Writing the Qur’an in Urdu

Question

Question: In the newspaper Azad Hind of 24 June, your fatwa concerning [the book] “Roshan Chiragh” (“The Bright Lamp”) was published; this humble servant sets out the gist of the fatwa you gave as follows. The translator of “Roshan Chiragh”, Muhammad Khan Jalandhari, wrote a book [the text of which is given] in Arabic together with Urdu.

Answer

The Noble Qur’an was revealed in Arabic; it was conveyed to others in Arabic; it was written down in Arabic. Keeping the Arabic intact, it is correct to write, print, and expound its translation and its tafsir (exegesis) in any language. But eliminating the Arabic and writing or printing merely the verse (ayah) in any language whatsoever is not permissible.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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