Conflicting Interests in the Creation of a State-Authorised Translation: Comparing the Saudi and Indonesian Editions of Al-Qur’an dan Terjemahnya

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the few nations to have an official, state-produced translation of the Qur’an, namely Al-Qur’an dan Terjemahnya ( QT). The King Fahd Glorious Qur’an Printing Complex (KFQPC) in Saudi Arabia produces its own edition of this translation, which it distributes to Hajj pilgrims and through its global distribution network. This article compares the Indonesian and Saudi editions of QT, in terms of the translations’ paratextual features and wording, and challenges the prevailing narrative that these two editions are identical. I argue that the KFQPC is more than a mere third-party publisher of QT because changes have been implemented reflect specific exegetical trends related to the KFQPC’s Salafi leanings, as opposed to the more local relevance assumed by the translation that is produced in its country of origin. This has significance for two very relevant research questions: ‘how is the translation process affected when a Qur’an translation is produced by an official institution?’, and ‘what transpires to such a work when a different institution with different interests collaborates in its production?’