TranslationofProphetsPrayersintheQuran:

APragmaticApproach

1. Introduction:
2. Thisstudyisanattempttodevelopadescriptivetoolthatmayhelprevealtheextentof
approximationbetweensourceutteranceactsandtranslatedonesthroughtheanalysisof
theillocutionaryforcecomponentsofspeechactsinbothsourceandtargetlanguages.
Theselectedillocutionaryactistherequestiveprayer/DuaaofprophetsintheQuran
(SourceTextorST)andtwotranslations(TargetTextsorTTs).AbdulRaof(2010)
describesthetenorofQuranicdiscourseascontextsensitive,i.e.itisinfluencedby
contextofsituation;stylisticvariations,anduseofrepletionofagivenlexicalitemare
allmotivatedbytherelationshipbetweenthespeakerandtheaddressee(p.100).One
mainvariableinthetenorofprayingdiscourseisasymmetricalpower,whereAllah,the
Addressee,isthemostpowerfulandomnipotent,andProphets,addressors,arethe
powerlessandhelpless,whichwouldaffectthecomponentsofsincerityconditionand
modeofachievement.Itisassumedthatthedescriptivetoolmayhelpinaccountingfor
theintricateprayerutterancesandtheirtranslations.

3. 1.1.PragmaticsandTranslation:
4. Severalscholarshaveusedpragmatictheoriestoaddresstranslationproblemsand
issues.Emery(2004),whoexaminedtranslation,equivalenceandfidelitybymeans
ofpragmaticstools,maintainsthat[pragmatics]canbeexpectedtomakecontinuing
andincreasingcontributionstothedisciplineoftranslationstudies(p.166).Pragmatic
notionsincludingspeechact,implicature,illocutionaryforceandperlocutionaryeffect,
presupposition,contextualizedmeaning,andpolitenessmaximshavebeenusedtodetect
problemsintranslation(AbdelHafiz,2003;Farghal&Borini,1997;Hassan,2011;
Hatem&Mason,1997).InHickey(1998),topicsrelatingtopragmaticsintranslation
havebeendealtwithfromdifferentperspectives,includingillocutionaryfunctionandits
translatability,politenessequivalence,deixis,presupposition,cooperationwithreaders,
implicatures,andhedges.
5. Inrelationtotranslation,thenotionofspeechactsstandoutasakeytheoreticalconcept
thatreferstothefactthatspeakersdothingsbyusinglanguage(Austin,1962).As
statedbyPorozinskay(1993,p.187),translationasacommunicativetheoryisrelatedto
1

thetheoryofspeechactsorillocutionaryacts,andpragmaticcomponentssuchasan
illocutionaryforceofanutterance,apropositionalcontent,alocutionaryorganization
andaperlocutionaryeffect,areunitsthatcanperformidenticalcommunicativefunctions
insourceandtargetlanguagetexts.Usingpragmaticterminologytoaccountfor
utteranceacts,PorozinskayreferstoSearleandVandervekenscomponentsof
illocutionaryforceandassumesthatwhenallthecomponentsformingtheillocutionary
forceoftheutteranceinthetargetlanguageareequaltothoseinthesourcelanguage,the
illocutionaryactsareequalinbothlanguages(p.188).

6. 1.2.IllocutionaryActandForce

7. AccordingtoSearleandVanderveken(1985,p.1),whenaspeakermakesanutterance
inanappropriatecontexthavingcertainintentions,heperformsoneormore
illocutionaryacts,whicharetheminimalunitsofhumancommunicationandconsist
ofanillocutionaryforceFandapropositionalcontentP.Illocutionaryverbscanbe
consideredindicatorsoftheillocutionaryforcesofutterances,sinceillocutionaryverbs
areusuallyconnectedwithillocutionaryacts:thepromisingacttiesupwithwordto
promise,andtheprayingactwithverbsimplyingprayers.Illocutionaryactsasany
humanactcansucceedorfailsinceeachacthasconditionsofsuccessfulandnon
defectiveperformance(Searle&Vanderveken,1985).Hence,therearethree
possibilitiesforaspeechact:(a)unsuccessful,(b)successfulbutdefective,and(c)
successfulandnondefective.Itismaintainedthatforeachillocutionaryforceareseven
interrelatedcomponentsthatservetodetermineunderwhatconditionsthattypeof
speechactisbothsuccessfulandnondefective...:Illocutionarypoint,Propositional
content,Preparatorycondition,SincerityCondition,ModeofAchievement,Degreeof
StrengthofSincerityConditionandDegreeofStrengthofIllocutionaryPoint(Searle&
Vanderveken,1985,pp.1320)
8. AsstatedbySearleandVanderveken(1985),thesuccessandnondefectivenessofan
illocutionaryactoftheformF(P)performedinacontextofutterancedependsonthe
speakers:
successinachievingtheillocutionarypointofFonthepropositionPwiththerequired
characteristicmodeofachievementanddegreeofstrengthofillocutionarypointofF.
expressionofthepropositionP,andthatpropositionsatisfiesthepropositionalcontent
conditionsimposedbyF;
expressionofthepsychologicalstatedeterminedbyFwiththecharacteristicdegreeof
strengthofthesincerityconditionsofF.
9.

9.3.

Payer/Duaa:TheoreticalBackground

10.
10.3.1.

Prayer/DuaaintheQuran

11. AccordingtoOxfordEnglishDictionary,aprayerisasolemnrequesttoGod;a
supplicationorthanksgivingaddressedtoGodtheaction,act,orpracticeof
praying.Italsoreferstoreligiousworship,especially,ofapublicnatureorwhich
prayingformsaprincipalpart.InIslam,therearetwomainformsofprayer:liturgical
orworshipprayer(Salat);andpersonalprayer(Duaa),whichisvoluntaryand
additionaltothefivetimesdailySalatprayers(Campo,2009).Thesecondformof
prayer,personalprayerorDuaaisthefocusofthisstudywherethewordsDuaaand
prayerhavethesamemeaningandmaybeusedinterchangeably.
12. AccordingtoNasr(2010),scholarsdefinitionsofDuaadenotethattheDuaainthe
Quranhastwointerrelatedaspects:psychologicalandlinguistic.Thepsychological
aspecthastodowithmansintensedesiretohavesomethingdoneorundoneorto
besavedfromsomethingevil.Thelinguisticaspectistheutteranceactthatcanbe
realizedbyaneedstatementorarequest.ThesensesofDuaaintheQuraninclude
(a)ibada/worship,and(b)masalah/request(Nasr,2010).Worship/ibadaisageneric
termforeverywordman/womansaysoreveryacts/hedoes,whetheroftheheartorthe
body,whichAllahlovesandapprovesof.Itincludes,interalia,prayerandinvocation,
lovingAllahandHisprophet,turningtohiminrepentance,puttingtrustinHishelp,
hopingforHismercy,seekingHisforgiveness,andfearingHispunishment(Ibn
Taymiyyah,2000).Integralpartsofibada(worship)areloveandhumble
submissiveness.
13. Highlightingdifferencesbetweenworshipprayerandrequestprayer,Nasr(2010)states
thatinworshipprayer,theworshipper(a)referstoAllahnottohim/herself,(b)doesnot
waitforhis/herprayertobeanswered,(c)tendstoshowhis/herhelplessness,and
destituteness,(d)recognizesAllahsomnipotence,and(e)usesastatementthatrefersto
theconditionoftheinvokerortheinvokedorboth.Inrequestprayer,thesupplicant(a)
refersmainlytohis/herrequestandneeds,(b)startshisprayerswiththevocative
RabbaswellasAllhum,Rabbna,withattachedgrammaticalsuffix,thatisLord,and
(c)usestheexplicitimperative.

13.3.1.

QuranicPrayer/DuaaSententialTypes:

14. AccordingtoIbnTayimmyah(2000)andNasr(2010),themoodofrequestiveDuaa
utteranceiseitherimperativeorindicative.
1 ImperativeMoodisusedtomaketheDuaainadirectway:
a. DoPatternusedtoprayAllah(a)tobringbenefits,or(b)tokeepawayevilanddamage;

b. DonotdoPattern.
2 IndicativeMood:Prophetsusedstatementstodescribetheirconditions,oradmittheirguilt
orseekrefugeinAllahorseekHisforgivenessandmercy.Usingtheindicativemood,the
Prophetmay(a)describehiscondition;(b)refertoAllah;or(c)describehisconditionand
refertoAllah.

15.1.3.3.Prayer/DuaaasanIllocutionaryAct
16. Inbroadterms,theDuaa/prayerfallsunderthecategoryofDirectivespeechact
(Vanderveken,1990,126).
17. Theprimitivedirectiveillocutionaryforcehasthedirectivepoint(thatthespeaker
attemptstogetthehearertakeacertaincourseofaction),theneutralmodeofachievement
anddegreeofstrength,theconditionsthatthepropositionalcontentrepresentsafuture
courseofactionofthehearer,thepreparatoryconditionthathearercancarryouttheactions,
andthesincerityconditionthatthespeakerdesiresorwantsthehearertocarryitout.The
primitivedirectiveforceisrealizedsyntacticallyinEnglishintheimperativesententialtype.
18. SearleandVanderveken(1985)statethatdirectivesdisplaydifferencesindegreeasto
thestatusthatthespeakermusthaveforperformingthem(fromorders,whichrequire
thespeakershigherstatus,toentreaties,whichrequirethespeakerslowerstatus),and
thesedifferencesaffectthemodeofachievementoftheillocutionarypointratherthan
theillocutionarypoint.
19. Theillocutionaryverbssupplicate,beseech,implore,entreat,conjure,andprayare
requestive.Howevertheseverbsdifferfromrequestinthreerespects:firstthey
expressagreatintensityofdesire;secondlyforthatreasontheyhaveagreaterdegreeof
strengthofillocutionarypoint;thirdlytheillocutionaryacttheyexpressareperformedin
amorehumblemanner(Searle&Vanderveken,1985,p.204).Inotherwords,the
increasedstrengthofillocutionarypointcomesfromahigherintensityofdesire
expressed,andthehumbledeferentialmannerinwhichthespeakeraddressesthehearer.
ThegreatintensityofdesireinQuranicprayersisachievedthroughseveraldevices
including,interalia,repetitivepleasandprayersindifferentcontexts,overstating
physicalandpsychologicalsufferinganddistress,repeatingthevocativeRabb(Lord),
andhavingunshakablebeliefthatAllahwouldanswertheprayer(Nasr,2010).
20.
21. Inthecontextofutterance,theillocutionaryverbDa`,topray,hasthedirectiveforce
withtheadditionofpropositionalcontentthatthehearerisGod;thespeakerisina
lowerstatusandsufferingfromahelplesssituation.Themodeofachievementofthe
illocutionarypointdiffersfromtheprimitivedirectiveforce(representedbytheverbto
direct)inthatthespeakerperformstheactinawaythatshowshumbleness,deference

andsubmissiveness.Nasr(2010)statesthatdeferenceandsubmissivepolitenessin
pragmaticterms,theprayermodeofachievementtendtoberealizedby(a)attributing
allthatisgoodtoAllahandallthatiseviltooneself;(b)startingtheprayerbythe
vocativeRabbana,Rabb,OurLordorLord,deletingthevocativeparticletoimply
closenesstoAllahandabsenceofmediatorbetweenAllahandprophet(AlOusy,1988),
(c)seekingreligiousspiritualdemandsratherthanworldmaterialisticones,(d)extolling
Allah,and(e)loweringonesvoicefollowingAllahscommandintheQuranCall
uponyourLordhumblyinsubservience,andquietly,insecret(7:55).
22.

22.3. PurposeandQuestionsoftheStudy:
23. ThepaperattemptstoaccountforselectedQuranicprayeractsandtwotranslations
throughanalyzingthecomponentsoftheillocutionaryforceoftheutteranceinthe
sourceandtargetlanguages.Theproposedpragmaticbasedtool,tobereferredtoas
IllocutionaryForceComponentsAnalysis(IFCA),worksontheassumptionthatifthe
componentsthatconstitutetheillocutionaryforceoftheprayer/Duaaillocutionaryact
inthetargetlanguageapproximatethoseinthesourcelanguage,theillocutionaryacts
aresimilarinbothlanguages(Porozinskay,1993).
24. Thestudyattemptstofindananswertothefollowingquestion:

CantheIllocutionaryForceComponentsAnalysis(IFCA)beusedasadescriptive
analyticaltoolfortranslatedutteranceacts?
25. Toanswerthisquestion,thestudyaddressesthefollowingsubquestions:

1. TowhatextentcantheIFCAdeterminetheapproximationoftheprayeractsillocutionary
forceintheSTandTTs?
2. TowhatextentcantheIFCAbeusedtosubstantiatethesuccessandnondefectivenessof
thetranslatedillocutionaryacts?
3. Howdidtheexplicitation/implicitationtechniquesoperatedbytranslatorsaffectthe
componentsoftheIllocutionaryForceofthetranslatedillocutionaryacts?

26.2.Methodology:
27.2.1.Data:
28. Thedataisrepresentativeratherthanexhaustive.SelectedprayersofZakariya
(Zechariah),Musa(Moses),Yunus(Jonah),AdamandEve,Lut(Lot),Ayyub(Job),and
Yusuf(Joseph)representthedataofthestudy.AccordingtoAbdulRaof,(2010,p.21),
therearetwomajortypesofQurantranslation:thefirstissemantictranslationwhere
archaiclanguageandsomeliteralwordorderdominate,whilethesecondtypeis
5

communicativetranslation.Theliteralapproachtotranslationallowedthesource
languagetohavedominanceoverthetargetlanguage(WelchascitedinAbdulRaof,
2010),whilethesecondapproachintroducestheQuraninacommunicative
contemporaryEnglish.Accordingly,twotranslationsoftheQuranareselectedto
representthetwoapproaches:
1 InterpretationoftheMeaningsoftheNobleQuranintheEnglishLanguage,(Khan&
AlHilali,2007),isreferredtoasTT1.Thetranslationissourcelanguageorientedand
adoptsasemanticapproach.WidelydisseminatedthroughouttheEnglishspeakingworld,
thetranslationreferstoclassicalsourcesofcommentariesnamelyAtTabari,AlQurtubi,
andIbnKathir.
2 TheQuran(AbdelHaleem,2005)whichrepresentsthecommunicativeapproachis
referredtoasTT2.Intheintroduction,AbdelHaleemstatesthatthetranslationiswrittenin
acontemporary,easystyle,avoidingtheuseofvaguelanguageorarchaismsthattendto
obscuremeaning.Thetranslationistargetaudienceoriented,readerfriendlyandeasyto
follow.
29. FortransliterationofArabicQuranicprayers,referenceismadetothefollowing
website:http://transliteration.org/quran/WebSite_CD/MixPure/Fram2E.htm.

30.2.2.ProceduresandDataAnalysis:
1 SettingthecontextofutteranceoftheProphetsprayer.Acontextofutteranceconsistsof
fivedistinguishableelementsandsetsofelements:aspeaker,ahearer,atime,aplaceand
othervariousfeaturesthatarerelevanttotheperformanceofthespeechactssuchas
psychologicalstate,desires,beliefsofthespeakerandhearer(Searle&Vanderveken,
1985,p.27).
31.
2 Segmentingtheutteranceactintoheadprayeractandsupportivemovesthatmayprecedeor
followtheheadact,aswellasinternalmodifiers,includingboostersormitigators.Bothparts
headactandsupportivemove(s)aretackledasrepresentingtheprayerillocutionaryact
withtheillocutionaryforceofpray.Illocutionaryverbs,asindicatorsofillocutionaryforce,
markthebeginningoftheutteranceact.
32.
3 AnalyzingtheillocutionaryforceofthePrayeractasperformedintheSourcelanguage
(Arabic)intoitscomponentsbyreferringtoexegesisandrevealingsemanticsyntactic
features,includingtheillocutionaryverb.Thecomponentsthatdeterminetheconditionsof
successfulandnondefectiveperformanceoftheDuaa/prayersillocutionaryactcanbe
summarizedasfollows:
a. IllocutionaryPointofprayeristomakeanattempttoapproachGodaboutdoingafuture
courseofaction;
6

b. PropositionalContentrepresentsafuturecourseofactiontobecarriedoutbyGodonly;
suchcourseofactioncouldbebringingbenefit,orpreventingharmorprovidingsustenance
orprovidingsupportorhelporvictoryovertheinfidels;
c. PreparatoryConditionisthatthecourseofactionispossibleandachievablebyGodonlyin
acontextofutterancewherethespeakersuffersdistressandpain.
d. SincerityConditionisthestrongdesireofthespeakerthatthecourseofactionbedone;
e. ModeofAchievementisthattheillocutionarypointismadehumbly,politelyand
submissively.Inthisrespect,referenceismadetotheMaximsofthePolitenessPrinciple
(Leech,1983,p.132)namely:TactMaxim:Minimizecosttoother/Maximizebenefitto
other;GenerosityMaxim:Minimizebenefittoself/Maximizecosttoself;Approbation
MaximMinimizedispraiseofother/Maximizepraiseofother;ModestyMaxim:Minimize
praiseofself/Maximizedispraiseofself;AgreementMaxim:Minimizedisagreement
betweenselfandother/Maximizeagreementbetweenselfandother;SympathyMaxim:
Minimizeantipathybetweenselfandother/Maximizesympathybetweenselfandother.
33.
Sincethereisarelationbetweenthe DegreeofStrengthofIllocutionaryPoint andthe
modeofachievementofanillocutionaryforceandtheDegreeofStrengthofSincerityCondition,
referenceismadetothesetwocomponentswhenevernecessary.
34.
4 AnalyzingtheillocutionaryforceofthePrayeractinTT1andTT2(English)intoits
componentsbyexaminingtheTranslatorschoicesofsemanticsyntacticresources,which
alsoincludetheillocutionaryverbs;
5 ComparingthecomponentsinbothSourceTextandTargetTexts;
6 Evaluatingthetranslatorsexplicitationandimplicitationshiftsthatmayaffectanyofthe
componentsoftheillocutionaryforcewhenrenderingtheprayerillocutionaryacts.
Explicitationis[a]stylistictranslationtechniquewhichconsistsofmakingexplicitinthe
targetlanguagewhatremainsimplicitinthesourcelanguagebecauseitisapparentfrom
eitherthecontextorthesituation.(Vinay&Darbelnet,1995,p.342).Ontheotherhand,
Implicitationisastylistictranslationtechniquewhichconsistsofmakingwhatisexplicitin
thesourcelanguageimplicitinthetargetlanguage,relyingonthecontextorthesituationfor
conveyingthemeaning(Vinay&Darbelnet,1995,p.344).AsshowninTable(1),labels
aregiven,fordescriptivepurposes,totheoccurrencesofexplicitationandimplicitation
techniques(Pym2005).
35.
36.
37.
38.

39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50. Table(1):ExplicitationandImplicitationTechniques
51.
52.

Explicitation

54. asourcelanguage
(SL)unitofamore
generalmeaningis
replacedbyatarget
language(TL)unitof
amorespecific
meaning;
58.
complexmeaningof
aSLwordisdistributedover
severalwordsintheTL
62. newmeaningful
elementsappearin
theTLtext;
67. onesentenceinthe
SLisdividedinto
twoorseveral
sentencesintheTL;
72. whenSLphrasesare
extendedinto
clausesintheTL.

53.

55.

Specifying

59.

Supplement
63.
tion

Implicitation

56.
aSLunitofamorespecific
meaningisreplacedbyaTLunitofamore
generalmeaning

Addi

57.

Generalizing

60. SLunitsconsistingfromtwoor
morewordsarereplacedbyaTL
unitconsistingofoneword;
64. meaningfullexicalelementsofthe
SLtextaredropped;

61.

Reduction
66.
ion

Omiss

69. twoormoresentencesintheSL
areconjoinedintoonesentencein
theTL;

71.
action

Contr

65.
68.

Expansion

73.

Extension

70.
74.
SLclausesarereducedtophrases
intheTL.

76.

75.

Cutback

77.3.QuranicPrayersofProphets:ResultsandDiscussion
78. Prayersareclassifiedaccordingtothetypeofactionthattheprophetrequested:

Worldlydemands;
Forgiveness;
HelpandSupport.

79.3.1.PrayingAllahforWorldlydemands:
3.1.1. PrayersofProphetZakariya(Zechariah):
80. Inthiscontextofutterance,theonewhomakestheprayerisZakariya,aprophetof
Israelites.AsnarratedintheQuran(IbnKathir),thoughhewasagedandhiswifewas
barrenandstrickenwithyears,hewantedAllahtogranthimanoffspringtoinherithis
knowledgeandProphethood.IntheQuranarethreeprayeractsmadebyZakariyato
Allah:PrayerI:TheFamilyofImran(AlImran)3:38;PrayerII:Mary(Mariam)19:2
6;andPrayerIII:TheProphets(AlAnbiya)21:89.ThecontextofutteranceofPrayerI
isthatwheneverZakariya,theGuardianofMary,enteredherchamber,hefoundthatshe
hadoutofseasonfruit.Hethenrealizedthattheonewhoiscapableofprovidingsuch
sustenanceisindeedcapableofgrantinghimanoffspringdespitehisage,soZakariya
invokedAllah.PrayerIIisprecededbyareminderofAllahsmercyuponhisprophet
Zakariya,andanaccountofhisownphysicalandmentalstateandofhiswifesphysical
condition,whereZakariyasupplicatesAllahinsecretandreferstohisweakness,old
age,fearofhissucceedingrelativesandhiswifesinfertility(QuranTafsirIbn
Kathir).AsforprayerIII,averyshortenedreferencetothestoryofZakariyaismade
sinceithasbeengivenindetailintheSuraofTheFamilyofImran(AlImran3:38)
andtheSuraofMary(Mariam19:36)(QuranTafsirIbnKathir).
85. TT2
90. Thereandthen
Zachariahprayedtohis
Lord,saying,Lord,
fromYourgrace
grantmevirtuous
offspring:
91. Youheareveryprayer.

96. 2Thisisanaccountof
yourLordsgrace
towardsHisservant,

84. TT1
89. Atthattime
Zakariy
(Zachariya)invoked
hisLord,saying:"O
myLord!Grantme
fromYou,agood
offspring.Youare
indeedtheAllHearer
ofinvocation
95. 3.Whenhecalled
outhisLord(Allh)a
callinsecret.4.He

ST

.83
.88

Sura
The
Family
ofImran
(AlImr
an3:38)

.94

.82
.87

93. Mary
(Mariam
19:36),

.81
.86

92. I
I

97. Zachariah,3whenhe
calledtohisLord
secretly,saying,4
Lord,myboneshave
weakenedandmyhair
isashengrey,but
never,Lord,
98. haveIeverprayedto
Youinvain:5Ifear
[what]mykinsmen
[willdo]
99. whenIamgone,formy
wifeisbarren,sogrant
measuccessoragift
fromYou6tobemy
heirandtheheirofthe
familyofJacob.Lord,
makehimwellpleasing
[toYou].

104.RememberZachariah,
whenhecriedtohis
Lord,MyLord,do
notleavemechildless,
thoughYouarethebest
ofheirs

said:"MyLord!
Indeedmybones
havegrownfeeble,
andgreyhairhas
spreadonmyhead,
AndIhavenever
beenunblestinmy
invocationtoYou,O
myLord!5."And
verilyIfearmy
relativesafterme,
andmywifeisbarren
Sogivemefrom
Yourselfanheir.6.
"Whoshallinherit
me,andinherit(also)
theposterityof
Yaqb(Jacob)
(inheritanceofthe
religiousknowledge
andProphethood,not
ofwealth.).And
makehim,myLord,
onewithwhomYou
areWellPleased!"
103.And(remember)
Zakariya
(Zechariah),when
criedtohisLord:
OMyLord!Leave
menotsingle
(childless),though
YouaretheBestof
theinheritors..

102.

101.The
Prophets
(Al
Anbiya
21:89)

105.
106.
Syntactically,theprayerforceofPrayersIandIIisrealizedbytheimperative
sententialtype,whilePrayerIIIisrealizedbyaprohibitive.In this context of utterance,
theillocutionaryverbsused in ST:Da`(PrayerI),andNd(PrayersIIandIII)havethe
meaningoftopray(Nasr,2010,1819; AlDamghani,1983,450).However,theverb
Ndmayhaveanadditionalsense:toutterorsayaloudthewordsofprayer(Nasr,
2010,18),whichtendstoboosttheillocutionaryforce.

10

100.I
I
I

illocutionary verb Da`(PrayerI)inTT1isrenderedinvoked,andinTT2prayed,to

nametheillocutionaryforce.TheadditionalsenseintheverbNdinPrayersIIis
renderedcalloutinTT1:hecalledouthisLord(Allh)acalltodenotetwosenses:
sayingaloudandaskingforhelpattimesofdifficulty(Longman,2011,229)toshow
explicitationshift(Addition),whiletranslatedcalltoinTT2:hecalledtohisLordto
indicatethatthewordsofprayerareuttered.InPrayerIII,Ndisrenderedcried
(TT1andTT2)whichdenotesthesenseofsayingtheprayeraloud(Longman,2011,
408).Noticeably,bothTT1andTT2approximatetheSTinenhancingtheillocutionary
forceoftheprayeract.

107. The

108.
TheIllocutionarypointofthethreeprayersisthatZakariyaapproachesAllah
aboutgrantinghimanoffspring,andanheir,notleavinghimaloneandchildless.Both
translations,TT1andTT2,havethesameillocutionarypoint.Theillocutionarypoint
ofPrayerIIisstrengthenedbythesupportivemove"YarithunWaYarithuMin'li
Ya`qbaanheirthatinheritsme,andinherit(also)theposterityofYaqb(Jacob).
AccordingtoTafsiralJalalayn,theverb inheritsmemaybereadyarithnin
apocopateformasaresponsetotheimperativestatementgrantme,orreadyarithunas
anadjectivalqualificationofasuccessor.TT1translatesthismoveasamodifying
adjectivalclausewhoshallinheritme,andinherit(also)theposterityofYaqub
(Jacob).Inthiscaseitisnotcountedasasupportivemovefortheillocutionarypoint.
InTT2,thismoveistranslatedasanonfiniteadverbialclauseindicatingpurposetobe
myheirandtheheirofthefamilyofJacob,whichmakesitasupportivemoveforthe
illocutionarypoint.
109.
Withrespecttothepropositionalcontent,itrepresentsthefuturecourseof
action:grantingZakariyaanheir,anactrealizablebyAllahonly,giventheconditionof
Zakariyaandhiswife.TheverbintheimperativemoodisHabwhichmeansgrant
withoutexpectinganycompensation,anactionwhichispossibleandobtainablebyGod
onlybutintolerableformantocarryout.Italsoindicatesthatsinceitisagrant,
Zakariyamusthavebeenawarethathehadnoentitlementtothisrequest(AlSharawy,
1998).InTT1andTT2,thepropositionalcontentofprayerforcerepresentsthesame
futurecourseofactionstatedinST:grantingZakariyaanheirandnotleavinghimwith
nochild.Theverbintheimperativemoodgrantmeanstobestowinananswertoa
request(OxfordEnglishDictionary)whichapproximatestheArabicverb.WhileTT1
showsimplicitationshift(Generalizing)byusinggive,TT2translatesitgrantto
approximatetheST.
110.
PreparatoryconditionofPrayersIandIIisthatgrantingZachariahanoffspring
isachievablebyAllahonly,whichisrealizedbythepropositionalphraseMinLadunka,
whichisinterpretedasbymeansofYourdivinelawandpower(AlSharawy,1998),
11

whichwouldallowhimtohaveachilddespitehisfeebleness,oldageandhiswifes
infertility.InTT1,thepreparatoryconditionisnotfulfilledsinceMinLadunkais
translatedasfromYou,toemploytheimplicitationtechniqueofGeneralizing.TT2
doesnoteitherfulfillthisconditionbytranslatingitfromYourgrace(PrayerI),and
agiftfromYou(PrayerII).Graceinscripturalandtheologicallanguagemeans
ThefreeandunmeritedfavourofGodasmanifestedinthebestowingofblessings;
Thedivineinfluencewhichoperatesinmentoinspirevirtuousimpulses,andto
impartstrengthtoenduretrialandresisttemptation(OxfordEnglishDictionary).In
bothrenderings,thereisfailureinconveyingthereligiousshadesmeaningoflexical
expressionMinLadunka.
111.
Asforthesinceritycondition,Zakariyasdesiretohavehisprayeransweredis
expressedandenhancedby:
1 Usingthevocative Rabbineachofthethreeprayers.ThewordLordisusedasthenearestto
Rabb.AbdelHaleem(2005)commentsonthevocativestatingthat:theArabicrootrbb
hasconnotationsofcaringandnurturinginadditiontolordship(p.3).AccordingtoKhan
andAlHilali(2007,p.869),thereisnoproperequivalentforRabbinEnglishlanguage.It
meanstheOneandtheOnlyLordforalltheuniverse,itsCreator,Owner,Organizer,Provider,
Master,Planner,Sustainer,Cherisher,andGiverofsecurity.InbothTT1andTT2,the
vocativeRabbistranslatedLord.
112.
2 StatingthereasonsforhisprayerwhereZakariya(PrayerII):
113.
(a)describeshisinternalfeebleness:ST:InnWahanaAl`AmuMinn;TT1:Indeed my
bones have grown feeble; TT2: my bones have weakened; and external signs of age: ST: Wa
Ashta`alaArRa'suShayban; TT1: and grey hair has spread on my head; TT2: and my hair is
ashen grey;
114.
(b) expresses his fear from his relatives ST ::Wa'InnKhiftuAlMawliyaMinWar' ;
TT1: verily I fear my relatives after me; TT2: I fear [what] my kinsmen [will do] when I am
gone. Both TT1 and TT2 use respectively the explicitation techniques of Supplement (verily)
and Extension (when I am gone);
115.
(c) refers to the infertility of his wife: ST: WaKnatiAmra'at`qiran;TT1: and my
wife is barren; TT2: for my wife is barren which explains the reason for his fear.
116.
3 ExpressinghisunshakablebeliefthatAllahwouldnotlethimdown(PrayerII),enhancinghis
mainactofprayingbymeansofanindirectactofprayer:ST:WaLam'AkunBidu`'ikaRabbi
Shaqyan;TT1:AndIhaveneverbeenunblestinmyinvocationtoYou,OmyLord!;TT2:but
never,Lord,haveIeverprayedtoYouinvain(TT2).AccordingtoAlSharawy,this
assertivecanbeinterpretedasaprayerbyinferences:SinceIinvokedAllahbeforeandAllah
alwaysansweredmyprayerswhichmademepleased,soIpraynow:donotletmedownand
makemepleasedandhappyagainbyansweringthisprayer.InTT1,theadjective
12

Shaqyanisrenderedasunblestunblessedthatisdeprivedofblessing,meaningthatI
havealwaysbeenblessedinmyinvocationtoYou,whileinTT2itisinterpretedasinvain
orunsuccessfully,meaningthatIhavealwaysprayedtoyousuccessfully,somakeprayer
successfulagain.Despitetheimplicitationshiftmadeatsemanticlevel,bothrenderingstend
toapproximatetheSTasanindirectactofprayer,whichintensifiesthedesireofZakariyato
havehisprayeranswered.
117.
4 UsingthesupportivemoveofpraiseInnakaSam`uAdDu`'i(PrayerI):Youareindeedthe
AllHearerofinvocation,thatisYouaretheOneWhoanswerssupplicationasinterpreted
inTafsiralJalalayn.Bythisassertiveandexpressiveactofpraise,Zachariahtendstoboost
thesinceritycondition,intensifyinghisdesireandreiteratinghisbeliefandtrustthatAllah
wouldanswerhisprayer.InTT1thecollocationSam`uAdDu`'i,anominativesingular
noun+genitivemasculinenoun,istranslatedliterallytheAllHearerofinvocation,which
tendstoincreasethestrengthofsincerityconditionbytheuseofemphasisandnominalization:
YouareindeedtheAllHearerofinvocation,whichidentifiesAllahwiththeattributeof
beingtheAllHearer.TT2turnsthenounAllHearer,anattributeofAllah,intoaverbal
phraseYouhear,tousetheimplicitationtechniqueofOmission.
118.
InPrayersI,IIandIII,themodeofachievementoftheillocutionarypointis
deferencerealizedby:
1 Deletingthevocativeparticleya(O),andsupplicatingAllahdirectlybythevocative
Lord.Aspreviouslystated,deletingthevocativeparticleimpliesclosenesstoAllahand
absenceofmediatorbetweenAllahandprophet(AlOusy,1988).WhileTT1insertsthe
vocativeparticleandpronoun(O,MyLord)touseexplicitationshiftofAddition,TT2does
notandrendersthevocativeliterally.
2 InvokingAllahinalowvoiceandinsecret'IdhNdRabbahuNid'anKhafyan:When
hecalledouthisLord(Allh)acallinsecret(PrayerII).ThewordKhafyanwhich
literallymeansinsecretimpliesthathewasinvokingAllahinalowvoice,which
indicatessubmissiveness.TT1andTT2failtoreflectsuchmode,bytranslatingKhafyan
literallyandignoringtheimpliedshadesofmeaningtheimplicitationtechniqueof
Omission.

13

3 AskingAllahforanheirtoinherithisreligiousknowledgeandprophethoodandthatofthe
familyofJacobandnothiswealthorproperty(PrayerII),whichisanothersupportivemove
thatboostshismainPrayeract.Thenotionofinheritingreligiousknowledgeand
prophethoodisignoredinTT2tobemyheirandtheheirofthefamilyofJacob.TT1uses
theexplicitationtechniqueofAdditionWhoshallinheritme,andinherit(also)the
posterityofYaqb(Jacob)(inheritanceofthereligiousknowledgeandProphethood,notof
wealth.).
4- Using an indirect act of prayer by asking Allah not to leave him childless L Tadharn
Fardan (Prayer III). TT1 makes an explicitation shift of Addition Leave me not single
(childless); TT2 uses the explicitation technique of Specifying do not leave me childless.
5 Performingpraiseactsthattendtoservethepurposeofsubmissiveness:ST:Wa'Anta
KhayruAlWrithna;TT1thoughYouarethebestoftheInheritors;TT2thoughYou
arethebestofheirs(PrayerIII).Bothrenderingstendtoshowsuchsubmissivenessby
TT2
.4
9. 24Hewateredtheir
flocksforthem,
withdrewintothe
shade,andprayed,
MyLord,Iamin
direneedofwhatever
goodthingYoumay
sendme,

TT1
.3
8.
Sohewatered
(theirflocks)forthem,
thenheturnedbackto
shade,."andsaid:"My
Lord!truly,Iamin
needofwhatever
goodYoubestowon
me.

ST

.2

Sura
.6 Al
Qassa
s,
(The
Story,
.7 28:
24)

.1
.5

explicitatingtheWacircumstantialparticleandtranslateitintothoughthe
subordinatingconjunctiontomeanbutitisalsotruethat(Carter&McCarthy,2006,
p.45),henceadmittingsubmissivelythatAllahistheonewhoinheritsaftereverything
perishes.TheMaximofApprobationisobservedasZakariyatendstomaximizepraiseof
Allah.
119.

120.

3.2.2PrayerofProphetMusa(Moses):

121.
122.
123. MusasescapefromEgyptsPharaohandhispeopleisthecontextofutteranceofthis
prayeract.Musawasadvisedbyamantorunawaylesthewouldbeexecuted.Soheheaded
forMaddyan,thecityofthepeopleofShuaib.Narratingtheincident,IbnKathirsaidthat
Musaarrivedatanoasisinthedesert.Hewasveryexhaustedandtravelworn;his
124. mindwasfullofanxietyanduncertaintybecauseofhisexperienceinEgypt.He
reachedawelloraspringwherehefoundshepherdswateringtheirflocks.Henoticedtwo
youngwomenwaitingwiththeirflockswhichtheyhadbroughttowater.Theytoldhimthe
wholestory:theirfatherwasaveryoldman,andhecouldnotcometowatertheflocks,sothey
14

hadtodothejobbuttheycouldnotthrustthemselvesamongmen.Hence,Musavoluntarily
wateredtheflocksforthem,thenhetookhisplaceundertheshadeandprayedAllahfor
sustenance:
125. Rabbi'InnLim'Anzalta'IlayyaMinKhayrinFaqrun:MyLord,indeedIaminutter
needofwhatevergood,[whatever]food,YousenddowntomeAlQassas,(TheStory,28:
24)(TafsiralJalalayn).
126.
AccordingtoIbnTaymiyyah(2000),Musa,Peacebeuponhim,describes
himselfasbeinginneedofanygoodthatAllahwouldsenddowntohim.Inhisneed
statementisarequesttoAllahtosendhimfoodandsustenance.InST,thisisadirect
prayeractperformedbywayofanassertiveact.Syntactically,theactisrealizedbyan
indicative:'InnLim'Anzalta'IlayyaMinKhayrinFaqrun,literallyindeedIam,
forwhatevergoodYouwouldsenddowntome,inneed.Inthisprayer,the illocutionary
verbqlasaiddoesnotindicatetheillocutionaryforceoftheact;however,the
contextofutteranceandtheuseofvocativeRabbimplytheforceofprayer.
127.
ThemainheadactisIaminneed,andthesupportivemoveisfor
whatevergoodYouwouldsenddowntome.ThisQuranicstructureshowsamarked
wordorderwherethewordFaqrunin(desperate)need)isbackgroundedattheend
ofthestructure(AbdulRaof,2010,p.44).Theunmarkedwordorderwouldbe:'Inn
FaqrunLim'Anzalta'IlayyaMinKhayrin,literallyIaminneedforwhatevergood
youwouldsenddowntome,whichmayhaveapragmaticfunctionrelatedtothemode
ofachievement.
128.
AccordingtoIbnAshur,Musa,byhisutterance,performsthreeacts:thanking,
extollingandprayingAllah.ByutteringLim'Anzalta'IlayyaMinKhayrinthe
Goodyouhavesentdowntome,Musa(a)thanksAllahfortheblessingsHebestowed
onhimthroughouthislife,and(b)extolsAllahforbeingtheonewhoprovides
sustenance.
129.
TheillocutionaryverbinSTisqlasaid,whichdoesnotindicatethe
illocutionaryforce.WhileTT1renderedtheverbliterallysaid,TT2namedthe
illocutionaryforcebyusingtheillocutionaryverbprayedtheexplicitationtechnique
ofSpecifying.
130.
InST,theillocutionarypointisachievedonthepropositionalcontentinthe
contextofutterancewhereMusa,addressingAllah,assertshisneedforsustenance.
Similarly,theprayerforceoftheillocutionarypointinTT1andTT2isderivedfrom
Musasstatementofneed.

15

131.
ThepropositionalcontentrepresentsMusascurrentstateofaffairs:desperately
inneedforworldlysustenancerealizedbytheneedstatement.Itisadesiderativeby
whichMusaexpresseshisdesiretohavehisneedsfulfilled.ThewordKhayrinmeans
allthethingsthatbringbenefittomaninthisworldandtheHereafter.GivenMusas
conditiontiredandstarvingthewordreferstofoodandotherworldlyneedsand
sustenance.ThepropositionalcontentofTT1IaminneedofwhatevergoodthatYou
bestowonme!"andTT2IamindireneedofwhatevergoodthingYoumaysendme
approximatestoagreatextentthatofST,sincebothexpressaneedstatement.
However,bothtranslationsoverlookthecontextofutteranceanddonotspecifythekind
ofgoodrequestedbyMusa.TheexplicitationtechniqueofSupplementor
SubstitutionwouldhavedescribedthedesperatestatusofMusa.
132.
ThepreparatoryconditionofSTisfulfilledsincetheutteranceactreferstoAllah
astheonewhohasalwaysbeencapableofprovidingsustenance'Anzalta'IlayyaMin
KhayrinFaqrun(todescendgoodtome).BothTT1whatevergoodthatYoubestow
onmeandTT2whatevergoodthingthatYoumaysendmeconveythesame
preparatorycondition.However,twopragmaticmeaningstendtobelost:
1 theexaltedpositionofAllah,impliedbytheverb'Anzaltawhichmeanstodescend/send
down;
2 thecontinuousactionofdescendingdespitetheuseofthepasttenseoftheverb'Anzalta.In
Quranicdiscourse,thepasttenseoftensignifiesafuturereference(AbdulRaof,2010,
p.92).Inthiscontext,theverbformindicatesthatthattheactionofdescendinggoodhas
beendoneinthepastandwillbedoneinthefuture,anactionattainablebyAllahonly.
WhilethisnotionisrenderedinTT1:bestow,usedinsimplepresentwhichmayrepresenta
markedfutureaspectofunusualdefiniteness(Quirk,Greenbaum,Leech,andSvartvik,
1992,p.88),itislostinTT2:maysendforusingamodalofpossibilitytomodifythemain
action.
133.
AsforthesincerityconditioninST,itisexpressedby(a)thevocative Rabb
(Lord),(b)desiderative'InnFaqrunIaminneedof,andboostedbytheuse
ofemphaticparticle' Inn,i.e.verilyI....InTT1,sincerityconditionisfulfilledby
usingthevocativeMyLord,andaneedstatementandintensifyingthedesireusing
truly.AsforTT2,itpartiallyfulfillsthesinceritycondition:whileusingthevocative
andaneedstatementthatisboostedbyaninternalmodifierindireneed,TT2
overlookstheemphaticparticle'Innwhichactsasaninternalboosterimplicitation
techniqueofOmission.

16

134.
Themodeofachievementoftheillocutionarypointisdeferencethrough(a)
refrainingfromtheuseofimperative(IbnTaymiyyah,2000);(b)usingthevocative
RabbLordwithoutthevocativeparticle;and(c)usingLimwhichliterallymeans
toanything(Saleh,1993)toobservethetactmaximbyminimizingthecost.By
extollingandthankingAllah(IbnAshur),MusasubmissivelyadmitsthatwhatAllah
hasgrantedhimiseverlastinggoodsustenance,toobservethemaximofapprobation.It
isnotedthattherelativeclauseLim'Anzalta'IlayyaMinKhayrinforwhatever
goodYousenddowntomewhichcomesafterthesubject'Innisforegrounded,
whilethepredicateFaqrunisbackgrounded.Suchmarkedwordordertendstoservea
pragmaticfunction:showingdeferencethroughforegroundingtheactsofapprobation
andthanks,andbackgroundingthestatementofneedanddestitution.
135.
ItisnotedthatTT1andTT2approximatestheSTmodeofachievementthrough
theuseofneedstatementinsteadofimperative,useofvocativewithnoparticles(My
Lord)andcostminimizer(whatever).However,theactsofpraiseandthanksimpliedby
themarkedwordorderarelostinbothtranslations.Thisisperhapsduetotheinability
13. TT2
23. 87And

12. TT1
21.87.And(remember)

rememberthe
manwiththe
whale,
24. whenhewent
offangrily,
thinkingWe
couldnot
restricthim,
25. butthenhe
criedoutinthe
deepdarkness,
Thereisno
GodbutYou,
glorybeto
You,Iwas
wrong.

DhunNn(Jonah),when
hewentoffinanger,and
imaginedthatWeshall
notpunishhim(i.e.the
calamitieswhichhad
befallenhim)!Buthe
criedthroughthedarkness
(saying):
22. LilhaillAnta[none
hastherighttobe
worshippedbutYou(O,
Allh)],Glorified(and
Exalted)beYou[above
allthat(evil)they
associatewithYou]!
Truly,Ihavebeenofthe
wrongdoers."

ST

.11
19.

Sura
.14

.10

The
.15
Proph
ets
(Al
Anbiy
a21:
87)
.16
.17

.18

.20

ofthetargetlanguagetoproducethesamepragmaticeffectthroughthemarkedword
order.

136.

3.2.PrayingAllahforForgiveness:

137.

3.2.1PrayerofYunus(Jonah):

17

138.
139.
ThecontextofutteranceofYunusprayerisnarratedinthreeQuranicSuras:
AlAnbiya(TheProphets)21:8788;AsSafat(ThoseRangedinRanks)37:13945;
andAlQalam(ThePen)68:4849.Yunuswassenttoapeople,whorefusedtolistento
hiscall.Hedepartedangrilyaboardaheavilyladenboat,thinkingGodwouldnothold
himtoaccount,andinothercommentariesthinkingthatAllahwouldnotrestrictor
punishhim(AlSharawy).Selectedbythedrawingoflots,hewasthrownoverboard
andswallowedbyagreatfish,asonedeservingblame(37:13942).Withinthefish
wherehewastrappedinthetripledarknessoffish,seaandnight,hecalledout,L
'Ilha'Ill'AntaSubnaka'InnKuntuMinaAlimnaThereisnoGodbutYou,
GloriousbeyondcompareareYou(21:87),andhedeclaredthathewasoneofthose
whohaddonewrong.Ifhehadnotdonesohewouldhaveremainedwithinthefish
untiltheDayofResurrection(37:144).Hiscallwasheard(21:88),andhewascaston
theshore,sick(37:145).IfaGracefromAllahhadnotreachedhim,hewouldindeed
havebeencastoffonthenakedshore,indisgrace(68:49).
140.
AsindicatedbyIbnTaymyahh(2000),prophetMuhammad(PBUH)referredto
theprayerofYunusasdawahthatiscallbecauseitimpliesthetwosensesofprayer:
worshipandsupplication.WhenutteringthereisnoGodbutYou,Yunus
acknowledgesmonotheismwhichimpliesoneofthetwosensesofDuaa,becausethe
onlyonewhoshouldbecalleduponinworshipaswellasinsupplicationisAllah,and
thereisnogodexceptHim.Bytheutteranceact,IwasindeedwrongorIhavebeen
awrongdoer,Yunusadmitsguilt,whichimpliesrepentanceandarequestfor
forgiveness.
141.

SearleandVanderveken(1985,pp.1011)statethat:

142.
Theexplicitlyperformedactisusedtoconveyanotherspeechact;andthe
speakerreliesonbackgroundknowledgeandmentalcapacitiesthatheshareswiththehearer
inordertoachieveunderstandingSuchimplicitactsarecalledindirectspeechacts.The
speakermayconveyindirectlyadifferentillocutionaryforceorpropositionalcontentfrom
whatisdirectlyexpressed;henceinoneutteranceacthemayperformoneormorenon
literalindirectillocutionaryacts.
143.
Toperformtheindirectspeechactofprayer,Yunususesanassertivewiththe
forceofadmit,thatistoassertwiththeadditionalpreparatoryconditionthatthestate
ofaffairsrepresentedbythepropositionalconditionisbad(e.g.toadmitanerror)andin
somewayrelatedtothespeaker(Searle&Vanderveken,1985,p.189).Yunus
performstheactofPrayertoseekAllahsforgivenessandaskHimtodeliverhimfrom
distress.Becauseofhissenseofguiltandofhisbeliefthatwhatheissufferingisaself
18

inflicteddistress,Yunususesastatement,describinghisstateofaffairs,toseek
forgiveness(IbnTaymyahh,2000).
144.
TheillocutionaryforceisnamedbytheillocutionaryverbNdwhichdenotes
thesenseofsayingaloudthewordsofprayer.Therenderings:criedsaying(TT1),
andcriedout(TT2)introducethissensetoenhancetheillocutionaryforce.In
addition,theillocutionaryforceoftheSTutteranceact'InnKuntuMinaAlimna
IhavebeenawrongdoerisderivedfromtheillocutionarypointthatYunusapproaches
Allahtoadmitguilt,indirectlyseekingHisforgivenesstoendhisdistress.Theword
Alimnareferstotheonewhodoesthewrongdeed.Similarly,theprayerforceof
theillocutionarypointinTT1:Truly,IhavebeenofthewrongdoerandTT2:Iwas
wrongisderivedfromYunusstatementofguilt.
145.
ThepropositionalcontentrepresentsYunusdeclarationofbeingawrongdoer.
BothTT1andTT2representthesamepropositionalcontentofST.
146.
InST,thepreparatoryconditionisfulfilledbytwoutteranceacts:(a)L'Ilha
'Ill'Anta(thereisnoGodbutYou);and(b)Subnaka(GlorybetoYou),which
impliesthatnoonehastherightordeservestobeprayedorsupplicatedsaveAllah
becauseHe,andonlyHe,istheonewhohastheabilitytoanswertheprayer,andisfar
frombeingunjust.Hence,beforeadmittingbeingawrongdoer,Yunus:
(a) proclaimshisbeliefinTawid,i.e.MonotheismbyutteringL'Ilha'Ill'Anta,explicitly
statinghisbeliefinoneGodorinagodsessentialoneness(Campo,2009,p.664)which
isclearlyexpressedinthefirstpartoftheIslamictestimonyoffaith,theShahadaThereis
noGodbutAllah.
(b) glorifiesAllahbyutteringSubnaka,apatternofglorification,praiseandthanksmadeof
twoparts:accusativemasculinenounSubnaka+2ndpersonmasculinesingular
possessivepronounka(addressingAllah).Bysuchutterance,YunusindicatesthatAllahis
faraboveinjusticeandinflictingpunishmentunjustly(IbnTaymyahh,2000).
147.
148.
InTT1LilhaillAnta[nonehastherighttobeworshippedbutYou(O,
Allh)],Glorified(andExalted)beYou[aboveallthat(evil)theyassociatewithYou]!,
thetranslatorsuse(a)transliterationLilhaillAnta,perhapsoutoftheirbeliefthat
themonotheismindicatingpatternisuntranslatableandshouldbeutteredinthesource
language;and(b)theexplicitationtechniqueofAddition.Asfortheglorification
pattern,theexplicitationtechniquesofSupplementandAdditionareused.Both
utteranceactsfulfillthepreparatoryconditionandservethesamepragmaticfunctionof
ST.TT2ThereisnoGodbutYou,glorybetoYousuffersimplicitation,andis
pragmaticallydefective.

19

149.
150.
ThedesireofYunustobeforgivenisnotexplicitlyrevealed,yethetendsto
showextremerepentanceandsorrowbyusingtheemphaticparticle'Inn:IndeedI:an
accusativeparticle+1stpersonsingularobjectpronoun(QuranicArabicCorpus).In
TT1,itisrenderedTruly,tointensifyYunusstatementofguilt,whileTT2omitsit
implicitationtechnique.
151.
Themodeofachievementoftheillocutionarypointiscompletesubmissiveness
toGodandabsolutedeference,realizedby;(a)expressingbeliefinmonotheismby
utteringLilhaillAntathereisnogodbutYoutoindicatethatnooneisworthyof
worshipandprayerexceptHim;and(b)usingglorificationpatternSubnaka(Glory
betoYou).BothactstendtoobservetheApprobationMaximtothehighestdegree.
TT1tendstoshowthesamemodeofachievement:submissivenessandreverence.As
forTT2,ThereisnoGodbutYou,glorybetoYou,themodeofachievementseemsto
belostintranslation.ThoughthewordgloryaccordingtoOxfordEnglishDictionary,
meanspraise,honour,andthanksgivingofferedinadoration,themonotheismand
glorificationpatternsaretranslatedliterallywithoutreferringtotheinferredimplications
associatedwiththemodeofachievement.
152.
Further,Yunustendstoshow,insorrow,extrememodesty,orratherasenseof
shame,byadmittingguiltforreferringtohimselfasoneofthewrongdoersIhave
beenofthewrongdoers.Inthiscontextofutterance,thewordAlimnaindicates
thatYunusdidwrongtohimselfwhenhedepartedhispeoplewithoutAllahs
permissionobserving,thus,thenegativepoleoftheModestyMaximmaximize
dispraiseofself.BothTT1andTT2tendtorefertoYunusasawrongdoeroras
beingwrong,overlookingthefactthathewrongedhimselfinthefirstplacenot
anyoneelse.Thismodeofachievementislostinbothtranslations,tomissasignificant
aspect:maximizingdispraiseofself,toshowimplicitationatthepragmaticlevel
Omissiontechnique.

153.

3.2.2.PrayerofProphetAdamandEve:

20

154.
154.
.30
.32
31. Al
33.
154.
Araf
154.
,
154.
(The
154.
Heig
154.
.34
hts,
7:
154.
23)
154.
154.
154.
154.
ThecontextofAdamandEvesprayer:Rabbanalamn'AnfusanWa'InLamTaghfir
LanWaTaramnLanaknannaMinaAlKhsirna(OurLord,wehavewronged
ourselves,byouractofdisobedience,andifYoudonotforgiveusandhavemercyon
us,weshallsurelybeamongthelost(AlAraf,(TheHeights)7:23)isnarratedinthe
versesthatprecedethisprayer(7:1922).AccordingtoTafsirAlJalalayn,Allah
ordainedAdamandhiswifeEvetodwellinParadiseandeatwhatevertheywantbut
prohibitedthemfromeatingthefruitsofaspecifictreelesttheywouldwrong
themselvesorbecomeevildoers.However,Satan,Ibls,whisperedtothemandled
themastraybydelusionanddeception;andwhentheytastedandateofthetree,their
shamefulpartsweremanifestedtothem,theybegantostick,ontothemselves,someof
theleavesoftheGarden,tocoverthemselvesup.Hence,theirLordcalledthem:DidI
notprohibityoufromthistree,andsaytoyouthatverilySatanisamanifestenemyto
you?.Inresponse,AdamandEvemadetheirprayer.

TT2
.29
36. Theyreplied,
OurLord,we
havewronged
oursouls:if
Youdonot
forgiveusand
havemercy,we
shallbelost.

TT1
.28
35. Theysaid:
"OurLord!
Wehave
wronged
ourselves.."If
Youforgiveus
not,and
bestownot
uponusYour
Mercy,we
shallcertainly
beofthelosers

Aya(s)ST

.27

Sura

.26

155.
Syntactically,theprayerutteranceactisrealizedbythedeclarativesentential
typeinbothSTandTTs.Theprayerismadeoftwosegments:admittingguilt+asking
forforgivenessandmercy.Thefirstsegmentisarepentancesupportivemovethat
precedesthemainact,byadmittingoneswrongdeeds.Thesecondsegmentisthe
prayeractthatisrealizedbyaconditionalclause,composedoftwoclauses,the
conditionandtheresult,ortheprotasisandtheapodosisrespectively.Inthisutterance
act,theapodosisisalsoJawabQassam,thatisavowclause.Theutteranceactcouldbe
reinterpretedas:IswearbyGod,ifHedoesnotforgiveus,wewouldcertainlybeofthe
losers(Saleh,1993;AlAndalusi)
156.
InST'InLamTaghfirLanWaTaramnLanaknannaMinaAlKhsirna,the
illocutionarypointisthatAdamandEvemakeanattempttoapproachAllahabout
grantingthemforgivenessandmercy.InTT1IfYouforgiveusnot,andbestownot
uponusYourMercy,weshallcertainlybeofthelosersandTT2ifYoudonotforgive

21

usandhavemercy,weshallbelost,theprayerillocutionarypointissimilartothatof
ST.
157.
Thepropositionalcontentoftheprayeractrepresentsthefuturecourseofaction:
grantingAdamandhiswifeEveforgivenessandmercy.InTT1andTT2,the
propositionalcontentofprayerforcerepresentsthesamefuturecourseofaction.
158.

ThepreparatoryconditionofSTisfulfilledbytheuseof:

1 theconditionalclausewhichimpliesthattheendofAdamandEvesdistressisdetermined
byAllahsforgivenessandmercyonly;
2 verbsforgiveandhavemercy,actionsperformedbyAllahonly.
159.
BothTT1"IfYouforgiveusnot,andbestownotuponusYourMercy,weshall
certainlybeofthelosers,andTT2ifYoudonotforgiveusandhavemercy,weshall
belost,fulfillthesamepreparatoryconditionofST.
160.
AdamandEvesdesiretohavetheirprayeransweredisrealizedbyadmitting
guiltalamn'Anfusanwehavewrongedoursouls.AccordingtoAlSharawy,the
word'Anfusreferstomanssoulandheart,whichindicatesthattheirwrongdoinghas
notaffectedtheirbodiesonly,butalsotheirsoulandheart.Althoughthisshadeof
meaningislostinTT1WehavewrongedourselvesandretainedinTT2Wehave
wrongedoursouls,bothrenderingstendtomeetthesinceritycondition.
161.
AdamandEvesdesiretobeforgivenissyntacticallyandsemantically
intensifiedbyreferringtotheconsequencesofnotbeingforgiven:LanaknannaMina
AlKhsirnaweshallcertainlybeamongthelosers:
1 theuseoftwoemphaticparticlesinasinglewordLanaknanna:emphaticprefixlm+
1stpersonpluralimperfectverb+emphaticsuffixnn(surelywewillbe)(Quranic
ArabicCorpus).AccordingtoAlAndalusi,theprefixlmisalsoavowparticlemeant
tomaximizetheemphasistorefertotheconsequencesifAllahdoesnotforgivethem.
WhiletheemphaticaspectisrenderedinTT1certainly,thevowparticleisnot.InTT2,
bothemphaticandvowfeaturesareomittedimplicitationshift.
2 theuseoftheprepositionalphraseMinaAlKhsirnaamongtheloserswhichhas
severalimplicationsincludingbeingamongthosewhoarepunished,orhavewronged
themselves,asindicatedbyAlDamghani(1983,158),orbeingdeprivedofAllahs
mercy(AlSharawy).Whenrenderingthisphrase,TT1providesaliteraltranslation
beofthelosersthatmakesitopentodifferentinterpretationsandapproximatesto
someextenttheST,whileTT2isconfinedtoasingleinterpretation:belost,thatis
beingledastray,tomakeanimplicitationshift(Reduction).

22

162.
Inthisprayer,themodeofachievementisdeference,realizedbytheuseof(a)
theindicative,conditionalclause,insteadofanimperative;(b)negationtodowntone
theforceoftheprayer:insteadofsayingifYouforgiveusandbestowmercyonus,
,AdamandEveusethenegationform.Suchmodeofachievementisdetectedin
TT1andTT2.

3.3.

PrayingAllahforHelpandSupport:

163.
TT2
.168
174. RememberJob,
whenhecriedtohis
Lord,Sufferinghas
trulyafflictedme,but
youaretheMost
Mercifulofthe
merciful.
179.Bringtomind
OurservantJob
whocriedtohis
Lord,Satanhas
afflictedmewith
wearinessand
suffering.

TT1
.167
173. And(remember)Ayyb
(Job),whenhecriedtohis
Lord:"Verily,distresshas
seizedme,andYouarethe
MostMercifulofallthosewho
showmercy."

ST
171.

178.AndrememberOur
slaveAyyb(Job),when
heinvokedhisLord
(saying):"VerilyShaitn
(Satan)hastouchedme
withdistress(byruining
myhealth)andtorment
(byruiningmy
wealth)!

177.

.166

Sura
.165
The
.170
Prophets
(Al
.172 Anbiya
21:83)

176.Sad(Sad
38:41)

180. 3.3.1PrayersofProphetAyyub(Job):

181.
182. ThecontextoftheprayersisthatAyyubwasaveryrichmanwhohadalotofcattle,
sheepandlands.Hehadmanychildren.AsstatedinTafsiralJalalayn,afterhehadbeen
afflictedwiththelossofallofhispossessionsandchildren,thelacerationofhisbodyand
desertedbyallexcepthiswife,foraverylongperiodoftime,AyyubcalledouttoAllah
(PrayerI):'AnnMassanAurruWa'Anta'AramuArRimnaIndeedharm,
adversity,hasbefallenme,andYouaretheMostMercifulofthemerciful(TheProphets(Al
Anbiya)21:83).InPrayerII,AyyubreferstoSatanasthemainsourceofcalamity:'Ann
MassanAshShaynuBinubinWa`AdhbinLo!Satanhasafflictedmewithhardship,
harm,andsuffering(Sad(Sad)38:41)(TafsiralJalalayn).
183.
Intheprayers,Ayyubperformsimplicitlytheillocutionaryactofprayerbyway
ofperformingexplicitlytwoillocutionaryacts:complaintandextolling.Representedby
theverbcomplain,acomplaint(Searle&Vanderveken,1985,p.191):

23

.164
.169
I

175.
I

184. hasbothanassertiveandanexpressiveuse.IntheassertiveusetocomplainaboutPis
toassertthatPwithadditionalsincerityconditionthatoneisdissatisfiedwithPandthe
additionalpreparatoryconditionthatthestateofaffairsthatPisbad.Intheexpressive
sensetocomplainthatPissimplytoexpressdissatisfactionthatP.
185.
Giventhecontextofutterance,Ayyubscomplaintsdonotimplydissatisfaction
althoughthestateofaffairsisappalling.Inthispaper,itismaintainedthatthecomplaint
ofAyyubisbothassertiveanddirective,notexpressive,sincethereisanattempttorefer
toharm,withaviewtoendingsuchharm,whichimpliesarequesttoAllah,theonlyone
whocanendsuchmischief.CommentingonPrayerI,IbnTaymiyyah(2000)maintains
thatitisanassertivethatimpliesarequest.Ayyubdescribeshiscondition,asking
Allahformercytoendhispainandsuffering...Theuseofanassertive(insteadofan
imperative)indicatesreverence(p.245).Toextolistolaudinthehighestterms,
generallyreligious(propositionalcontentcondition),andwithdeephumilityand
adoration(modeofachievement)(Vanderveken,1990,p.215).
186.
InST(PrayersIandII),theillocutionaryforceisrepresentedbytheillocutionary
verbNdwhich,aspreviouslystated,meansbothtoprayforhelpandtoutterthe
wordsofprayeraloud.WhileTT1renderstheillocutionaryverbinPrayerIcriedto
approximatetheSTinnamingandboostingtheforceoftheact,ittranslatesitinPrayer
IIintoinvoketonametheact,butitshowsimplicitationshift(Reduction)andfailsin
enhancingtheillocutionaryforce.AsforPrayerII,bothTT1andTT2rendertheverb
criedtoapproximatetheSTinnamingandenhancingtheforce.Hence,itismaintained
thatAyyubisdescribingaloudhisstateofaffairsnottocomplainasmuchastoask
Allahforhelptoendhissuffering,aprayerwhichAllahanswered.
187.
Syntactically,theprayerillocutionaryforceisrealizedbyanindicativeinwhich
AyyubdescribeshisconditionandextolsAllahdescribingHimastheMostMercifulof
theMerciful.
188.
InPrayersI,andII,theIllocutionarypointisthatAyyubmakesanattemptto
approachAllahaboutputtinganendtohissufferingbyreferringtohisafflictionand
seekingAllahsmercy.TT1andTT2conveythesameillocutionarypointbytheuseof
theillocutionaryverbs:criedtohisLord;andinvokedhislord.
189.
ThePropositionalcontentofPrayersIandIIdoesnotrepresentafuturecourse
ofaction,butitratherrepresentsacurrentstateofaffairswhichAyyubattemptstoend.
ThesamepropositionalcontentisconveyedinTT1andTT2.Itisrealizedby
statements:

24

-'AnnMassanAurruIndeedharm,adversity,hasbefallenme,asinterpretedbyTafsiral
Jalalayn.Ayyubdescribeshisconditionbyassertingthatharmhasafflictedhim.
-'AnnMassanAshShaynuBinubinWa`AdhbinSatanhasafflictedmewithhardship,
harm,andsufferingbywhichAyyubattributeshissufferingandhardshipstoSatan.Itisan
explicitdirectcomplaint,butanindirectprayer.
190.
ThePreparatoryconditionofPrayerIisthatAyyubscurrentstateofaffairswill
notbeendedexceptbythemercyofAllah,theMostMerciful.TT1andTT2convey
thesamepreparatorycondition.
191.
AlthoughthesincerityconditionofPrayeristoexpressagreaterintensityof
desirethanaskingorrequesting,inPrayersIandII,thedesiretohavethesuffering
endedisnotstatedexplicitly.However,suchadesireisimpliedbyAyyubsdescription
ofhisphysicalandpsychologicalsufferingandillness,usingthelexicalitems:A
urruandNubinWa`Adhbin:
1 InArabic,thewordAurruthediseasethatafflictsthebodyandsoulofman(Al
Sharawy).InthisPrayer,Ayyubreferstohisillness,andtotheadversitythathesufferssince
theharmthatafflictsthebodyandsoulofmantrulyneedsAllahsmercytoendit.InTT1
andTT2,thewordistranslateddistress:Thesorepressureorstrainofadversity
sickness,pain,orsorrow;anguishorafflictionaffectingthebody,spiritandsuffering:
seriousphysicalormentalpain(OxfordEnglishDictionary).Suchrenderingstendto
approximatetheST.
2 inghissufferingbyDescribNubinWa`AdhbinfatigueandtormentAyyubtendsto
maximizethecostheispayingforhisillness,tomaximizealsothesympathyormercyhe
deserves.TT1overtranslatestheseitemsintodistress(byruininghishealth)andtorment
(byruininghiswealth),wherethereisexplicitationshift(Addition).TT2renderstheminto
weariness:extremetirednessorfatigueresultingfromexertion,continuedenduranceof
pain...(OxfordEnglishDictionary);andsufferingwhereimplicitationshift(Substitution)
occurs,sincesufferingisnotequivalenttotormentbutitisratheraresult.
192.
Intheutteranceacts,themodeofachievementofillocutionarypointdetermines
theillocutionaryforceoftheacts.WhenaddressingAllah,AyyubdoesnotaskHimto
endhistormentormakeanyrequests;thisisattributedtoAyyubsreverenceand
deference(IbnTaymiyyah,2000;Qutub,1985).Allthathedoesistodescribehisstate
ofaffairs.Evenwhendescribinghiscondition,Ayyubtendstosoftenhisassertive
descriptionofhisillnessandstateofhelplessnessbyrhetoricallexicalchoices:
1 Massantouchedme.Despitehissufferingandpain,Ayyubsaidharmtouchedme,not
harmafflictedme(Nasr,2010).Theverbtouchislessforcefulthanafflict.InTT1andTT2,
theverbMassanistranslatedseizedme(i.e.tookholdofme)andafflictedme(i.e.affected

25

193. meinanunpleasantway)respectivelywhicharemoreforcefulthantouchedme.Inthis
respect,thereisexplicitationthatnegativelyaffectsthepragmaticpurposeoftouchedme.
194.
2 MassanAshShaynuSatanhasafflictedmewithsuffering,pain,hardships.According
toTafsiralJalalayn,AyyubattributesallthistoSatan,eventhoughallthingsarefromGod,
toshowreverence[inhiscall]toHim.BothTT1andTT2approximatetheST.
195.
BytheuseofthesuperlativeformYouaretheMostMercifulofthemerciful,
Ayyubmaximizesapprobationtoshowdeference.BothTT1(YouaretheMostMerciful
ofallthosewhoshowmercy)showingexplicitation(Extension)toboosttheact,and
TT2(youaretheMostMercifulofthemerciful)tendtoobservethemaximof
approbation.
196.

197.

3.3.2.PrayersofProphetYusuf(Joseph):

198.
.199
.200
TT2
214.
Thewomaninwhose
househewaslivingtriedtoseduce
him:sheboltedthedoorsandsaid,
Cometome,andhereplied,
Godforbid!
215.Mymasterhasbeengoodto
me;wrongdoersnever
prosper.
216.

222.
Josephsaid,MyLord!I
wouldpreferprisontowhatthese
womenarecallingmetodo.IfYou
donotprotectmefromtheir
treachery,
223.
Ishallyieldtothemanddo
wrong.

.205TT1

ST

.204
213.Andshe,inwhosehousehe
was,soughttoseducehim(to
doanevilact),andsheclosed
thedoorsandsaid:"Comeon,
Oyou."Hesaid:"Iseekrefuge
inAllh(orAllhforbid)!
Truly,he(yourhusband)is
mymaster!Hemademy
livinginagreatcomfort!(So
Iwillneverbetrayhim).
Verily,theZlimn(wrong
andevildoers)willneverbe
successful."

Hesaid:"OmyLord!Prison
isdearertomethanthatto
whichtheyinviteme.Unless
Youturnawaytheirplot
fromme,Iwillfeelinclined
towardsthemandbeone(of
thosewhocommitsinand

26

.221

.203
.211

Sura

.202

.201

207.
208.Josep
h
(Yusu
f)(12:
23)
.209
.210

206.
I

218.Josep
h
(Yusu
f)
219.(12:
33)

217.
II

212.

.220

deserveblameorthosewho
".dodeeds)oftheignorant

ThestoryofYusufasnarratedintheQuranispresentedinasequenceofepisodesor
.224
scenes.Oftheseisthesceneofseductionandtemptation.AccordingtoIbnKathir,
(T)heQuranraisesthecurtainonthesceneofthisfierceanddevouringloveonthepart
ofthelady,thewifeoftheChiefMinisterofEgypt(Joseph(Yusuf)12:2334).Inthis
scene,thewifeofEgyptsChiefMinistersoughttoseduceYusuf,sosheclosedthe
doorsandcameonhim.ButYusuffoughtthetemptation,madehisfirstprayer(Prayer
I):Godforbid!,IseekrefugewithGodfromthis,hesaid.Trulyhe,whoboughtme,
ismylord,mymaster,whohasgivenmeanhonourableplace,[anhonourable]
residence,andsoIcannotbetrayhimwithregardtohisfamily.Truly,evildoers,
fornicators,neverprosper(TafsiralJalalayn).HadhenotseentheproofofAllah,he
wouldhavebeenseduced.Inasubsequentscene,thewifeoftheChiefMinisterplanned
tosubjectthewomentothesametemptationshefaced.So,sheinvitedthemtoalavish
banquet.TheQurannarratedthesceneofthebanquetindetail(12:3133).Attheendof
thisscene,YusufmadehissecondprayerseekingagainAllahshelp(PrayerII):He
said,MyLord,prisonisdearertomethanthattowhichtheyareurgingme.AndifYou
donotfendofftheirwilesfromme,thenIshalltend,Ishallincline,towardsthemand
.becomeoftheignorant,thesinful(TafsiralJalalayn)
225.
226.
PrayerIMa`dhaAlLahiIseekrefugeinAllah,isadirectspeechact;the
syntacticstructureoftheheadactisanindicative,madeofanaccusativemasculinenoun
andagenitivepropernoun.AccordingtoQuranicArabicCorpusandAl
Zamakshari,thewordMa`dhaisacognateaccusativeusedtoaddemphasis,by
usingaverbalnounderivedfromthemainverb.Inthisprayerthemainverbisdeleted
andtheonlypartleftisthecognateaccusative.
227.
PrayerIIismadeoftwosegments:arefusalofordersandarequestforAllahs
help.
1 AsSijnu'Aabbu'IlayyaMimmYad`nan'Ilayhi Prisonisdearertomethanthatto
which they are urging me. This segment is a chastitydeclaration supportive move that
precedesthemainact,bypreferringprisontoadultery.Theforceoftheassertiveactisrefusal
(toobeytheorders).
2 Wa'IllTarif`AnnKaydahunna'Abu'IlayhinnaWa'AkunMinaAlJhilnaAndifYou
donotfendofftheirwilesfromme,thenIshalltend,Ishallincline,towardsthemandbecome
oftheignorant,thesinful.

27

228.
Thissegmentistheprayeract,realizedbyaconditionalclausemadeofthe
conditionandtheresult.Bythisutteranceact,Yusufadmitshisfallibilityasahuman
beingwhomayfallvictimtotemptationunlessAllahsaveshim.
229.
InPrayerIMa`dhaAlLahi,theillocutionaryforceisderivedfromthe
illocutionarypointthatYusufmakesanattempttoapproachAllahaboutsavingand
protectinghimfrombeingseducedandfromcommittingasinfulact.RenditionsofTT1
IseekrefugeinAllh(orAllhforbid)!andofTT2Godforbidhavethesame
illocutionarypoint.
230.
InPrayerII,:STWa'IllTarif`AnnKaydahunna'Abu'IlayhinnaWa'Akun
MinaAlJhilna;TT1:UnlessYouturnawaytheirplotfromme,Iwillfeelinclined
towardsthemandbeone(ofthosewhocommitsinanddeserveblameorthosewhodo
deeds)oftheignorant;andTT2:IfYoudonotprotectmefromtheirtreachery,Ishall
yieldtothemanddowrong,theillocutionarypointisthatYusufattemptstoapproach
Allahtoprotecthimbywardingofftheevilplotsofwomensoasnottofallforthem.
231.
InPrayerI,thepropositionalcontentoftheSTdoesnotrepresentafuturecourse
ofactinbutitrepresentsstancetakenbyYusufwhichisseekingrefugeinAllah.TT1
hasthesamepropositionalcontent,whileTT2:Godforbidprovidesadifferentcontent.
AccordingtoOxfordEnglishDictionary,thephraseisadeprecatoryexpressiveofa
strongwish,chieflyforthebenefitorinjuryofsomeperson.AccordingtoCOBUILD,
Godforbidexpressesoneshopethatsomethingwillnothappen.Hence,the
propositionalcontentisundertranslatedforemployingtheimplicitationtechniqueof
Generalizing.
232.
InPrayerII,thepropositionalcontentrepresentsafuturecourseofactionwhich
iswardingoffwomenscunningplot.Both TT1 and TT2 have the same propositional
content.
233.
ReferringtoAllahastheonlyoneinwhomYusufcantakerefugeandtheonly
onewhocanprotectYusuffulfillsthepreparatoryconditionofPrayerIandII.TT1(I
seekrefugeinAllh(orAllhforbid);UnlessYouturnawaytheirplotfromme)and
TT2(Godforbid;IfYoudonotprotectmefromtheirtreachery)tendtoapproximatethe
STinfulfillingthepreparatoryconditionsinceitreferstoAllahonly.
234.
InPrayer1,thesinceritycondition,thatisthepsychologicalstateofYusufwhile
seekingrefugeinAllah,isfulfilledbytwosupportivemovesrealizedbyassertiveacts
withtheforcesofremindandnegate(SearleandVanderveken,1985)respectively:
ST:InnahuRabb'AsanaMathwya;TT1:"Truly he(yourhusband)ismymaster!Hemade
mylivinginagreatcomfort;(TT2):Mymasterhasbeengoodtome,bywhichYusuf
28

providesagrounderforhisPrayerandforhisrefusaltobetrayhismaster.Bythisact,Yusuf
remindsthemasterswifeofherhusbandsgooddeedstohim.WhileTT1uses
explicitationshift(Addition)toboostthetranslatedact,TT2showsimplicitation(Omission)
totonetheactdown.
ST:'InnahuLYufliuAlimnaTruly,evildoers,fornicators,neverprosper(Tafsiral
Jalalayn),whichisanothergrounderforhisprayer.Bythisutterance,Yusufassertsthetruth
functionalnegationofthepropositionthatasinnerwouldbesuccessful,whichisanother
reasonforhisprayertoAllah.WhileTT1:Verily,theZlimn(wrongandevildoers)will
neverbesuccessfultransliteratesthelexicalitemZlimn,explicates,andusesemphatic
adverbtoapproximatetheST,(TT2):Wrongdoersneverprospershowsimplicitation
(Omission)atthepragmaticlevel,tounderrepresentthesinceritycondition.
235.
InPrayerII,thesincerityconditionisfulfilledbyYusufsstrongdesiretobe
protectedbyAllah,reflectedin:
1 expressinghisdeterminationonchastityevenifthepriceistogotojail,realizedbythefirst
segmentoftheprayerAsSijnu'Aabbu'IlayyaMimmYad`nan'Ilayhi,anutteranceYusuf
madeinresponsetothethreatofthewifeofEgyptsChiefMinisterLa'inLamYaf`alM
'muruhuLayusjananna(Joseph(Yusuf)12:32)if he does not do what I bid him, he
verily shall be imprisoned(Tafsir al-Jalalayn). Defyingherthreateningorder,Yusuf
foregroundsAsSijnu/prisontoinstantlyspotlighthischoiceanddecision.Suchwordorder
tendstointensifythesinceritycondition.WhileTT1Prisonisdearertomethanthatto
whichtheyinvitemeapproximatesSTinforegroundingprison,TT2Iwouldpreferprison
towhatthesewomenarecallingmetodomakesasyntacticandpragmaticshiftby
foregroundingYusufandbackgroundinghispromptdefianceanddecision,whichmayaffect
thestrengthofthesinceritycondition.
2 maximizingthedangershemayhavetoconfront,realizedbythesecondpartofthe
conditionalclausetheapodosisortheresultoftheconditional:'Abu'IlayhinnaWa'Akun
MinaAlJhilnaIshallincline,towardsthemandbecomeoftheignorant,thesinful
(TafsiralJalalayn).TT1Iwillfeelinclinedtowardsthemandbeone(ofthosewhocommit
sinanddeserveblameorthosewhododeeds)oftheignoranttendstouseexplicitationshift
(AdditionandExtension)tofulfillthesinceritycondition,whileTT2Ishallyieldtothem
anddowrongshowsimplicitation(OmissionandGeneralizing)byreferringtooneaspect
ofmeaning,andmakingstructuralandsemanticshiftstominimizethehazardsencountered
byYusuf.
236.
Asforthemodeofachievement,prayerIshowsasenseofvulnerabilityand
deferencewhichisrealizedby:(a)seekingandtakingrefugeinAllah,bywhichYusuf
showscontinuousneedforAllahshelpandsupport;and(b)showinggratitudetohis
master,thechiefminister,whoprovidedhimwithshelterandsustenanceTrulyhe,who
boughtme,ismylord,mymaster,whohasgivenmeanhonourableplace(Tafsiral
Jalalayn).Bymaximizingpraiseofhismasterandminimizingpraiseofself,Yusuf
29

observesthemaximsofapprobationandmodestytoplacehimselfinaninferior
position.
237.
InTT1,themodeofachievementisfulfilledbytranslatingtheutteranceliterally.
AsforTT2themodeofachievementisnotrenderedforusingtheroutineformulaGod
forbidwhichdoesnotreflectmansimperfectionandendlessendeavorstoseekrefuge
inAllahforHishelpandsupport.Bytranslating'InnahuRabb'AsanaMathwyaMy
masterhasbeengoodtome,TT2showsimplicitationwhichdoesnotreflectYusufs
observanceofapprobationandmodestymaxims.
238.
InPrayerII,themodeofachievementishelplessness,reflectingmansfallibility
andweakness,whichisrealizedby:
239.
(a)'Abu'Ilayhinnatoinclinetothem(women)ortobeinfatuatedbywomen.
BothTT1IwillfeelinclinedtowardsthemandTT2:Ishallyieldtothemapproximate
ST.
240.
(b)'AkunMinaAlJhilnabecomeoftheignorant,thesinfuldescribinghis
statusifhewereinfatuatedbywomen.WhileTLT1tendstoboosttheactby
explicitation(Addition)TLT2mitigatesitbyimplicitation(Omission).
241.
Politenessisanothermodeofachievementrealizedbytheuseofnegationand
conditionalprotasis:Wa'IllTarif`AnnKaydahunnaifYoudonotfendofftheir
wilesfromme(TafsiralJalalayn).Insteadofusingtheimperativefendofftheirwiles
fromme,Yusufusestheconditionalclauseandthenegationwhichismoretactful.
BothTT1:UnlessYouturnawaytheirplotfromme,andTLT2IfYoudonotprotectme
fromtheirtreachery,employthesametactfuldevices.

4. ConcludingRemarks:
242.
243.
Usedasadescriptivetoolforstudyingthetranslationofspeechacts,the
IllocutionaryForceComponentsAnalysistendstohelpinrevealingthefacetsof
approximationandnonapproximationdemonstratedinthetargettexts,anddetermining
theextentofsuccessand/ordefectivenessofthetranslatedprayeract.
244.
Regardingtheillocutionarypointandpropositionalcontentofprayers,
approximationislikelytobeachievedatthepragmaticleveldespitetheuseofsemantic
andsyntacticexplicitationandimplicitationtechniques.Nopragmaticshiftsare
detected,i.e.therequestivestrategiesusedinbothTTsareequivalenttothoseinST:
directstrategiesintheprayersofZakariya,Musa,AdamandEve,andYusuf,wherethe
forceisderivedfromthe(a)imperativemood,(b)desiderative/needstatement,and(c)

30

thesemanticcontentofthelocution;andindirectstrategiesintheprayersofYunusand
Ayyub.Thetranslatedactsshowsuccessandnondefectivenessatthesetwolevels.
245.
WithrespecttothepreparatoryconditionwhichdenotesthatonlyAllahcan
maketherequestedcourseofactionpossibleandachievable,itisnotbeengivenenough
attentioninbothTTs,perhapsbecausetheconceptisnotacknowledgedinthetarget
languageandcultureexample:MinLadunkabymeansofYourdivinelawand
power.Whileseveraltranslatedactsaredefectiveatthepreparatoryconditionlevel
whereimplicitationshiftsprevailinbothtranslationsbygeneralizingthelexicalitemor
omittingsignificantconnotativemeanings,afewtranslatedactsarenondefectivefor
beingtranslatedliterally,orforemployingsyntacticandsemanticexplicitationshifts
suchasadditionandextension.
246.
Thesinceritycondition,thestrongintensivedesireofthespeakerthatthecourse
ofactionbedone,strengthenstheillocutionarypoint.Itisfulfilledintheprayersunder
studybytheprophetsrecurrentuseofvocatives,emphaticarticles,anddesiderative.
Otherindicatingdevicesincludeactsofpraise,expressionofunshakablebeliefand
determination,andreferencetosufferinganddangers.Noticeably,TT1tendstofulfill
theconditionbytranslatingtheactliterallyoremployingexplicitationshifts,whileTT2
doesnotfulfillit,usingimplicitationshiftstorenderdefectiveactsatthislevel.
247.
Theothercomponentthatcharacterizestheprayeractisthemodeof
achievementoftheillocutionarypoint.Asindicated,whenperformingaprayer,the
speakerisexpectedtoshowhumblenessanddeference.Amongtheindicatorsofmode
ofachievementintheSTaredeletionofvocativeparticle,approbationacts
(ApprobationMaxim:maximizepraiseofAllah),confessionactsadmittingguilt
(ModestyMaxim:maximizedispraiseofself),andminimizingcosts(TactMaxim:
minimizecosttoother).Foregroundingofapprobationact,negationandconditional
protasisarenotablegrammaticaldevicesusedforpolitenesspurposes.TT1tendsto
preservethemodeofachievementinmostoftheactsbymeansofliteraltranslationand
explicitation,whileTT2doesnottakenoticeofthiscomponentasindicatedbythe
implicitationshifts,whichdisregardandomitseveralelementsofmeaningthat
contributetotherealizationofthemodeofachievement.
248.
Tosumup,theIFCAtendstoverifythatthetranslatedprayerillocutionaryacts
aresuccessfulbutdefective.Theymaybesuccessfulandapproximatetothesourceacts
asfarastheillocutionarypointandpropositionalcontentareconcerned;however,there
areseveralincidentsofnonapproximationinpreparatorycondition,sinceritycondition
andmodeofachievementwhichproducedefectiveacts.

31

249.
Inconclusion,thereisaneedtoconductfurtherstudiesthatexamineothertypes
ofspeechactsindifferentregistersandgenrestofurthertesttheviabilityoftheIFCAas
apragmaticbaseddescriptivetooloftranslatedutteranceacts.TheIFCAcanbe
developedtobeatooloftranslationqualityassessment,andmayalsobeofhelpto
translatorstraining.Foratranslatorseekingpragmaticapproximation,s/heshouldbe
trainednottotransferthesenseofthelocutionaryactonly,butalsotoretainthe
illocutionaryforceincludingitscomponentstoprovidesuccessfulandnondefective
acts.

250.
251.

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