Conditions Of An Actual Translator

1. Strong command of the source language
Not the textbook type. The lived, intuitive grasp of idioms, registers, rhetorical structures, implied meanings, and cultural assumptions.


2. Strong command of the target language
Same as the above; listed separately to emphasize its importance.


3. Grounded knowledge in Islamic sciences
This is often the most missing. True translation of religious material demands expertise in the field, because one unfamiliar with it cannot convey its meaning.
Someone like that is more of a bilingual tourist than a translator of Islamic texts.


4. Competence in resolving meaning
The actual craft. Understanding the author’s intent, distinguishing between literal and figurative, spotting ellipses, identifying probable interpretations when the text allows for more than one.


5. Competence in reconstructing meaning
* Don't let your style, assumptions, or shortcuts change it.
* Don’t generalize, simplify, or paraphrase in a way that loses nuance.
* Don’t allow the translation to gradually deviate from the original sense.

6. Honesty, Humility, and Restraint
A translator who cannot say "I don’t know" is a liability.
Details:
* Knowing when a term, idiom, or doctrinal nuance is beyond your certainty. This requires realizing what you don't know, which is half of knowledge itself.
* Resisting the urge to "fill in gaps" with assumptions or educated guesses. This usually stems from underestimating the seriousness of the text.

These conditions are the goal; translators vary in their ability to meet them.
A clear outline, even if general, helps maintain calibration.