<![CDATA[This study aims to analyze the translation of the Arabic preposition bā’ (ب) in the hadith lan yadkhula aḥadun minkum al-jannata bi‘amalihi through a comparative analysis of scholars’ interpretations, AI-generated translations, and semantic analysis. The study is motivated by differing interpretations of bā’, which have implications for understanding the relationship between righteous deeds and entry into Paradise. This research employs a qualitative approach using a comparative method. The data consist of the translation of the hadith by M. Quraish Shihab, the translation generated by ChatGPT, and semantic analyses based on classical Arabic sources, particularly Mughnī al-Labīb by Ibn Hisham, as well as explanations provided by linguists and Islamic scholars. The data were analyzed by comparing translation equivalents, identifying the semantic functions of bā’, and assessing their compatibility with the context of the hadith and related Qur’anic texts. The findings reveal that both M. Quraish Shihab and ChatGPT translate bā’ as “because of,” thereby interpreting it as bā’ sababiyyah (the causal bā’). In contrast, semantic analysis indicates that bā’ in this hadith functions as bā’ muqābalah or bā’ mu‘āwaḍah, for which “in exchange for” or “as the price of” provides a more appropriate equivalent. This interpretation reconciles the hadith with Qur’anic verses indicating that righteous deeds constitute a cause of entering Paradise without creating a semantic contradiction. The study concludes that semantic analysis produces a more precise and appropriate translation and highlights the importance of human linguistic validation of AI-generated translations, when translating religious texts containing complex semantic nuances.]]>
Copyrights © 2026
