Interlinear translation of the Quran: Critical edition of the Çankırı manuscript and analysis of recitation variations (pages 3-57)

Translations that enable those who do not know Arabic to better understand the Qur'an also play an important role in the transmission of scientific and cultural knowledge. Interlinear translations are considered a type of translation and are based on word-for-word rendering. This study is based on an interlinear translation of the Quran found in the library of Hacı Evliya Efendi. Although the work does not belong directly to him, its presence in his library is significant. The author and date of transcription of the work cannot be determined with certainty. However, considering aspects such as writing style, language characteristics, and materials used, it is believed that the copy dates back to the 16th century. Most of the interlinear translations from this period have not survived to the present day. Although the work can be compared with existing interlinear translations, there is no other copy from the 16th century that has been dated to the same period and studied academically. In this respect, the copy under study stands out as both an original and valuable example. The Ottoman Turkish words in the verses have been transliterated. Furthermore, the differences in recitation identified in the verses were examined with the aim of determining the recitation understanding of the work. Thus, the reflections of recitation differences in the translation were revealed. As a method in the research, first, an edition critique was performed on the manuscript, then the Arabic text and translation of the verses were provided. The equivalents of the Ottoman Turkish words are shown in parentheses. Subsequently, the differences in recitation were evaluated using classical recitation sources and contemporary academic literature. Thus, the manuscript's understanding of recitation in the verses of Surah Al-Baqarah, where there are differences in recitation, was determined. The study found that, while the manuscript generally follows the Hafs narration of the Asim recitation, some verses also contain ferşî variations belonging to other recitation imams. This indicates that the interlinear translation adheres to the prevalent recitation of the period. Keywords: Qiraat, Holy Qur'an, Interlinear Translation, Hacı Evliya Efendi, Surah Al-Baqarah.