Dawoodi Bohra Forum

I heard awhile ago that Dawoodi Bohras are only allowed to read the Qur'an in Arabic and never a translation of the Qur'an in the vernacular. Is this true?

Yes. It is true.

Actually, it is not true.

Beti Fatima:
In DB faith/ religion they tell you not to read a translation , but there is no enforcement or religious police to come and arrest you if you do. So go ahead and do it, I did it many years ago and knowing the meanings changed my life for the better. Knowledge is knowledge without the coloration of any language. Even if the Dai or his men wrote a translation it would have to be a literal translation, they will not divelge the taweel for general public consumption, so what would be the difference in their translation or anyone else' translation.
Many times it is difficult to ask and get permission to do something prohibited, but a lot easier to apologize when caught doing it, so do it.

wrong advice of kaka to Fatima. I say, do not be a hypocrite. Be brave enough to take raza and make sure you get the raza. if they do not give you the raza then question them. come to the truth and set yourself free. there is no need to hide or be a hypocrite in religion.
The clergy keeps demanding mumineen to keep beard for syedna's happiness and to show they are pious in religion. Question arises; does that mean that women who do not have beards are less pious? This question was asked by an abde and he is still waiting f

wrong advice of kaka to Fatima. I say, do not be a hypocrite. Be brave enough to take raza and make sure you get the raza. if they do not give you the raza then question them. Come to the truth and set yourself free. There is no need to hide or be a hypocrite in religion.

think wrote:wrong advice of kaka to Fatima. I say, do not be a hypocrite. Be brave enough to take raza and make sure you get the raza. if they do not give you the raza then question them. Come to the truth and set yourself free. There is no need to hide or be a hypocrite in religion.

Wrong advice from both Kaka and Think. What is wrong with you guys? Do you need raza of Dai and his men to read the book of Allah or its translation? If you will read multiple translations of holy Quran you will realize that they all convey the same message in slightly different words indicating that all translations are similar to each other and the translaters have tried their best to do justice to those translations. Given this basis it is worth reading the translations because they do not mislead you in anyway. If you have doubts with particular part of a translation then do more research till your doubt is resolved. In this age lot of free information is readily available. If the bohra Dai believes that available translations of holy Quran are not correct then he should come with his own. Until he does that he has no right to stop people from reading the holy Quran or its translations.

anajmi wrote:Yes. It is true.

How are you suppose to know what the Qur'an says then if you don't speak Arabic...?

If you are a Dawoodi Bohra, you are not supposed to know what the Quran says. You are only supposed to know what the Dai says.

Fatima, translation. if you can write on this web then surely you can read english or urdu or gujrati. Translation of Quran is available in many languages. Read and be wise.
Yes, and I do take back about getting permission from mulla to acquire knowledge. Mr. Anajmi I stand corrected. you do not need any permission to acquire knowledge.

think,

Actually, that was Aarif and not Mr. Anajmi.