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المحتسب

English translation: The Reliable Compendium

02:17 Mar 4, 2020
Arabic to English translations [PRO]
Religion
Arabic term or phrase: المحتسب
How would you translate the word المحتسب in the book title المحتسب في تبيين وجوه شواذ القراءات والإيضاح عنها ?
MKU
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:21
English translation:The Reliable Compendium
Explanation:
To begin with, I would advise against translating the word المحتسَب in the title. I would recommend transliterating the first word ALMUHTASAB, and translating the subtitle,

في تبيين وجوه شواذ القراءات والإيضاح عنها

which would suffice to identify the topic of the contents.

The reason is that ALMUHTASAB is the title that has identified the book for over a thousand years. There is not much to be gained by fooling around with it, and could end up confusing scholars. Translating the subtitle will be enough.

But if you must (and since you ask), please consider the following points:

The expression احتسب الشيء means to give it due consideration. It is often used in reference to facts and opinions. The author here is dealing with controversial matters that had already been copiously discussed and opined about. Many books had already been penned on the subject, some worthier than others. The author, by choosing this title, makes the claim that the opinions presented in his book are well-considered, weighty, and are to be reckoned with. The author does not give his book a title that implies infallibility or even supremacy over all other similar books. He does not want to call it anything like "The Standard" or "The Last Word." It is simply a book to be relied upon because of the serious research that went into it, hence the word المحتسَب and my suggested translation, The Reliable Compendium.
Selected response from:

Fuad Yahya
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +3The Reliable Compendium
Fuad Yahya
4 +1Al-Muhtasib*
Moodi
4Seeking the reward from Allah
Saleh Dardeer
4Seeking Allah's reward
Mai Saleh
4God's Seeker
Yassine El Bouknify
4 -1Inspector/morality policeman
Youssef Chabat


  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Inspector/morality policeman


Explanation:
Religiously speaking
To inspect wrong readings in religious books.

Youssef Chabat
Morocco
Local time: 02:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  A.K Janjelo: This "translation" is completely wrong. The title speaks about AlQira`at (The ways of reading Quran). How does the police/Inspector falls in here?
2 hrs
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Seeking the reward from Allah


Explanation:
First of all, it is pronounced as muhtasab, not muhtasib.
https://archive.org/details/FP4699/mode/1up


The commentator on the book said in the introduction that:

وقال أبو الفتح في مقدمة المحتسب: "وإن قصرت أفعالنا عن مفروضاتك وصلتها برأفتك بنا، وتلافيتنا من سيئات أنفسنا، ما امتدت أسباب الحياة لنا، فإذا انقضت علائق مُددنا، واستُوفي ما في الصحف المحفوظة لديك من عدد أنفاسنا، واستُؤنفت أحوال الدار الآخرة بنا؛ فاقبلنا إلى كنز جنتك التي لم تُخلق إلا لمن وسع ظل رحمتك".

وهذا كلام قلما يقوله إلا امرؤ غلب عليه التفكير في الآخرة، واستبد به حب التزود لها؛ لأنه يشعر أنه منيته قد دنت، وأن حياته قد آذنت بزوال، فهو يتخشع لله، ويبتغي إليه الوسيلة؛ عسى أن يثيبه الله مغفرة منه ورضوانًا، ولعله لذلك سماه المحتسب، واختار أن يدل باسمه على الغرض الذي يريده به، لا على الموضوع الذي يديره عليه.
https://al-maktaba.org/book/8660/10

So, the end of authoring such a book is to gain the reward from Lord, the Almighty Allah.

More precisely, it could be translated as "[A means for] seeking the reward from Allah by elucidating/ clarifying/ demonstrating...." i.e., this work is a means to seek the reward from Allah...

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2020-03-04 05:06:06 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I have found right now the following translation in Hans Wehr:

محتسب muḥtasab that for which one can expect reward in the hereafter (e.g., suffering, loss, etc.)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2020-03-04 06:27:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

@ِAbdul-Kareem Janjelo
أولا قبل ما أقوم بهذا الاقتراح بحثت عن سبب تسمية الكتاب ووجدت ما أوردته أعلاه، ولم أشرح معنى الكتاب بناء على تصور ذاتي.

وجدير بالذكر أنه من المشتهر عند المتقدمين أن يستخدموا مثل هذه العبارات التي تشير إلى عون الإله أو توفيقه أو طلب قبوله للعمل
ومن أشهر هذه العناوين:
فتح الباري بشرح صحيح البخاري
تحفة الودود...
مواهب الجليل...
منح الجليل...


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2020-03-04 06:42:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

أكتب هذا الاقتراح*

Saleh Dardeer
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 186

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mai Saleh
2 hrs
  -> Thanks a bunch, Mai!
disagree  A.K Janjelo: I did read your post and it is simply word by word translation. You took the matter at face value "supporting" it with an uncofirmed opinion.
13 hrs
  -> Dear Abdul-Kareem, Thanks for reading my explanation &deleting ur previous comment. This comment makes sense. Anyway none can 100% confirm the intended meaning unless the author says so; that's why I read his intr b4 suggesting and found this closest sens
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Seeking Allah's reward


Explanation:
The book title is
المُحْتَسَب
Which means that he intended by this book the reward from Allah in the hereafter, which reflects the author's implied intention to write this book as it is written in the book introduction:
وقد رمى بتأليفه القربى إلى الله عز وجل وابتغاء المثوبة منه وأسماه كتاب المحتسَب ، ليدل باسمه على الغرض الذي يريده به لا على الموضوع الذي يديره عليه.
So,
احتسب الشَّيءَ / احتسب بالشَّيء : ضحَّى به وفعله مُدّخرًا أجره عند الله ، لا يرجو ثوابَ الدُّنيا
So I think we cann't translate it into one word, rather we should translate the meaning.


Mai Saleh
Syria
Local time: 04:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 4
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
The Reliable Compendium


Explanation:
To begin with, I would advise against translating the word المحتسَب in the title. I would recommend transliterating the first word ALMUHTASAB, and translating the subtitle,

في تبيين وجوه شواذ القراءات والإيضاح عنها

which would suffice to identify the topic of the contents.

The reason is that ALMUHTASAB is the title that has identified the book for over a thousand years. There is not much to be gained by fooling around with it, and could end up confusing scholars. Translating the subtitle will be enough.

But if you must (and since you ask), please consider the following points:

The expression احتسب الشيء means to give it due consideration. It is often used in reference to facts and opinions. The author here is dealing with controversial matters that had already been copiously discussed and opined about. Many books had already been penned on the subject, some worthier than others. The author, by choosing this title, makes the claim that the opinions presented in his book are well-considered, weighty, and are to be reckoned with. The author does not give his book a title that implies infallibility or even supremacy over all other similar books. He does not want to call it anything like "The Standard" or "The Last Word." It is simply a book to be relied upon because of the serious research that went into it, hence the word المحتسَب and my suggested translation, The Reliable Compendium.

Fuad Yahya
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 231
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  A.K Janjelo: I agree with your suggestion and explaination. Unlike word by word "translation" by other "translators.
8 hrs
agree  Saleh Dardeer: It's great to see you around again. I do learn from your insights.
12 hrs
  -> Thanks. I don't know how much I can keep it up. It's rewarding to be able to contribute, and I am glad you find it useful.
agree  Morano El-Kholy: Al-Muhtasab "The Reliable Compendium". والله أعلم
2 days 34 mins
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Al-Muhtasib*


Explanation:
* A person who acts for reward from Allah


Moodi
Local time: 04:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 27

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Morano El-Kholy: Al-Muhtasab. والله أعلم
1 day 23 hrs
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1 day 11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
God's Seeker


Explanation:
It means s/he seeks the approval of God, and his/her efforts are meant for Him

Yassine El Bouknify
Morocco
Local time: 02:21
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
PRO pts in category: 12
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