JEDDAH: The Telugu-speaking expatriates of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh have released the Telugu translation of the Qur’an.
The Saudi scholar who translated the Qur’an into Telugu was also felicitated at a ceremony, the organizers of Telugu Academy Jeddah and Hyderabad Young Men’s Association said yesterday.
Dr. Abdul Raheem Mohammed Moulana, a nephrologist at King Abdul Aziz Hospital, Makkah, told Arab News that although some Telugu translations of the Qur’an exist, “this is the first translation of the Qur’an into Telugu from Arabic.”
Previous translations have been done mostly from Urdu, said Moulana, a native of Andhra Pradesh who became a Saudi two decades ago. Abdul Khayum Khan, member of the Indian Police Service (IPS) and additional director general of police (law and order), Andhra Pradesh, who released copies of the translation, had a word of praise for Dr. Moulana for undertaking the translation work and spreading the message of Allah in Telugu language. Khan was here to perform Haj.
Participating in the felicitation function were Alamdar Hussain Juddy, Mir Ahmed Ali Khan, Muzzamil Hussain, Shakeel Sultan, Siadath Ali, Mohammed Fakruddin, Ahmed Umaiz, Feroze Khan and Mohammed Saleem, who all hail from Andhra Pradesh, and Mohammed Zubair, president of A.P. Youth Welfare Association. Syed Baquer Ali Jaffery presided over the function. Mir Gazanfar Ali Zaki, general secretary, Hyderabad Young Men’s Association Jeddah, and Telugu Academy Jeddah, in his welcome address reviewed the achievements future activities of the two organizations.
