A Proposal for a Translation Based on Metaphysical, Mystical, and Practical Experience: An Evaluation of a Claim in the Context of Ṭāhā ʿAbdurraḥmān Metafizik, Mistik ve Ameli Tecrübeye Dayalı Bir Meâl Önerisi: Taha Abdurrahman Özelinde Bir İddianın Değerlendirilmesi

Although issues such as method, context, conceptual equivalence, and practical applicability have been widely debated in the literature on Qur’an translation, no common translation technique has yet gained general acceptance. This situation makes it necessary to reconsider the various theoretical proposals advanced with regard to Qur’anic translation. In this context, while debates on meāl in Türkiye have largely proceeded around practical translation examples and specific translational preferences, the present study distinguishes itself by offering an independent examination of Taha Abdurrahman’s theoretical approach to Qur’an translation and by evaluating this approach in terms of its place within the existing meāl literature. The present study aims, in line with this framework, to examine Taha Abdurrahman’s views on Qur’an translation and to discuss the possibilities and limitations of the approach he develops as an alternative to established understandings of the meāl. The study focuses on the author’s characterization of the Qur’an as “heavy speech” and translation as “light speech,” his distinction between Gabrielic and Promethean translation, and his source-text-centered model of translation, which he presents as the proper mode of establishing a sound relationship with the Qur’an. Methodologically, the study employs an analytical and critical approach based on document analysis centered on Abdurrahman’s relevant works. The internal coherence of the propositions he advances, their practical implications, and the problems they raise with regard to the functionality of Qur’an translation are examined. The analysis shows that Taha Abdurrahman’s emphasis on the moral and spiritual dimensions of translation is both striking and thought-provoking. At the same time, his tendency to tie translation to demanding conditions such as special permission, spiritual preparation, and moral maturity weakens the practical applicability of the meāl. It also renders the act of translation more susceptible to subjective criteria and carries the risk of narrowing the universal scope of the Qur’anic message. In this respect, the study demonstrates the need to preserve more clearly the boundaries between meaning and interpretation, and between the text and subjective experience in Qur’an translation.