Azra’s Dogri Translation of Holy Quran Gains National Acclaim

“Translation will have greater outreach with message of peace and love”

JAMMU: Azra Choudhary, 66, a retired official from Culture academy Jammu has contributed to a significant cause by translating the holy Quran in Dogri language for people of Jammu province.
The initiative taken a decade ago by Azra got national recognition when her translated version of Dogri Quran was released at a function in New Delhi.
“ This came as a surprise for me when our additional secretary Shamima Akhtar approached and told about a wish her husband, Abdul Qayoom, a professor carried to get Quran translated in Dogri for its wider outreach among people,” said Azra adding that first she expressed reluctance, but later accepted it as God’s will.
Azra said that translating a religious book was a tedious job as any one word going wrong could have harmed the whole thing. But since she was heading the dictionary section of Culture academy, she took on the challenge and finally succeeded.
The retired official who was in-charge editor for both Hindi and Dogri language in Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and languages said her academic pursuits helped her make the job a little bit easy also. Azra has done Masters in both Hindi and Dogri.
“When I finally took to translation, Abdul Qayoom offered me to start with the last chapter ( Para 30) of the holy Quran as it contained small Surahs. He also offered honorarium which I, smiling refused and assured to contribute on my own also to make it a worthy composition,” said Azra.
The holy Quran contains 30 chapters ( Paras) and 114 Surahs. The book is translated in Devanagri language.
Azra, while exchanging her views about translating the holy book said that since Dogri has come into eighth schedule, the language is far and widely accepted in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in neighboring Himachal Pradesh also.
“The translated version will have a greater outreach among people who after reading the book will be enlightened about religious goodness and the message of peace and love contained in it. Besides, people of different religions also will find the basic preaching same as in Bhagwad Geeta, Bible and Guru Granth Sahib that will help in strong brotherhood among different religions,” said Azra Choudhary.
After having translated the Quran, Azra now intends to translate Hadees in Hindi , which she will be taking up shortly .

Updated On 6/23/2024 3:50:28 AM