torment for them!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 159:Those who conceal the clear (Revelations) and Guidance We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, on them shall be Allah’s ‘laanah’ and the ‘laanah’ of those who are entitled to curse!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan