Islamic Review (Islamska misao), Vol. 9, Faculty of Islamic Studies, ISSN 1452-9580, Novi Pazar, 2016, coathors: Samina Dazdarevic, Fahreta Fijuljanin, Aldin Rastic Prof. dr Samina Dazdarević MA Fahreta Fijuljanin MA Aldin Rastić INVESTIGATING LEXICAL GAPS IN TRANSLATION OF ISLAMIC TERMS IN THE HOLY QUR’AN Abstract Translation is an intercultural activity therefore a translator is an intercultural expert or mediator. Intercultural interaction is an important aspect of translation, a process that goes beyond transferring meanings of words from one language into another. This paper deals with the role translation plays in enhancing intercultural interaction focusing on six translations of religious terms in the Holy Qur’an. This paper investigates how Arabic- to –English/Bosnian translators encounter and overcome lexical gaps. It is based on the hypothesis that lexical gaps in religious translation seem to be rather problematic to get around. Translation data for analysis is taken from six published renditions of the Glorious Qur’an where ayahs involving lexical gaps have been discussed along with alternative translations for the inadequately translated ayahs. The assessment of the translations of Qur’anic ayahs under study has yielded that lexical gaps are too thorny in religious translation to overcome unless appropriate translation techniques are utilized to process them with the help of Islamic English. This study aims to investigate the role of Islamic English in solving the difficulties in translating the noble Quran. Key words: intercultural interaction, mediator, lexical gaps, Islamic English, religious translation Translation - intercultural activity Translation is essentially a human activity which enables human beings to exchange ideas and thoughts regardless of their different tongues and cultures. Today the movement of people around the globe can be seen to mirror the very process of translation itself, for translation is not just the transfer of texts from one language into another, it is now rightly seen as a process of negotiation between texts and between cultures, a process during which all kinds of transactions take place mediated by the figure of the translator.