ABSTRACT
Muslims of West Africa have for centuries used their languages in the context of Qur’an interpretation and Islamic education. The practices of translation from Arabic into the vernaculars of West Africa triggered the development of what I have termed specialized translational registers. The chapter demonstrates that the continuity of translational practices with their remarkable consistency and stability across time, space and cultures is conditioned by the very nature of classical Islamic education in West Africa. The search for religious knowledge based on the Qur’an and foundational texts in Arabic goes hand-in-hand with spiritual attainment. Thus, the patterns of translation structures form part of the religious frame, presenting these foundational texts as the key components of spiritual growth. In this sense, translation is seen as an overtly religious practice with the crucial role of controlling the correct transmission of Muslim faith.
