Early Modern Readers' Reception of the First English Quran: A Global Survey

Strategic Insights -

Early modern readers in Europe demonstrated a mix of curiosity and criticism when encountering the first English translation of the Quran, published in 1649. An analysis of marginalia and flyleaf notes in extant copies reveals a diverse range of reactions, with many readers evaluating the quality of the translation and supplementary historical material. Despite some variance in reader reactions, many approached the volume with a critical eye, similar to modern scholars seeking to identify the unknown parties involved in producing the English translation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The first English translation of the Quran, published in 1649, was met with a mix of curiosity and criticism from early modern readers in Europe.
  • A global survey of marginalia and flyleaf notes in extant copies reveals a diverse range of reactions, with many readers evaluating the quality of the translation and supplementary historical material.
  • Many early modern readers demonstrated a critical eye, similar to modern scholars, in identifying the unknown parties involved in producing the English translation.
  • The research identified all known extant copies of the 1649 Alcoran held at research institutions around the world.
  • The translation was included in the Library of Congress and is held in the Princeton University Library's Rare Books and Manuscripts.
  • The analysis was conducted by a researcher from Princeton University, Class Dept, Princeton, NJ 08544, United States.
  • The research was peer-reviewed and published in the Huntington Library Quarterly.

Statistics:

  • 1649: The year the first English translation of the Quran was published.
  • 87(3):415-445: The volume and page numbers of the Huntington Library Quarterly where the research was published.
  • 2024: The year the research was published.
  • 3: The number of copies of the 1649 Alcoran identified in research institutions around the world.

Sources:

  • "The Alcoran of Mahomet" (1649), the first English translation of the Quran.
  • Huntington Library Quarterly, 2024;87(3):415-445, where the research was published.
  • Huntington Library Quarterly, Univ Pennsylvania Press, Journals Division, 3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
  • NewsRx LLC, Information Technology Newsweekly, November 4, 2025, p 762.