The Translation of the Qur’ān into French by André du Ryer (1647): A Key Stage in the Emergence of a Secular Reception of the Qur’ān in Europe

The article is devoted to one of the most important achievements of European Oriental Studies in the 17th century — the first published complete translation of the Qur’ān into the living spoken language, made directly from the original Arabic text. It refers to the Alkoran of Mohammed by the French scholar and statesman André du Ryer (c. 1580–1660), published in Paris in 1647. The work by A. du Ryer had a great influence on the reception of Islam in Europe and Russia, as well as on the establishment of translation traditions of the Qur’ān not only into French, but also into English, Dutch, German, and Russian. In particular, A. du Ryer’s translation of the Qur’ān is the basis for the first three translations of the Qur’ān into Russian, made in the 18th century. The article examines the scientist’s biography, the history of his work, key features of the translation, as well as the history of editions and translations into European languages. The study relies on the analysis of the translated text, archival materials, and extensive foreign historiography. A. du Ryer’s work represents a transition from the medieval polemical tradition to the secular scientific approach in European Qur’ānic studies. The purpose of this article is to lay the foundation for studying this work in the context of Russian- language science.