Translations of the Quran and daily prayers

Q: Is it possible to use the translations of the Qur’an during the recitation of the daily prayers?

It is a must to refer to the verses of the Qur’an and the practices of Prophet Muhammad ( Sunna) to see whether a certain action is permissible or not. Reciting the Qur’an while performing the daily prayers, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, is an obligatory component that is laid down by the

Qur’an and the Sunna. God described the Qur’an as an Arabic Qur’an, and Prophet Muhammad, who was commissioned with following and practicing it, showed us how to perform the prayers. Throughout his life he performed his prayers with the Qur’an which had been revealed to him in Arabic. The Four Rightly-Guided Caliphs also performed their prayers with the Arabic Qur’an. Therefore, reciting the Arabic Qur’an in the prayers is obligatory ( fard) for us. The following hadith is clear proof of the necessity of obeying the first four caliphs. Irbaz ibn Sariya tells us, “God’s Messenger led us in prayer one day. Later, he turned his face to the crowd and made such a sublime and eloquent speech that the eyes of the listeners were full of tears and the hearts were full of excitement. A man from the crowd stood up and said: ‘O God’s Messenger, you speak as if you are giving a farewell speech. What advice can you give us?’ ‘I advise you to fear God, to listen to the orders of your leader, and to obey him, even if he is an Abyssinian slave. Those of you who survive will witness many disputes after me. So, I remind you of my Sunna and of the practice of the future Rightly Guided Caliphs, who will be on the right path. Obey them and hold to them firmly. Be alert and take care against things that are later invented, for, every invented thing (that is, that which is contrary to my practices) is an innovation ( bid’at) and every innovation is a corruption and a perversion.’

The Companions of the Prophet who closely followed his example did not recite anything other than the Qur’an in their prayers. So, reciting some verses from the Arabic Qur’an is obligatory ( fard) for us while performing the prayers. In addition, the entire community of Muslims has, since the beginning of Islam until today, performed their prayers, in all corners of the world, with the Arabic Qur’an. The Islamic community is unanimously agreed on this matter. A person who reads the translation of the Qur’an in another language cannot be said to have recited the Qur’an. God Almighty says in the Qur’an:

This (Qur’an) is indeed the Book of the Lord of the worlds being sent down by Him (in parts). The Trustworthy Spirit brings it down on your heart (O Prophet), so that you may be one of the warners (entrusted with the Divine Revelation) in clear Arabic tongue. (Shuara 26:192-195)

The Qur’an is a miracle both in its word and its meanings. If any alteration is made on it, its word harmony and order, which have been divinely determined, become disordered; it is no longer the Qur’an. Muslims are commanded to recite the Qur’an in their prayers. As no translation of the Qur’an can be considered to be the Qur’an, one cannot recite it in place of the Qur’an in their prayers. Muslim scholars are unanimously agreed that it is not permissible for the Qur’an to be recited in anything but Arabic while performing prayers.

 

Akgul, Muhittin (2009). The Quran in 99 Questions (Abdullah Erdemli Trans.). New Jersey: Tughra Books. (Originally published in Turkish as Kur’an İklimine Seyahat)