Eurocentrism, Qur?anic Translation and Decoloniality

by Ahd Othman

Overview

Eurocentrism, Qurʾanic Translation and Decoloniality contributes to the understanding of Eurocentrism in Translation Studies and engages with the concept through the lens of scholarship on Arabic and Qurʾan translation.

This book calls for a deeper consideration of Eurocentrism as essential for several debates in the discipline, including its scientific character and future development. It claims that the angle of Arabic and Qurʾan translation is a valuable – and nearly unexploited – area where tensions in translation scholarship can play out in revealing ways. The book also draws connections between Eurocentrism, Qurʾan translation and decolonial thought in order to highlight ‘decoloniality’ as a useful framework for imagining a post-Eurocentric discipline.

The book will appeal to scholars and postgraduate students and researchers interested in Translation Studies, particularly within the areas of Arabic, Qurʾanic, Islamic and religious translation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032520940
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	09/29/2025
Series:	Routledge Studies in Arabic Translation
Pages:	214
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Ahd Othman, Visiting Research Associate at the University of Bristol

Table of Contents

Arabic transliteration key

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter I – Eurocentrism: a conceptual framework

1.1 Europe as a cultural unity

1.2 Greece and Rome

1.3 The Judeo-Christian tradition

1.4 Enlightenment and science

1.5 European superiority: solipsism and power

Eurocentrism’s problems in TS

1.6 Reservations about the critique of Eurocentrism      

Conclusion

Chapter II – Quantifying Eurocentrism: a bibliometric approach

2.1 Sampling Arabic translation

2.2 Bibliometrics

2.3 Quantifying Eurocentrism

2.4 Scope of data and tools

2.5 Data results and analysis

2.5.1 The Bibliography of Interpreting and Translation (BITRA)

2.5.2 The Translation Studies Bibliography (TSB)

Limitations of the bibliometric approach

2.6 Methodologies, scientificity and Eurocentrism

The qualitative-quantitative divide

Conclusion

Chapter III – Eurocentrism through a qualitative lens: the case of Qurʾan translation

3.1 Sampling Qurʾan translation 

3.2 Thematic Analysis    

3.3 Themes and subthemes identified in the articles

3.3.1 Qurʾan translation with biblical touchstones    

(a) Christian translators’ key role in Qurʾan translation history        

(b) Biblical referentiality        

(c) (Un)translatability 

(d) Linguistic focus and Translation Quality Assessment (TQA)     

3.3.2 Politics of representation           

(e) The Qurʾan in the scheme of things         

(f) Regimes of epistemic authority    

(g) Macro-narratives   

Conclusion

Chapter IV – Decoloniality, liberation theology and translation

4.1 Reference works

4.2 Decoloniality and Translation Studies         

4.3 Decoloniality and liberatory Islam   

Islamic liberation theology    

4.4 Tawhid and Qurʾan translation

Implications for translation

4.5 Other ‘others’

Conclusion

Concluding remarks

Appendix 1: 50 most frequent words in the ‘subject’ field of the BITRA sample

Appendix 2: 25 most frequent words in the ‘keyword’ field of the TSB sample

Appendix 3: Codes generated and compiled after the first coding sweep

Appendix 4: Codes refined and grouped after the second coding sweep      

Index 

Editorial Reviews

“This book engages critically with the concept of Eurocentrism arguing that it straightjackets our understanding of the field of Qur’an translation. Through a close and careful examination of bibliographic databases and scholarship on the subject, the author argues for decoloniality as a useful framework for imagining a post-Eurocentric discipline and for the conception of the field of Qur’anic translation.”

Dr Ahmed Elimam, University of Leicester, United Kingdom

 

“Based on meticulous research, Eurocentrism, Qurʾanic Translation and Decoloniality offers a detailed picture of Eurocentrism’s impact on, and distortions of, research in Translation Studies as well as concrete and compelling proposals for decolonial interventions. An important contribution to the field.”

Dr Neil Sadler, University of Leeds, United Kingdom

From the Publisher