Indonesia Completes Quran Translation into Makassarese Language
According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, the translation was carried out by the Center for Religious Book Assessment and Translation. Officials said the Makassarese edition will be published once it receives final approval from relevant authorities.
Siddiq Sisdianto, head of the center, said that translating the Quran into local languages is “an important step toward bringing the message of the Quran closer to local communities.”
“We expect that a translation in a native language can convey moral and spiritual values more effectively within society,” Indonesian media outlets quoted him as saying.
Sisdianto noted that the review process focuses not only on the accuracy of meaning but also on the fluency of the language and the strength of the conveyed message. “The divine text should not become merely a translated document,” he said. “It should strengthen our connection with God and religious teachings.”
He explained that a university-based team will conduct the final review as part of a literacy initiative aimed at promoting better understanding of Islam. The ministry said the project also seeks to ensure consistency in word choice and meaning across dialects.
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The Makassarese language, part of the Austronesian family, is spoken by around two million people in South Sulawesi, particularly around the city of Makassar.
The Quran has been translated into about 30 local languages in Indonesia, where efforts to make the text more accessible in regional dialects have continued since the first official translation in 1965.
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