THE CONTACT WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ISSUE - 666, 10 - 16 MAY 2016 PH: (905) 671 - 4761
Mayor Khan finds a new admirer in Captain Kirk
Delhi University clarifies Modi was awarded BA degree in 1979
See on Page 6
See on Page 5
Quran in Punjabi by Sikh translator, Hindu funders Rare Copy Of Quran Translated Into Punjabi Is Getting Digitized
By Neel Kamal BATHINDA: A copy of the Holy Quran translated into Punjabi and printed by two Hindu men along with another Sikh. As impossible as this may sound today, a historian in Punjab has dug up one such copy that was printed way back in 1911. A good 105 years later, the book has transcended many boundaries by travelling from the hands of a Sikh to a Muslim and is now in the possession of a Hindu academic, all of whom see it as a prized possession. Subash Parihar, who retired from the museology department of Central University of Punjab, is planning to have details of the Quran into the encyclopedia of Sufism that he is preparing. Parihar, who is at present teaching at a private college in Kotkapura, says, “This Quran was translated into Gurmukhi from Arabic by Sant Vaidya Gurdit Singh Alomhari, a Nirmala Sikh (sect of Sikhism devoted to literary pursuits). The printing expenses were borne by two Hindus, Bhagat Budhamal Adatli Mevjat and Vaidya Bhagat
Guraditta Mal, with another Sikh man, Mela Singh Attar Wazirabad.” As many as 1,000 copies were printed by Budh Singh of Gurmat Press in Amritsar. Adds Parihar that Sant Alomhari wanted to spread message of the Quran to people of other faiths. He intentionally made two Hindus and a Sikh to bear cost of printing the translated version. “I do not think that there can be a better example of MuslimHindu-Sikh goodwill in the beginning of the 20th century,” he says. “Those people rightly deserve to be called ‘religious’ in the true sense of the word.” This rare Quran originally belonged to
Sardar Jhanda Singh ‘Aarif’, a poet from Kotkapura. After his death, his elder son Natha Singh presented it to a Muslim Noor Muhammad, believing he will understand its real worth. “I was looking for some rare book in Punjabi for the encyclopedia and came to know that Noor Mohammad had this copy. When I approached him, he happily handed over the treasure trove to me,” adds Parihar. Noor Mohamad, a resident of Lande village in Moga who works as senior lab attendant at a Kotkapura college, said “Natha Singh had kept the holy book for decades with utmost respect before presenting to me last year. He passed away some months ago. It would be a privilege if Parihar can use it for his literary assignment”. Although there are a few translations available in the Punjabi language done by Muslim scholars but this the first example of Hindu and Sikhs coming
Subash Parihar together for the production of the holy book. Here’s one translation that I know of: The translation of the Holy Qur’an in Punjabi by Ramzan Saeed. The title in Punjabi is ‘Qur’an Majeed Anuwad Te Sankhep Teeka Sahit’. This 100-Year-Old Rare Copy Of Quran Translated Into Punjabi Is Getting Digitized. While the rest of country may fight it out over what stands as
nationalism and religious tolerance, here is an example set by Punjabi University in Patiala, Punjab, from which people can learn a lesson or two. The varsity is set to examine and digitize a century-old printed copy of Quran which is written in Punjabi. The text has 786 pages, a number which is considered auspicious in Sufi Islam.