Muslim English-speakers will now be able to follow Tarawih prayers from Mekkah "closer than ever before"

RIYADH , October 29 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – In a move hailed by Muslims worldwide, particularly non-Arabic speakers, Saudi Arabia launched the first-ever live English translation of Tarawih prayer from Mekkah.

The feed is being broadcast from TV studios at the Sacred Mosque via Saudi TV Channel 1 to various international satellite channels covering Ramadan prayers from Mekkah for millions of viewers around the world, said a statement by the Saudi Ministry For Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Dawa and Guidance.

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Dawa and Guidance, Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdel Aziz Al-Sheikh, told the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat daily Thursday, October 30, that such an English translation of the Qur’an has become a necessity.

"There are millions of non-Arabic speakers people and it has become absolutely necessary to make available to them a translation of the Qur'an during Tarawih prayer," he added.

Praising the mammoth project as "historic", the statement asserted that the "unique English translation has been noted for its clarity and adherence to the correct universally recognized interpretations of Islamic teachings".

"The translation program itself was developed by experts in both translation and Qur’anic recitation with great precision, automating the Arabic to English translation process without loss of accuracy while utilizing computers", it added.

The translation tends to present the lexical and cognitive connotation of some words.

For instance, the word "Allah" has been translated as "God" so that it would be clear that "Allah" is not just the Arabs' god and because the word "God" is more comprehensible to English-speaker Muslims and non-Muslims.

The program was developed by Sheikh Wajdi Bin Hamza Al-Ghazzawi.

Welcomed

The new project was lauded by Muslims from the four corners of the world, especially English-speakers, who would now be able to follow Tarawih prayers from Mekkah "closer than ever before".

"The step is also seen as an opportunity to open a window to a deeper understanding of Islam for an international TV audience," said a statement by a Dubai-based consultancy faxed to IslamOnline.net.

Ramadan began Monday in the Gulf countries and will continue throughout the lunar month.

Practicing Muslims go without food, drink, smoking and sex from sunrise to sunset.