Faith, Gender, and Power: Women’s Rights in Qur’an Translations for the 21st Century (A Critical Review of Asad and Al-Hilali’s Translations)

Abstract

This study critically examines how English translations of the Qur’an shape contemporary understandings of women’s rights, focusing on the divergent approaches of Muhammad Asad and Muhammad Taqqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali. Through a comparative textual analysis of key verses related to inheritance, marriage, polygamy, divorce, and women’s moral and spiritual responsibilities, the research demonstrates that translation is not a neutral conduit but a site of interpretive power where ideology, gender, and authority intersect. Using Chesterman’s translation strategies as an analytical framework, the study highlights that Asad’s reformist translation foregrounds ethical reasoning, gender equity, and moral agency, presenting women as active participants in their social and spiritual lives. In contrast, Al-Hilali’s traditionalist rendering emphasizes juridical fidelity, male authority, and hierarchical structures, reflecting classical jurisprudence and patriarchal norms. The findings reveal that lexical choices, tone, and explanatory additions in translation significantly influence how readers perceive women’s rights and responsibilities, both within Muslim communities and in global discourses on gender justice. By situating translation at the intersection of textual fidelity and modern ethical sensibilities, the study underscores the necessity of critically aware and inclusive approaches to Qur’anic translation, highlighting its centrality in mediating the interplay between law, morality, and social perception in the 21st century.