AL-QURAN IN EUROPE AND RUSSIA: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRADITION OF RUSSIAN ORIENTALISM By: Syaiful Anwar

and Wan Jamaluddin Z** Abstract Al-Quran has existed in ancient Russian Kingdom since the end of the 9th century, then during the 11th16th centuries it became an object of study among Russian Orientalists and got a new spirit in the 17th18th centuries when some Russian Moslem scholars took a part in its translation (tarjamah) and interpretation (tafsir). It was the Latino-Greeks translation of AlQuran in Byzantium that had attracted Russian people in the 9th10th centuries, while in the next period (the 11th16th centuries) Al-Quran and Quranic studies in Russia was developed by using and following the success stories of Western-European scholars such as Andrei Due Rie (15801660), who translated Al-Quran into French in 1647, and George Sheile (1697 1736), who translated it into English in 1734. The interest in Al-Quran reached its culmination in the 18th century when two editions of Al-Quran and its translation (Petersburg and Kazans editions) by Mullah Usman Ibrahim were successfully published in 1787 in Russia. Ever since, in Russia Al-Quran had been studied and viewed from several aspects and approaches: scientific, art as well as politico-religious approach.
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Introduction Even moslem in Russia regarded as a minority, Islamic heritage played a significant role in the construction and development of the intellectual tradition of Russian Orientalists. Aside from the field of science and history, it has been proved that Islamic heritage has also contributed to the development of some other fields including arts, literature and philosophy in Russia1. It could happen due to the intense contact between the two nations (Islamic-Arab and Russian-Slav) since the era of Classical Islam up to the era of Islam in Middle Age2. This article is not going to discuss the whole aspects mentioned above, yet to be focused on the essential role of Al-Quran in the growth of intellectual tradition in Russia, particularly in the field of Islamic Studies. To acquire a comprehensive analysis, it will also look into the influence of West-Europe in the early process of growth of the intellectual tradition in the Slavs.
Lecturer at State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Raden Intan, Lampung, Indonesia. Lecturer at State Institute of Islamic Studies (IAIN) Raden Intan, Lampung, Indonesia. 1 See Wan Jamaluddin Z., Islamic Heritage and the Tradition of Russian Intellectualism. A paper presented in the International Seminar of IAIN Raden Intan Lampung 2008 with the theme of Islam, Politics, and Multiculturalism. It has also been publicized in the Komunitas the journal of the Center of Social Service IAIN Raden Intan Lampung, Vol. 26 No. 2, December 2008 Ed. 2 See Wan Jamaluddin Z., Getting to Know to the Tradition of Arabism in Russia: the Historical Reflection on the Growth of Russian Intellectual Tradition in the 11-17th Century in Al-Turas: the Media of History, Literature, Culture and Religion. Vol. 12, No. 3, September 2006 Ed. Faculty of Culture and Humanities of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, 2006, and republished in Dirasat: the Journal of Islamic Studies and Civilization. Vol. 01, No. 01, 2006, Institute of Islamic Religion AlAqidah (IAIA), Jakarta, 2006
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According to Ye. A. Rezvan, a prominent Islamologist in Modern Russia, who is now the Deputy Director of Kunstkhamer Anthropology and Ethnography Museum, in Russian Academy of Sciences of Saint Petersburg and has devoted half of his life to analyze AlQuran, the Russians interest in and attention to Al-Quran has existed since long time ago the era of ancient Russia (the 10th century). Nevertheless, a more serious and more focused analysis on Al-Quran prospered in the beginning of the 16th century until the 18th century3. Another Russian Orientalists, S.M. Prozorov added that the interest in and analysis on AlQuran was growing along with the increase of the Russians curiosity about other Islamic matters.4 In other words, the interest and attention of Russian towards Al-Quran is indeed influenced by their interest in Islam as a whole. As such, to get a better and more obvious frame of mind about the growth and development of the analysis of Al-Quran in Russia, it is necessary to overview the history of Islamic Studies tradition in Russia. Islamic Studies in Russia Islamic studies or the study of Islam in Russian terminology is called Islamofilstvo or Islamovedeniye which means the Russian Orientalists scientific study on Islam as a religion, a system of belief, or a product of human culture along with all of its aspects. While Islamofilstvo generically means the tendency, love or sympathy towards Islam, Islamovedeniye is often referred to the academic-scientific activities in expressing those positive feelings5. The study on Al-Quran in Russia initially appeared in this way and kept progressing. Thus, to put it in another way, the study on Al-Quran is a part of the tradition of Islamofilstvo and Islamovedeniye. S.M. Prozorov asserts that besides Sufism and Hadith, the study on Al-Quran has been an interesting analysis object of Islamic Studies among the Orientalists in Russia6. It was strongly presumed that the scientific tradition which reflected the interest in and attention to Islam was firstly showed by the royal family of the Russian kingdom. Prince D. Kantemirs expertise in Orientalism is proved by his writings about Islam in his book written in Latin entitled De Religione et Stata Imperia Turcici.7 This book has been translated into Russian in Petersburg, in 1722 by I. Ilyinskiy with the title Kniga sistema ili sastaniye Muhamedanskiya Religiy (The System and Position of Islam)8. According to I. Yu. Krachovsky, those two books up to now have become the major references in Islamic studies in Russia. The 12 first chapters of the book contain the history of Prophet Muhammad in the perspective of Russian Orientalists. In Russia itself, this book got a lot of criticisms in the 19th century because it contains polemical treaties between the
Ye. A. Rezvan. Mir Korana (The World of Al-Quran). Branch Institute for Oriental Studies of Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint-Petersburg, 2004. It is the writers magnum opus that has received recognition in the Middle East. 4 S.M. Prozorov in Predisloviye (the Foreword) in the book of Islam Istoriograficheskiyeocherki (The Study on Historiography of Islam) edited by S.M. Prozorov, Moscow, 1991, p. 3 5 Interview with Prof. Dr. Olga Borisovna Frolova, Dept. of Arabic Philology, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Saint Petersburg, Russia, March 25, 2002. 6 S.M. Prozorov, op.cit., p. 3 7 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki (Some Remarks on the History of Arabism in Russia). Saint Petersburg, p. 43 8 See the permit of publishing and publication issued by King Peter I for the translation works in Ancient Russian language entitled Alkoran o Magomet ili Zakon Turetsky v Sankt Petersburgskoi Tipografiy, 1716 godu, v mesyats Dekembri (Al-Quran about Muhammad or Turkish Constitution in the Typography of Saint Petersburg, December 1716). For more information, see in Islam na territoriy Ibid., Book 1, 1999, p.49.
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Byzantium and Islam9. This is understandable, according to A.D. Knysh, due to the fact that the author got acquainted with Islam in Moldova and Turkey (Constantinople or Istanbul), one of the hottest spots where the high tension between Islam and West existed. Long before D. Kantemir, as a matter of fact, Maksim Grek a Russian scientist who lived in Moscow in 1528-1556 had done a whole study on Islam. In this context, he highlighted the role of Turkish culture and Islamic civilization as well as various polemics affected by the Byzantium tradition that were substantially inherited by Russian. Yet, his study was filled with political motives in accordance with the political condition at that particular time, that is the period of Russian expansion to Kazan Sultanate in Tatarstan (1552); therefore, it was unsurprising to find out that his view was very subjective in that he discredited Islam and favored Christianity10. In fact, not all of the early Russian Orientalism studies about Islam were tendentious or negative in nature. We could find a more objective study on Islam carried out by another Russian Orientalist, Ivashka Peresvetov, completely in contrast to that of D. Kantemir and Maksim Grek. With his strong belief and high scientific spirit, he several times recommended a la Turkish reformation package to Tsar Ivan Grozniy (1533-1584). He even overtly stated that, Muhammad, the fighter, to me, is the truly ideal leader.11 In the meantime, there were also some scholars who were neither as extreme as Maksim Grek who was too discrediting Islam nor like Ivashka Presvetov who very confidently favored Islam. One of them is Andrei Kurbskiy (w. 1583) who moderately asserted that Islamic civilization along with the culture of its followers (Arabic and Turks) could be employed as objects of analysis and references both theoretically and practically.12 West-Europe and Quranic Studies in Russia It was reported that the Holy Quran had been firstly found in the royal palace, in the private library of Prince Vladimir to be exact, the former ruler or Russian-Kiev (Ancient Russia) not long before the formalization of Orthodox Church as the official religion of the Russian Kingdom in 988. One of the main sources of the Russian classical historiographies entitled Povest Vremennikh Let reveals some facts of diversity and the atmosphere of socio-cultural lives of Ancient Russia illustrated as the followers of paganism before determining to choose Christianity as the official religion in the 10th century. It was also recounted that before the formalization of Christian as the official religion of the Kingdom, Prince Vladimir guaranteed freedom for his people to profess Islam. Further, during his reign there was a special envoy of Abbasiyyah Caliphate of Baghdad to Russian Kingdom.13 Unfortunately, the author has not found accurate information about the name of the special envoy and also the caliph of Baghdad who sent him. It was mentioned, however, that one of the missions was to introduce Islam to the ruler of Russia, Prince Vladimir, who at that time was searching for religion sources including Christianity, Judaism and Islam to be formalized

I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki Ibid, pp. 42-43. I. Yu. Krachkovsky. op.cit., p. 22. 11 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki Ibid, pp. 23-24. 12 Ibid., p.25. 13 Povest Vremennikh Let(Story Lasting for Years) together with other early written form of tradition (like Slovo o polku Igoreve, Izborniki, and others) until now is still used as the main references for historical studies in Russia. See A. Fahrurrodji, Rusia Baru Menuju Demokrasi (New Russia towards Democracy), Yayasan Obor: Jakarta, 2006. Pp. 20-23. See also A.P. Novoseltsev. Vostok v barbe za religioznoye vliyaniye na Rusi (Oriental Countries and their struggle in affecting diversity in Ancient Russia). Moscow, 1987.
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as the official religion of the paganish ancient Russia. It is likely that the presence of AlQuran for the first time to Russia was related to the context above. Ye. A. Rezvan, a prominent Russian Orientalist, assumed that the interaction between the Ancient Russian and Al-Quran has started since the 10th century or before considering the findings of some previous research in which Al-Quran was already translated into Ancient Greek in the beginning of the 9th century. It refers to the research findings of E. Trapp published in Athena in 1980-1981 entitled Gab es eine Byzantinische Koranubersetzung? Further, Ye A. Rezvan asserts that there is another analysis which confirms the above findings proposed by a Russian scholar named N.I Serikov in 1983, that is O ne katorikh aspekta padkhoda kissleovaniyu Arabo-Byzantiyskikh atnosheniy 10-11 vv v svremennoi zarubezhnoi istoriografy (Some aspects of approaches in analyzing Arab-Byzantium relation in 10-11th century based on the latest historiographies). N.I Serikov as quoted by Ye A. Rezvan stated that: perevodchik Korana na Grecheskiy yazik bil, po vsei vidimosti, bilingv Arabskogo proiskhozhdeniya iz Latiinskokh oblastei imperiy (in general the translation of Al-Quran into Greek is done bilingually: the original source of Arabic and another source of Latin found in the area of Byzantium)14 The descriptive analysis proposed by Ye A. Rezvan is trying to assure us that the Ancient Russian interacted with Al-Quran earlier than the Western and European world did. However, it did not occur directly, but through the tradition of Ancient Byzantium around the 9th up to 10th century by translating the Al-Quran into the Ancient Latin-Rome. In short, we can say that it was the first interaction between the Russian and Al-Quran. At this period of time, there was not any particular study of Al-Quran in Russia. The interest in the study of Al-Quran surely did not come up in a sudden way. According to I. Yu. Krachkovzky, the growth of the interest raised and developed along with the widespread of information about Islam penetrating into the lives of Russian people due to the translation of some Arabic literatures into Russian.15 Some of Arabic literatures which had been translated and subconsciously affected the growth of interest in Quranic studies in Russia were: 1. The Tale of Basarg, composed by an Arabic historian Ibn al-Hikam (the 9th century). It was reflected in a poetic folk tale of Russian people entitled Bylina, picturing the drifting ashore of a Russian princes boat, Bleb Volodyevich, in TatarArab land. 2. A classical Arabic literature of the 8th century about The Seven Magnificent Youths/Ashab al-Kahfi, which inspired the story of Sindbad Book about the Womans Prayer Mat in the 16th century being introduced and translated into Russian in the city of Moscow. 3. The Wisdom and Good Example of Luqman al-Hakim, recognized and now becoming the source of Arabic lesson in Russia, thanks to Adam Oleariy for his hard work. 16 Apart from the art factor, a noted Russian Orientalist, Ye. A. Rezvan admits that Al-Quran is something that holds a central position in Islamic philosophy and has played a very important role for more than 14 centuries in coloring the human lives, including the Muslims in Russia; a major role which is not owned by other Holy Books.17 In addition, he states that
Quoted from Ye A. Rezvan, Koran I KoranistikaOp.cit., p.9. I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki Ibid., p. 32. 16 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki Ibid., pp. 32-33. 17 Ye. A. Rezvan. Now as the Deputy Director of Anthropological and Ethnographical Museum of Peter the Great Kunstkhammer in Saint Petersburg. The writer got an opportunity to have a short
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the Quranic studies in the tradition of Russian Orientalism which is commonly called Koranistika comprises some aspects of studies such as history, codification, translation and interpretation, arts and literature, and the printing and publishing of Al-Quran.18 A more serious analysis in carrying out Quranic studies appeared in the upcoming of the 18th century, in the era of King Peter I, more renowned as Peter the Great (16821725). 19 Nevertheless, unlike the growth of interest in Quranic studies in the early period of the 9th and 16th century, the interest in and attention to Quranic studies in the 17th century was interfered by the development taking place in the West-Europe. It was started by the success of a French diplomat and Orientalist Andrei Deu Rie (1580 1660) who accomplished the translation of Al-Quran. Soon, other translations into different European languages were made either in Paris or in Amsterdam. Not long after, the translation was also done in England (1688), Holland (1698), then Germany and finally in the Russia (1716) under the order of King Peter the Great. It was true that the concern of King Peter I towards Islam was affected by the increase of political and military escalation between the imperium of Russia and Ottoman Empire. That was the mainstream of the Russian Orientalists perspective on Islam in 1716 by translating Al-Quran completely into Russian in Saint Petersburg. 20 This translation was done by Peter Postnikov by referring to the version of French translation by Deu Rie (1647), which then triggered prolonged controversy question about the accuracy of the translation.21 Thus, King Peter issued three political manifesto: first, about Turkey on July 15, 1722; second, the Kings instructions on behalf of Sinoda on July 18, 1722 about the order to carry out the translation of Al-Quran and anything about Muslim people into Russian as soon as possible in the city of Astrakhan;22 and third, about the collection of Arabic coins found in Kunstkhamera in 1745.23 The interest in and concern about Al-Quran among the Russian and European people, especially in the later years was very much associated with the success of the translation of an Arabic literature A Thousand and One Nights by Anthony Gallyane (16461715) which contained, among others, the story of Napoleons expedition to Egypt. One of the great achievements of Russian literature following the success above was the one written by M. Gorki. He wrote the translation of it into Russian in 1796 in Smolensk. The translation edition
interview with him in his office when attending Maclay Readings Seminar in Saint Petersburg, Russia on April, 2007. 18 This terminology is commonly used in various Russian literatures about Al-Quran. See Ye. A. Rezvan, Koran I Koranistika, in Islam Istoriograficheskiye Ocherki (Some Analysis on Islamic Historiography) edited by S.M. Prozorov. Moscow, 1991, pp. 7-48. 19 See Wan Jamaluddin, Peter the Great and Russian Tradition on Arabism. In the journal of Glasnost, Faculty of Cultural Science (FIB) University of Indonesia, Jakarta, 2008. 20 The latest work of Ye. A. Rezvan in this field entitled Mir Korana (The World of Al-Quran), Saint Petersburg, 2003. 21 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki Ibid, pp. 31-34. Compared with A. Rezvan, Koran I Koranistika (AlQuran and Quranic Studies) in Islam Istoriograficheskiye Ocherki (Some Analysis on Islamic Historiography), Moscow, 1991. Rezvans remarks about biases on Quranic studies by WesternEuropean scholars are very interesting to read, especially on pages 7-11. 22 Islam na territoriybivshei Rassiiskoi imperiy: Ensiklopedicheskiy slovar (Islam in ex-Russian imperium: an Encyclopedia). Book I. Branch of Institute for Oriental Studies St. Petersburg. Academy of Sciences, Russia, 1999, p. 48. 23 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki Ibid, p. 42. Compared with Polnoye sabraniye zakonov Rassiiskoi Imperii s 1649 g. (The Complete Compilation of The Russian Imperium Constitutions since 1649). Tom (Book) V, 1713 1719. Pechatano (Published): 1830 c. 188-189. Chapter 2978; and N.A. Vaskresensky. Zakonoatelniye Akti Petra I (The Official Document of King Peter I Constitution). Academy of Sciences, Soviet Union, 1945. Ukaz. 142, s. 112-113.

of it done by Filatov consisting of 12 parts was firstly published in Moscow in 17631771 and was republished for four times (17761784, 1789, 1796, 1803).24 In short, besides AlQuran, the tale of A Thousand and One Nights was the sole most complete Arabic literature which could be widely accessed by the Russian in the 18th century. Then, the development of interest and study on Al-Quran in Russia kept growing in line with the accomplishment a British Orientalist George Sheile (1697 1736) who publicized his translation of Al-Quran into English in London city in 1734. There was a great change here because he did the translation by referring to some Arabic interpretation books such as the alBaydawi Interpretation, the al-Zamakhshari Interpretation, and the Jalalayn Interpretation. Within a few years, Sheiles work was then translated into some other European countries starting from German (1746), French (1770), and finally Russian (1792). 25 The concern about the Quranic studies regained its momentum when two editions of AlQuran (Petersburg and Kazan) with their translation were firstly published in the end of the 18th century. Upon the request and demand of Russian Muslim society as well as the political tendency because of the war against Ottoman Empire, The Queen Chaterine II issued a royal order to immediately publish Al-Quran in Arabic. According to Ye A. Rezvan, this project had a better stance compared to other works of the European scholars which were often bias and tendentious influenced by the confrontation between Islam and the West (Europe). This project was, even, chaired by a prominent Russian Ulema, Mullah Usman Ibrahim.26 Accordingly, these translations greatly affect not only the growth of Russian Orientalism tradition but also the cultural history and civilization of Russia itself. It can be seen from how the translation of Al-Quran by M.I. Verevkin (1790) inspired Aleksander Sergeyevich Pushkin (17991837)27 in composing his work entitled Imitating Al-Quran.28 According to Ye. A. Rezvan, in his works A.S. Pushkin quoted at least 33 Quranic verses. Besides, he seemed to be fascinated by the beauty of Al-Quran as reflected in his poetry entitled The Prophet. The manipulation of the Quranic verses as what A.S. Pushkin did unsurprisingly got wide acceptance and deep appreciation by Russian people.29 Nowadays, his poetries have been performed on the stage in the form of theatrical drama admired by various community in Russia and other ex-Soviet Union countries in Mid-Asia, and also overseas.

Ibid., p. 57. Ye. A. Rezvan. Koran, Ibid., p. 14 26 Ibid., p. 15 27 A.S. Pushkins expertise can be reflected from compliments given to him, like: Alexander Pushkin has been identified as the father of Russian literature and composed in Russian during an era when most Russian writers composed in French. The most distinguished Russian writers offer Pushkin effusive praise. Feodor Dostoevsky wrote that, No Russian writer was ever so intimately at one with the Russian people as Pushkin. Maxim Gorky wrote that, Pushkin is the greatest master in the world. Pushkin, in our country, is beginning of all beginnings. He most beautifully expressed the spirit of our people. I. Turgeniev wrote that, Pushkin alone had to perform two tasks which took whole centuries and more to accomplish in other countries, namely to establish a language and to create a literature. According to N.A Dobrolyubuv: Pushkin is of immense important not only in the history of Russian literature, but also in the history of Russian enlightenment. He was the first to teach the Russian public to read. 28 Ye. A. Rezvan. Koran, Ibid., p. 15. 29 Ibid., p. 15.
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Therefore, to continue the success of the Russian Orientalists in the era of King Peter I, Queen Catherine II (17621796) followed the steps of her predecessor, that was translating the Islamic writings into Russian, especially the ones from French.30 The interest in and concern about Islamic world was very strong in this period. In 1787, in Kalugh, Russia, a brochure about Islam written in French was translated and printed to be publicized, it was A Short Melody about Arab. And also, in 1786, an article of His Majesty Carlos Peer, Harun al-Rashid was published. Some years later (1797), some anecdotes in the form of Remarks of Arabic Manuscripts were translated into German and published. Even, P.P. Sumarokov, the editor of The Book of Scientists, Economists, and Jurists paid a great attention to the issues of Islamic-Arabic Cultures. In his work, particularly in the chapter of The Memory of The Prominent Figures of New Era (Modern Century) History, P.P. Sumarokov wrote an article about: Abu Yusuf, An Islamic Jurist in the early of 19th century; Abu Hanifa: A Noted Islamic Jurist and Theologian (1. 699); Abu Raihan: An Islamic Astronomer of 11th century; and Mezuye: the doctor of Caliph WatiBillah.31 Many popular journals in Russia also exposed some articles about Islam and Quranic studies. Lets take for an example, Aghlayu journal in 1794 expounded the writings about The stages of the Caliph Abd al-Rahman during his reign.32This story was very well-known among the Russian until the era of Leo Tolstoy and Maksim Gorki. There were some publications of Al-Quran. The Zherkala Sveta (The World Mirror) journal in 1786 expounded some articles: About Al-Quran and The Book of Scientists in 1793. Another important publication was a book written by Peter Bogdanovich about Muhammad and AlQuran which was reprinted for three times.33 Conclusion From the descriptions above, it is very obvious that while in the era of Ancient Russia (the end of 910th century), the Holy Quran had got the attention from the royal family of Russian Kingdom, and began to be studied during the 1116th century, it was in the 18th century there was a very strong interest in analyzing further about Al-Quran among the Russian, especially in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kazan and Makhachkala. Whereas in the early period (910th century) the interaction between the Ancient Russian with Al-Quran preceded that of the Western-European due to the scientific tradition developing in the Byzantium in the form of the translation of Al-Quran into Latin, in the next period (11 18th century) the Russians interest in and concern about Al-Quran was growing by following the success of the Western-European in the form of translating Al-Quran pioneered by a French Orientalist Andrei Due Rie (15801660) in 1647 and a British Orientalist George Sheile (16971736) in 1734.
The enthusiasm also occurred in the West-Europe for the success of Antoine Galland (1646-1715) in translating the story of A Thousand and One Nights. See Rudi Paret. The Study of Arabic and Islam at German Universities: German Orientalists since Theodor Noldeke. Steiner Weisbaden, Limburg, Germany, p. 2 and Maksim Rodinson. Europe and the Mystique of Islam. Seattle and London: University of Washington Press, 1991, p.6. 31 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Ibid., pp. 61-62. 32 The writer is experiencing difficulty to identify the figure Caliph Abd al-Rahman mentioned above considering that there were five caliphs with the same name Abd al-Rahman in the Umayyah Dynasty (138-422H/756-1031AD) in Andalusia, Spain. See Encyclopedia of Islam, WebCD edition, Brill Academic Publishers 2003. It is not only caused by the incomplete information provided by the referent, I. Yu. Krachkovsky, but also the writers difficulty in accessing directly the journal of Aghlayu. I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki Ibid., p. 62. 33 I. Yu. Krachkovsky. Ocherki po istory Russkoi arabistiki Ibid., p. 63.
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The Russians interest in and concern about Al-Quran gained its momentum when there was a publication of two editions of Al-Quran along with their translation in Petersburg and Kazan in the 18th century under the coordination of a Russian prominent Muslim figure Mullah Usman Ibrahim in 1787. In this context, Al-Quran has become an object of multidimensional analysis such as in the field of science, arts, literature and political religion.