Discover the fascinating history of the first printed Quran, originating not in an Arab country, but in Italy. Learn more about its journey through Europe and the Islamic world.
The Quran, the holy book of Islam, has a unique printing history. Surprisingly, the first printed Quran was not produced in an Arab or Islamic country, but in Italy, a European nation.
The Early Printing History of the Quran
The Quran was revealed as a guide for humanity, with Allah promising to preserve its purity. As stated in Surah Al-Hijr, verse 9:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ
"Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its guardian."
In modern times, the Quran is mass-produced in various sizes and includes translations. Indonesia, with its majority Muslim population, prints thousands of copies each year. But did you know that the first country to print the Quran was Italy?
Italy: The First Country to Print the Quran
The invention of the printing press by Johannes Guttenberg in 1436 in Germany marked a new era for the dissemination of knowledge. Between 1537 and 1538, Paganino and Alessandro Paganini printed the first Quran in Venice, Italy, known in Arabic as Al-Bunduqiyyah.
One of these early prints was discovered by Angela Novo in a priest's library in Venice. However, this printed Quran did not last long, as it was destroyed by the local church authorities.
The Printing Journey of the Quran in Europe and the Middle East
The printing of the Quran continued in various countries. In 1694, the Quran was printed in Hamburg, Germany by Abraham Hinckelmann, who added a Latin preface. Four years later, Ludovico Maracci printed an Arabic-Latin Quran that included critiques of Islam.
In 1787, Maulaya 'Usman led the printing of the Quran in Saint Petersburg. It wasn't until 1838 that Iran, an Islamic country, printed the Quran. The copies produced at that time did not strictly follow the Rasm Usmani, the standardized script established during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan.
Modern Developments in Quran Printing
Significant advancements occurred in 1890 when Al-Matba'ah Al-Bahiyyah in Cairo, Egypt, printed a Quran manuscript written by Sheikh Ridwan bin Muhammad Al-Mikhallalati. This print adhered to the Rasm Usmani and included waqf (stopping points). The Mikhallalati Mushaf was well-received in the Islamic world.
In 1947, the Quran was printed using advanced offset printing techniques in Turkey by the prominent calligrapher Badiuzzaman Said Nursi. From 1976 onwards, various sizes of the Quran were printed in Berlin by Nursi's followers. In 1949, Saudi Arabia began its own printing with the Mushaf Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
The pinnacle of Quran printing was achieved in 1984 when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia inaugurated the world's largest Quran printing complex in Madinah Al-Munawwarah.
The Early Compilation of the Quran
From the early days of Islam, the Quran's authenticity was preserved through memorization and writing. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) instructed his companions not only to memorize the Quran but also to write down the revelations on camel skins, bones, palm fronds, and tree bark.
Abdullah bin Sa'd bin Abu Sarh was one of the first companions to write down the revelations in Makkah. Other companions also participated in this significant task as directed by the Prophet.
According to hadiths narrated by Ibn 'Abbas and Zaid bin Thabit, the Prophet (PBUH) would instruct the companions to write down the revelations and place them according to his guidance. Zaid bin Thabit recounted that after writing the revelations, he would read them back to the Prophet for confirmation (Sahih Bukhari).
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