Mukeddes Kalam Uyghur (Arabic)

This “Kalam” APP makes available to the reader the Uygur language “Kalam” Bible translation in an easy-to-use form. It is offered free in 4 different language scripts; the Arabic script used by Uygur people in NW China (Xinjiang), the formerly used Latin script (“yengiyezik”), the Cyrillic script used by Uygur readers in Kazakhstan, Kirghiziye and Uzbekistan, and also the “phone script” recently developed for easy cell-phone communication (using the 26 letters of the English alphabet).

The “Kalam” translation seeks to closely follow the original Hebrew and Greek languages of the Holy Books, and includes maps, illustrations and commentaries. Within the APP there are also several books dealing with questions often asked by readers of Muslim background regarding the Tawrat and Injil.

The Tawrat is written in Hebrew and the Injil in Greek. In this translation of the Tawrat reference was made to the works of Hebrew scholars on each book (written in English) as well as several English translations, the Chinese translations Heheben, Xinyiben and Luzhengzhong translation and Russian Sinodal translation. In addition we have compared with the Kashgar Uygur translation (1910-1950) carried out by Mehmet Xukri and the Swedish Mission and also profited from the work done by the present-day "Modern Uygur" translation. In the translation of the Injil reference was made directly to the Greek text and works of Greek scholars as well as all the above materials.

The aim of this translation is to present the reader with as close a representation of the original text as possible. This work we have carried out with fear and trembling, beseeching God to keep us faithful to His word. In the words of a Hebrew scholar who has been of assistance to us "The translator is the slave of the text". Where a Uygur idiom exists of the same form of the Hebrew idiom, we of course use that; where the direct use of the Hebrew idiom would have been misleading or confusing to readers we have used equivalent expressions (and often indicated the original idiom in a footnote).

Where alternative possibilities exist as to the meaning of the text in Hebrew or Greek we have endeavoured to indicate these to the reader with footnotes, and if space allows our reasons for choosing the meaning we did. With each separate book of the Tawrat and Injil there is a commentary – an introduction giving background details, and an appendix giving comment on difficult verses or points of importance. We have supplied further footnotes to the text itself with the same aim.
At a later date “cross-references” will be added to aid the reader in his own study.

NOTE – All the introductions, headings, footnotes, and appendices seen in the text are our own additions for the help of the reader. We emphasise that they are not part of the text of the Holy Book.