I am reaching out to
solicit your expertise in the writing of my master’s thesis, titled “Faith
Across Languages: A Comparative Analysis Study of Al-Fātiḥah, Al-Ikhlāṣ, Al-‘Aṣr
in Five English Quranic Translations.” It’s important to clarify that this
investigation is situated within the domain of Arabic language and literature,
distinct from the discipline of religious studies.
The scope of the
analysis is to discern the variances in linguistic choices and wording across
translations, to explore the affiliations of the translation teams, and to
uncover the rationale behind their specific choices in translation. It is of
utmost importance to handle the translators’ backgrounds with sensitivity.
While including succinct biographical information is permitted, it is paramount
to avoid making personal critiques.
For the transcription
of Arabic terms into English, adherence to a standardized system is
fundamental. For subjects of a literary nature, I advocate for the
transcription conventions employed by the Library of Congress or the
International Journal of Middle East Studies. Detailed guidance can be found in
the module’s documentation section. Users of Microsoft Word can insert the
requisite characters by selecting Insert > Symbol > More Symbols,
utilizing the “Latin (Extended-A)” subset for elongated vowels and
the “Latin (Extended Extra)” for emphatically pronounced letters.
Characters such as ع and ء should be depicted using the “Spacing characters” subset.
It’s not necessary to fully vocalize names and terms already integrated into
English usage; for instance, “Qur’an” is preferred over
“al-qurʾān”, with similar adjustments for “Muhammad” and
“hadith”.
Regarding
bibliographic and reference conventions, studies in Arabic may employ either
parenthetical (APA and Harvard) or footnote (Oxford) citation styles. While
linguistics primarily utilizes parenthetical citations, literary and historical
research may benefit from either approach. Consultation with your supervisor to
select the most fitting referencing system for your dissertation is advised.
The references should
encompass a diverse range of sources, including seminal and contemporary works,
as well as older essays, articles, and journals on translations from Arabic to
English, focusing on the Quran or sacred texts. I have provided some initial
references, but you are encouraged to seek additional materials that align with
your research needs. (More than 55)
Enclosed are documents
I’ve prepared, including feedback from my supervisor and templates for the
assessment and essay. Feel free to deviate from my initial drafts and approach
the assignment anew, ensuring all specified requirements are met to achieve a
passing grade.
Formatting guidelines
are as follows:
Font: Times New Roman,
12 point
Line spacing: 1.5
Block quotes: 11
point, left indent 0.5
Maintain a straight
left margin
Note : In Arabic we
use either the bracket system (APA and Harvard) or the footnote system
(Oxford). Linguistics almost exclusively uses parenthetical systems, while
literary studies and history can use both. Agree with your supervisor which
system you will use.
Should you have any
queries or require further details, please feel free to reach out to me.