The seminar “Necessities and Principles of Translation and Publication of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Teachings in Azerbaijan” was held

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Thursday, 04 May 2023

The seminar “Necessities and Principles of Translation and Publication of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Teachings in Azerbaijan” and the review of the translation of the book “A thousand hadiths on the Virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.)” in Azeri language was held at the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Qom.

ABWA Official Website – The seminar “Necessities and Principles of Translation and Publication of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) Teachings in Azerbaijan” was held on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly in Qom. In this seminar, the translation of the book “A Thousand Hadiths on the Virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.)” in the Azeri language was reviewed by experts.

At the beginning of this meeting, Hojat al-Islam Iftikhar Mohammadev, an Azeri language expert from Turkey, criticized the translation of the book “A Thousand Hadiths on the Virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.)” and said, “The subject of the book is of high priority and importance. Because we must inform the people about the virtues of AhlulBayt (a.s.) so that it will save people in this world and the hereafter. Such books are very influential, and people in some regions are looking for brief books about the pure teachings of AhlulBayt (a.s.). This book is prepared with a good and fluent translation, and the translator has managed to deliver successful work. But there are still minor problems in it, such as the use of words that are not currently used among the people of Azerbaijan or do not provide a complete meaning. I suggest to the translators of the book study current Azerbaijani literature, such as newspapers and magazines, in order to be successful in translation.”

As the second critic, Hojat al-Islam Jibril Abiyov, while expressing gratitude to the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly for holding this seminar, described the strengths of the book and said, “This work, by collecting a thousand hadiths about the virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.) from the revelation, and the Infallibles (a.s.), has a high value. Translation into the Azeri language is one of the important features of this book. Because Azeris are known as Shiites all over the world. A suitable book has been chosen for translation because the author has used authentic Shiite and Sunni sources. The number of typographical errors is small compared to the volume of the book. Finally, it should be said that the translator was able to prevent the reader from going astray by explaining some religious terms of the text to the general audience.”

“There have been some typographical or translation errors in translating the meanings into the Azeri language, which should be corrected. For example, in a part of the book, the sermon of Imam Ali (a.s.) is mentioned, which does not have any dots, but in the translation, the audience does not understand what is meant by the dots. Does the “sermon without dots” mean the dots of the words’ letters of the sermon or the full stop at the end of each line?” he added.

At the end of the review and criticism part of the session, Hojat al-Islam Khalil Ismailev said, “The translation of this work is very important. Because the activity and influence of Wahhabism in Azerbaijan is expanding. I would like to thank all those who were involved in the preparation of the book “A Thousand Hadiths on the Virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.)”. But it would have been better if the book review session was held before its publication.”

In criticizing the translation of the book “A Thousand Hadiths on the Virtues of Imam Ali (a.s.)” in Azeri language, Ismailev said, “Some hadiths have been translated incorrectly, causing the audience to not understand the meaning of the hadith. The wording of the book is suitable for Azeri people living in Iran because the translator lives in Iran. Presenting some Persian words in this work is not understandable for the people of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Therefore, the translator must consider the requirements and conditions of the people of the region in the translation.”

In the continuation of this seminar, the Deputy for Scientific and Cultural Affairs of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly stated, “In the new management period under the auspicious of Ayatollah Ramazani, it was discussed whether the work chosen for translation is in line with the priorities of the region or not. Is it good for the elite or for the general public? Is the book accurately translated or not? and is the work properly distributed or not? In order to answer these questions, the Deputy Office for Scientific and Cultural Affairs of the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly has held a series of sessions to review and criticize the translated works of the Assembly.”

“The AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly has translated 62 books into the Azeri language, of which 58 works are ready for publication, and 48 works of these, are for children,” added Hojat al-Islam Dr. Mahdi Farmanian.

“In the new period, the AhlulBayt (a.s.) World Assembly has turned from translation to authoring works and welcomes intellectuals who can author. Also, the publishing house in Iran has closed and the Assembly is looking for printing works in the target areas,” he further said.

Regarding the activity of WikiShia in the Azari language, he emphasized, “WikiShia virtual encyclopedia operates in 22 languages, and so far, 54 entries in the Azeri language have been included in this encyclopedia. This year we will develop Azari language entries.”

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