Section Dedicated to Late Quran Translator Launched in Saint Petersburg Library

IQNA – The National Library of Russia in Saint-Petersburg has launched a section in memory of Ignaty Krachkovsky.

Krachkovsky was a Russian orientalist and Arabic language researcher known for his translation of the Quran into Russian.

In a message on the opening of the section, Sheikh Ravil Gaynutdin, the head of the Russia Mufties Council, said Krachkovsky’s translation was popular among millions of Russian-speaking families during the Soviet era when religion was banned.

He said Krachkovsky can be considered as an intellectual bridge between Russia’s orientalism tradition before and during the Soviet era.

Krachkovsky (March 1883, Vilnius- January 24, 1951, Leningrad) was a Russian and Soviet Arabist, academician of the Russian Academy of Science and one of the founders of the Soviet school of Arab studies.

He was also among the scholars contributing to the first Encyclopedia of Islam. He wrote an article for the encyclopedia on Abi Bakr Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Suli. 

Krachkovsky wrote the most famous translation of the Holy Quran into the Russian language.  

His book of recollections Among Arabic Manuscripts was awarded Stalin Prize (in 1951).

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