The Role of Different Readings of Qur’an in the Iranians’ Translations and Interpretations in the Tenth Century

Abstract

“the Science of readings (qera’a)of Quran” may be considered as one of the most important Quranic sciences that has direct impact on the translations and interpretations of this Holy Book. In order to reach the translator and commentator’s view on readings of Quran, studying their translation and interpretations of verses with variant readings, which have effect on the meaning, clearly reveals their accepted reading (qera’a) or at least their priority. In this article, one translation (by an unknown author from the great khorasan region) and three exegesis (i.e. Manhaj-al-sādeghīn, Zubda-al-Tafāsīr, and Mawāhib-al-Aliyya or Hoseini Tafsir) have been introduced. These four books, written by Iranians, belong to the tenth century which for numerous reasons is considered the initiative era for translators and interpreters in choosing a single reading from among different famous ones. After a brief introduction of the mentioned books, the article carries on with the comparative study of these sources, considering their choice of various readings. This study indicates that although there had been no unique and widely accepted reading of the Holy Quran among the scholars in all areas of Iran during the tenth century; but, the traditions narrated on authority of Āsim bn Abī al-Nudjūd gained more attention. Furthermore, the complete correspondence between the reading chosen in some of these works and that of Āsim narrated by Abūbakr Shu’ba bn Ayyāsh in such as “Manhadj-al-sādeghīn” and “Hoseinī Tafsir” reinforces the aforementioned conclusion.

Keywords

• quran
• recitations
• translation of the quran
• interpretation of the quran
• manhadj-al-sādighīn
• zubdah-al-tafāsīr
• mawāhib-al-aliyyah
• hoseinī interpretation