Two prominent Nigerian Muslim scholars – Professor Mashood Mahmood Jimba and Sheikh Dr. Sharafudeen Raji Gbadebo were among the winners of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding.
The duo were were recognised alongside other winners from other participating countries on Tuesday, 10th December at the closing ceremony of the 10th iteration of the award held at the Marsa Malaz Kempinski Hotel in Doha, Qatar.
Muslim News gathered that the prize celebrates excellence in translation and promotes global understanding through linguistic and cultural exchange.
Professor Jimba, a professor of Arabic literature and deputy vice-chancellor of Kwara State University, won the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation for his translation works from European languages into Arabic, specifically his translation of “The Brave Hunter in the Forest of Spirits” (Waka Elorn).
Sheikh Dr. Gbadebo, a preacher and director of the Islamic Center in Ogbomoso, Nigeria, also won the award for his translation of the book “Bulugh al-Maram” and other books from Arabic into the Yoruba language.
No fewer than 35 countries including 17 Arab Nations participated in the competition with French and English as the main languages in the unique book category, while other languages, such as Balochi, Tatar, Hungarian, and Yoruba, were classified as secondary languages.
The award ceremony themed ‘From Arabic to Mankind’ featured a documentary on the award’s 10-year efforts since its inception in 2015.
Arabic represents a bridge to other worlds
The Secretary-General of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, Dr. Hassan Al Naama, emphasized that the award is consistently making efforts to impart the beacons of Arab culture and its contributions to human civilization, highlighting that it represents a bridge to other worlds, from which it inspires progress and human thought
Dr. Al Naama underlined that he is so grateful for attaining the first decade of the award and its success in advancing the State of Qatar’s trailblazing role in promoting international understanding and peace, stemming from its cultural contributions that converge with humanity’s contributions in the areas of thought.
Dr. Al Naama thanked HH The Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, for his generosity and care in sponsoring the award, which perpetuates the ongoing trajectory of human civilization, striving for further advancement and the cultivation of international understanding, emphasizing that it is emblematic of an enduring commitment to sowing, across the vast expanse of humanity, seeds laden with peace and the universal language of dialogue, thus nurturing the intricate process of translation between Arabic and a multitude of the world’s languages.
According to him, “Today’s celebration marks 10 years of the award in the contemporary history of Qatar, in recognition of its role in extending the bridge of knowledge and civilization from Doha to the world, and proceeds with the efforts of Islamic civilization that span many epochs, alongside the contributions of the Arab nation that have been bright in nurturing the inveterate human legacy.
“We hope that the award will build on this success to achieve its sublime and unflappable objectives to honour translators positioning itself as a body that communicates cultural and civilizational message at the level of human thought.
Guests praise Qatar for honouring winners
On behalf of the distinguished guests, Stephanie Dujols, addressed the gathering and expressed her gratitude to the State of Qatar’s efforts and the award for honouring the winners and erudite people from all over the world, underlining that the award is a symbol that recognizes the translators and paying homage to them and their sublime message they are carrying.
Translation is not merely the transfer of words from one language to another, it is a noble art and a meticulous task that requires a deep understanding of cultures and a commitment to faithfully and clearly conveying meaning, she said, highlighting that it is a bridge that stretches between peoples, contributing to the building of understanding and illuminating paths for dialogue and cooperation.
Nigerian Center congratulates Jimba, Gbadebo
Back home in Nigeria, the Nigerian Center for Arabic Research has extended warm congratulations and blessings to the two esteemed scholars on this well-deserved win, praying to Almighty Allah to grant them more success and achievements.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Centre expressed gratitude to the General Secretariat of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding for the trust and cooperation, thanking the media delegation of the award, led by Dr. Hanan Fayad, who visited Nigeria.
“Special thanks for this attention to the inclusion of the Yoruba language among the award’s languages, which was made possible through the efforts and continuous follow-up of the Nigerian Center for Arabic Research in Nigeria.”
Founded in 2015, the award aims to honor translations and recognize their role in “strengthening the bonds of friendship and cooperation amongst peoples and nations of the world,” according to the awards’ website.
It added that it hopes to “reward merit and excellence, encourage creativity, uphold the highest moral and ethical standards, and spread the values of diversity, pluralism and openness.”
Above all, the award aims to spotlight Arab culture and works of literature, art, and science, as well as Islamic books
Additional information from Qatar News Agency (QNA)
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