A Glance at Georgian Translations of the Qur ān

Georgia, a country with a population of more than 4.5 million, has long seen peaceful coexistence among followers of different religions. On the other hand it was of the first of nations to embrace Christianity and its Eastern Orthodox branch still remains the official faith of the country. Georgian Muslims, Sunni and Shi’ite combined, make up about 10 percent of the total population and constitute thelargest religious minority in the country. Motivated by of the relative diversity of the Georgian Muslim population in terms of both sectarian and geographical distribution and the resulting pluralism in translations and interpretations of the Qur’ān, this article concerns itself with offering a history of Georgian translations of the Qur’ān and presenting an assessment of their qualities, relative strengths and shortcomings and their cultural and practical significance.