اردو تراجمِ قرآن کے تناظر میں منتخب قرآنی آیات کا مقاصدی مطالعہ

Interpreting the Divine Intent: Analysis of Selected Qur’anic Verses through Urdu Translations

Abstract

This study critically examines the role of Urdu translations of the Qur’an in conveying the Divine intent (maqṣūd-e-ilāhī), focusing on selected disputed verses from Sūrah al-Aʿrāf, Sūrah al-Anfāl, and Sūrah al-Tawbah. Although the Qur’an is divinely preserved, its comprehension among non-Arabic speakers largely relies on translations, which are inherently shaped by the translator’s linguistic proficiency, exegetical approach, and theological orientation. In the Indo-Pak subcontinent, a rich corpus of Urdu Qur’anic translations has emerged across major schools of thought, notably Barelvi, Deobandi, and Ahl-e-Hadith, resulting in notable lexical and semantic variations. Employing a comparative and analytical methodology, this research investigates representative translations from these traditions—Kanz al-Īmān by Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān Barelvi, Maʿārif al-Qur’ān by Shaykh al-Hind Maḥmūd al-Ḥasan, and Aḥsan al-Bayān by Muḥammad Junāgaṛhī—to assess which renderings most accurately reflect the original Qur’anic intent at contested points. The findings underscore that a principled, non-sectarian evaluation of Urdu translations not only enhances clarity in understanding Qur’anic meanings but also fosters intellectual equilibrium and inter-sectarian harmony within the Muslim community.