This article delves into the significance of Bausani’s work, the unique philological approach he adopted, and the digital availability of this masterpiece.
Furthermore, many of the "free" PDFs circulating are actually the 1940s translation by Luigi Bonelli (often mislabeled). Bonelli’s translation is more literal but uses archaic "tu" forms and lacks Bausani’s poetic rhythm. If the PDF you download uses "Egli" for God instead of "Lui" or "Colui," you likely do not have Bausani. Bausani Il Corano.pdf
In his extensive introductory essay (often published separately as L’Islam or included in the front matter of Il Corano ), Bausani frames the Quran as the verbal incarnation of the Divine Logos in an Islamic key. He compares its function to that of Christ in Christianity: just as Christ is the eternal Word made flesh, the Quran is the eternal Word made book. This analogy, while not orthodox for either religion, opened a comparative space for Western readers to approach the Quran with a form of “secular reverence.” Bausani taught his audience to listen to the text, not just analyze it. This article delves into the significance of Bausani’s
For the serious student of Islam, downloading a legitimate copy (via a library loan or purchase of a used physical book) is not just about reading the Quran; it is about understanding how a 20th-century mind grappled with a 7th-century revelation. If the PDF you download uses "Egli" for
The Quran is primarily an oral revelation. Its power lies in tajwid (phonetic rules) and saj‘ (rhymed prose). Bausani was obsessed with reproducing the rhythmic cadence of the Arabic original. He did not translate the Quran in stifled rhymes, but he utilized a modern Italian rhythmic system that mimics the breath and pause patterns of the Arabic suras. If you find , you will notice that reading it aloud in Italian feels closer to the Arabic soundscape than any other European translation.
Bausani’s translation is favored because it avoids "Westernizing" the text. While many previous translators tried to make the Quran fit into a Christian or European literary framework, Bausani respected the unique rhythmic and legalistic nature of the original Arabic.