The Hadith:Language,Style and Translation in English
- Course Code:
- 15PNMC143
- Status:
- Course Not Running 2012/2013
- Unit value:
- 1
- Taught in:
- Full Year
In surveying the prophetic Hadith through its language and style, this course aims to deepen students’ understanding of the diversity of the linguistic and rhetorical characteristics of the collected reports of the speech and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Prerequisites
This is essentially a text-based course, so students should be able to read and comprehend classical Arabic material.Workload
Weekly lectures will be supplemented with class discussion.Scope and syllabus
The course acquaints students with the characteristics of the language and style of the hadith and the general principles of translation, trains them in evaluating some of the best-known existing translations of hadith into English, and offers some training in practical translation.
Language and Style of the Hadith
Issues such as the following will be discussed:
- Common formulae,
- terminology,
- conciseness and jawamic al-kalim,
- figures of speech,
- levels of formality,
- modes,
- tenses and verbal forms,
- mood and voice,
- structure of the material within the hadith,
- context,
- comparison with the language and style of the Qur'an, with particular reference to translation
Existing Translations of Hadith Passages from the following will be discussed:
- Ibrahim, Ezzedin and Johnson, Davies, D., An-Nawawi's 40 Hadiths, Damascus 1976
- Ibrahim, Ezzedin and Johnson, Davies, D., 40 Hadith Qudsi, Damascus 1980
- M.M. Khan, Sahih al-Bukhari, Pakistan 1971
- Robson, J., Mishkat al-Masabih, Lahore, 1973.
- Siddiqi, A.H., Sahih Muslim, Beirut, 1971
There will be a brief study of the history, types, standards and values of these works.
Method of assessment
Assessment is by coursework in term and by written examination in May-June.Suggested reading
- Al-'Asqalani, A.b.A: Fat-h al-bari bi sharh Sahih al-Bukhari, Cairo, many editions.
- The Six Sihah Books of Hadith, Cairo, many editions.
- Baker, Mona, In Other Words, London 1993
- Hatim, B., and Mason, I., Discourse and the Translator, New York 1990
- Al-Nawawi: Sharh al-Nawawi 'ala Sahih Muslim, Cairo, many editions.
- Newmark, P., Approaches to Translation, Oxford 1982
- Nida, E.A. and Taber, C.R., The Theory and Practice of Translation, Leiden 1969
- Rafi'i, M.M., Icjaz al-Qur'an wa'l Balagha al-Nabawiyya, Cairo 1928.
