The Inception of Qur’an Printing in the Subcontinent: A Research and Analytical Study

Abstract

This study explores the historical evolution of Qur’an printing in the Indian subcontinent, placing it within the broader global context of print technology and its acceptance in the Muslim world. India witnessed a unique embrace of print by Muslim scholars and reformers who saw it as a tool for religious revival in response to challenges from British colonization, Christian missionaries, and Hindu reform movements. The study emphasizes the pioneering efforts in Qur’an printing, the initial Urdu translations and Arabic editions released in Howrah and Calcutta during the early 19th century, followed by significant progress through lithographic techniques. Lithography, which could beautifully replicate handwritten manuscripts, emerged as a pivotal force in enhancing the accessibility and cultural acceptance of religious literature. It empowered Muslim publishers in cities such as Lucknow, where presses such as the Sultanate Press and the renowned Nawal Kishore Press blended calligraphic traditions with industrial printing methods. These printing houses not only increased public access to the Qur’an but also influenced Islamic education, identity, and print culture throughout South Asia and beyond. The paper argues that the embrace of print, especially through lithography, was not just a technological advancement but a cultural and religious adaptation that redefined how sacred texts were produced, distributed, and consumed.