TEHRAN – Tehran hosted the 
unveiling of two new Qur’anic translations aimed at Western and Indian audiences during the 32nd International Holy Qur’an Exhibition.
Held at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Mosalla, the event featured the launch of a Hindi translation of the Holy Qur’an and a book titled “Qur’anic Teachings in a Nutshell” in English.
The unveiling ceremony took place in the exhibition’s international section, with speeches by Muhammad Naqdi, director of the Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute; Yaqub Jafariniya, author of the Kawthar Exegesis; and Seyyed Hassan Esmati, a Qur’anic scholar and former cultural attaché of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Tunisia and Senegal.
Naqdi highlighted the institute’s efforts in translation of the Qur’an, saying the Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute was established to translate the Qur’an into the world’s major languages.
“Before undertaking this task, we conducted research on existing translations. So far, the Qur’an has been translated either partially or fully into 148 languages. The diversity of translations is vast, with nearly 500 versions in Urdu alone,” he said.
 “Our goal was to examine previous translation methods and improve upon them. At our institute, we have translated the Quran into 16 languages. Notably, English, Spanish, Chinese, and Hindi are spoken by billions worldwide,” said the scholar.
He noted that translation needs a special linguistic expertise. 
“Most people who know a language only have conversational proficiency. A translator must have strong academic credentials, a deep understanding of both the Qur’anic and target language, and literary skills. A translation must be smooth, fluent, and engaging. We have strived to work with the best translators available,” he said.
The book Quranic Teachings in a Nutshell has been translated into English by Ali Quli Qarai who has already released a translation of the Holy Qur’an, published by Tarjoman-e Vahy Institute.
The Persian title of the new unveiled book is Selected Quranic Verses in Line with the Leader’s Letter to the Youth of Europe and America.
“This book is a thematic selection of Qur’anic verses chosen based on my general knowledge of the Qur’an. It was compiled to meet the needs of young Europeans and Americans who seek to learn about Islam,” he said.
He referenced a letter by Islamic Revolution Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, addressed to the Western youth. 
“In his letter, the Leader urged young people in Europe to learn about Islam through the Qur’an. This message came at a time when Daesh was committing atrocities in the name of Islam, distorting its image. To counter these misconceptions, he advised young people to refer directly to the Quran. However, the Qur’an is not a typical book that one reads from cover to cover; it requires reflection and understanding.”
Jafariniya cited verse 155 of Surah Al-An’am: “And this Book that We have sent down is a blessed one; so follow it, and be God-wary so that you may receive [His] mercy.” 
He emphasized that the Qur’an must be studied thoughtfully rather than read superficially. “Recitation and memorization are good, but true engagement with the Qur’an lies in deep contemplation.”
He also criticized extremist interpretations of the Qur’an. 
“Takfiri groups have introduced a highly distorted understanding of Islam. When we examine Salafi interpretations, we see that they depict Islam as an excessively harsh religion. They claim that whenever the Qur’an speaks of mercy and kindness, those verses have been abrogated by verses of warfare. But the truth is that commands for battle were given only in times of war when Islam was under direct attack—not as a general rule. Unfortunately, some interpretations have wrongly presented Islam as a religion of violence.”
The ceremony concluded with the formal unveiling of the two books, attended by Muhammad Mehdi Imanipour, head of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organization.