Mawsu‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Translation Project Expected To Finish By 2028 - Zulkifli

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The translation of Al-Mawsu‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Al-Kuwaitiyyah, one of the most comprehensive encyclopaedias of fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), is expected to be fully published by 2028, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan.

He said the mega project, which involves translating 45 volumes comprising about 17,000 pages, has made significant progress, with more than 30 volumes completed so far.

Zulkifli said the high-impact project, involving around 40 translators, is among Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka’s (DBP) largest initiatives to strengthen Islamic knowledge in the Malay language, with initial publication in print before expanding to digital and e-book formats to ensure wider access.

“If it remains in Arabic, it will only be read by experts. Our aim is to make the encyclopaedia of fiqh accessible to the public in Malay by using simple language.

“The asatizah (Islamic educators) will carry forward the effort to deepen understanding of fiqh, as this work is among the most comprehensive encyclopaedias published by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs,” he told reporters after attending the Nadwah ceremony of the Fiqh Encyclopaedia Expert Panel at the DBP Tower here.

Zulkifli said Al-Mawsu‘ah Al-Fiqhiyyah Al-Kuwaitiyyah was produced by renowned scholars under the Kuwaiti Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and is recognised as a comprehensive reference on fiqh covering various schools of thought.

Meanwhile, he said efforts to disseminate Islamic scholarly materials have had a global impact, with more than 500,000 copies of the Quran distributed worldwide out of nearly one million copies printed to date.

According to him, the latest distribution reached several countries, including the United States, particularly Washington, as well as Ivory Coast and Ghana, with demand from abroad continuing to grow.

“This effort, inspired by the Prime Minister, has captured the attention of the international community, particularly in countries with minority Muslim populations. As the Quran is distributed and read, it allows people to gain a deeper understanding of Islam,” he said.

The initiative forms part of the One Million Quran Waqf Solidarity project, inspired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which aims to distribute printed mushafs of the Quran with translations in multiple languages across the world.

--BERNAMA