Truth About Islam

Why Do Translators Insert Brackets?

Translators add words in brackets for several reasons:

1. Clarifying Ambiguity

Arabic, especially Quranic Arabic, often relies on implied meanings that are clear to native speakers but may be ambiguous to non-native readers. Brackets help to fill in what the translator perceives as implied but not explicitly stated in the Arabic.
For example, in Surah Maryam (19:36), some translations include:

“And (Jesus said): ‘Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him.’”
- The bracketed “Jesus said” is not in the original Arabic text but is added to clarify that Jesus, not Allah or Muhammad, is the speaker.

2. Providing Context

Translators often add bracketed words to give readers historical or situational context that is not immediately evident from the text itself.
Example:

“(This is) a Book, the verses whereof are perfected...” (Surah 11:1, Hilali-Khan)
- The words “This is” are inserted for readability, even though they do not appear in the Arabic text.

3. Resolving Grammatical and Syntactical Differences

Arabic and English have different grammatical structures, and some Arabic phrases require additional words in English for smooth translation.
Example:

“And they were covered by humiliation (and poverty) and they drew on themselves the Wrath of Allah.” (Surah 2:61, Hilali-Khan)
- The word “poverty” is not in the original Arabic but is implied and added for clarity.

4. Supporting Theological Interpretation

Some translators include words in brackets to align the translation with a specific theological interpretation or sectarian perspective.
Example:

“Guide us on the Straight Path. The path of those who have earned Your Grace; not (the path) of those who have earned Your anger (such as the Jews), nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).” (Surah 1:6-7, Hilali-Khan)
- The bracketed phrases “such as the Jews” and “such as the Christians” reflect a specific interpretation that is not explicitly stated in the Arabic.

Implications of Bracketed Additions

1. Are Brackets Necessary?

If the Quran is clear and detailed, as it claims in verses like Surah 6:114 and Surah 16:89, then the need for explanatory additions in translations suggests:
1. The Arabic text is not inherently clear to all readers, especially non-Arabic speakers.
2. Translators are introducing human interpretation into a divine text.

2. Subjectivity of Brackets

Bracketed words often reflect the translator’s understanding or theological bias. Different translators may interpret the same verse differently, leading to variations in meaning.
- For example, in Surah Maryam (19:36):
  - Hilali-Khan Translation: Adds brackets to identify Jesus as the speaker.
  - Taqi Usmani Translation: Suggests Muhammad is being commanded to speak, inserting brackets accordingly.

3. Perception of Incompleteness

The practice of inserting brackets can give the impression that the Quran’s text alone is insufficient for readers to grasp its meaning, requiring human intervention to "complete" or "correct" the message.

4. Challenges to Claims of Linguistic Miracle

The Quran is often described as a linguistic miracle, unmatched in eloquence and clarity. However, the reliance on bracketed additions in translations undermines this claim, as it suggests the Arabic text cannot always communicate its meaning effectively without human elaboration.

Examples of Bracketed Additions in Translations

Here are some examples where bracketed words significantly alter the understanding of the text:

Surah 19:36 (Who Is Speaking?)

Hilali-Khan Translation:

“(Jesus said): ‘And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. That is the Straight Path.’”
- Brackets explicitly identify Jesus as the speaker.
Muhammad Taqi Usmani Translation:

“(And O Prophet, say to the people,) ‘Allah is surely my Lord and your Lord. So, worship Him. This is the straight path.’”
- Brackets suggest Muhammad is being instructed to say these words.

These differences in bracketed additions change the interpretation of the verse significantly.

Surah 4:157 (Jesus’ Crucifixion)

Yusuf Ali Translation:

“That they said (in boast), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’—but they killed him not, nor crucified him...”
- Brackets clarify that the statement is a boast by the Jews.
Literal Arabic:

“And their saying, ‘Indeed, we killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah’—and they did not kill him...”
- The original Arabic leaves room for interpretative flexibility about who is speaking and in what tone.

Theological and Practical Concerns

Does the Quran Need Human Assistance?
- If the Quran is truly the word of Allah, why does it require bracketed clarifications or explanations? This raises concerns about the Quran’s claim of self-sufficiency and clarity.
Can Brackets Mislead?
- Brackets reflect the translator’s understanding, not the original Arabic text. This introduces the risk of bias or misrepresentation, leading readers to believe certain interpretations are part of the Quran when they are not.
Consistency Across Translations:
- The variability of bracketed additions across translations highlights the subjective nature of these interpretations, undermining claims of the Quran’s universal clarity.

Conclusion

The practice of inserting bracketed words in Quranic translations:

Reflects the subjectivity and fallibility of human interpretation, as translators attempt to clarify ambiguities or imply context that is not explicitly stated in the Arabic text.
Challenges the Quran’s claim of being fully detailed and clear, as it suggests that the Arabic text alone may not always communicate its meaning effectively without human elaboration.
Risks misleading readers by presenting interpretative additions as though they are part of the original divine text.

Ultimately, these bracketed additions reveal the challenges of translating and interpreting the Quran, raising broader questions about the role of human intervention in understanding what is claimed to be the perfect and complete word of Allah.