KOPAH A Serbian Translation of the Qur’ān by Mićo Ljubibratić
Main Article Content
Keywords
Abstract
This essay examines the historical and social context surrounding Mihajlo Mića Ljubibratić’s first translation of the Qur’ān into Serbian, published in 1895 in Belgrade. The article explores the political and social factors influencing Ljubibratić’s decision to undertake this translation, as well as the reception of his work in both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It also discusses subsequent editions and publications of the translation. Additionally, the essay analyzes the Russian and French sources used in the translation and provides commentary on Ljubibratić’s stylistic choices within their sociolinguistic context.
References
Endnotes
1 This information about Mićo Ljubibratić’s origin and life is drawn from the site:
http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић. Accessed on October 1, 2024.
2 See: http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић. Accessed on October 1, 2024.
3 This information is, in part, drawn from the work: Milorad Ekmečić, Ustanak u
Hercegovini 1882. i istorijske pouke, objavljeno u: Radovi iz istorije Bosne i Hercegovine
XIX veka, Beograd, 1997.
4 Sinan Gudžević, Mićo Ljubibratić, Novosti, Zagreb. January 13, 2015.
5 Cited according to Sinan Gudžević, ibid.
6 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
7 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
8 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
9 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,”
Bibliotekarstvo, XIII/3., Sarajevo, 1967., str. 43.
10 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,” ibid.,
p. 43.
11 Instead of a sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina—an idea with some popular support—
in 1878 Bosnia and Herzegovina became a corpus separatum under the
Austro-Hungarian Empire.
12 Martin Gjurgjević, Memoari sa Balkana (1858 – 1878), Sarajevo, 1910., p. 75.
13 See: http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 1, 2024.
14 More on this in: Nikola Stijepović, Hercegovačko-bokeljski ustanak 1882: borbena
dejstva i pouke, published by Vojno delo, Beograd, 1963.
15 Mićo Ljubibratić’s grave is located in the Belgrade New Cemetery.
16 Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the book by Jovan Skerlić (1877-1914), Omladina i
njena književnost (1848-1871), Beograd, 1906, pp. 221-222.
17 For these claims Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following source: Savo
Ljubibratić and Todor Kruševac, Prilozi za proučavanje hercegovačkih ustanaka 1857-
1878. godine. Godišnjak istoriskog društva Bosne i Hercegovine, year VII. Sarajevo,
1956, p. 185 and further.
18 As it was said, Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following work: Prilozi za proučavanje
hercegovačkih ustanaka 1857-1878. godine (authors Savo Ljubibratić and Todor
Kruševac), published in: Godišnjak istoriskog društva Bosne i Hercegovine, year
VII. Sarajevo, 1956, p. 200.
19 Regarding this, Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following source: “Zastava” o
Bosni i Hercegovini. Prva knjiga. Svjetlost. Sarajevo, 1953, p. 118.
20 This Omerbeg Ćemerlić is also mentioned in the work Odabrane biografije (pub.
Matica srpska), volume five, see online edition, entry on Ljubibratić.
21 “Revue Britannique,” 1875, vol. 6, pp. 243-244.
22 Cf. Dragutin J. Ilić, Poslednji prorok, published by Knjižara Mite Stajića, Beograd, 1896.
23 What Dragutin J. Ilić wants to say is that the translation of this paragraph of the
Qurʼān should read: “God guides to the right path those who want the right path,
and leaves in error those who want to remain in error.”
24 Dragutin J. Ilić, Последњи пророк, ibid., p. 91, note 1.
25 Cited according to: Srpski književni glasnik, Beograd, November 1, 1931., book
XXXIV, No. 5., p. 350. Cf. Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima
Kurʼāna kod nas, ibid., p. 43.
26 For more see: Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod
nas, ibid., p. 43.
27 Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas, ibid., p. 43.
28 Unfortunately, the name of this official newspaper of the Scutari vilayet is not
known.
29 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,” p. 41.
30 Cf. Hadžijahić, ibid., p. 41.
31 The newspaper Bošnjak was published in Sarajevo from 1891 to 1910, and it was
launched by the Bosnian Muslim reformer Mehmed-beg Kapetanović Ljubušak
(1839-1902).
32 In the same issue of December 10, 1896.
33 Adnan Jahić wrote an excellent monograph on Tuzla Hikjmet. See: Hikjmet – riječ
tradicionalne uleme u Bosni i Hercegovini, Tuzla, 2004.
34 Cf. Hikjmet, year II, no. 23-24, Tuzla 1931, p. 323.
35 Ibid., 323.
36 Cf. Albert de Biberstein-Kasimirski, Le Koran, Paris (Charpentier), 1841.
37 Cf. M. Brett Wilson, Translating the Qurʼān in an Age of Nationalism, Print Culture
and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, 2014).
38 Ibid., p. 104.
39 Hikjmet, ibid., p. 323.
40 Mehmed Handžić wrote this in 1937.
41 Mehmed Handžić, Prijevod Kurʼāna od hadži Ali Riza Karabega, magazine El-Hidaje,
year II, no. 9., Sarajevo 1937., p. 141.
42 Cf. Mustafa Busuladžić, Prvi prievodi Kur-ana u svietu i kod nas, Sarajevo, 1945.
43 Mustafa Busuladžić, ibid., p. 12.
44 Cf. Kur-an, preveo s arapskog Hadži Ali Riza Karabeg, Štamparija “Prosvjeta“, published
by J. Karić, Mostar, 1937.
45 Mustafa Busuladžić, ibid., p. 13-14.
46 Cf. Iz Kurʼāna časnog – Svetu celom opomene, translated by Mićo Ljubibratić, selected
by Miodrag Maksimović, foreword by Hasan Kaleši, Library Zodijak (published by
Vuk Karadžić), Beograd, 1967.
47 A literal translation reads: In the name of the compassionate and merciful God;
1. Glory be to God, Lord of the whole world; 2. The compassionate, the merciful;
3. Master of the Day of Judgment; 4. We worship you and you we ask for help; 5.
Guide us to the right path; 6. The path of those whom you showered with charity;
7. Not of those who incurred your wrath, nor those who went astray.
48 KOPAH, Beograd, 1895, p. 35. A common English translation from Mustafa Khattab’s
The Clear Qur’an for readers unfamiliar with this verse reads: “He is the One Who
has revealed to you [O Prophet] the Book, of which some verses are precise—they
are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive. Those with deviant hearts
follow the elusive verses seeking [to spread] doubt through their [false] interpretations—
but none grasps their [full] meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded
in knowledge, they say, “We believe in this [Qurʼān]—it is all from our Lord.” But
none will be mindful [of this] except people of reason.”
49 KOPAH, p. 341. (75:6).
50 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation of surah 89:23.
51 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation of the paragraph in 33:56.
52 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation (p. 43.) of the paragraph found in 3:85. (Ljubibratić’s
pagination 3:79).
53 Cf. Kasimirski, Le Coran, Garnier-Flammarion, Paris, 1970, p. 77.
54 Kasimirski, ibid., p. 72.
55 A common English translation from Mustafa Khattab’s The Clear Qur’an for readers
unfamiliar with these verses reads: Alif-Lam-Mim. This is the Book! There
is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful [of Allah], who believe in the
unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them, and
who believe in what has been revealed to you [O Prophet] and what was revealed
before you, and have sure faith in the Hereafter. It is they who are [truly] guided
by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful.
56 Kasimirski, p. 66.
57 On the translation of the Qurʼān by Mićo Ljubibratić and comparisons of his translation
solutions with those given by our other translators of the Qurʼān, see many
sections in our book: Hermeneutika Kurʼāna, published by Hrvatsko filozofsko
društvo, Zagreb, 1990.
58 Darko Tanasković, Kurʼan, Mogućnosti, časopis za književnost, umjetnost i kulturne
probleme, no. 8/9, Split, 1979, p. 882.
59 Sinan Gudžević, Mićo Ljubibratić, Novosti, Zagreb, January 13, 2015.
1 This information about Mićo Ljubibratić’s origin and life is drawn from the site:
http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић. Accessed on October 1, 2024.
2 See: http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић. Accessed on October 1, 2024.
3 This information is, in part, drawn from the work: Milorad Ekmečić, Ustanak u
Hercegovini 1882. i istorijske pouke, objavljeno u: Radovi iz istorije Bosne i Hercegovine
XIX veka, Beograd, 1997.
4 Sinan Gudžević, Mićo Ljubibratić, Novosti, Zagreb. January 13, 2015.
5 Cited according to Sinan Gudžević, ibid.
6 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
7 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
8 https://www.maticasrpska.org.rs/stariSajt/biografije/biografije_sbr.pdf (biografija:
Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 10, 2024).
9 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,”
Bibliotekarstvo, XIII/3., Sarajevo, 1967., str. 43.
10 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,” ibid.,
p. 43.
11 Instead of a sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina—an idea with some popular support—
in 1878 Bosnia and Herzegovina became a corpus separatum under the
Austro-Hungarian Empire.
12 Martin Gjurgjević, Memoari sa Balkana (1858 – 1878), Sarajevo, 1910., p. 75.
13 See: http://srpskaenciklopedija.org/ – Мићо Љубибратић – accessed on October 1, 2024.
14 More on this in: Nikola Stijepović, Hercegovačko-bokeljski ustanak 1882: borbena
dejstva i pouke, published by Vojno delo, Beograd, 1963.
15 Mićo Ljubibratić’s grave is located in the Belgrade New Cemetery.
16 Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the book by Jovan Skerlić (1877-1914), Omladina i
njena književnost (1848-1871), Beograd, 1906, pp. 221-222.
17 For these claims Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following source: Savo
Ljubibratić and Todor Kruševac, Prilozi za proučavanje hercegovačkih ustanaka 1857-
1878. godine. Godišnjak istoriskog društva Bosne i Hercegovine, year VII. Sarajevo,
1956, p. 185 and further.
18 As it was said, Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following work: Prilozi za proučavanje
hercegovačkih ustanaka 1857-1878. godine (authors Savo Ljubibratić and Todor
Kruševac), published in: Godišnjak istoriskog društva Bosne i Hercegovine, year
VII. Sarajevo, 1956, p. 200.
19 Regarding this, Muhamed Hadžijahić refers to the following source: “Zastava” o
Bosni i Hercegovini. Prva knjiga. Svjetlost. Sarajevo, 1953, p. 118.
20 This Omerbeg Ćemerlić is also mentioned in the work Odabrane biografije (pub.
Matica srpska), volume five, see online edition, entry on Ljubibratić.
21 “Revue Britannique,” 1875, vol. 6, pp. 243-244.
22 Cf. Dragutin J. Ilić, Poslednji prorok, published by Knjižara Mite Stajića, Beograd, 1896.
23 What Dragutin J. Ilić wants to say is that the translation of this paragraph of the
Qurʼān should read: “God guides to the right path those who want the right path,
and leaves in error those who want to remain in error.”
24 Dragutin J. Ilić, Последњи пророк, ibid., p. 91, note 1.
25 Cited according to: Srpski književni glasnik, Beograd, November 1, 1931., book
XXXIV, No. 5., p. 350. Cf. Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima
Kurʼāna kod nas, ibid., p. 43.
26 For more see: Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod
nas, ibid., p. 43.
27 Muhamed Hadžijahić, Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas, ibid., p. 43.
28 Unfortunately, the name of this official newspaper of the Scutari vilayet is not
known.
29 Muhamed Hadžijahić, “Bibliografske bilješke o prijevodima Kurʼāna kod nas,” p. 41.
30 Cf. Hadžijahić, ibid., p. 41.
31 The newspaper Bošnjak was published in Sarajevo from 1891 to 1910, and it was
launched by the Bosnian Muslim reformer Mehmed-beg Kapetanović Ljubušak
(1839-1902).
32 In the same issue of December 10, 1896.
33 Adnan Jahić wrote an excellent monograph on Tuzla Hikjmet. See: Hikjmet – riječ
tradicionalne uleme u Bosni i Hercegovini, Tuzla, 2004.
34 Cf. Hikjmet, year II, no. 23-24, Tuzla 1931, p. 323.
35 Ibid., 323.
36 Cf. Albert de Biberstein-Kasimirski, Le Koran, Paris (Charpentier), 1841.
37 Cf. M. Brett Wilson, Translating the Qurʼān in an Age of Nationalism, Print Culture
and Modern Islam in Turkey (Oxford University Press, Oxford and New York, 2014).
38 Ibid., p. 104.
39 Hikjmet, ibid., p. 323.
40 Mehmed Handžić wrote this in 1937.
41 Mehmed Handžić, Prijevod Kurʼāna od hadži Ali Riza Karabega, magazine El-Hidaje,
year II, no. 9., Sarajevo 1937., p. 141.
42 Cf. Mustafa Busuladžić, Prvi prievodi Kur-ana u svietu i kod nas, Sarajevo, 1945.
43 Mustafa Busuladžić, ibid., p. 12.
44 Cf. Kur-an, preveo s arapskog Hadži Ali Riza Karabeg, Štamparija “Prosvjeta“, published
by J. Karić, Mostar, 1937.
45 Mustafa Busuladžić, ibid., p. 13-14.
46 Cf. Iz Kurʼāna časnog – Svetu celom opomene, translated by Mićo Ljubibratić, selected
by Miodrag Maksimović, foreword by Hasan Kaleši, Library Zodijak (published by
Vuk Karadžić), Beograd, 1967.
47 A literal translation reads: In the name of the compassionate and merciful God;
1. Glory be to God, Lord of the whole world; 2. The compassionate, the merciful;
3. Master of the Day of Judgment; 4. We worship you and you we ask for help; 5.
Guide us to the right path; 6. The path of those whom you showered with charity;
7. Not of those who incurred your wrath, nor those who went astray.
48 KOPAH, Beograd, 1895, p. 35. A common English translation from Mustafa Khattab’s
The Clear Qur’an for readers unfamiliar with this verse reads: “He is the One Who
has revealed to you [O Prophet] the Book, of which some verses are precise—they
are the foundation of the Book—while others are elusive. Those with deviant hearts
follow the elusive verses seeking [to spread] doubt through their [false] interpretations—
but none grasps their [full] meaning except Allah. As for those well-grounded
in knowledge, they say, “We believe in this [Qurʼān]—it is all from our Lord.” But
none will be mindful [of this] except people of reason.”
49 KOPAH, p. 341. (75:6).
50 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation of surah 89:23.
51 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation of the paragraph in 33:56.
52 Cf. Ljubibratić’s translation (p. 43.) of the paragraph found in 3:85. (Ljubibratić’s
pagination 3:79).
53 Cf. Kasimirski, Le Coran, Garnier-Flammarion, Paris, 1970, p. 77.
54 Kasimirski, ibid., p. 72.
55 A common English translation from Mustafa Khattab’s The Clear Qur’an for readers
unfamiliar with these verses reads: Alif-Lam-Mim. This is the Book! There
is no doubt about it—a guide for those mindful [of Allah], who believe in the
unseen, establish prayer, and donate from what We have provided for them, and
who believe in what has been revealed to you [O Prophet] and what was revealed
before you, and have sure faith in the Hereafter. It is they who are [truly] guided
by their Lord, and it is they who will be successful.
56 Kasimirski, p. 66.
57 On the translation of the Qurʼān by Mićo Ljubibratić and comparisons of his translation
solutions with those given by our other translators of the Qurʼān, see many
sections in our book: Hermeneutika Kurʼāna, published by Hrvatsko filozofsko
društvo, Zagreb, 1990.
58 Darko Tanasković, Kurʼan, Mogućnosti, časopis za književnost, umjetnost i kulturne
probleme, no. 8/9, Split, 1979, p. 882.
59 Sinan Gudžević, Mićo Ljubibratić, Novosti, Zagreb, January 13, 2015.
Article Sidebar
Published
Nov 10, 2025
Article Details
How to Cite
Karić, E. (2025). KOPAH: A Serbian Translation of the Qur’ān by Mićo Ljubibratić. American Journal of Islam and Society, 42(3-4), 180–205. https://doi.org/10.35632/ajis.v42i3-4.3893
Section
Forum
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
When an article is accepted for publication, copyrights of the publication are transferred from the author to the Journal and reserved for the Publisher. Permission will be required from the publisher for any work for which the author does not hold copyright and for any substantial extracts from work by other authors. The copyright holder giving permission may instruct the author on the form of acknowledgment to be followed. Alternatively, we recommend following the style: “Reproduced with permission from [author], [book/journal title]; published by [publisher], [year]”.
No commercial reproduction is allowed without the express permission of the publisher.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
© The International Institute of Islamic Thought
