Hamza Roberto Piccardo made history as the first Muslim to translate the Holy Quran into Italian, a translation highly regarded by the Muslim community in Italy.
His work is considered a trusted source, widely appreciated among Italy’s Muslim population, estimated to be around 2.5 million according to 2023 figures, primarily from Moroccan, Albanian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Senegalese, Egyptian, and Tunisian backgrounds.
Italian has seen twelve full Quran translations, with the first one appearing in 1547 by Andrea Arrivabene, which was based on earlier Latin translations rather than the original Arabic.
Key Italian translators of the Quran include;
- Ludovico Marracci (1698)
- Vincenzo Calza (1847)
- Panzeri (1882)
- Alessandro Bausani (1955)
However, it was Piccardo who, as a Muslim, first translated directly from Arabic, providing a unique perspective for Italian readers.
About Hamza Piccardo
Born in 1952 in northwest Italy, Piccardo embraced Islam in 1975 after exposure to the religion during travels in Africa.
He went on to lead the Union of Islamic Communities in Italy and later served as the spokesperson for the European Muslim Network.
In 1993, he founded the Al Hikma publishing house, which published his Italian Quran translation, completed in 1994 after five years of careful work and review by multiple committees.
Piccardo’s translation has sold over 150,000 copies, becoming the most widely read Quran in Italian. Many Italians have reportedly converted to Islam after reading it.
Recognized by prominent Islamic organizations, Piccardo’s translation was selected by Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd Quran Printing Complex in 2010 for international publication.
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