Semantic and Stylistic Problems Encountered in Translating Qur'anic Digression “Iltifât” into English: A Contrastive Linguistic Study

This research paper aims to explore the digression ''Iltifât'' as one of the effective rhetorical devices used generally in the language of the Holy Quran. The purposive sample of the study was selected randomly from Qur’anic verses containing Iltifāt or digression and their renditions by three translators, namely, Abdel Haleem, Khan Hilali, and Pickthall. The study's findings revealed that the translations of the three translators adopted several translation strategies such as literal translation, couplet translation to render the Qur'anic digression, or shifting (Iltifat) expressions into English. Moreover, the study also indicated that both literal translation and couplet translation are not always adequate for translating the Qur’anic digression or shifting (Iltifat) expressions because they have not successfully maintained the meaning of the Qur’anic Arabic digression ''Iltifât'' (ST) into the Qur’anic digression ''Iltifât'' English version (TT).


Introduction
Iltifāt or digression is a well-liked style of the Holy Qur'ān. Nevertheless, this stylistic trait creates linguistic, stylistic, and cultural problems and challenges for the translators of the Holy Quran and the receptor of the Message. In iltifāt or digression, there is a swift transition and change in person or addressee during the discourse. Moreover, iltifāt or digression is considered to be difficult in the rendition of the Holy Quran into the English language because the divergences between the Arabic language and English language are more difficult when it occurs in the rendition of Holy Qur'ān.
The problems and challenges discussed in this study are analogous to the method whereby the meanings of the ayahs containing types of Iltifât or digression are translated into English. Unfamiliarity on the part of the translators of the importance of Iltifât or digression markers may lead to an inaccurate understanding of the ayah, which may lead to an inadequate rendition that necessitates being tackled successfully.

The Problems of the Study
It is supposed that the translators of the Noble Qur'an faced many semantic and stylistic problems and constraints in rendering Iltifât or digression into English. These problems are immersed in the process of rendering the Qur'anic text to the extent that at some stage, translators presumed it is untranslatable. It is noted that different translations produce different effects on common readers with varying degrees of comprehension of the message of the Qur'ānic in general and Iltifât or digression expressions in particular.

Research Objectives
The study intends to achieve the following objectives: 1. To probe the semantic and stylistic problems encountered by the three translators, namely Abdel Haleem, Khan Hilali, and Pickthall, in their renderings Iltifât or digression expressions. 2. To examine how these semantic and stylistic problems can be managed by the three translators?? 3.
To investigate the influence of employing translation strategies on managing these semantic and stylistic problems?

Research Questions
To meet the stated objectives, the following research question was raised: 1. What are the semantic and stylistic problems encountered by the three translators, namely Abdel Haleem, Khan Hilali, and Pickthall, in their renderings Iltifât or digression expressions? 2. How can these semantic and stylistic problems be managed from both theoretical and practical perspectives? 3. What is the influence of employing translation strategies on tackling these semantic and stylistic problems? It (the glorious Qur'an) employs this feature far more extensively and in more variation than does Arabic poetry. It is, therefore, natural to find no one seems to quote references other than from the Qur'an. (p.39) Digression (Iltifat) has been called by rhetoricians shajd'at al-Arabia as it shows, in their opinion, the daring nature of the Arabic language. If any ' daring' is to be attached to it, it should above all be the daring of the language of the Qur'an since, for reasons that will be shown below, it employs this feature far more extensively and, in more variations, than does Arabic poetry. (As quoted by Abdel Haleem, M. (1992). Al-Atsir (2010) asserts that the use of artifacts shows syaja'ah 'arabiyyah (courage of the Arabs) in composing their literary works. Ultimate is even seen as the courage of the Arabs in speaking. This is because of the emotional rhyme categorization of risk and, therefore, potentially cause misunderstanding in the utterance (Al Farisi,2012). Ultimate use is still widely carried out by contemporary Arab poets. Hatim and Mason (1997, p. 12) show that the rhetoric of some languages in general, and the Arabic language in particular, digression (Iltifat), involves a sudden and unexpected shift from the use of one form (a particular tense or pronominal reference) to another form within the same set. According to Zainuddin (2009), 89 chapters in the Koran contain several verses that use the artifact speech act. It is possible that such kind of speech act potentially could result in a misunderstanding in the translation text. Ibn Al-Atheer(1933/1990), Al- 'Umari,(1985) and Abdul Haleem (1992)define Digression (Iltifat) as ''shift or departure from one of the usages of the normal language to another one in a given context for rhetorical purposes".

Classification of Iltifât /Digression
Consideration of Iltifat has resulted in different typical classifications, among which Abdel Haleem (1992) notifies the following types of Iltifat: Change in person, between first, second, and third person. He subdivides this type into the following:

Artifact /digression Stylistics in the Holy Qur'an
Iltifāt or digression is a well-liked style of the Holy Qur'ān. Nevertheless, this stylistic trait creates linguistic, stylistic, and cultural problems and challenges for the translators of the Holy Quran and the receptor of the Message. In iltifāt or digression, there is a swift transition and change in person or addressee during the discourse. Moreover, iltifāt or digression is considered to be difficult in the rendition of the Holy Quran into the English language because the divergences between the Arabic language and English language are more difficult when it occurs in the rendition of Holy Qur'ān.
In the rendition of the Holy Quran, the shift of a person deixis element in an artifact ayah is a multiplex issue, not only for the receptor but also for the translator of the Holy Quran. This complexity is because of the extent of two different person deixis relating to the same entity in one or more ayahs of the Holy Qur'an. (Larson, 1984. There are notable divergences between iltifāt or digression in the text of Holy Quran and its equivalents that are afforded in the European English literature where we found the terms such as apostrophe, phantasm, and rhetorical deixis, and the like do not wholly match the meaning and function of iltifāt or digression in Qur'ānic text, in which this trope has more variation and implication markedly. Al- Badani et al., ibid,2015). Moreover, the Quran gives a reasonable foundation for elongating the interpretation of iltifāt or digression in traditional Arabic stylistics.
According to Hubal (2015, p.25), the digression (Iltifat) is the style of the Holy Qur'an that generally tends to enrich a discourse by bringing shifts from one discourse style to another talk style. The aim is, among others, to honour, criticize, or attract interlocutors. Consequently, the deixis system in the artifact or digression is distinctive because it presents two-person deixis that refers to one entity in a speech with a particular goal and purpose.

Previous Studies:
A study has been conducted by The study showed Al-Iltifat is one of the Arabic on Qura'nic rhetorical styles. This style has been mentioned abundantly in the seven Qura'nic reciting. It is worth noting that verses of Al-Baqarah various types of this styles concerning the seven Qura'nic reciting.
A study has been conducted by Zainuddin et al., A.(2015) The Transfer of the Implicatures of Iltifāt from Arabic to English. The study revealed that: Translating implicatures from iltifāt requires intertextual cross-checking from exegeses in order to attain the meanings of iltifāt that would otherwise be lost in translation.

Research Design
To achieve the aforementioned objectives of the current study, the four researchers will analyze some examples of selected verses containing some iltifāt or digressions from the Holy Quran into English and examine these ayahs relying upon Semantic and Stylistic approaches. After that, compare their meanings with the two commentaries to ensure the iltifāt or digression senses whether it has helped or differently. To end, the results of the study are worked out based on the data analysis.

Data Collection
To attain the objectives of the research, the analytical-qualitative research method is utilized by the researchers. Moreover, this method is suitable for the current study because the rendition of the Holy Quran is a difficult task and cannot be enormously and Page | 12 profoundly explored using any other possible approaches (Creswell,2007

Results and Discussion
In this part of the study, some collected examples of Quranic iltifāt or digression meaning into English are analyzed by the researchers to identify the semantic and stylistic losses. Also, this section of the study aims to identify the translation strategies employed by the three translators, namely Mohammed, A, S, Abdel Hakeem, Mohammed M.Khan, and Mohammed Taj Al-Din Al-Hilali and Pichthall, in translating the Arabic Quranic iltifāt or digression into English.

Example 1 The Rhetorical Benefits of Digression (Iltifat)
Digression (Iltifat) is used for the intention to alert as in the following ayahs:

The Rhetorical Benefits: Intent to alert ‫التنبيه‬ ‫قصد‬
Source Surrah :'Yassin, ayah, verse 22 The meaning of the verse ''And why should I not worship Him (Allah Alone) Who has created me.'' Meaning, What is there to keep me from sincerely worshipping, the One Who has created me, without ascribing others alongside Him in worship.'' and to Whom you shall be returned,'' i.e. on the day of Appointment ( Day of Judgment) when He will require you for your deeds. If they are good, then yours will be the good and (Paradise), and in case they are bad, yours will surely be bad. (Hellfire).
In this verse, Allah turns to rebuke that unbeliever He has been talking about in order to strengthen the force of rebuke (Ibn Ashur, 1990. Vol. 8: 175).

Conclusion
This study aimed to examine the semantic and stylistic problems faced as well the translation strategies adopted by the three