TRANSLATING REPRIMANDING DENIAL INTERROGATIVES IN INDONESIAN QUR'AN VERSIONS: REISS' TEXT TYPOLOGY

This study offers a novel functionalist analysis of sacred text translation by applying Reiss's text typology to reprimanding-denial interrogatives (istifhām inkārī tawkībkhī) in ten strategically selected Qur’anic verses and their Indonesian translations. Through a qualitative comparison of three prominent versions (Ministry of Religious Affairs, 2019; Dahlan, 2021; and Shihab, 2021), grounded in authoritative classical tafsirs, this research identifies precisely how rhetorical functions—informative, operative, and expressive—are preserved or weakened. The findings reveal a clear pattern of functional preference: Shihab’s version consistently excels in expressive depth, achieved through evocative lexical choices and explanatory parentheticals. Dahlan’s version, in contrast, proves most effective in preserving the operative function, utilizing direct, persuasive phrasing to deliver the intended rebuke. The Ministry's version typically prioritizes informative clarity, a choice that, while ensuring semantic accuracy, frequently neutralizes the original’s rhetorical intensity. The study’s primary contribution is twofold. First, it validates the applicability of Reiss’s typology for the nuanced analysis of sacred texts, demonstrating its capacity to move beyond literalism. Second, it provides a replicable empirical framework for evaluating translation based on rhetorical fidelity. By emphasizing that competence in Arabic rhetoric (balāghah) is as crucial as linguistic proficiency, this research informs a more functionally aware pedagogy for Qur’anic translation. This approach ultimately contributes to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by enhancing the linguistic and intercultural literacy required for a deeper, more faithful understanding of religious texts.