Alauddin Mansur’s Interpretation-Based Translation: “The Kazakh Interpretation and Meaning of the Holy Quran”

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Abstract

This article examines the Kazakh translation of the Holy Quran, titled The Meaning and Explanation of the Holy Quran (Құран кәрім қазақша мағынасы және түсінігі), which was translated from Uzbek into Kazakh. The original translation of the Quran into Uzbek, along with explanatory notes, was done by Alauddin Mansur. The Uzbek version was later translated into Kazakh by Absattar Smanov. The article first discusses Alauddin Mansur’s perspective on Quran translation, provides a general introduction to the translation, and explores the author’s motivation for undertaking the translation. Then, the formal and content aspects of the translation are analyzed, with a particular focus on Surah Al-Baqarah. Additionally, the methods and efforts employed by the author to make the Quran accessible to readers are examined. Quranic translations can generally be classified into two categories: text-centered and interpretation-centered. Instead of strictly adhering to one approach, Mansur chose to integrate both, with a stronger emphasis on interpretation. On the one hand, he remained faithful to the original text, while on the other, he frequently provided explanatory comments. Furthermore, he carefully distinguished between direct translations of Quranic expressions and his own interpretations. He presented the direct translation of the Quranic text in bold, while his explanatory additions within the verses were placed in parentheses. Explanations provided after the verses were written in italics and lowercase letters.