In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful…
We have received a number of requests from our brothers who speak French, Spanish, and other languages for our permission to translate Bakkah.net content into other languages. So, after careful consideration and seeking advice from the people of knowledge, we have arrived at the following policy:
– 1 – In general, we firmly advise everyone who wishes to assist the spread of this noble da’wah to learn ‘Arabic well enough to translate from the original Arabic sources.
– 2 – We firmly discourage anyone from translating an English translation into another language. Reflecting over the Christians and how they lost the original message of their book (by translating from language to language) should make clear to us the danger of not returning to the original sources.
– 3 – The presence of translated content from www.bakkah.net on another website does not indicate a relationship with or an endorsement from www.bakkah.net.
– 4 – Those who use Arabic source material from www.bakkah.net should give credit to us and place a link to the original page on the website.
We ask Allaah to grant success to all those earnestly seeking to spread this Deen based on its proper understanding.
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
24th of Jumaadaa Ath-Thaaniyah, 1424
Revised: 10-02-1432
salam alaikum Borther Moosaa,
Your article gave me the impression that the qualifications/pre-requisites required for translating a work/article is to know the two languages and have the source material in the original language. Is this true of translating books as well? furthermore,can a common person engage in this or are only students of knowledge and/or scholars allowed to translate?
jazaakallaahu khairan for your advice.
wa ‘alaykas-salaamu wa rahmatullaah, Abal-Hassan. Here is an article I wrote on the topic (in Arabic): http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=97256