Help me decipher the Koran?

Question

A litle assistance please?

Pickthall version - 2:88 "And they say: Our hearts are hardened. Nay, but Allah hath cursed them for their unbelief. Little is that which they believe."

Yusuf Ali version - 2:88 "They say, "Our hearts are the wrappings (which preserve God's Word: we need no more)." Nay, God's curse is on them for their blasphemy: Little is it they believe."

Shakir version - 2:88 "And they say: Our hearts are covered. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is that they believe."

Sher Ali version - 2:88 "They said `Our hearts are wrapped up in covers.' Nay, ALLAH has cursed them for their disbelief. Little is that which they believe."

Rashad Khalifa version - 2:88 "Some would say, "Our minds are made up!" Instead, it is a curse from GOD, as a consequence of their disbelief, that keeps them from believing, except for a few of them."

So, my questions are as follows...

1) Are their A) hearts hardened B) hearts the wrappings (which preserve God's word: we need no more) C) hearts covered D) hearts wrapped in covers or E) are their minds made up?

2) Has Allah cursed them for their A) unbelief B) disbelief or C) Blasphemy? (unbelief is not knowing, disbelief is knowing and not believing and blasphemy is action)

3) Is it A) little that they believe or B) except for a few of them who do believe?

Answer 1

You know a word can have similar translation in other language.

A) Ghulf means covered.

b) the word is kufr. which means not believing. It is upto translator to choose the word they feel appropriate.

C) I think both translation is possible.

Answer 2

2:88 They said, "Our hearts are uncircumcised/covered!" No, it is God who has cursed them for their rejection, for very little do they acknowledge.

The Monotheist Group 2:88 And they said: “Our hearts are sealed!” No, it is God who has cursed them for their rejection, for very little do they believe.

Muhammad Asad 2:88 But they say, "Our hearts are already full of knowledge."73 Nay, but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth: for, few are the things in which they believe.74

Rashad Khalifa Tragic Statement: "My mind is made up!"

2:88 Some would say, "Our minds are made up!" Instead, it is a curse from GOD, as a consequence of their disbelief, that keeps them from believing, except for a few of them.

Transliteration 2:88 Waqaloo quloobuna ghulfun ballaAAanahumu Allahu bikufrihim faqaleelan mayu/minoona

A 2:88 وقالوا قلوبنا غلف بل لعنهم الله بكفرهم فقليلا ما يومنون

the end result is,that their hearts do not accept/believe..

Answer 3

It's just telling you 'they' (Unbelievers) are too clever to fall into the traps of this religion, don't bother- they see through the lies we tell them.

Answer 4

check these verses here:

http://www.alislam.org/quran/tafseer/gui...

Answer 5

Here's the best translation for you:

www.quraan.com

and you can check the explanation:

www.tafsir.com

Answer 6

1) The word 'ghulf' means in coverings or in wrappings.

And  it could refer to the fact that they don't want to listen to God's word, and consider the covering or wrapping a barrier to God's word which has always hampered them from realizing the truth. Like the people who don't know about Islam, and don't want to know anything about it either, though they love making fun of it's followers.



On the other hand, it could also imply that they want no more of God's word than they've already heard, and the covering and wrapping is going to prevent any further truth from penetrating (as in B). For e.g. look at the answer of Umar Buddhist Muslim, and u'll appreciate how this interpretation holds.

So, it could be both of those.

2) This ayah has word 'kufrihim' i.e. their kufr (the kufr which they commit). 'Kufrihim' comes from 'kufr'. Kufr is the opposite of belief or 'Iman'. A person who is blessed with Iman is the one who knows the truth, and accepts it. So a person who commits kufr is the one who knows the truth and rejects it.

As well as the person who isn't conscious of the truth, and won't listen to it either.

So, this has both meanings.

3) Again, this can mean both. A or B.

Many of them believe certain things like the Muslims, for instance, the belief in some Prophets (Jews and Christians). But they won't believe in Muhammad (P.B.U.H), and they won't even believe most of the other things Muslims have been ordered to believe in. So, it is little that believe.

Or, it could mean that just a few of them believe, and the rest prefer to stay kafirs (non believers). So 'except a few of them who do believe'.



I'm sure that all of the above translators tried to interpret it in such a way that the non Arabic readers could grasp the meaning. Arabic is the best language, and the exact translation of each word is unthinkable. It's just that some of them got closer to the real meaning than the others. And u know, the Quran can't be translated exactly, so as Marmaduke Pickthall  said: it's not the translation of the Holy Quran, it's the translation of the meaning of the Holy Quran!

Hope that helps!