A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

The one and only free public forum for Bohras. The focus of this forum is the reform movement, the Dawoodi Bohra faith and, of course, the corrupt priesthood. But the discussion is in no way restricted to the Bohras alone.
Biradar
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:13 pm

A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#1

Unread post by Biradar » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:40 pm

It seems from the present and previous Bohra leadership that reading the Quran in translation (and in general making an attempt to understand it by oneself) is forbidden. Part of the reason given is that the Quran is a complex book that requires deep immersion and is not for light reading. This is of course true, but still an individual believer must make an attempt to fathom the depths of this sublime text that was revealed to the Prophet. However, the real reason is likely more nefarious: the mullahs do not wish people to understand the key foundational text of Islam independent of their authority, lest the common people question the mullahs themselves.

Hence, I was pleasantly surprised to find a complete translation and near-complete commentary of the Quran written in Gujrathi (but in the Arabic script). I made this discovery while browsing some old collection of manuscripts in a special collections library. The book is arranged in the following way: the complete text of the Quran is written in large letters with the corresponding translation in small letters below each line in Gujrathi. The commentary (or Tafsir) is written as marginal notes, also in Gujrathi. This was an unexpected find and I was not looking for it. Interestingly, this book is not mentioned in the Biobibliography of Ismaili Literature by Ismail Poonawala, which may indicate he also does not know about it. (It is also not mentioned in the Hamdani collection bibliography or Ivanov's bibliography either) Clearly, this is an important text as it is probably one of the very few (only?) complete translations into Arabic-script Gujrathi with an Ismaili, specifically Bohra, commentary.

(I am aware of the translation and commentary by Ahmed Ali Raj. However, it seems that unlike Ahmed Ali Raj, the author of the earlier text was not in the group of those who denied the nass on S. Abdul Qadi Najmuddin, at least openly. At that time there was clearly doubts about the nass amongst some ulema, but the divisions were not open and perhaps this author merely accepted common practice and prayed for the long life of the present da'i, even if did not really believe if that da'i was properly appointed or not).

The text is certainly Bohra: the author mentions in the colophon that it was completed in 1295 AH, which corresponds to 1878, during the time of S. Abdul Qadir Najmuddin. (S. A-Q N died in 1302 AH). The author gives his name and also of his teachers, but again I was not able to find any information on them in the Biobibliography. The author also mentions the name of S. Abdul Qadir Najmuddin, ending with an invocation for his long life.

In any case, I am attempting to find the copyright of this text so the whole PDF can be made available. The translation is a little clumsy but good. However the commentary is pretty good and very informative. At the least it shows that the teaching of the Quran and tafsir was not so unheard of amongst the Bohras.

(The author of this translation and commentary is one Mullah Abdulqadir bin Shaikh Luqmanji).
Last edited by Biradar on Mon Nov 21, 2022 12:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

Biradar
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#2

Unread post by Biradar » Sun Nov 20, 2022 9:45 pm

Ad addenda to the above post: In the same collection I also found a translation of some of Imam Ali Zain-alabedin's du'as in Sahifa Sajjadia. The translation again is in Gujrathi written in Arabic script. The author in this case writes a couple of lines of the du'a followed by a translation and commentary. So it seems that such translation and commentary activity was common, or least starting to get common at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century CE.

Humsafar
Posts: 2608
Joined: Sat Dec 16, 2000 5:01 am

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#3

Unread post by Humsafar » Mon Nov 21, 2022 5:12 pm

This is an amazing find, Biradar. Well done. And thank you for letting us know. Since this is an old book, I don't think you need to worry about the copyright. I think copyright expires after 50 years of publication. This is now a part of the common human heritage, you should upload it on this forum. Also, I can send a copy to Ismail Poonawala and find out what he has to say.

Biradar
Posts: 1043
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:13 pm

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#4

Unread post by Biradar » Tue Nov 22, 2022 10:59 pm

Thanks, Humsafar. I have uploaded all the documents to my Google Drive. I had to break the PDF into smaller chunks of 20 to 100 pages each. The total size is still pretty substantial, being more than 2.5 GBs total. I will send the Admin the link to the drive and he can put it somewhere on the site, perhaps under Library section. If anyone wants the link, please just PM me or send me an email on biradar.ni.nasihat at gmail dot com.

Seems like the author, Mullah Abdulqadir probably lost steam while writing the commentary as a lot of the middle portions of the margins are empty. However, the translation is complete. As I said the translation is a little clumsy: the problem with interlinear translation is that the translator is forced to translate almost word-for-word and obviously the grammar and sentence structure in Arabic and Gujrathi is very different, leading to some awkwardness. However the commentary is very readable and clean. It would be interesting to compare the commentary with one provided elsewhere to see if there are significant differences. In particular, the commentary on specific verses important to the Shi'a would be interesting to study.

As to the copyright: this is an old book written nearly 150 years ago. No one has looked at it in probably a century or more. So I think there is no one around to claim copyright!


AbdeYamani
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:08 am

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#6

Unread post by AbdeYamani » Thu Dec 15, 2022 6:43 pm

As'Salamo Alaykum,

Kindly mail me the link at abdeyamani@protonmail.com

Jazakallah Khayr

Bohra spring
Posts: 1377
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:37 am

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#7

Unread post by Bohra spring » Fri Dec 16, 2022 1:25 pm

Salam Biradar Bhai, apologies I cannot read Gujarati, and rely on your assessment. The tafsir and translation you have discovered, have you compared it to other mainstream versions available in Shia or Sunni publications.

Are the tafsir based on Ismaili esoteric theology or has done a fair and objective analysis.

I hope you understand, the post STS doctrinal approach from Jamia and progated through sabaq who many of us have heard in our lifetime are quite heretical and the deviation is intentionally to manipulate and targeted for internal indoctrination .


Shafakat
Posts: 24
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:16 am

Re: A Curious Find: Interlinear Translation and Marginal Quran Commentary in Gujrathi (in Arabic Script)

#9

Unread post by Shafakat » Wed Jan 25, 2023 12:04 pm

Bhai pls send me PDF file on this email
Khursheedh@gmail.com