Translating the Qur’an from Arabic into English: A Systematic Review Protocol and Preliminary Evidence Map of Linguistic, Cultural, Interpretive, and AI-Related Challenges
Keywords:
polysemy, rhetorical equivalence, exegetical mediation, translation assessmentAbstract
Background: Arabic-to-English Qur’anic translation presents intertwined lexical, rhetorical, exegetical, and technological challenges. Objective: This study develops a systematic-review protocol and maps a preliminary set of relevant research. Methods: Searches of Scopus and Web of Science, independent screening, and design-sensitive appraisal are specified but have not yet been executed. Twenty-three candidate studies were identified through targeted scholarly source checks and organized into four analytical strands. Findings: The preliminary literature identifies context-dependent lexical meaning, rhetorical restructuring, interpretive framing, and limits of automatic sentiment or emotion measures. Computational agreement statistics do not establish overall translation fidelity. Limitations: Database exports, complete full-text screening, and formal quality appraisal are unavailable; prevalence estimates and final PRISMA counts cannot be reported. Conclusion: Future research should integrate documented textual comparisons, expert evaluation, and reader-comprehension evidence.
References
Abdelkarim, M. B. A., & Alhaj, A. A. M. (2023). Probing the meaning loss in the translation of Arabic Qur’ānic connotative words into English: A linguistic semantic perspective. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 13(10), 2644–2651. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.1310.23
Abuisaac, S., Albasha, J., Ghaith, M., & Bin Sapar, A. (2023). Barriers of intercultural communication in transferring culturally-bound utterances and expressions of the Qur’an from Arabic into English: Implications and strategy. Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 52(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/17475759.2022.2137559
Al-Hamzi, A. M. S. (2026a). From complement to adjunct: An integrated SFL–relevance approach to rhetorical loss in translating the cognate object in the Holy Quran. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, Article 102932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.102932
Al-Hamzi, A. M. S. (2026b). Translation shifts of Quranic conjunctive relations in English: Insights from the Musa–Pharaoh narrative. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 13(1), Article 2604955. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2025.2604955
Al-Tameemi, H., Moindjie, M. A., & Khan, A. B. B. M. A. (2025). How context and belief shape interpretations of the Qur'an. Journal of Cultural Analysis and Social Change, 10(4), 4652–4662. https://doi.org/10.64753/jcasc.v10i4.3850
Albalawi, A. F., & Abdul-Ghafour, A.-Q. K. (2026). An investigation into human vs AI English translations of Qur'anic euphemisms. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, Article 102249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.102249
Aldhafeeri, A. (2022). The translation of polysemous Qur’anic terms with figurative senses. International Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Translation, 5(9), 119–130. https://doi.org/10.32996/ijllt.2022.5.9.12
Almahasees, Z., Albudairi, Y., & Jaccomard, H. (2022). Translation strategies utilized in rendering social etiquette in Holy Quran. World Journal of English Language, 12(6), 137–146. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n6p137
Almarzoqi, A., & Alsuhaibani, M. (2025). Leveraging large language models for detecting and preserving emotions in quran translations. Journal of King Saud University - Computer and Information Sciences, 37, Article 271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44443-025-00269-y
Almjlad, S. S. A. (2025). Semantic untranslatability in Quranic discourse: Challenges and contextual remedies in English translation. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 12(1), Article 2542336. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2025.2542336
Alturki, M. (2025). Issues of rendering some polysemous Quranic words into English: A qualitative study. Journal of Research in Language & Translation, 5(1), 96–111. https://doi.org/10.33948/JRLT-KSU-5-1-5
Campbell, M., McKenzie, J. E., Sowden, A., Katikireddi, S. V., Brennan, S. E., Ellis, S., Hartmann-Boyce, J., Ryan, R., Shepperd, S., Thomas, J., Welch, V., & Thomson, H. (2020). Synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) in systematic reviews: Reporting guideline. BMJ, 368, l6890. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6890
Dahia, I., & Belbacha, M. (2025). Intercultural dialogue and Qur’anic translation paratexts: A critical discourse analysis. Journal of Translation and Language Studies, 6(2), 25–38. https://doi.org/10.48185/jtls.v6i2.1678
DeLong-Bas, N. J. (2024). Bridging the ‘Orient’ and the West: Arabia, the British Empire in India, and English translations of the Qur’an in the early twentieth century. Journal of Qur'anic Studies, 26(2), 96–127. https://doi.org/10.3366/jqs.2024.0585
Erebih, M., & Almanna, A. (2026). Ideological horizons in English translations of the Qur'an: Reassessing and extending Robinson's framework. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 13, Article 103022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2026.103022
Gaanoun, K., & Alsuhaibani, M. (2025). Sentiment preservation in Quran translation with artificial intelligence approach: Study in reputable English translation of the Quran. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12, Article 222. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04181-0
Hadj-Yasin, A. (2024). The retranslation of the Quran into English: A study of the common motivations behind 71 retranslations. Journal of Languages and Translation, 4(2), 229–240. https://doi.org/10.70204/jlt.v4i2.643
Hakami, A. (2024). Strategies and problems of translating euphemism in two selected English translations of the Holy Quran: An analytical study. Saudi Journal of Language Studies, 4(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1108/SJLS-09-2023-0038
Hassanein, H. (2023). Rendition of noncanonical opposition: A case study of Qur’anic composition in bilingual transposition. WORD, 69(3), 253–282. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.2023.2237271
Ibrahim, Q. B. (2023). Translating the multiple meanings of the lexical item “Al-Haq” in the Glorious Qur'an into English. Journal of Language Studies, 6(2), 151–162. https://doi.org/10.25130/jls.6.2.12
Metwally, A. A., & Bin-Hady, W. R. A. (2025). Exploring human vs. AI-powered translation to metonymic expressions: A case study of the Holy Quran. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 12, Article 101615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101615
Othman, A. (2024). Narratives of (un)translatability: The recurrent case of the Qur’an. Translation Studies, 17(2), 314–332. https://doi.org/10.1080/14781700.2023.2279044
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Ramsey, C. M. (2024). The daʿwa Qur'an? Exploring the evolution of ʿAbdullah Yūsuf ʿAlī’s translation. Journal of Qur'anic Studies, 26(2), 73–95. https://doi.org/10.3366/jqs.2024.0584
Rethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., Ayala, A. P., Moher, D., Page, M. J., & Koffel, J. B. (2021). PRISMA-S: An extension to the PRISMA Statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews, 10, Article 39. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01542-z
Saufi, N. A. (2025). Identifying translation strategies employed by Yusuf Ali in translating culturally specific items in Surah Al-Baqarah. Asian Journal of English Language and Pedagogy, 13(2), 77–87. https://doi.org/10.37134/ajelp.vol13.2.6.2025
Windariyah, D. S., & Masruri, M. (2025). Challenges in translating majaz mursal in the Holy Qur’an: A comparative study. Al-Bayan: Journal of Qur'an and Hadith Studies, 23(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1163/22321969-20250164
