Arab Translation vs. Interpretation – Is There a Difference?

Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionSusanne M. Reyto While some of the dictionary definitions for the words “translate” and “interpret” are interchangeable, they have different meanings in their everyday application. The first is the literal meaning, the latter is the practical. Added to the linguistic issue, we must consider the psychological aspects due to diverse cultures, deep rooted traditions and customs. Western countries have accepted meaningsfor certain words, but the Arab world’s understanding of the same words may be entirely different. Therefore, it is critical for the West to recognize the mindset of the people we are dealing with. President Obama held his first formal TV interview January 27, 2009 on Al Arabiya, the Saudi-owned, Dubai based news channel. Is that the correct signal to send to the Arab world? We always open doors to negotiation, but is that interpreted as our weakness? Certainly not as our strength! When will the well-meaning American public realize that good intentions can have dangerous consequences? Understanding the possible psychological implications and the Arab world’s perception is imperative to the successful resolution of our differences. The President delivered a message to the Muslim world that “Americans are not your enemy.” He also said that the U.S. had made mistakes in the past, but, “That the same respect and partnership that America had with the Muslim world as recently as 20 or 30 years ago, there is no reason why we can’t restore that.” Did he overlook 9/11? Did he forget who attacked whom? “False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.” Wise words by Socrates. Most Western liberal societies function with laws created by political institutions. On the other hand, Islam believes that the laws were created by Allah thus cannot be disputed and Sharia (Islamic law) is a blueprint for Muslim life. The significant difference between Western or Eastern religions and Islam is that the first two are religions only, while Islam is both a religion and a political ideology. In the Muslim world, particularly for Arab Muslims, frequently the significance of words is related to the traditional meaning as it is written in the Koran, which they use as a complete system for life. It is their guiding principle to live by. Accordingly, their definitions and interpretations in many cases have a religious foundation, and their words versus their actions are difficult for the West to comprehend.The Koran and other holy texts apply to “mankind.” However, non-Muslims, called “infidels” or “non-believers,” are not accepted equally. They are treated according to laws that apply only to them. Koran 9:73-74, “Make Jihad against the unbelievers…and be harsh against them.” Koran 8:59-64, “Strike terror into the hearts of your enemy and the enemy of Allah…” With knowledge of these factors, the West must recognize that we can easily misinterpret their words and they can misconstrue ours. Mutual lack of understanding due to cultural factors and belief system in addition to basic language issues may very well be the root cause of our sharp differences with the Arab world. Learning English is difficult, and using it appropriately is even more of a challenge. A friend recently shared with me that he read a very meaningful article written in Arabic, but when reading its English translation, the essence and the impact of the article was lost. Word by word translations are insufficient and inaccurate, they don’t represent the true meaning. Even within English, there is variance between British English and American English. We must remember that Islam is an Arab religion and the Koran was written in Arabic. Of the one and a half billion Muslims, only about 20% are Arab Muslims, the other 80% live elsewhere throughout the world, the majority in countries like Indonesia and Pakistan. Since it is forbidden to translate the Koran, other countries have only translations of the meaning of the Koran. This creates differences in interpretation and practice even amongst Muslim followers. The great differences however, are between Muslims and non-Muslims, and the West must recognize the distinctions in Islamic law as they apply to each group. Therefore, the West must confront not only what the Arabs say but also what they mean. Islam – "Islam" is derived from the root "aslama," meaning to: "surrender; submit; obey.” This is interpreted as, “…attained through total Submission to the way of Allah.” For a devout Muslim, according to the language of the Koran, Islam means the readiness of a person to take orders from only one God (Allah) and to follow them. It is a Code of Life, applying to spiritual, intellectual, personal, family, social, economical and political life. Freedom – For the West it means the quality or state of being free, a political right. For devout Muslims, freedom exists only when Islam dominates both politically and religiously, without opposition. Freedom of Speech – The ability to express feelings without fear of repercussions. This is one of the greatest fundamental differences between the West and the Islamic world. We can criticize our country, politics and various religions. For Muslims there is no freedom of speech because there is no freedom to express feelings or opinions. Certainly, there can be no opposition to or criticism of Islam. No one can dispute Mohammad, as his word is Allah’s word and that is the last word. One must submit, never disagree. Lies – By Western standards, a lie is an untrue statement made with intent to deceive. For Muslims it means to hide the truth, when fearing for personal safety or when it advances the cause. This is permissible by Islamic law, and this practice is called “taqiyya.” Taking into consideration this predicament, negotiations are problematic because honesty can be compromised. This same reasoning allows people in the Arab countries of the Middle East to make announcements is English to appease or placate the West, but in Arabic they speak differently and many times preaching anti-American Jihad. Racism – A belief that some races are by nature superior to others or to discriminate based on such belief. For Muslims, racism exists whenever Islam or Muslims are criticized or rejected. Non-Muslims cannot pass judgment on Muslims for fear of reprisal. Tolerance – In the West, it is the act or practice of tolerating; allowable deviation from a standard. In Islam, tolerance is when non-Muslims are “dhimmis” – subdued and subservient to Muslim rule. Koran 8:38-40, “…O believers, fight them until there is no oppression and until the whole Deen (the way of life) is for Allah alone.” The above differences between the West and the Arab world should be a wake up call for Western leaders to recognize the importance of high level expertise in interpreting not only the words but also the substance of our adversaries’ message. This may lead to more productive problem solving. Buddha stated; "Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world." FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Susanne M. Reyto is a speaker and award winning author of Pursuit of Freedom: A True Story of the Enduring Power of Hope and Dreams. Her horrific personal experiences of surviving Communism in Hungary energize her mission. Her website is www.pursuitoffreedom.com