In recent years, Islamic publishers across the globe have developed various versions of the Qur’an for children, with the primary goal of instilling love and understanding of the holy book from an early age. Several earlier posts in the ‘Qur’an Translation of the Week’ blog have showcased intriguing variations of such editions, each influenced by […]
The trend towards embracing the Qur’an as the primary text of Islam in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia has led to a notable emphasis on memorization (hifz al-Qur’an) over engagement in deeper contemplation of the scripture through the mediation of tafsīrs or translations. The recent upsurge in Qur’an memorization gained momentum in 2003 with the establishment of Pesantren
A guest contribution by Moh. Azwar Hairul (IAIN Sultan Amai Gorontalo, Indonesia) The Ministry of Religious Affairs of Indonesia (henceforth MoRA) has played a crucial role in the mass production of Qur’an translations into the country’s official language, Bahasa Indonesia, and, more recently, into several local languages. Now it has taken the next step. In
A guest contribution by Jajang A Rohmana, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Indonesia Kitab Suci Al-Qur’an dengan Terjemahan dan Tafsir Singkat (‘The Holy Book of the Qur’an with Translation and Concise Commentary’), the latest translation into Indonesian to be produced by the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community (Jemaat Ahmadiyah Indonesia or JAI), was published in 2023 despite massive
The Muslim population in Indonesia now numbers some 241 million, equivalent to around 87% of the country’s total population, making it the largest Muslim population not just in Southeast Asia, but across the world. This has clearly created a huge market for Islamic goods and facilities for worship. In general, the Indonesian government provides for
A guest contribution by Jajang A Rohmana, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Indonesia Anugerah Al-Quranul-Karim Tarjamah Basa Sunda (‘A Gift from God: A Sundanese Qur’an Translation’) is the only complete translation of the Qur’an to be written by an Indonesian woman to date. Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country with the largest Muslim population in the world,
H.B. Jassin, a prominent Indonesian writer born in 1917, began his career during the Dutch colonial period, and continued writing throughout the Japanese occupation and into the era of Indonesian independence. He was a literary critic, journalist, novelist, translator and editor, as well as the author of poetry and short stories. Jassin’s expertise in literature
Qur’an translation as propaganda: war alliances and nation-building (3/3) On the cover of Al-Huda, a Javanese Qur’an translation first published in 1979, the author, Bakri Syahid (1918–1994), is presented as both a retired brigadier general and a former rector of the State Islamic Institute Sunan Kalijaga in Yogyakarta. As this description shows, army and state
Indonesia has experienced approximately 350 years of colonization, first by the Portuguese and Dutch following the arrival of the Dutch VOC (Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie) in the 1600s and, more recently, with three years of Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945. The country’s struggle to achieve independence was not easy, especially given the diversity of
Qur’an Karim dan Terjemahan Artinya, a Qur’an translation published by the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) is an interesting case study of how a translation can be seen to reflect different ideological outlooks at different times in history. One of the oldest universities in Indonesia, UII is an Islamic university and has required new students
