A Comparative Analysis of the English Translations of George Sale, Pickthal, Arberry, and Qarai of Sūra Al-Jinn

Translating the Qur᾽ān into English is one of the most important duties ofscholars who are proficient in the English language and Islamic teachingsand culture to convey the incomparable teachings of this eternal Divinemiracle to the seekers of truth. It is essential to know and use theappropriate translation to communicate the pure wisdom of the Qur᾽ān.Therefore, in this research, an attempt has been made to compare fourfamous English translations of the Qur᾽ān by George Sale, Pickthal,Arberry, and Qarai with a descriptive-analytical approach in terms ofvocabulary, grammar, and exegesis, focusing on the opening verses of theSūra al-Jinn to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of each translation andto enable the reader to gain a deeper insight into the best translation. Thisresearch shows that Sale's and Pickthal's translations have someweaknesses in the translation of words and phrases. Arberry᾽s translationalso has weaknesses in terms of grammatical structure, vocabulary, andcommunication of meaning. Compared with the translations mentionedabove, Qarai᾽s phrase-for-phrase approach is considered to be the mostaccurate in terms of style, structure, vocabulary, and meaning. Therefore,those who attempt to translate the Qur᾽ān into foreign languages shouldhave acquired the necessary skills and mastery of the source and targetlanguages in order to be able to convey the noble teachings of the Qur᾽ān.