Key Points:

• This is Segment 1 of Phase 2 of the Rohingya Quran project, after Phase 1 (translating whole Quran into verbal Rohingya language and made to videos) was successfully completed a little before schedule
• Phase 2 includes transcribing and translating the Holy Quran into Arakanese Rohingya script, including downloadable and printable text versions
• This effort is critical for the Rohingya, one of the world’s most persecuted Muslim minority of Burma, who have faced systematic genocide and persecution while lacking access to their sacred texts in their own language

Campaign Story

This is Segment 1 of Phase 2 of the Rohingya Quran project, after Phase 1 (translating whole Quran into verbal Rohingya language and made to videos) was successfully completed a little before schedule.

Phase 2 includes transcribing and translating the Holy Quran into Arakanese Rohingya script, including downloadable and printable text versions. This effort is critical for the Rohingya, one of the world’s most persecuted Muslim minority of Burma, who have faced systematic genocide and persecution while lacking access to their sacred texts in their own language.

Rohingya are the indigenous Muslim ethnic minority of Burma (Myanmar) mainly residing in Arakan (Rakhine) state. The Rohingya are considered the most persecuted minority in the world. The plight of the Rohingya is well known at an international level. Nearly every other day we read or hear something about them. The discrimination against Rohingya Muslims not only kept them behind in the sociopolitical field, but in fact they have blocked Rohingya Muslims from their spiritual and mental development and growth too. The very essence of the discrimination against the Rohingya was based on their religion and race.

Despite all that the Rohingya have been put through, the recitation and listening of the Holy Quran is something the community holds on to dearly. Despite this love, many if not most of the Rohingya cannot understand the Quran as there is no translation of the Quran in the Rohingya language and because of the majority having to flee to different lands, it is next to impossible to dedicate time to study and understand the Quran like other communities.

Today, the situation on the ground in many refugee camps that we are witnessing is disturbing. The refugee camps are being targeted by Christian missionaries in the name of humanitarian aid to plant doubts regarding Islam in the minds of the Rohingya and call them towards Christianity. The missionaries have even translated large portions of the Bible to the Rohingya language to propagate their call better.

In response to this, and with a strong sense of responsibility towards our brothers and sisters, a dedicated Rohingya has come together to facilitate the translation of the Quran into the Rohingya language.

This campaign is an unprecedented initiative in the Rohingya history, aiming to connect the nation to the Book of Allah by facilitating its translation into their mother tongue.