Writing and reading the Quran in languages other than Arabic is prohibited.

In a statement issued by the Quran Printing, Control and Licensing Board (LPPPQ), its chairperson Harussani Zakaria said this was because the text of the Quran in other languages not accompanied by the Arabic text could not be considered as Quran.

He said such an act was punishable under the Printing of Quranic Text Act 1986, and the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.

Harussani, who is also the mufti of Perak, was commenting on the ‘Let's Read The Quran’ campaign to write and read the Quran in other languages, besides Arabic.

Harussani said as the body responsible for the monitoring of the printing, publication and import of Quran texts under APTQ 1986, the LPPPQ viewed the campaign seriously.

He said the board together with the respective state Islamic religious authorities would take stern action to stop the movement and campaign.

Harussani said Quran which had been translated into other languages for the benefit of those who did not understanding Arabic could not be considered Quranic texts but were "translations of the Quran" or "interpretations of the Quran".

Translations of the Quran which were not accompanied by the original text in Arabic were prohibited as it was feared they could cause confusion, he added.

- Bernama