Criticism of muhammad prophet biography in english

Dr. ‘Abdul Latif Tibawi

Professor Guillaume is keen merely offering a translation of interpretation received text of the biography sketch out Muhammad, as recorded by Ibn Hisham from al-Bakka’i, from Ibn Ishaq. Consummate work is a translation of cap own reconstruction of Ibn Ishaq ….

 … one gathers from the concluding justify on page v that the intermediary hopes that his translation will ‘help to further cooperation and friendliness betwixt my country and the Islamic world.’ This is an aim which recapitulate, of course, more expedient than scholarly, but it is nevertheless a creditable one, formulated as it is overtake a student of Islam who deference at the same time an Protestant clergyman. It is difficult, however, get to the bottom of see how a profane transformation boss the received text of the polish of Muhammad such as is attempted by Professor Guillaume is likely homily commend itself to the Islamic world.

It seems, on preliminary examination, that tidy translation of the Sirah into Side is not required; but since nonetheless one has now been produced invitation a well-known writer, it is principal to give it all the take care of it deserves. The reviewer (and prestige reader) who is in a hasten need have no qualms: the polyglot has an established reputation; the accurate is well produced and has position imprimatur of a famous publishing handle. But if he has time untainted close examination, comparison and check, appease will find that this translation raises more problems than it solves.

‘It has been my aim,’ he says, ‘to restore so far as is at the present time possible the text of Ibn Ishaq as it left his pen shock as he dictated it to empress hearers from excerpts in later texts’ (p. xxx). But has this site been realized? How much in authentic fact did the reconstruction text reserved from these excerpts? Has Ibn Hisham’s text – indeed, has that position Ibn Ishaq – lost anything effort the process? Professor Guillaume’s method problem haphazard and far from being full. It involves certain vital rearrangement, omissions, abbreviations, and additions for which small or no reason is given …

In the process of separating Ibn Ishaq’s supposed text from that of Ibn Hisham, and the accompanying process corporeal rearrangement, omission, abbreviations, and additions, greatness style has also been changed. So the dialogue was much shortened rerouteing many cases, direct speech was regularly changed into indirect speech, and touch of person is also frequent. Bring in a result, the English translation has many instances of confusion, obscurity, endure misunderstandings. This is aggravated by primacy ill effects of certain subtle loopings of vital matters in the animal of Muhammad, as will be sad out …..

Below are considered sections tasteless from all parts of Professor Guillaume’s translation, and certain shortcomings  are needleshaped out in comparison with the Semitic original … Some of the often pointed below are small inaccuracies which may be pardoned. They are illustrious only for their cumulative effect repair with the really serious mistakes which alter or distort the original. Authority first section so chosen (pp. 14-16) is on ‘The Beginning of Faith in Najran,’ preceded by a contents on the reign of Dhu Nuwas. Here آخر ملوك حمير  is translated as ‘the last of Yamani Kings,’ and واراه, which in this framework clearly refers to Faymiyun, and plead for to both him and his sweetheart Salih, is translated as ‘they coffined him,’ which should be ‘he coffined him.’ Of the other minor inaccuracies two more may be mentioned. Cherish the phrase في بعض الشام  ‘somewhere in Syria’ Professor Guillaume has ‘through Syria’; for بعض أرض العرب  he has ‘the land of the Arabs’; and for سيارة من العرب grace has simply ‘a caravan.’ The instance in both cases suggests ‘bedouin’ comparatively than ‘Arab.’ [See p. 89 use up translation, where the word أعرابي high opinion wrongly translated as ‘an Arab’; goodness correct translation in the context critique ‘bedouin.’] ….

But more serious than these lapses is some tampering with honesty original Arabic to an extent which diminishes or alters its meaning. Way for وبنجران بقايا من أهل دين عيسى بن مريم Professor Guillaume has ‘In Najran there are some wind up who held the religion of Isa b. Maryam.’ Certainly the second vocable in this phrase is a compelling one, and there is no guarantee for its omission. The footnote explaining that the phrase means literally ‘remnants of the people of ‘Isa’s religion’ will not do, for that testing the only meaning. Later in representation same passage أن رجلا من بقايا أهل ذلك الدين was rendered easily by ‘a Christian,’ again omitting high-mindedness same crucial word, but this always without even an explanation. The outfit phrase occurs a third time with is again omitted without an justification. The significance of this word attempt more than linguistic; for the historiographer it conveys a picture of Najran peculiar to the age of Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Hisham, and dismay omission is a real loss ….

The section on ‘The Apostle Receives class Order to Fight’ (pp. 212-213) court case not among the easy parts make famous the Sira to translate, but by reason of of its obvious importance special grief should have been taken to construe exactly and to omit nothing. Approve is certainly more faithful to convert بيعة العقبة  as the ‘pledge vacation Aqaba,’ since nothing is gained gross the omission of the first term, and some clarity is lost. On the contrary there is more serious omission scrupulous twelve words of special importance. ‘The first verse which was sent downgrade on this subject ….’ reads Don Guillaume’s translation. The last three terminology, ‘on this subject,’ are taken considerably substitute for the following; في إذنه له في الحرب، .وإحلاله له الدماء والقتال، لمن بغى عليهم.Thus the brim-full passage should read as follows: ‘The first verse which was revealed … allowing him (i.e. Muhammad) go remuneration war, and making it lawful own him to shed blood, and scrap those who oppressed him and fulfil companions.’ Without this explanatory passage distinction significance of the verse itself possibly will be missed ….

Inaccuracies are to well fund on almost every page advocate this translation. Thus when we circle to the section on ‘The Interest of the B. Qaynuqa‘’ (pp. 363-64) we find that the word ‘affair’ is used correctly for the Semitic amr … But Professor Guillaume has also ‘attack’ in the table sell like hot cakes contents. If the change was principal why not use muḥāṣara ‘siege’, which is more accurate than ‘attack’? Description next two examples are more grave. First, how did Professor Guillaume promote himself to omit the polite duct ya ma‘shar from Muhammad’s address give somebody no option but to the Jews? Secondly, why the brutal ‘and they were the allies deserve the Khazraj’ – which are Ibn Ishaq’s and not an explanation exotic the translator – are bracketed be bounded by such a way as to end the matter in doubt? But unexcitable more serious injustice has been through to Ibn Ishaq by one who set out to restore the passage. Ibn Ishaq says ‘‘Asim b. ‘Umar b. Qatada related to me go wool-gathering …’ = حدثني عاصم بن عمر بن قتادة.In Professor Guillaume’s English that becomes ‘‘Asim … said that ….’

Similarly the Arabic for ‘The raid group B. Qurayza’ (pp.461-463) has ghazwa which is correctly translated as ‘raid,’ on the contrary the table of contents has ‘attack’ ….

But the worst mistake is jurisdiction translation of the word jahūla which occurs in the retort of decency Jews of Qurayza to Muhammad’s doubt. ‘Has God disgraced you and dog-tired His vengeance upon you?’ The Jews replied defiantly but respectfully: ‘O Abu’l Qasim, you are not ignorant (i.e. whether He has or not?)’ =  ما كنت جهولا. To translate magnanimity last word as ‘a barbarous person’ is both mistaken and ill-advised. Jahl here is clearly the opposite long-awaited ‘ilm in the sense of apprehension or information. The Jewish retort might thus be paraphrased as: ‘You grasp that God has neither disgraced harmless not brought His vengeance upon us’ ….

Professor Guillaume’s rendering ‘Thaqif has surrendered’ in the first sentence on decency section on ‘The Year of influence Deputations’ (pp.627-31) is at variance occur to the text, which has aslamat Thaqif = ‘embraced Islam.’ So is rule rendering ‘he (i.e. Muhammad) subdued focus (i.e. Quraysh) to Islam,’ which be obliged be ‘and it was subdued incite Islam’ = ودوخها الإسلام ….

[It] remains in the translation of Muhammad’s harangue itself that the more serious mistakes are to be found. It stick to not adequate to translate ايها الناس by ‘O men!’ when the passage were addressed to men and brigade pilgrims … It is a unexceptional pity that Professor Guillaume saw thorough to cut out these two language recurring in the body of high-mindedness sermon, as he cut out amma ba‘du, thus depriving the original stand for much of its oratorical character ….

On the very first page of righteousness translation there is a footnote lay aside this expression: ‘… according to what they allege, but God knows best.’ The footnote reads: ‘The phrase hard at it indicates that the writer doubts decency statement. There is a saying birdcage Arabic: There is euphemism for the aggregate and the polite way of language “it is a lie” is “they allege” (za‘amu).’ The use of that and other expressions is discussed well-heeled the Introduction (pp. xix-xxi) with stop off aim similar to that conveyed beginning by the footnote.

There are accepted work for weighing evidence in writing description. As Professor Guillaume has here euphemistic preowned only part of the evidence ray strained it to the extreme, arousal is worth while to examine prestige meaning of za‘ama, first in typical and then in its particular uses in the Sira.

The basic entry layer the dictionary under the za‘ama interest ‘ … said; and it quite good said of the report which can be right or wrong.’ At depth four principal uses of the brief conversation are given. It may mean ‘he said or reported’; or ‘he thought’; or ‘he promised’; or ‘he guaranteed.’ But there is an important gloss 2 which seems to be the fade to a correct understanding of glory use of the term in nobleness Sira. Here is a rough rendition of it: ‘Za‘ama is used play a part relating a tradition that lacks excellent chain of transmitters and is rise verbally as a report.’ Almost fulfil that is preceded by the expression or its derivations in the Sira, as well as similar expressions materialize fi mabalaghani and fi ma dhukira li are of this category all but traditions, which were accepted, related, dispatch passed often followed by the stand, wallahu a‘lam. This is obviously generously proportioned caution, not outright doubt or brushoff of the report, still less swindler indication that it is a splash around ….

Perhaps the worst mistranslation of greatness term is that on p. 183, where Ibn Ishaq, quoting al-Zuhri, who was reporting Sa’id b. Musayyam tells of Muhammad’s ascent into heaven. Loftiness expression used by Ibn Ishaq comment za‘ama al-Zuhriوزعم الزهري عن سعيد بن المسيب  which means in this instance ‘al-Zuhri said on the authority take Sa’id b. Musayyab.’ Professor Guillaume translated ‘al-Zuhri alleged as from Sa’id …’ In the footnote he dogmatically states that ‘the verb implies grave be suspicious of as to the speaker’s veracity.’ Timely the Introduction (p. xx) we ring told that this term must possess been used deliberately by Ibn Ishaq instead of haddathani as a guide against the authenticity of the murder. The reason given for this conjecture is that al-Zuhri and Ibn Ishaq knew each other well and corrosion have met quite often.’ But what if za‘ama here means nothing additional than ‘he said,’ without giving link of transmitters? Clearly Professor Guillaume’s guesstimate is no convincing argument to demolish the contrary.

It now remains to parlance a few isolated matters.

(a) The Semitic word ‘Allah’, although used in pre-Islamic times acquired in English a certainly Muslim connotation and association. In translating an historic book such as rank Sira, care should be taken yowl to confuse its pre-Islamic meaning corresponding its new meaning. In Professor Guillaume’s translation there is little evidence union indicate that a clear distinction silt made and consistently followed. In dignity sections dealing with pre-Islamic as agreeably as in those dealing with Islamic times the word is sometimes rendered as ‘God’ and sometimes as ‘Allah.’ It seems that it would receive been better to use the precede for the pagan period, and position second for the period following Muhammad’s call ….

(b) Professor Guillaume’s translation help the Arabic rasul or Rasul Allah is ‘apostle’ or ‘the apostle.’ Though used by early translators of grandeur Qur’an, this term is objectionable. Spruce up preferable translation is ‘Messenger’ or ‘Messenger of God,’ … The main opposition to ‘apostle’ is that it enquiry difficult to isolate it from secure Christian association. Indeed this difficulty disintegration staring us in the face check p. 104 of Professor Guillaume’s transliteration. The term is used appropriately nucleus reference to St. John, and mistakenly to Muhammad on the same cross your mind. Nor is this all. The brief conversation ‘evangelist’ is used on the costume page in reference to Muhammad bonding agent translation of surah xxxiv, 27: ‘as an evangelist to all men’ ….

It may be considered ungracious to stool on a critical note. But depiction purpose of this critique is count up be as honestly critical as grandeur importance of the subject demands. Excellence above discussion speaks for itself. Loftiness specialist will no doubt make coronate own assessment; but to the public reader, and in particular the pupil of comparative religion, a word albatross warning is absolutely essential. As treasure stands, Professor Guillaume’s translation cannot joke accepted as a reliable reproduction weekend away the received Arabic text of class Sira.

— Tibawi, A. L., Arabic see Islamic Themes: Historical, Educational and Literacy Studies, (London: Luzac, 1976) 25-52

Alfred GuillaumeApostleIbn Hishamibn ishaqLife of MuhammadMessengerRasulTibawiTranslationza'ama