Online Arabic-English dictionary
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Peace Samir,
Dictionary of the Holy Quran by Abdul Mannan Omar is not available in an online format as far as I know. You can purchase it from Amazon.com online. I personally have found it very helpful.
http//www.amazon.com/Dictionary-Holy-Quran-Abdul-Mannan/dp/0963206796
Following is another link that shows how to get most of the Classical Arabic Dictionaries
http//quranicteachings.co.uk/dictionaries.htm
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salaam
perhaps you may want to consider this observation;
our primary objective to translate al-Qur'an should be among others, to get the true meanings of the words as meant by Allah. there are already numerous translations available, but more often than not, we find those translations wanting. generally perhaps, the general imports of those translations could not 'satisfy' our deepest feelings. maybe it is about salat, haj, qiblat, saum, etc. in fact it is not strange to discover that the whole idea on Allah inferred by those translations is too unconfortable to swallow. maybe. just maybe. to each, his own, indeed.
as such, we should be aware that by referring to 'lughat al-Qur'an' (does not matter by whom), we are actually going nowhere, in as far as available translations are concerned. we'll be back to square one. if we were to use them, we are actually going to perpetuate the perceived (according to the authors of the lughat) truth. and that may or may not be the real (according to Allah) truth. but we are searching for the real truth, aren't we?
as such, the other option is to translate according to a good classical arabic-english dictionary. in our research, we have only two, i.e. lane's lexicon and hans wehr. however, those without a training in arabic grammar will have difficulties in using them.
as such, it should be worth it, if you could enrol yourself in any of the arabic grammar classes, particularly those that teach the classical arabic grammar. no. not that quick quide to understanding arabic classes. a simple check is to ask what dictionary they use. if they use hans wehr, then you are on the right track.
in our effort to translate al-Qur'an we discovered these tools useful;
a. Arabic-English Dictionary ? The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic edited by J M. Cowan ISBN 0-87950-001-8 (Spoken Language Services Inc. 1976)
b. A Student Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic by Eckehard Schulz. ISBN 0-521-54159-X (Paperback)
c. 201 Arabic Verbs fully conjugated in all the forms - by Raymond Scheindlin. ISBN 0-8120-0547-3 Barron?s Educational Series, Inc.in parting, please be appreciative of 297. though the immediate message of the verse is not to be an enemy of 'jibril', the other message is about what 'jibril' does. that very verse describes the role of 'jibril', not just to prophet muhammad, but to any sincere student of al-Qur'an. but, be careful of the tricks of 'syaitan' though.
my Allah bless you with His mercy and compassions, and leads you to the right guidance.
peace
joe -
Salaam Joe-
I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I would appreciate a few clarifications
I am confused... Hans Wehr dictionary is "about modern Arabic" according to Tanveer's link http//quranicteachings.co.uk/dictionaries.htm; also, your post says "The Hans Wehr Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic" - both of these references say "Modern"; what am I misunderstanding when you say that Hans Wehr is a "good CLASSICAL arabic-english dictionary"?
Also, is it your belief that Dictionary of the Holy Quran by Abdul Mannan Omar is NOT a classical arabic-english dictionary, or is your belief that it is not a GOOD dictionary, or am I misunderstanding you here also? (you say "a good classical arabic-english dictionary. in our research, we have only two, i.e. lane's lexicon and hans wehr"
however, those without a training in arabic grammar will have difficulties in using them.
Maybe so. Me, I am rarely deterred by "difficulty" But I agree with what you have said!A Student Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic
The word "Modern" would have deterred me from this publication (as well as Hans Wehr's). Is it your belief that there has been such little change in the meaning of words used within the Quran so that it does not matter whether I use classical or modern arabic-english dictionaries / resources?please be appreciative of 297
Sorry but I am unclear on your meaning. I understand this verse to be in response to disbelieving Jews and was unable to put your reference into the context of my post Palmer interprets this verse as such The Jews objected to Mohammed's assertion that the arch-angel Gabriel revealed the Qur??n to him, saying that he was an avenging angel, and that had it been Michael, their own guardian angel (Dan. xii. I), they would have believed. Would you please clarify what you meant for me?And just a comment
as such, we should be aware that by referring to 'lughat al-Qur'an' (does not matter by whom), we are actually going nowhere, in as far as available translations are concerned.
I think we will have to agree to disagree here. I have found them to be very helpful for me as I compare available translations; I feel confident that I am on the right path; I am also confident that I am NOT "actually going nowhere" - but then again, I am often wrong!PS - since I do not know you Joe, I am unclear on who you mean when you say "we" (e.g. "in our research, we have only two, i.e. lane's lexicon and hans wehr" and "in our effort to translate al-Qur'an we discovered these tools useful". Do you work for a university?
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salaamun alaykum SAboushi n all
before we go any further, allow us to make a few corrections;
a. hans wehr is not classical, but lane's lexicon is. sorry, we overlooked our earlier prose.
b. the usage of lane's lexicon would be quite demanding for newbies, unless one has an excellent grasp of the arabic grammar. the lexicon is excellent, and when cross-checked with hans wehr, we would get a better indication of the translations.
c. the good thing about hans wehr's dictionary is that it does not have too much references on translations of al-Qur'an, hence the 'religiuos baggage' (is there any other better phrase?) perhaps is quite minimal.we hope the above clears the air.
now, on the other comments;
a. we have discovered that al-Qur'an must be read with utmost cautions, especially as the 'shaitan' is ever ready to pounce on those who are careless, and heedless of Allah.
b. when reading al-Qur'an, Allah is addressing the reader directly. al-Qur'an that we have in front of us was first read by 'jibril' to prophet muhammad. then it get written and published as what we now have. CAUTION what we are going to write is not a popular view, but please consider that al-Qur'an is in each and everyone of us - hidden in us. that is essentially the qur'an for each one of us, and everyone of us has the same qur'an (same as the one already manifested to prophet muhammad) - only the level of understandings (this is the sole prerogative of Allah to make) may differ between us (hence why we said the perpetuation of 'truths' inferred by those 'lughat'. the only difference is that none of us is a prophet. so, do not fall into the trap of shaitan. do not ever claim to be a prophet or new messiah. be careful please.
c. always pray for, and have full trust in Allah that He will rightly guide us to the true understanding. insha-Allah.
d. the content of al-Qur'an is not bounded by time and space. Allah may directly be addressing banee israeel, but please remember that we are among them when we fit the descriptions. we are 'iblees' when we fit the descriptions. be careful of Allah. He hears our deepest thoughts, and fancies.
e. 2.97 is about the possibility of 'jibril' directly addressing each one of us. 'jibril' only conveys the message of al-Qur'an, and not anything else as in 2.97. so, in 2.98, Allah warned us not to oppose 'jibril' (among others), which essentially means that we must listen to 'jibril' when it conveys the messages of al-Qur'an. 'jibril' speaks (not necessarily in words, like arabic perhaps) in a language that we understand. 'jibril' may speak to us, just as it has spoken to prophet muhammad. pray to Allah, the Compassionate Mercy, and listen. and take heed.
f. when we appreciate e above, then we could comprehend how (among others) Allah preserves al-Qur'an. the meaning of al-Qur'an will be made understood by Allah to those who serve Allah, and always seek recourse with Allah. it is not just about believing, but having full trust and total faith in Allah, the Lord of creations. and the understanding improves with sincerety, patience, and industry. talk to Allah. get close, please.perhaps we should by now consider to stop referring to other translators, as what is paramount to us (in as far as Allah is concerned) is what we make of al-Qur'an; what we understand; what we believe; how we believe; how much faith we have; how much service we do to Allah, the Compassionate Mercy.
our faith in Allah is not about academic scolarships, where we make references to published translations (lughats, etc.), other than the original arabic text. the books (dictionaries & grammar books) that we recommended were merely tools to assist us. in the final analysis, it is Allah who teaches and reveals the true understanding. in the end, we will not be asked about our academic scolarships, but how we behave in the earth.
lastly, you asked about 'we' or 'us' when we write. perhaps you may want to ponder 14. alone when reading, but refering as 'we'. how come? some food for thought.
peace
joe -
Peace,
lastly, you asked about 'we' or 'us' when we write. perhaps you may want to ponder 14. alone when reading, but refering as 'we'. how come? some food for thought.
I had the same question as SAbboushi but I found this answer a bit vague. Could you please clarify a bit further? I wouldn't want to come to a wrong conclusion, so does this mean you clearly do not work for any uni or organisation (that you refer to) and there are no other people involved when you use the reference we/us/our etc in your posts?
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Hi Joe-
Thanks again for taking the time to post.
I appreciate that you are trying to be helpful; my observation is that maybe you are sharing with me what you would like me to know instead of responding to what I am asking about... which means my questions for the most part remain unanswered... or maybe you have tried kindly to answer them, but that I have been unable to grasp the meaning of your answers--
In any event, thanks for your comments on Hans Wehr's dictionary. And thanks for your concern that I be careful and cautious. I will continue to try my best.
Hi Savage_Carrot- nice to hear from you. Some of your posts have already caught my attention.
With Peace and Regards-
Samir -
salaamun alaykum
perhaps we have not properly addressed this question
A Student Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic The word "Modern" would have deterred me from this publication (as well as Hans Wehr's). Is it your belief that there has been such little change in the meaning of words used within the Quran so that it does not matter whether I use classical or modern arabic-english dictionaries / resources?<<
please do not be deterred by the word 'modern'. hans wehr has the closest to classical explanation of words. for cross checks, please consult lane's lexicon. the two should go hand-in-hand. the grammar books are also important, for the arabic grammar explains the word formations, and shifts in general meanings. classical arabic will deal with more finese in usage of words and phrases. lane has done a brilliant job in his lexicon.
there are other good classical arabic dictionaries, but they are in arabic. if we read through the references made by lane, then you know what we mean. the arabs have not published a good arabic-english dictionary. and for that matter, a standard arabic grammar guide. we sensed a general 'black-out' by the arabs in as far as learning arabic (and al-Qur'an) is concerned.
and perhaps you may want to consider the fact that, a standardization of arabic grammar (their version) was done by the jews during the time of uthman, when they wanted to study al-Qur'an. today, we have to go to western universities to learn arabic grammar as employed by the jews. we took lessons from an ustaz who studied arabic in the uk (soas, univ. of london).
hopefully the above suffices.
offtopic when we consider the 'basmallah' as the first verse of al-fatiha, then we have it as verse 15, though for us it is 14. irrespective, the verse reads (according to popular translations)
001005 Khan You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).
001005 Maulana Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
001005 Pickthal Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
001005 Rashad You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
001005 Sarwar (Lord), You alone We do worship and from You alone we do seek assistance.
001005 Shakir Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help.
001005 Sherali THEE alone do we worship and THEE alone do we implore for help.
001005 Yusufali Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.in our translation, it is
naAAbudu p586 - (3p; Ind.) we serve / we worship (a god) / we adore / we venerate (s.o., a god or human being) / we idolize / we deify (s.o.)
nastaAAeenu p659 - X (1p; Ind.) we ask for s.o.?s help (against) / we call for s.o.?s help (against) / we turn to s.o. for help (from s.o. in sth., against) / we resort (in or of sth.) / we have a recourse (in or of sth.) | we make use (in or of sth., in or for)
please refer to the respective pages (hans wehr) for the radicals. either you take a pick, or allow 'jibril' to explain the truth about the verse. any which one one picks, it is still right. it is simply a matter of someone's truth, vs Allah's truth. as we always say, don't hurry.
so, how should 'i' explain 'we' then? 'i' would be more than happy if 'we' here refers to the whole ummah, don't you think? perhaps you may want to ponder (better still, meditate) on this issue of 'we' as opposed to 'i'. but don't rush. seek recourse in Allah. seek closely and patiently. insha-Allah. if however an immediate decision to agree or disagree has to be made, then, do not aggree to it, but do not throw it away either. just put it aside. insha-Allah. a comprehension will be arrive in due time. insha-Allah.
and if it must be made known (hope we do not sound bragging peace , please have mercy upon us O Allah), we do not work for anyone (university, or other institutions), but Allah, the Compassionate Mercy. at least that is in our deepest thoughts, and that is what we strive for.
peace
joe -
so, how should 'i' explain 'we' then? 'i' would be more than happy if 'we' here refers to the whole ummah, don't you think? perhaps you may want to ponder (better still, meditate) on this issue of 'we' as opposed to 'i'. but don't rush. seek recourse in Allah. seek closely and patiently. insha-Allah. if however an immediate decision to agree or disagree has to be made, then, do not aggree to it, but do not throw it away either. just put it aside. insha-Allah. a comprehension will be arrive in due time. insha-Allah.
I'm sorry if you thought it was OT, the usage just jarred me awake from my normal laziness, enough to ask the question a second time. Thanks for the reply, I think I'll just leave it at that -. Peace.
Peace Samir,
Thanks, I hope they were the ones I posted on the good days . Welcome to the forum!
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Sorry, means Off Topic .
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Thanks for those who referred me to Omar's dictionary. I have received Omar's dictionary and find it very helpful, particularly for those cases where TIM (Text in Motion) does not (yet) provide the root of a word.
As I find instances where Omar has identified the root of a word that is NOT yet available in TIM, I would be happy to provide the root identification (per Omar) to those who are building TIM. Does anyone know how I can go about making such an offer to see if they are interested?
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Another dictionary
http//www.alislam.org/quran/dictionary/dictionary_quran.pdfMainly copied from Lane.
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Another dictionary
http//www.alislam.org/quran/dictionary/dictionary_quran.pdf
Mainly copied from Lane.Thanks brother JM
Peace, Hamsa
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SAbboushi,
I found out a while ago that the basis of the root info in TIM is PRL
http//www.studyquran.co.uk/PRLonline.htmThe Qur'an Institute (TQI) is pleased to announce that our "Text In Motion" project is going ever stronger. Our developer, Hoag, has been doing an amazing job. May Allah give him time and health to continue on many important TQI projects. We now have an Alpha (initial) version that is being tested at
http//www.textinmotion.com
Please check it out and send comments to liaquat222 yahoo com.
Important Notes It is TQI's stated policy that we give prompt credits to those who assist us in our wide-ranging undertakings related to the Qur'an. "Text In Motion" is based on the innovative work done by Burhan on http//www.openburhan.com.
The Qur'an Institute thanks Burhan for allowing us to utilize his brilliant work for the betterment of humanity. May Allah give him manifold rewards in the world and in the Hereafter.
TQI also appreciate the superb linguistic data provided by Study Qur'an's Project Root List.
Thus, if you want to help input info into TIM, may as well go through the source, i.e. PRL.
pm me if interested.
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Hi Joe Betik
in our research, we have only two, i.e. lane's lexicon and hans wehr. however, those without a training in arabic grammar will have difficulties in using them.
And here we are almost two years after your post and I find you are correct. I want better knowledge so that I can better examine the Quran. And so I realize I must learn Arabic grammar - which makes me realize I need to learn English grammar first (again?) - I figure it will be easier learning (re-learning?) the parts of speech in English before I try to learn Arabic grammar.
so, how should 'i' explain 'we' then? 'i' would be more than happy if 'we' here refers to the whole ummah, don't you think? perhaps you may want to ponder (better still, meditate) on this issue of 'we' as opposed to 'i'. but don't rush. seek recourse in Allah. seek closely and patiently. insha-Allah. if however an immediate decision to agree or disagree has to be made, then, do not aggree to it, but do not throw it away either. just put it aside. insha-Allah. a comprehension will be arrive in due time. insha-Allah.
I would also like to follow up on your point about "we". Would you please post more on this?
Peace-
