RNA – According to the media centre of al-Mustafa International University in Qom, the book Nahj al-Balaghah (The Peak of Eloquence) has been translated in the Swahili language and published by the al-Etrat Institute in Tanzania.
The 680-page translation of the collection of Imam Ali’s (A) sayings, sermons and letters was accomplished by Shaykh Harun Pangili, a graduate of the seminaries of Qom and Najaf. His efforts to translate the monumental work took about four years.
Mahboob JafferAli Somji, the director of Tanzania’s al-Etrat Institute, met with al-Mustafa University representative in Tanzania and stated: “More than 600 copies of Nahj al-Balaghah have been distributed among parliamentarians and some of ministers of Tanzania.”
He added that financial aid is crucial to their activities as the al-Etrat Institute provides books and works in Swahili to a large number of people in East Africa.
When asked about copyright, Mr Somji said he does not agree with it, saying it is something suitable only for Western countries. He said copyright does not work for Muslim publishers in Tanzania because they offer translations of the noble Islamic scholars in Swahili not for profit, but to raise public awareness.
He said the West is trying hard to promote its culture among Muslims, who he described as “asleep.” Mr Somji added that Muslims should wake up and not adopt Western culture. He added that his next goal is to publish the Holy Quran in Swahili.
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