Toward Islamic English

1982 book by Ismail al-Faruqi

Toward Islamic English

Cover of the book Cover of the book
Name	Toward Islamic English
Author	Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	Islamization of Knowledge Series
Subject	Linguistics, Islamization of Language
Genre	Academic, Islamic Studies
Published	1982
Publisher	International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)
Media type	Print
Pages	88
ISBN	9780915957033
OCLC	9682166

Toward Islamic English (1982) is a book by Isma'il Raji al-Faruqi that examines the adaptation of the English language to better convey Islamic concepts, terminology, and meanings. As part of the Islamization of Knowledge initiative, it critiques distortions in transliteration and translation of Arabic-Islamic terms into English, proposing standardized methods to preserve their original meanings. The book serves as a guide for researchers, authors, and scholars interested in Islamic literature, culture, and civilization. Al-Faruqi argues that integrating Qur'anic Arabic into English enhances precision and protects English-speaking Muslims from the influence of materialism, utilitarianism, skepticism, and hedonism. It advocates for linguistic accuracy in religious, academic, and cultural discourse.

Background

During the late 20th century, increasing numbers of Muslims adopted English as a primary language for religious, academic, and social discourse. However, many Arabic-Islamic terms underwent distortion due to inconsistent transliteration and translation practices. Al-Faruqi identified these linguistic issues as barriers to accurately conveying Islamic thought in English and sought to address them through systematic reform.

As part of the Islamization of Knowledge movement, al-Faruqi emphasized the need for an "Islamic English" that preserves the meaning and integrity of key Islamic concepts. He argued that certain Qur'anic Arabic terms should be retained in their original form rather than translated into English, as translations often failed to capture their full theological and philosophical significance. The book was published in 1982 by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) as part of its efforts to develop a more precise linguistic framework for English-speaking Muslims.

Table of Contents

#	Section	Subsections
1	What is Islamic English?	Who Are the Muslim Users of the English Language? The Nature of the Distortion Distortion through Transliteration Distortion through Translation
2	The Needed Rectification in Transliteration	Transliteration of Letters Consonants Vowels Transliteration of Words General Remarks Specific Rules
3	The Needed Rectification in Translation	General Rules List of Islamic Words/Concepts List of Terms/Expressions Relevant to the Islamic Sciences List of Islamic Devotional and Social Terms/Expressions