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اولياء الله

English translation: God Proteges

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Arabic term or phrase:اولياء الله
English translation: God Proteges
Entered by: Randa Farhat

15:30 Mar 29, 2004
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Religion / islam
Arabic term or phrase: اولياء الله
يقول الله سبحانه وتعالى : " الا ان اولياء الله لا خوف عليهم و لا هم يحزنون ز"
the word "awlia" is usually translated as the friends of Allah ... do you think it s a proper translation or not ?
ena
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 04:21
God followers, God Proteges, God Vowers
Explanation:
better use a latin-derived term..

- God is the Guradian, his followers are Guarded by Him, so.. they could be named as "Followers" or "the Proteges".

- The word "proteges" is plural and is written in French or Spanish spelling with an accent on the "e" letter".

- They have vowed to follow His commands, so they can be named as "the Vowers".
Selected response from:

Randa Farhat
Lebanon
Local time: 03:21
Grading comment
thanks a lot
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3Allies of Allah
umsarah
3 +3God followers, God Proteges, God Vowers
Randa Farhat
5 -1it depends on your context....
Aisha Maniar
2 +2Those under the protection of Allah/Those protected by/the close associates of
Musab Hayatli
4 -1Allah's saints/holly men
Dr. Wathib Jabouri
1Friends of Allah
Shazly


  

Answers


33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
اولياء الله
Allies of Allah


Explanation:
The word usually used is "Friends".However I think it should refer only to "خليل" . "Allies" means those who believe in God and supports God's cause and are also protected and suppoted by Him.

umsarah
Local time: 02:21
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 20

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Aladdin: Absolutely
4 hrs
agree  Saleh Ayyub
5 hrs
agree  AhmedAMS
7 days
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
اولياء الله
it depends on your context....


Explanation:
"friends of Allah" is a fair enough translation. Normally, if your text is Islamic and is aimed at a Muslim audience, then I would say, use the Arabic term transliterated in italics and then put "friends of Allah" in parenthesis to explain the meaning". If the text is for a more advanced, specialised readership, then just "awliya" will do.
If your readership is more spiritual and sufi-orientated, then the normal translation given is "saint".
I hope this helps :-)

www.beautyofislam.org/Issue24/Fight2.html
Awliya (friends of Allah )

This is from information about Abdul Qadir Gilani's invocations:
www.iqra.net/Salawaat/mishkaat/mishkaat5.html
awliya (saints)

Aisha Maniar
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 59

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  sampharo: Disagree more with transliteration in Islamic writing in general. Friends of Allah do not refer at all to those meant by the term أولياء الله but refer to أخلاء الله
6 days
  -> it's not really a question of personal choice, but of what is. This is what is already used by English-speaking translators and Muslims to explain this term. You're looking at it from an SL view but English speakers understand what is meant here
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 1/5Answerer confidence 1/5
Friends of Allah


Explanation:
"Lo! verily the friends of Allah are (those) on whom fear (cometh) not, nor they grieve"

سورة يونس


Shazly
Egypt
Local time: 02:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
اولياء الله
Those under the protection of Allah/Those protected by/the close associates of


Explanation:
I know the standard translation is "friends", but think of it! It really does not make sense to say someone is "a friend of Allah"! Do you see what I mean? So, combine this with using the a translitration of the term plus a footnote perhpas.

Musab Hayatli
Local time: 01:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ahmed Ali: I agree with"Those under the protection of Allah" but not with ".... close associates ..."
10 hrs
  -> Yes, I prefer that one as well, if any thing, to be persistent with the argument. Thank you.
agree  AhmedAMS
7 days
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
اولياء الله
Allah's saints/holly men


Explanation:
It refers here to those holly people following the path of God.

Dr. Wathib Jabouri
Local time: 10:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Ahmed Ali: Awlia-ullah are not necessarily saints or "holly" [holy], as this characteristic is not something you can put your finger on since the context is Islamic and not Christian for example.
6 hrs
  -> Thank you Ahmed for response. Being a saint or holly man is not peculiar to Christianity, rather it's of general theological use.
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2 days 12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
اولياء الله
God followers, God Proteges, God Vowers


Explanation:
better use a latin-derived term..

- God is the Guradian, his followers are Guarded by Him, so.. they could be named as "Followers" or "the Proteges".

- The word "proteges" is plural and is written in French or Spanish spelling with an accent on the "e" letter".

- They have vowed to follow His commands, so they can be named as "the Vowers".

Randa Farhat
Lebanon
Local time: 03:21
Native speaker of: Arabic
PRO pts in category: 72
Grading comment
thanks a lot

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Musab Hayatli: This is also good.
8 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  sampharo: Protege is the closest term, because أولياء الله referred to those who not only followed God but also were privilaged with special blessings and guidance from Him. Consider the term ولي as a source.
3 days 18 hrs
  -> personally i'd go for proteges or vowers. yet; cannot understand why translations have used the term "friends of Allah"!
agree  AhmedAMS
4 days
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