Bausani’s translation is widely praised for its precision and beauty. It was not merely a literal rendering but an attempt to convey the rhythm, the power, and the unique literary style of the Quranic Arabic into Italian. Academic sources describe his translation as "splendida e precisa" (splendid and precise), a standard that has ensured its enduring use in both academic and general settings for over half a century.
"In the quiet of dawn, when darkness fades, Guidance unfolds, like the pages turned. A book of wisdom, for all who seek, In Bausani’s words, a bridge unique.
Alessandro Bausani (1921–1988) was one of Italy’s most eminent Islamicists, linguists, and historians of religion. His 1955 translation of the Qur’an, Il Corano , published by Sansoni (Florence) and later reissued by Rizzoli’s BUR series, remains a watershed in Italian Islamic scholarship. Unlike earlier Italian translations—which often relied on Latin, French, or Arabic intermediary texts and were filtered through confessional or apologetic lenses—Bausani’s version was the first direct, philologically rigorous Italian translation that deliberately foregrounded the literary and oral texture of the Arabic original.
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: Bausani aimed to offer a supporting structure for the reader , focusing on clarity and historical context rather than pushing a sectarian agenda .
Alessandro Bausani's 1955 translation of Il Corano is considered a definitive, philologically rigorous Italian rendering of the Islamic holy book, often utilized for academic research. The text is renowned for its extensive, objective critical commentary and an 80-page introduction that provides essential historical and theological context. For details on the 2022 updated edition, visit IBS.it . Share public link
The persistence of the search query is a testament to the enduring power of great translation. In an age of machine learning and AI translations, users are still hunting for a 70-year-old paper artifact because Bausani succeeded in a nearly impossible task: he made the Quran sound like Italian, but feel like Arabic.
Alessandro Bausani’s 1955 translation of the Qur'an is widely recognized as the most authoritative and influential Italian version, balancing rigorous scholarship with literary quality. The work, often published by BUR, is esteemed for its historical-critical approach, extensive commentary, and objective treatment of complex theological concepts. Discover the 2022 updated edition at Il Corano. Edizione aggiornata 2022 - Amazon.it
Alessandro Bausani's Il Corano is a monument of Italian culture and a testament to the power of dedicated scholarship. For anyone seeking to understand the Quran, the heart of Islam, this work remains an unparalleled guide, a legacy that continues to illuminate minds more than half a century after it was first created.
To understand the value of , one must first understand the man. Alessandro Bausani (1921–1988) was not merely a translator of Arabic; he was a titan of Islamic and Iranian studies. He held the chair of Arabic Language and Literature at the Sapienza University of Rome and later the chair of Islamology at the University of Naples "L'Orientale."
Bausani rejected the common practice of paraphrasing the Quran into elegant, flowing Italian prose. He argued that the Quran is not ordinary literature; it is recited text (Qur’an literally means "recitation"). Therefore, he attempted to preserve the saj' (rhymed prose) and the abrupt stylistic shifts (known as iltifāt ) that characterize the original Arabic. This makes a vital resource for linguists studying the syntax of divine speech in Italian.
Upon its release, the translation garnered immediate and sustained attention in the academic world. It was reviewed in leading journals such as Die Welt des Islams , a testament to its international standing among specialists. To this day, it remains a mandatory textbook in many Italian university courses, including those in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language and Culture, confirming its status as a foundational academic resource.
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