صدقَ الله العظيم

English translation: not in the Quran

04:30 Dec 3, 2004
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Religion
Arabic term or phrase: صدقَ الله العظيم
قرآن
Arabicstart
Local time: 16:20
English translation:not in the Quran
Explanation:
While true, this phrase is not at all from the Quran nor even from the Sunna. It just became a custom in some Muslim countries to end any recitation of the Quran with this assertion. Although many think so, it is not a religious requirement to do so.

The meaning of course is: "Allah Most Great has spoken the truth"

What is found in the Quran is the statement: صدق الله, in ayah 95 of Surat al-imran:

قُلْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين


For which you can choose one of the following translations:
003.095
YUSUFALI: Say: "Allah speaketh the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith; he was not of the Pagans."
PICKTHAL: Say: Allah speaketh truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, the upright. He was not of the idolaters.
SHAKIR: Say: Allah has spoken the truth, therefore follow the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of the polytheists.

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Note added at 3 hrs 49 mins (2004-12-03 08:19:43 GMT) Post-grading
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عبارة أنيقة ولكن هل ترجمة الأسماء والصفات سليمة - الله العظيم أم الرب الذي هو على كل شيء قدير. نعم هي كلها من صفاته تعالى ولكن أيها المستخدم في العبارة؟

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Note added at 3 hrs 50 mins (2004-12-03 08:21:13 GMT) Post-grading
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The above comment is in response to Ahme Reffats eloquent suggestion below.
Selected response from:

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 22:20
Grading comment
Allah has spoken the truth
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3not in the Quran
Alaa Zeineldine
4 +1True are the words of Almighty God
Ahmed Reffat


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
صدقَ الله العظيم
not in the Quran


Explanation:
While true, this phrase is not at all from the Quran nor even from the Sunna. It just became a custom in some Muslim countries to end any recitation of the Quran with this assertion. Although many think so, it is not a religious requirement to do so.

The meaning of course is: "Allah Most Great has spoken the truth"

What is found in the Quran is the statement: صدق الله, in ayah 95 of Surat al-imran:

قُلْ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ فَاتَّبِعُوا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين


For which you can choose one of the following translations:
003.095
YUSUFALI: Say: "Allah speaketh the Truth: follow the religion of Abraham, the sane in faith; he was not of the Pagans."
PICKTHAL: Say: Allah speaketh truth. So follow the religion of Abraham, the upright. He was not of the idolaters.
SHAKIR: Say: Allah has spoken the truth, therefore follow the religion of Ibrahim, the upright one; and he was not one of the polytheists.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 49 mins (2004-12-03 08:19:43 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

عبارة أنيقة ولكن هل ترجمة الأسماء والصفات سليمة - الله العظيم أم الرب الذي هو على كل شيء قدير. نعم هي كلها من صفاته تعالى ولكن أيها المستخدم في العبارة؟

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 hrs 50 mins (2004-12-03 08:21:13 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

The above comment is in response to Ahme Reffats eloquent suggestion below.

Alaa Zeineldine
Egypt
Local time: 22:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48
Grading comment
Allah has spoken the truth

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  zax
1 hr

neutral  Ahmed Reffat: I prefer: True are the words of Almighty God
3 hrs
  -> Thanks, please see my comment above.

agree  AhmedAMS
5 hrs

agree  Aisha Maniar: good explanation; it's often not translated into English
5 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
صدقَ الله العظيم
True are the words of Almighty God


Explanation:
This is an explanation rather than an answer to the translation of one of the most widely used religious cliches in the Muslim world. There's been lots of debate over the translation of the Sacred Name of God "Allah", in which some argued that it is untranslatable and rendered it to a mere transliteration as if it was a missing concept which is not true in this case. English native speakers adhering to celestial religions use "God" to refer to the Supreme Being,The Lord of the Universe; this is why we should translate "Allah" into "God" with the letter "G" in the upper case. They also use one of the attributes of God more frequently than other attributes -i.e. The Almighty- to account for His Power, Greatness and Exaltation. Thus the concept of Greatness and Exaltation is included within the attribute 'Almighty' and it is also cuurent among native speakers of English; which would offer us a very good equivalent to the phrase الله العظيم. Consider also:Almighty [al·might·y || ɔːl'maɪtɪ]

n. God, all powerful One

• almighty [al·might·y || ɔːl'maɪtɪ]

adj. all powerful; great

Ahmed Reffat
Local time: 22:20
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alexander Yeltsov
2 hrs
  -> Thank you very much!
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