THE PLACE OF THE RUSSIAN TRANSLATION OF AL-BIRUNI’S INDIA IN INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE

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Abstract

The article examines the place of the Russian translation of Abu Rayhan al-Biruni’s work India in the context of intercultural dialogue between East and West, as well as the role of Soviet and Uzbek orientalists in its study and popularization in the second half of the twentieth century. Special attention is paid to the scholarly and cultural environment that developed in the USSR in connection with the jubilee dates of al-Biruni — the 900th anniversary of his death and the 1000th anniversary of his birth — which became important milestones in the development of Biruni studies. It is shown that during this period fundamental editions and studies were prepared, including the Russian translation of India carried out by A. B. Khalidov and Yu. N. Zavadovsky under the editorship of V. I. Belyaev.

The article analyzes the contribution of such scholars as S. P. Tolstov, I. Yu. Krachkovsky, P. G. Bulgakov, V. G. Erman, U. I. Karimov, I. M. Muminov, A. M. Belenitsky and A. Ahmedov, who considered India not only as a historical-geographical work but also as a unique encyclopedia of Indian culture, science, religion and philosophy. It is emphasized that the translation and scholarly commentaries on India played a key role in deepening knowledge of ancient Indian civilization and in shaping an objective view of cultural ties between the Islamic world and India. As a result, al-Biruni’s India appears as an outstanding monument of intercultural interaction and scientific tolerance, relevant for contemporary humanities scholarship as well.