Publication of the first official translation of the Quran into the Amazigh language
In a unique and historic achievement, the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Publication of the Holy Quran has announced the release of the Amazigh language edition, in the Souss variant, of the Holy Quran. It is the first official, scientifically documented translation in the Kingdom of Morocco.
This achievement is the fruit of many years of dedicated work and an integrated collective process, supervised by a group of scholars and specialists in the Quranic sciences and in languages. The publication went through rigorous stages (preparation, comprehensive review and scientific arbitration) to ensure the highest levels of precision and scholarly integrity.
The scientific committee in charge of this historic project brought together Sharia scholars and researchers from the Souss region, noted for their deep command of the Quranic sciences and of the Tashelhit variety of Amazigh. These figures were chosen to ensure a precise balance between the meanings of the religious text in Arabic and the stylistic and cultural specificities of the Souss, which for centuries has been home to traditional schools and to Amazigh religious heritage.
The committee’s work followed a rigorous collective arbitration process spanning several years of continuous labor and scholarly verification. It began with an initial formulation of the meanings and the adaptation of Amazigh vocabulary to the majesty of the Holy Quran, followed by multiple reviews to confirm linguistic and doctrinal soundness. In the final stage, a specialized arbitration committee of the Mohammed VI Foundation for the Publication of the Holy Quran carried out the final review and checked the text for conformity before officially authorizing it for printing and publication.
Methodologically, the committee adhered to recognized Sunni references and exegeses, in keeping with the religious constants of the Kingdom of Morocco, founded on Maliki jurisprudence and Ash’ari creed. It relied mainly on the linguistic and orthographic foundation laid by the scholar Mohammed al-Mokhtar al-Soussi for writing the Amazigh language in Arabic script and adjusting its vocalization, which enabled the scholars to offer an authentic, widely used and understandable Souss idiom, avoiding obscure and newly coined terms that might confuse the reader. The work is thus meant as a safe, institutional reference that brings the Book of God closer to Amazigh speakers.
Arabic version | French version
