DE EDELE KORAN IN DIGITAL AUDIO

A Proposal

To

The Islamitishce Schoolbesturen Organisatie (ISBO)

By

PD Wiradisuria

BANDUNG, AUGUST 2022

1. Introduction

َّٰ
َّ ‫ِبس ِْم ٱللَّ ِه‬
َّ ‫ٱلرح َّْٰم ِن‬
‫ٱلر ِح ِيم‬
‫ب ْالعال ِمين‬
ِ ‫ا ْلح ْم ُد ِللَّ ِه ر‬
‫وصلَّى اللهُ على س ِيدِنا ُمح َّم ٍد وعلى آ ِل ِه وصحْ ِب ِه وسلَّم‬

In this proposal some ideas are presented which could maximize the utilization of all work
accomplished so far with De Edele Koran by generating the digital audio version. The ideas
appear in relation with the current achievement in the technology and the need of the people who
will interact with Koran in many situations.

In the first section some backgrounds are addressed where these ideas initially came from. The
second section discusses some possible method to establish the audio version. In the third
section the possible work scheme is described to realize it. Finally in the last section the next
possible future products of De Edele Koran are addressed.

2. Background

It is a mandatory for every muslim to be closely connected with the Koran as Words from
Allahl , the Creator. Because it is absolutely important to know the messages of Allah to l
all people which contain severe consequences or high rewards not only in the current live but also
for the unlimited Hereafter. Furthermore, correct interaction with the Koran itself is one of high
rewarded spiritual activities of every muslim, even for every single font counted. For many muslim,
it is a personal or community need to be reminded by the Koran in many times or events. On the
other hand, Allahyarham Prof. Dr. Sofjan Siregar said that work on the Koran is the most important
thing.

However, it is not always possible or easy to read the Koran from texts. In many occasions there
are necessities to hear the sound of Koran and know the meaning without reading the texts. It
means there is real need to have the Koran in audio form and translated in their mother language.
The translation is indispensable because many muslims do not understand Arabic quite good.
Further, to be able to hear the Koran and its translation wherever and whenever you want, then it
is necessary to have the digital recording version. This audio digital version is to be played using
existing modern devices such as mobile phone, car or home audio system, modern television and
other modern audio related equipment. This approach makes it possible to hear and know the
meaning of Koran wherever and whenever needed for the following people:

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  People who cannot read but want to hear and to know the meaning. This is valid for:

o Old or sick people who has difficulty to read

o Young people who cannot read yet.

o Blind people who has difficulty/unable to read using Braille paper

 People who just want to hear and to know the meaning

o People who are driving or in a traveling

o People who, in any other circumstances, prefer to listen instead of to read

Especially for people in Holland, Belgium and other Dutch speaking it is important to have the
audio translation in Dutch as long as they do not understand Arabic. This is the case for the people
who has Dutch as their mother language.

On the other hand the audio version including the translation might significantly help people who
want to learn Dutch or Arabic in the same time as they listening to the Koran. Muslims immigrants
or Native Dutch people who want to learn Dutch or Arabic respectively, might make use of this
audio version of the Koran. Shortly, for education purposes this kind of product is very useful.

Those are the backgrounds of the necessity to have a digital audio Koran version with translation
in Dutch. Actually this is also the case for other people from other country with their corresponding
mother languages.

As an example, it is quite popular in Indonesia to listen to the Koran recitation with the
corresponding digital audio translation in Indonesian language in mp3 files or the like using mobile
phone, computer or home and car digital audio systems. In the world, currently there is not only
the Indonesian-language version available, but there are also digital audio version in German,
English, Chinese, etc.

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3. Audio Version Generation

In this proposal there are two language to be presented in the digital audio form of the Koran. The
first is the sound of Koran in Arabic. The second is the sound of Koran in Dutch.

The sound of Koran in Arabic is already widely available in the world for free. Many Imams voice
are already used for this purpose. One of the most popular Imam is Sheikh Mishary Al Afasy
which might be used in our case for the audible Koran in Arabic section.

The digital recorded sound of Koran in Dutch, so far observed, does not exist yet. Therefore it is
proposed to generate it to fulfill the need as mentioned in the previous section. The best choice
is to use the translation of the Allahyarham Prof. Dr. Sofjan S. Siregar (De Edele Koran), because
it is up to know the most widely used translation in Holland.

Basically there are two methods possible to have digital sound of Koran in Dutch.

3.1 First Method

The first is by making digital recording into certain audio file from someone reading De Edele
Koran. This is possible if there is someone who will be able to perform this task constantly through
the whole Koran with good voice and intonation and in quite consistent style.

3.2 Second Method

The second method is by using text to speech software to read text from existing De Edele Koran.
Using this technique we can have a digital Koran-sound recording in Dutch with consistent style.
However the quality of the generated sound strongly depend on the software quality (and price).
Attached are examples of verses from Surah Alf’atihah. The first file which is a full Al Fatihah is
generated using text to speech of lower quality. The corresponding results sound not sharp or
clean enough for certain part. The second file is made using more accurate software. Since we
are dealing with very wide muslim communities at least in Holland and Belgium and, above all,
since the Koran is from Allah l
it is a must to have a suitable text to speech software tool. This
kind of software is more expensive but gives good audio quality in Dutch.

3.3 Integration with Arabic Version

After digital recording of de Edele Koran in Dutch is obtained then they can be placed verse by
verse after every Koran-verse in Arabic. For this, some editing work using certain sound software
tool are required. Attached in the first file is an example of complete Surah Alfatihah.

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4. Work Sharing
Koran is a thick book. It cannot be handled in several days only to deliver a good digital recording.
A good work-sharing/work-scheme is also necessary.

If the first method (manual reading) is chosen, then ISBO could record someone reading the
Koran with a good digital audio recorder. The resulted digital recordings could be sent to me for
further editing and integration with the Arabic version.

If the second method (using text to speech software) is selected, the following ways can be done:

ISBO could buy the text to speech software and employ an operator of the software to generate
the digital audio recording of the whole (De Edele) Koran. The resulted audio recordings could be
sent to me for further editing and integration with the Arabic version.

The second work-sharing scenario: ISBO provides the text to speech software only, then I
generate the sounds and integrate them with the corresponding Koran verses in Arabic.

There is also possibility that I do not take part in the generation of the audio recordings. I just give
all the ideas and necessary information to ISBO.

After the integrated digital recording in sound files are generated, ISBO should check the validity
of this product. Further, ISBO can distribute it to people via various method: As a supplementary-
product in the purchase of every exemplar of De Edele Koran, or ISBO can distribute it
independently.

5. Further Development

After the generation of digital sound recording of the Koran in Dutch and then the integration with
the Arabic version and packing in proper files, basically it is already quite easy to use by
everybody using existing modern audio related electronic equipment. However, there is a trend
as well to have some kind of version which is downloadable from the Apple-store or Play-store
just by using the mobile phone.

This kind of application can have various features to make the De Edele Koran more easy to be
used or explored. By the way, this kind of application make the Edele Koran more easily available
as well, wherever you are. This is exactly one of the most effective way to spread the Words of
Allah all over the world.

One other further possibility is to expand the digital audio recording of De Edele Koran using other
language variant, for instance Dutch with Belgian accents.

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6. Closing Remarks

That was all the ideas that I would like to propose to ISBO. In case ISBO is interested with this
proposal, I could further elaborate them with ISBO if my participation is considered to be
necessary.

َ َ ُ ُ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ْ َّ َ ْ ُ ْ َ َّ َ َ ْ ُ
‫وب ِإل ْيك‬ ‫وب َح ْم ِدك أش َهد أن ال ِإله ِإال أنت أستغ ِفرك وأت‬
ِ ‫م‬َّ ‫الل ُه‬ ‫سبحانك‬

Bandung, 20 August 2022

(Ricky) PD Wiradisuria

+6287822330888

pd.wiradisuria@gmail.com

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