Introduction of Dr. Isrār Aḥmad
Dr. Isrār Aḥmad was born on 26th April, 1932A. D/1350A. H. in Ḥiṣār District (India). He was an active member and General Secretary of The Muslim Students Federation for the period 1945-46 A. D. He stood first in Matriculation Exam in 1366A. H/1947A. D in District Ḥiṣār attaining 4th position among the Muslim students of Punjāb. During schooling, he was greatly inspired by the poetry of ‘Allāma Muḥammad Iqbāl (d:1357A. H/1938A. D) and picked up the will to strive for the renaissance of Islām. In Oct-Nov 1947A. D, he came over to Pākistān with a caravan undertaking a tiresome journey of twenty days by traveling on foot. In 1368A. H/1949A. D, he passed F. Sc. from Government College Lāhore, securing 4th position in Punjāb University. He did his MBBS from King Edward Medical College, Lāhore in 1374A. H/1954A. D. Dr. Isrār established the Qur’ān Study Circle and Islamic Hostel at Montgomery (Sāhīwāl) in 1960-61A. D. In 1962A. D, he performed his first pilgrimage with his parents. He passed his M. A. (in Islāmic studies) from Karāchī University in 1965A. D securing 1st position. Thereafter, he set up a private clinic and Qur’ānic Circle at Lāhore. In 1391A. H/1971A. D, he proceeded again for the pilgrimage. It was that period of time when he decided to give up the medical practice and dedicate the rest of his life to serving Dīn. In 1972A. D, Dr. Isrār Aḥmad established Central Anjuman Khuddām al-Qur’ān at Krishan Nagar in Lāhore to propagate the teachings of the Qur’ān. In 1975A. D, he founded an organization with the name of Tanẓīm-e-Islāmī for the supremacy and establishment of Dīn. In the times of President General Ẓiā al-Haq (d: 1409A. H/1988A. D), Dr. Isrār Aḥmad was nominated as...
According to Hadith literature, the Quran is revealed in seven Ahruf, the plural of harf. Ahruf are distinct from Qira'at. This is a very momentous and lengthy topic, indeed, one of the most complicated discussions on the sciences of the Qur’an. It is very difficult to discuss it in full details in this work but the important things about it are being presented in this article. The first problem we face with this Hadith is what is meant by the Revelation of Qur’an on Seven “Ahruf”? We find a great deal of difference of opinion on this subject. Up to thirty five different views have been quoted by Ibn al-‘Arabi and others. Some of the popular views are quoted in this article. The context of these narrations indicates clearly that the word ‘seven’ does not denote an unspecified large number but it denotes the specific numerical value ‘seven’. Hence, in the light of these narrations this view (that seven means more than that) does not hold good and the majority of scholars reject it. In the vast collections of Hadiths, we do not find any mention of difference in the Qur’an other than that accounted for in “ahruf”. How then may we explain differences in reading and “ahruf”? I have not been able to find a satisfactory answer to this confusion with the advocates of this theory.
The study touches upon all the major areas of Translation, with special emphasis on Pedagogy (theories and methods), which is not much known and applied by translators, and where controversies still abound. The research analyses and explores all the theoretical and practical aspects involved in the translation process and various approaches to verge on the text to be translated, both in English and Urdu. The framework for translation has been worked out from multiple and diverse theories and models of translation and text linguistics propounded by various theorists. It has been devised in a linear order, beginning from text types, text descriptions, text linguistics and processing, and ending with text production as translation. The most crucial issue of Equivalence in translation has been analysed and applied, and various strategies, procedures and tactical tools for translation have been suggested. The research also unveils the current state of Urdu translation pedagogy and process in Pakistan, and suggests ways for its improvement in the light of the suggested theoretical matrix. The devised exhaustive pedagogic framework is later applied to the content analysis of four novels and the Questionnaire Survey, so that readers can see them in operation and at the same time help to confirm the reliability and validity of the devised theoretical framework and the recommended strategies for translation. The research endeavours to suggest a model translation curriculum, so as to lay down the foundation of Translation Studies as a discipline at the post-graduate level in all the public sector universities in Pakistan, in general and the International Islamic University, Islamabad, in particular. This is one of the pioneering work in Pakistan’s academia.