Evaluation of Marmaduke Pickthall’s English Translation of the Qur’an Based on the Principles of Lexical-Semantic Structure of Qur’anic Vocabulary

Contemporary understandings of Islam—as both a religion and a civilization—rely heavily on the rethinking and reinterpretation of its foundational texts and historical practices. Among the key figures who have significantly contributed to this intellectual endeavor is Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall, a British Muslim convert and scholar. Pickthall's unique perspective bridges the Western and Islamic worlds, offering valuable insights into the Quran's message and its relevance in the modern age. The research method involves selecting Qur’anic words based on their frequency and the prevalence of errors in their rendering in Qur’anic translations, explicating their lexical and contextual meanings in the Qur’an, and comparing them with Pickthall’s translation. In some instances, Pickthall’s translation is also compared with other English translations. The results show that Pickthall succeeds in cases such as recognizing semantic differences between lexically similar words, understanding the meaning of words at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation, and adhering to the prevalent recitation (qirāʾah). However, shortcomings are observed in translating certain Qur’anic-specific expressions and attending to the semantic weight of words in the target language. This study, by providing numerous examples, reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Pickthall’s translation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Holy Qur’an ، English translation ، Pickthall ، semantic elements