Development of civilization of the Human Society Owes to the Efforts Made by Translators in Translating from One Language to another Language
Self sacrifice and martyrdom in the way of God is the way of prophets, innocent imams and our great religious men; because the country will lose its independence in case there is no self sacrifice and readiness for losing one’s life in the way of truth and defending from religion, the home land and honor. And losing independence means losing freedom and the authority of controlling the country and also paving grounds for ruing the identity of that home land.
Translation means explanation or interpretation from one language into another language. And the books which are written about biographies of famous people or history of famous characters are called “Tarajem”? [Plural form of the word “Tarjomeh”? in Arabic Language and “Tarjomeh”? means translation] or biographies. Since long time ago - and may be since the beginning of the history of creature of human - people have had no common language. In this respect, God has said: “I created you humans in forms of different nations and tribes in order that you get familiar with each other. And the best people and most honorable among you are the most pious people. Therefore, communicating with other mankind in other nations and tribes was one of the needs of human. Through getting familiar with other nations, this familiarity and relationships caused cooperation and friendship and progress among humans and their progress and transfer and improvement of their experiences and knowledge. Being informed of others’ situation and benefiting from achievements and experiences of other humans have been carried out through translation - as one of the main ways - either in past or in present.
Translators have always played important role in this field. No tribe usually could have all elements and factors of development and progress by its own; but methods and ways of development are found out through transfer of experiences.
Nowadays, we witness fulfillment of numerous progresses in different fields of science. And there is no day on which we do not hear news on discoveries and inventions made by scientists. And the news on these progresses is spread through radio, TV, publications and or internet. And translators are the narrators of such progresses and developments in these media.
Teaching language is how ever one of the important factors of progress among any nation. It means that the children of any nation who know well other live languages of the world in addition to their own mother tongue, it can contribute them to obtain more information about the science, technologies, culture and customs of other nations and learn their science and knowledge. This way, they can transfer this science and knowledge to their own nation. And if our main aim is making friendly relationships - that God likes - with other tribes and nations, then we will provide situation for better safety and comfort for us and other nations.
The major movement in translation was formed first following the appearance of Islam and willingness of people of the world to become Muslim, Iranian people in particular. And it was due to understanding the meaning of the Holy Koran. During the ruling of “Ma’moon Abbasi”?, a scientific movement of translation was formed. It was formed following gathering a number of translators.
Ma’moon Abbasi has first settled its governmental center in Khorassan. He encouraged translators to translate the books of other nations of the world in that period of time. And it included translating from Persian and Greek and Syriac Indian and etc.
This way, Muslims were informed of scientific events and achievements of scientists in other nations and civilizations since that time. And these books were taught in schools, “Hozeh Elmieh”? of the Islam world [Religious schools of the Islam world]. These books were in the fields of philosophy, medicine, astronomy, geometry, mathematics and others. Schools in Baghdad, Damascus, Marv, Neyshabour, Rey, Gharnateh and Ashbilieh of Andalusia and others were the most famous science centers for learning knowledge of the day for researchers and students in other nations of the world.
The third and fourth centuries witnessed scientific movement and growth of Muslims such that Baghdad witnessed top point of flourishing in science, producing scientific works and translation. Since the Arabic Language prevailed in many places, it was an unavoidable necessity to learn Arabic for learning religious sciences and non - religious sciences. The scientific works remained from these years and the outstanding scientific characters in that period of time were the stars of science, literature, philosophy and religious lessons in the sky of Islamic culture and civilization of Iran and the world.
Great scientists such as Farabi, Ebn - e Sina [Pour Sina] and Razi in the field of philosophy, medicine and music, Emam Mohammad Ghazali, Sheykh - e Mofid, Sheykh - e Tousi, Seyed Morteza and Seyed Razi in Islamic sciences, Kasayee, Tha’alebi, Sibouyeh, Naftouyeh, Ebn - e Jeni and Hamezi in Arabic Language and grammar and tens and even hundreds of Iranian and Arab scientists are the result of this scientific and translation movement. And following the wild aggression of the Mongolians to Iran and Iraq and Syria, this modern Islamic movement and civilization of Iran and the world was terribly damaged by the Mongolians’ aggression. They dethroned the Abbasi Dynasty Government in Baghdad.
In far past, Iran had strong commercial, cultural, tourist and political relationships with different tribes and nations. And such relationships could not be made without presence of translators. And translators were usually the people who had lived and learned well the language of other countries due to different reasons and for different purposes.
Once - it means before the appearance of Islam - Iran was one of the two main scientific and cultural powers of the world.
The authority and power of countries are not how ever rooted in their military power. The military power will not be durable if it is not along with cultural power, moral commitment, friendship, mutual cooperation and respect to other nations. We can claim of power when we have cultural and spiritual power. And our cultural power should be also based on the good acts and morality. And we should act based on this speech of the Islam Prophet about the importance of morality: “The main reason that I was sent by God was to complete moral virtues of humans.”?
We will be doubtlessly respected by other nations of the world and we will have their cooperation if we have the capability of administering and managing our country with justice and by benefiting from capability and talents of our people in an appropriate way. And if we can not administer justice among our people we will move out of the balance way and we will lose cooperation and friendship of other nations of the world. And then our civilization will be isolated. And then we can not have friendly relationships with other nations.
Nothing is kept as secret in the world of today. And news is spread to all the people of the world through different forms of information dissemination. Translators translate our news for other nations of the world every day. The more these pieces of news are positive the more happiness and progress will be provided to us. God is also the friend of good people. Carrying out the actions that God likes them is the way that we are saved. Briefly speaking, I do not intend to prolong the article. While strengthening our moral beliefs and considering our religious great men - it means the prophets, imams, religious leaders and religious scientists - as our examples in our lives, we should make our best efforts in line with managing our society in the best possible way in order to improve its position. In this case, our actions will have good results. Unless we will have to use the ways that will not have good future and results for us in order to provide peace and tranquility for our society.
Strategies of Progress in the Movement of Translation - Starting teaching language from primary school to little children is one of the basic activities that result in better learning of that language. It means that we teach live languages of the world - such as English, Arabic and or French and German which are required for the society of today - since the first grade of primary school in few schools of the educational system of the country. And we should not limit teaching these languages to merely one course. It means that we should teach all the subjects in the second language.
In case we teach to one generation of students in one or several schools using this method, then the graduates of these schools will be able to be good teachers in the future. They will be good teachers for developing and expanding teaching this language in other schools of the country.
Sending our students to the countries that teach these languages is another way for teaching language.
A Good Translator - A good translator is a translator who has complete knowledge about the target language. The “Target Language”? means the language that we want to translate from other languages into that language. The best translator is the translator whose mother tongue is the target language. As an example, the translator whose mother tongue is “Persian”? has good capability to translate from other languages into “Persian”?. And there is no doubt in his / her full knowledge about his / her mother language.
But translating texts from mother language into other languages is a difficult task; unless the translator has full and good knowledge about the target language which is rooted in lots of efforts made by him / her and working on this job constantly for a long time. It is also rooted in lots of studying the target language.
I have never seen a person whose mother tongue is Persian and has the capability to translate into Arabic Language. This is even true for the high level professors and even the clergymen who have studied in “Hozeh Elmieh”? of foreign countries for tens of years -I mean the “Hozeh Elmieh”? of Najaf e Ashraf. It means that it is possible that such people can speak in that language; but they do not have enough capability for writing in that language or translating into that language. But they have very good understanding about the Arabic Language and they can read the Arabic books very easily. And that is because they translate the Arabic books into Persian.
And finally, the scientific and knowledge level of translators play a major role in better transfer of concepts, sciences and values to the audiences. And this level of knowledge and science of translators brings knowledge and awareness about the different events of the world for the human society. Therefore, we should search for good translators in the educated and intellectual section of the society.
Translation in the Field of Self Sacrifice and Martyrdom - Self sacrifice and martyrdom in the way of God is the way of prophets, innocent imams and our great religious men; because the country will lose its independence in case there is no self sacrifice and readiness for losing one’s life in the way of truth and defending from religion, the home land and honor. And losing independence means losing freedom and the authority of controlling the country and also paving grounds for ruing the identity of that home land.
Therefore, we really need strengthening of the culture of self sacrifice in the way of defending from the home land and our divine holy values. Commanding to the right actions and prohibiting from the wrong actions will be administered in the society, in which there is the culture of theology, knowing God and believing in God and the Day of Judgment and the Doomsday. Commanding to the right actions means commanding to the good actions and all the good things and prohibiting from the wrong actions means commanding to quitting bad actions and deviations as well as all the bad actions. We not only resist against the aggressive forces and defend from our honor and independence and but also it is our duty to command to the good and right actions and prohibit from the wrong and bad actions in our society. It is true in the whole parts of our lives and when facing with the people and elements that weaken our society and they do not know God.
Fulfilling this duty that saves the society will save the society from all the bad actions and deviations and miseries.
Therefore, translation in the field of self sacrifice and martyrdom can cause publication and spread of memories of the sacred defense combatants. It can cause that the braveries and self sacrifice as well as resistance of Isargaran and martyrs of the sacred defense are known for people. And through this way, the spirit of seeking martyrdom and self sacrifice in the way of truth and also resistance against the aggression and greed of cruel people and governments as well as the aggressive countries and forces that attack to their home land and homes are strengthened. Through this way, the spirit of self sacrifice is strengthened among people and they protect and defend from their home land and people deeply from their hearts; because the country will be left in danger without guardians.
As God has said in Tobeh Surah, Verse 71 of the Holy Koran, “Believer and pious men and women are the friends of each other and help each other. They encourage each other to do good and right actions and they prevent each other from doing the wrong and bad actions who command each other for doing the right actions and prohibit each other from doing the wrong actions. And they say prayers and give alms. And they obey from God and his prophet. They are the people that will be soon blessed by God. And God is respected and wise.
Writer: Ali Zanjani
Translators have always played important role in this field. No tribe usually could have all elements and factors of development and progress by its own; but methods and ways of development are found out through transfer of experiences.
Nowadays, we witness fulfillment of numerous progresses in different fields of science. And there is no day on which we do not hear news on discoveries and inventions made by scientists. And the news on these progresses is spread through radio, TV, publications and or internet. And translators are the narrators of such progresses and developments in these media.
Teaching language is how ever one of the important factors of progress among any nation. It means that the children of any nation who know well other live languages of the world in addition to their own mother tongue, it can contribute them to obtain more information about the science, technologies, culture and customs of other nations and learn their science and knowledge. This way, they can transfer this science and knowledge to their own nation. And if our main aim is making friendly relationships - that God likes - with other tribes and nations, then we will provide situation for better safety and comfort for us and other nations.
The major movement in translation was formed first following the appearance of Islam and willingness of people of the world to become Muslim, Iranian people in particular. And it was due to understanding the meaning of the Holy Koran. During the ruling of “Ma’moon Abbasi”?, a scientific movement of translation was formed. It was formed following gathering a number of translators.
Ma’moon Abbasi has first settled its governmental center in Khorassan. He encouraged translators to translate the books of other nations of the world in that period of time. And it included translating from Persian and Greek and Syriac Indian and etc.
This way, Muslims were informed of scientific events and achievements of scientists in other nations and civilizations since that time. And these books were taught in schools, “Hozeh Elmieh”? of the Islam world [Religious schools of the Islam world]. These books were in the fields of philosophy, medicine, astronomy, geometry, mathematics and others. Schools in Baghdad, Damascus, Marv, Neyshabour, Rey, Gharnateh and Ashbilieh of Andalusia and others were the most famous science centers for learning knowledge of the day for researchers and students in other nations of the world.
The third and fourth centuries witnessed scientific movement and growth of Muslims such that Baghdad witnessed top point of flourishing in science, producing scientific works and translation. Since the Arabic Language prevailed in many places, it was an unavoidable necessity to learn Arabic for learning religious sciences and non - religious sciences. The scientific works remained from these years and the outstanding scientific characters in that period of time were the stars of science, literature, philosophy and religious lessons in the sky of Islamic culture and civilization of Iran and the world.
Great scientists such as Farabi, Ebn - e Sina [Pour Sina] and Razi in the field of philosophy, medicine and music, Emam Mohammad Ghazali, Sheykh - e Mofid, Sheykh - e Tousi, Seyed Morteza and Seyed Razi in Islamic sciences, Kasayee, Tha’alebi, Sibouyeh, Naftouyeh, Ebn - e Jeni and Hamezi in Arabic Language and grammar and tens and even hundreds of Iranian and Arab scientists are the result of this scientific and translation movement. And following the wild aggression of the Mongolians to Iran and Iraq and Syria, this modern Islamic movement and civilization of Iran and the world was terribly damaged by the Mongolians’ aggression. They dethroned the Abbasi Dynasty Government in Baghdad.
In far past, Iran had strong commercial, cultural, tourist and political relationships with different tribes and nations. And such relationships could not be made without presence of translators. And translators were usually the people who had lived and learned well the language of other countries due to different reasons and for different purposes.
Once - it means before the appearance of Islam - Iran was one of the two main scientific and cultural powers of the world.
The authority and power of countries are not how ever rooted in their military power. The military power will not be durable if it is not along with cultural power, moral commitment, friendship, mutual cooperation and respect to other nations. We can claim of power when we have cultural and spiritual power. And our cultural power should be also based on the good acts and morality. And we should act based on this speech of the Islam Prophet about the importance of morality: “The main reason that I was sent by God was to complete moral virtues of humans.”?
We will be doubtlessly respected by other nations of the world and we will have their cooperation if we have the capability of administering and managing our country with justice and by benefiting from capability and talents of our people in an appropriate way. And if we can not administer justice among our people we will move out of the balance way and we will lose cooperation and friendship of other nations of the world. And then our civilization will be isolated. And then we can not have friendly relationships with other nations.
Nothing is kept as secret in the world of today. And news is spread to all the people of the world through different forms of information dissemination. Translators translate our news for other nations of the world every day. The more these pieces of news are positive the more happiness and progress will be provided to us. God is also the friend of good people. Carrying out the actions that God likes them is the way that we are saved. Briefly speaking, I do not intend to prolong the article. While strengthening our moral beliefs and considering our religious great men - it means the prophets, imams, religious leaders and religious scientists - as our examples in our lives, we should make our best efforts in line with managing our society in the best possible way in order to improve its position. In this case, our actions will have good results. Unless we will have to use the ways that will not have good future and results for us in order to provide peace and tranquility for our society.
Strategies of Progress in the Movement of Translation - Starting teaching language from primary school to little children is one of the basic activities that result in better learning of that language. It means that we teach live languages of the world - such as English, Arabic and or French and German which are required for the society of today - since the first grade of primary school in few schools of the educational system of the country. And we should not limit teaching these languages to merely one course. It means that we should teach all the subjects in the second language.
In case we teach to one generation of students in one or several schools using this method, then the graduates of these schools will be able to be good teachers in the future. They will be good teachers for developing and expanding teaching this language in other schools of the country.
Sending our students to the countries that teach these languages is another way for teaching language.
A Good Translator - A good translator is a translator who has complete knowledge about the target language. The “Target Language”? means the language that we want to translate from other languages into that language. The best translator is the translator whose mother tongue is the target language. As an example, the translator whose mother tongue is “Persian”? has good capability to translate from other languages into “Persian”?. And there is no doubt in his / her full knowledge about his / her mother language.
But translating texts from mother language into other languages is a difficult task; unless the translator has full and good knowledge about the target language which is rooted in lots of efforts made by him / her and working on this job constantly for a long time. It is also rooted in lots of studying the target language.
I have never seen a person whose mother tongue is Persian and has the capability to translate into Arabic Language. This is even true for the high level professors and even the clergymen who have studied in “Hozeh Elmieh”? of foreign countries for tens of years -I mean the “Hozeh Elmieh”? of Najaf e Ashraf. It means that it is possible that such people can speak in that language; but they do not have enough capability for writing in that language or translating into that language. But they have very good understanding about the Arabic Language and they can read the Arabic books very easily. And that is because they translate the Arabic books into Persian.
And finally, the scientific and knowledge level of translators play a major role in better transfer of concepts, sciences and values to the audiences. And this level of knowledge and science of translators brings knowledge and awareness about the different events of the world for the human society. Therefore, we should search for good translators in the educated and intellectual section of the society.
Translation in the Field of Self Sacrifice and Martyrdom - Self sacrifice and martyrdom in the way of God is the way of prophets, innocent imams and our great religious men; because the country will lose its independence in case there is no self sacrifice and readiness for losing one’s life in the way of truth and defending from religion, the home land and honor. And losing independence means losing freedom and the authority of controlling the country and also paving grounds for ruing the identity of that home land.
Therefore, we really need strengthening of the culture of self sacrifice in the way of defending from the home land and our divine holy values. Commanding to the right actions and prohibiting from the wrong actions will be administered in the society, in which there is the culture of theology, knowing God and believing in God and the Day of Judgment and the Doomsday. Commanding to the right actions means commanding to the good actions and all the good things and prohibiting from the wrong actions means commanding to quitting bad actions and deviations as well as all the bad actions. We not only resist against the aggressive forces and defend from our honor and independence and but also it is our duty to command to the good and right actions and prohibit from the wrong and bad actions in our society. It is true in the whole parts of our lives and when facing with the people and elements that weaken our society and they do not know God.
Fulfilling this duty that saves the society will save the society from all the bad actions and deviations and miseries.
Therefore, translation in the field of self sacrifice and martyrdom can cause publication and spread of memories of the sacred defense combatants. It can cause that the braveries and self sacrifice as well as resistance of Isargaran and martyrs of the sacred defense are known for people. And through this way, the spirit of seeking martyrdom and self sacrifice in the way of truth and also resistance against the aggression and greed of cruel people and governments as well as the aggressive countries and forces that attack to their home land and homes are strengthened. Through this way, the spirit of self sacrifice is strengthened among people and they protect and defend from their home land and people deeply from their hearts; because the country will be left in danger without guardians.
As God has said in Tobeh Surah, Verse 71 of the Holy Koran, “Believer and pious men and women are the friends of each other and help each other. They encourage each other to do good and right actions and they prevent each other from doing the wrong and bad actions who command each other for doing the right actions and prohibit each other from doing the wrong actions. And they say prayers and give alms. And they obey from God and his prophet. They are the people that will be soon blessed by God. And God is respected and wise.
Writer: Ali Zanjani
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