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AL-QANTARA
XXXVII 1, enero-junio 2016
pp. 111-128
ISSN 0211-3589
doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
Additional Contributions of ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī
to the Muslim-Jewish Polemic*
Contribuciones adicionales de ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī a
la polémica judío-musulmana
Haggai Mazuz
Annemarie Schimmel Kolleg, Bonn, Germany
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī, a fourteenth-century
Muslim polemicist of Jewish origin, has been
somewhat obscured in research due to doubts
about the uniqueness and originality of his
thinking and the extent of his Jewish
education. This article, part of a broader
research effort presently under way, attempts
to surmount these doubts by demonstrating
that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq made a unique contribution
to the oeuvre of Muslim anti-Jewish polemics,
displayed originality in his extensive use of
gematria and adaptation of source material to
his agenda, and possessed no small amount of
Jewish knowledge. The last-mentioned is
reflected in his familiarity with the structure
and messages of the Bible, at least a
superficial acquaintance with parts of the Oral
Law, and possibly some proficiency in
Hebrew.
Key words: Polemics, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, dalā’il al-nubuwwa,
‘Uzayr, Midrash, gematria.
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī, un polemista
musulmán del siglo XIV y de origen judío, ha
sido algo silenciado por la investigación
puesto que existían dudas respecto a la
excepcionalidad y originalidad de su
pensamiento, así como respecto a la extensión
de su educación en el Judaísmo. Este artículo,
parte de un estudio más amplio, intenta
superar esas dudas demostrando que ‘Abd alḤaqq hizo una contribución única a las obras
de polémica musulmana anti-judía, mostró
una amplia originalidad en su extenso uso de
la gematría y adaptación de las fuentes a su
agenda, mostrando, asimismo, un gran
conocimiento judío. Esto último queda
demostrado por su familiaridad con la
estructura y el mensaje bíblicos, por un
conocimiento superficial de partes de la ley
oral y por una cierta habilidad con el hebreo.
Palabras clave: Polémica, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq
al-Islāmī, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, dalā’il alnubuwwa, ‘Uzayr, Midrash, gematría.
*
I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers of this article, as well as Professor
Esperanza Alfonso, for their invaluable comments and assistance.
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112
HAGGAI MAZUZ
Introduction
Not much is known about Abū Muḥammad ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī.
He was an apostate Jew who probably lived in Ceuta in the late
fourteenth century.1 He testifies to having converted to Islam at the age
of forty and having convinced his family to do the same. Sixteen years
after that event, he wrote the polemical tract al-Sayf al-Mamdūd fī
l-radd ‘alā Aḥbār al-Yahūd (The Outstretched Sword for Refuting the
Rabbis of the Jews).2
The first to mention al-Sayf al-Mamdūd in the academic literature
was Moritz Steinschneider, who described it and its author tersely and
generally.3 Almost seven decades later, Moshe Perlmann reviewed the
gist of al-Sayf al-Mamdūd as set forth in three manuscripts. “There is
hardly anything new in his [‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s] arguments, i.e., in the
passages he quotes for his case,” Perlmann concluded.4 Elsewhere, he
defined al-Sayf al-Mamdūd as “vulgar.”5 Some fifty years after
Perlmann, Hava Lazarus-Yafeh, seeing room for further discussion of
the contents of al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, turned her attention to this pamphlet
for the self-stated purpose of completing Perlmann’s overview.6
Lazarus-Yafeh sorts ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s arguments into four (actually five)
categories that correspond to what she considers his polemical
methodologies: (1) Biblical verses and Midrashim, (2) gematria
(calculation of the numerical value of Hebrew letters), (3) arguments
that exhibit Karaite characteristics, and (4) Qur’ān commentary. She
concludes that although he was not an educated Jew, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq
knew the Bible and Jewish customs better than Muslim authors
(presumably polemicists who were born as Muslims) did.7
See Alfonso, “‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī”, p. 6.
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd fī l-radd ‘alā Aḥbār al-Yahūd, ed. and
trans. by E. Alfonso, pp. 9-11. Throughout the article, I refer to the Arabic text in Alfonso’s
edition. The Bible translation that I use throughout the article is The King James Version
of the English Bible: An Account of the Development and Sources of the English Bible of
1611 with Special References to Hebrew Tradition. In certain cases, the translation is
slightly modified to reflect (in my opinion) the Hebrew text more accurately.
3
Steinschneider, Polemische und apologetische Literatur in arabischer Sprache, p. 125.
4
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī, a Jewish Convert”, p. 180.
5
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī”, p. 176.
6
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert from Morocco to the Muslim
Polemic against Jews and Judaism”, p. 83.
7
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 89.
1
2
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ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
113
In 1998, Esperanza Alfonso published a critical edition of al-Sayf alMamdūd that included a translation into Spanish and resorted to more
manuscripts than Perlmann accessed. Her introduction discusses
important issues that surrounded the writing of al-Sayf al-Mamdūd as
well as other matters such as the conversion of Jews, interfaith relations,
and the Jews of Morocco. It also touches briefly upon the nature and
contents of the pamphlet. In 2010, she dedicated a short entry to ‘Abd alḤaqq that briefly describes his life and pamphlet.8 Ryan Szpiech devoted
a discussion to the conversion narrative of several Jews, of whom ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq is one, who wrote anti-Jewish tracts after their conversion.9
In a forthcoming article, I show that although some of ‘Abd alḤaqq’s arguments appear to resemble those of Samaw’al al-Maghribī
(1125–1175 CE) and Sa‘īd b. Ḥasan al-Iskandarī (thirteenth–fourteenth
century), with the exclusion of two examples, the former do not seem
to have been inspired by the latter and his thinking was actually highly
original and independent.10
Below, I intend to show additional manifestations of the originality
of ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s work and demonstrate that Perlmann’s and LazarusYafeh’s arguments regarding his lack of singularity, originality, and
Jewish education should be circumscribed. The discussion will reveal
further aspects of ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s contribution to the Muslim-Jewish
polemic. It will focus on three topics: his presentation of dalā’il alI would like
thank the anonymous
this article,
as well as Professor
nubuwwa,
histo attitude
toward reviewers
‘Uzayr, ofand
his familiarity
with
Esperanza Alfonso, for their invaluable comments and assistance.
1
Midrashic
ideas
and
Jewish
interpretive
methods.
See Alfonso, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, p. 6.
!
2
‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m", al-Sayf al-Mamd!d f" l-radd ‘al! A"b!r al-Yah!d, ed. and
trans. by E. Alfonso, Madrid, CSIC, 1998, pp. 9-11. Throughout the article, I refer to the
Arabic text in Alfonso’s edition and translation. The Bible translation that I use
1.
Dalā’il al-Nubuwwa
throughout the article is The King James Version of the English Bible: An Account of
the Development and Sources of the English Bible of 1611 with Special References to
Hebrew
Tradition.
In certainal-Mamdūd
cases, the translation
slightly
modified
reflect (in my
Perusal
of al-Sayf
showsis‘Abd
al-Ḥ
aqq’stofar-reaching
opinion) the Hebrew text more accurately.
reliance
on Biblical verses, transliterated into Arabic and accompanied
3
Steinschneider, Polemische und apologetische Literatur in arabischer Sprache, p.
by
a
commentary.
The transliteration is generally quite reasonable but
125.
4
Perlmann,
“‘Abd
al-!aqq
a Jewish
Convert”,
p. 180.that it interprets
the 5commentary is often al-Isl!m",
incongruous
with
the verse
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, p. 176.
because
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq tailors it to his polemical agenda. Lazarus-Yafeh
6
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert from Morocco to the Muslim
Polemic against Jews and Judaism”, p. 83.
7
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 89.
88
Alfonso, “‘Abd
“‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq
al-Isl!m"”, pp.
pp. 6-7.
6-7.
Alfonso,
aqq al-Islāmī”,
99
Szpiech, Conversion
Conversion and
and Narrative:
Narrative: Reading and Religious Authority in Medieval
Szpiech,
Polemic, pp. 196-200.
10
10
Mazuz,
aqq al-Islāmī—An
Independent-Minded
Polemicist
or a Mimic
Mazuz,“‘Abd
“‘Abdal-Ḥ
al-!aqq
al-Isl!m" —An
Independent-Minded
Polemicist
or a
of
His Predecessors?”
(forthcoming).
Mimic
of His Predecessors?”
(forthcoming).
11
See Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 84.
12
‘Abd XXXVII
al-!aqq,1,al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
p. 20.0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
Al-Qantara
2016, pp.
111-128 ISSN
13
On ta!r"f, see Adang, Muslim Writers on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible: From
Ibn Rabban to Ibn !azm, pp. 223-248; Lazarus-Yafeh, “Ta!r"f”, EI2, vol. 10, pp. 111112; Accad, “Corruption and/or Misinterpretation of the Bible: The Story of the Islamic
Usage of Ta#r"f”, pp. 67-97; Reynolds, “On the Qur’!nic Accusation of Scriptural
Falsification (ta!r"f) and Christian Anti-Jewish Polemic”; Nickel, Narratives of
Tampering in the Earliest Commentaries on the Qur’$n; Griffith, The Bible in Arabic:
The Scriptures of the “People of the Book” in the Language of Islam, pp. 175-177;
Mazuz, The Religious and Spiritual Life of the Jews of Medina, pp. 17-21; Toenies
Keating, “Revisiting the Charge of Ta!r"f: The Question of Supersessionism in Early
Islam and the Qur’an”, pp. 202-217; del Río Sánchez, “The Rejection of Muhammad’s
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:24Página114
114
HAGGAI MAZUZ
assumes that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq used Christian translations of the Bible into
Arabic because they were more literal than the Jewish ones, hence richer
in anthropomorphism (tajsīm).11 However, by writing that there are
twenty-four books in the Bible,12 ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq implies his familiarity
with the Jewish, not the Christian, division of the Biblical corpus.
One of the most frequent claims among Muslim polemicists is that
the Bible alludes to Muḥammad’s name but that the Jews, jealous of
the non-Jewish prophet, deleted the allusions and falsified the verses
that contained them. This falsification, known as tahrīf in Islamic
sources,13 was, according to the Muslim sages, thwarted by Allāh in
someI would
cases,
thus demonstrating the truth of their religion.
like to thank the anonymous reviewers of this article, as well as Professor
Consequently,
authorities
often
refer to these verses as
Esperanza Alfonso, Muslim
for their invaluable
comments
and assistance.
1
See Alfonso,
“‘Abd
al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”,
p. 6. al-nubuwwa) or “signs of
“evidence
of
prophethood”
(dalā’il
2
‘Abd al-!aqq(a‘lām
al-Isl!m",
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d
f" l-radd
al-Yah!d,
and
prophethood”
al-nubuwwa).
‘Abd
al-Ḥ‘al!
aqqA"b!r
seems
to beed.very
trans. by E. Alfonso, Madrid, CSIC, 1998, pp. 9-11. Throughout the article, I refer to the
original
in in
hisAlfonso’s
dalā’il, both
his translation.
use of verses
his interpretation
Arabic text
editioninand
The and
Bibleintranslation
that I use
of
other verses
that
were
invoked
by previous
polemicists.
throughout
the article
is The
King
James Version
of the English
Bible: An Below,
Account ofI
the Development
andthat
Sources
of theas
English
Bible
of five
1611 types
with Special
References
to
divide
the verses
he uses
dalā’il
into
and explain
that
Hebrew Tradition. In certain cases, the translation is slightly modified to reflect (in my
he
interprets
most
them
through the technique of gematria, which
opinion)
the Hebrew
textofmore
accurately.
14
3
he considers
a cardinal
principle
in the Jewish
religion.
Steinschneider,
Polemische
und apologetische
Literatur
in arabischer Sprache, p.
!
125.
4
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m", a Jewish Convert”, p. 180.
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, p. 176.
Use6 of
common verses
in the of
Muslim
with Morocco
Judaismto the Muslim
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
a Jewishpolemic
Convert from
Polemic against Jews and Judaism”, p. 83.
7
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 89.
8Muslim polemicists are specifically drawn to four Biblical verses
Alfonso, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, pp. 6-7.
9
(Gen.Szpiech,
17:20Conversion
and Deut.and
18:15,
18:18,
and and
33:2);
one may
findin them
or
Narrative:
Reading
Religious
Authority
Medieval
Polemic,
pp. 196-200. in almost every anti-Jewish polemical Islamic tract.
their
paraphrases
10
Mazuz, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m" —An Independent-Minded Polemicist or a
Mimic of His Predecessors?” (forthcoming).
11
See Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 84.
12
11
‘Abd
al-!aqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,ofp.a 20.
See
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
Jewish Convert”, p. 84.
13
12
On ta!r"f,
seeal-Sayf
Adang,al-Mamdūd,
Muslim Writers
‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq,
p. 20.on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible: From
10, From
pp. 111Ibn 13Rabban
223-248;
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Ta!r"f”,
EI2, vol.
On taḥto
rīf,Ibn
see!azm,
Adang,pp.
Muslim
Writers
on Judaism and
the Hebrew
Bible:
Ibn
2
112; Accad,
“Corruption
Misinterpretation
the Bible:
Story
the111-112;
Islamic
Rabban
to Ibn
Ḥazm, pp.and/or
223-248;
Lazarus-Yafeh,of“Taḥ
rīf”, EIThe
, vol.
10,ofpp.
Usage “Corruption
of Ta#r"f”, and/or
pp. 67-97;
Reynolds, “On
theBible:
Qur’!nic
Accusation
of Scriptural
Accad,
Misinterpretation
of the
The Story
of the Islamic
Usage
Falsification
and Christian
Polemic”;of Nickel,
of
of
Taḥrīf”, pp. (ta!r"f)
67-97; Reynolds,
“On theAnti-Jewish
Qur’ānic Accusation
ScripturalNarratives
Falsification
(taḥ
rīf) andinChristian
Anti-Jewish
Polemic”;
Nickel,
Narratives
of Tampering
in the
Tampering
the Earliest
Commentaries
on the
Qur’$n;
Griffith, The
Bible in Arabic:
Earliest
Commentaries
on the Qur’ān;
Thethe
Bible
in Arabic:
The Scriptures
of the
The Scriptures
of the “People
of the Griffith,
Book” in
Language
of Islam,
pp. 175-177;
“People
of theReligious
Book” inand
the Language
of Islam,
175-177;
Mazuz,pp.
The17-21;
Religious
and
Mazuz, The
Spiritual Life
of thepp.
Jews
of Medina,
Toenies
Spiritual
of the Jews
Medina,
pp. 17-21;
Keating,
“Revisiting theinCharge
Keating, Life
“Revisiting
the of
Charge
of Ta!r"f:
TheToenies
Question
of Supersessionism
Early
of
Taḥrand
īf: The
in Sánchez,
Early Islam
andRejection
the Qur’an”,
pp. 202-217;
Islam
the Question
Qur’an”, of
pp.Supersessionism
202-217; del Río
“The
of Muhammad’s
del
Río Sánchez,
Muhammad’s
Jews and Christians
and Its
Message
by Jews“The
and Rejection
Christiansof
and
Its Effect onMessage
Islamic by
Theological
Argumentation”,
Effect
on Islamic Theological Argumentation”, pp. 68-72.
pp. 68-72.
14
14
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, p.
p. 42.
42.
15
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 40.
16
“ !"#$ XXXVII
%&"' ( )"*
+,-./0pp.
%10111-128 ISSN
2345$ +%&.65$ +73895$
+%&: ;3<=#
!"#$ %&'()*,+ !"#$%&” See
Al-Qantara
1, 2016,
0211-3589 doi:.!"10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 40. Cf. the Biblical source: !"#!$ !" #$%& '( %) ,*+,& -( %)# "*% .”
“.!"#$% &"'(! )& *+ ,-(./ ,#&*!"& 0 *1& *2(. 3 $2$4 !"#$ %& :!" # $% !" # $%&' ,!"# $ % &"%'(*&) +,) !"# $ % &"%*)' -+& ,) !"# $ % &.)/*'0 (
(emphasis added here and throughout the article).
17
!"#$%& '( )*" "+ ,- !"#/. !$ ,01 !"#$%&” ;“.!"# $% &' () *+$, -. !"#$% &' $()$* " !*+ ," -.( " "-/01(2 !"#34 51 !*67* -8 -1 !"#$%&”
“.!"#!%$ &' ( #) &' !"# $ %& '()*%! +& ,(- ./01 1*.2-0 *,"3 4 0/ * .5 3$"610 789"#
18
E.g. al-R!z", A‘l$m al-Nubuwwa, p. 195.
19
See Samaw’al al-Maghrib", If!"m al-Yah!d – Silencing the Jews, pp. 29-30 (7b).
20
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 59-60. Cf. !"#$% &'()*+ ,- ./' '0 1# &'(2$ &) 134 -)1.$5”
“.!"#$&% '( ) #* '( !"# $ %& !"#$%& '( )"* +,-. !"#$&% !#$" % &' ! () "*$+,&
5
21
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ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
115
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq is unusual in that he omits the last. Like many earlier
Muslim
explains
the of words
bi-me’od
me’od
I wouldpolemicists,
like to thank the he
anonymous
reviewers
this article,
as well as Professor
(exceedingly)
17:20 ascomments
referring
Muhammad, since their
Esperanza Alfonso,inforGen.
their invaluable
andto
assistance.
1
See Alfonso,
al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”,
p. 6.is 92.15 While many of his
gematria,
like “‘Abd
Muhammad’s
name,
2
‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m", al-Sayf al-Mamd!d f" l-radd ‘al! A"b!r al-Yah!d, ed. and
predecessors
limited their commentary to gematria, he offers a new
trans. by E. Alfonso, Madrid, CSIC, 1998, pp. 9-11. Throughout the article, I refer to the
reading
of intheAlfonso’s
verse: “Your
for Ishmael
is accepted
Arabic text
edition prayer
and translation.
The Bible
translationand
thatI shall
I use
throughout
is Thehim
Kingand
James
Version of the
Bible: An from
Account
of
bless
him the
andarticle
multiply
aggrandize
himEnglish
and descend
him
the Development and Sources of the English
16 Bible of 1611 with Special References to
Muḥ
a
mmad,
peace
be
upon
him.”
Hebrew Tradition. In certain cases, the translation is slightly modified to reflect (in my
Deut.
appear in a passage that discusses the future
opinion)
the18:15
Hebrewand
text 18:18
more accurately.
3
Steinschneider,
Polemische
und apologetische
Literatur
in arabischer
p.
of prophecy among the Israelites
and the way
to identify
true Sprache,
and false
125.
17
prophets.
Muslim polemicists
argue that the word nabī’ (prophet)
4
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq
al-Isl!m", a Jewish Convert”, p. 180.
18
5
Only
one
of them, Samaw’al al-Maghribī,
refers
to
Muhammad.
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, p. 176.
6
Lazarus-Yafeh,
of a Jewish
Convert19from
Morocco
the Muslim
and
‘Abdto al-Ḥ
aqq’s
explains
how he“Contribution
reached this
conclusion
Polemic
against
Jews
and
Judaism”,
p.
83.
precursors
generally state that the prophet at issue is Muhammad, with
7
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 89.
no 8further
al-Ḥpp.
aqq,
Alfonso, comment.
“‘Abd al-!aqq‘Abd
al-Isl!m"”,
6-7. in contrast, proposes that the
9
Szpiech,
andthe
Narrative:
and Religious
Authority
in Medieval
emphasis
beConversion
placed on
word Reading
be-fīv (in
his mouth,
Deut.
18:18),
Polemic,ispp.
196-200.
which
98
in
gematria—the
sum
of
Muhammad
(92)
and
Friday
(6).
10
Mazuz, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m" —An Independent-Minded Polemicist or a
In
hisofview,
then, the verse
not only proves that the Bible alludes to
Mimic
His Predecessors?”
(forthcoming).
11
Lazarus-Yafeh,
Jewish
Convert”,
p. 84.
Muḥ
aSee
mmad’s
future“Contribution
arrival butof aalso
that
Friday
will replace the
12
‘Abdas
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfday
al-Mamd!d,
p. 20. 20
Sabbath
the
sacred
of
the
week.
13
!
On ta!r"f, see Adang, Muslim Writers on Judaism and the Hebrew Bible: From
Ibn Rabban to Ibn !azm, pp. 223-248; Lazarus-Yafeh, “Ta!r"f”, EI2, vol. 10, pp. 111112; Accad, “Corruption and/or Misinterpretation of the Bible: The Story of the Islamic
Usage of Ta#r"f”, pp. 67-97; Reynolds, “On the Qur’!nic Accusation of Scriptural
Mecca
Falsification (ta!r"f) and Christian Anti-Jewish Polemic”; Nickel, Narratives of
Tampering in the Earliest Commentaries on the Qur’$n; Griffith, The Bible in Arabic:
al-Ḥofaqq
notofuse
33:2,
in whichofthe
word
The ‘Abd
Scriptures
the does
“People
the Deut.
Book” in
the Language
Islam,
pp. “Paran”
175-177;
Mazuz,
The Religious
andpolemicists
Spiritual Lifeas
of referring
the Jews oftoMedina,
pp.thus
17-21;
Toenies
is
explained
by most
Mecca,
implying
Keating, “Revisiting
the Charge of Ta!r"f: The Question of Supersessionism in Early
21
Nevertheless, he explains two other Biblical verses as
Muhammad.
Islam and the Qur’an”, pp. 202-217; del Río Sánchez, “The Rejection of Muhammad’s
Message by Jews and Christians and Its Effect on Islamic Theological Argumentation”,
pp. 68-72.
14
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 42.
15
15
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, p.
p. 40.
40.
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
16
16
“ !"#$ %&"'‫(ِل‬
)"* +,-./0
%10 2345$
+%&.65$
+73895$
+%&: ;3<=#
!"#$ %&'()*
,+ !"#$%&
” See
“‫كتوعدو‬
‫ليعامسا‬
‫ةلوبقم‬.
‫كربأس‬
‫هيف‬،
‫هرثكأو‬،
‫هيمنأو‬،.!"‫جرخأو‬
‫ادمحم هنم‬،
‫ىلص‬
‫هللا‬
‘Abd ‫و‬See
al-!aqq,
al-Mamd!d,
p. 40. Cf. the
source:
!"#!$ source:
!" #$%& '( %) ,*+,
‫هيلع‬
‘Abdal-Sayf
al-Ḥaqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
p. Biblical
40. Cf. the
Biblical
“‫שִיְ&לּו‬-(ְׁ‫מ‬%)#ָ‫אֵ*"ע‬% .‫ל‬,”
“.!"#$
&"'(!‫* &)הֵּנִה‬+‫ּב‬,-(ֵ‫ר‬.ַ‫כ‬/ְ‫יִּת‬,#&*
(*&) +‫ש‬
,) ָׂ‫"!ר‬#‫שְנ‬
$ ִׂ‫ִאי‬% ‫ם‬
&"%*)‫ 'ֹוי‬-‫ל‬+& ִ‫י‬,‫ד‬,
) !"#‫תְנּו‬
$ַ‫יִּת‬%‫&ו‬.)/‫ג'*ְל‬0 ‫י(ֹו‬
‫ׁש‬
ְ‫תְעַמ‬%ִּ‫—ָךי‬
‫הְו ֹו&"ת!ֹא‬0ִ‫*פ‬1&ְ‫*יֵר‬2(‫ִת‬.‫ֹא י‬3‫ת‬$2$‫ֹו‬4‫"!הְו‬#ִ‫ר‬$ְ‫ב‬%&ֵּ‫יִתי‬:!"‫ֹא‬#‫ת‬$%‫ֹו‬, ‫מִ "!ּב‬#ְ‫א‬$%&ֹ‫ְמ 'ד‬,!"#
‫דֹא‬$: ‫ׁש‬% &"%'
ְ‫םיֵנ‬-‫ָע‬
addedadded
here and
the article).
‫(ּג‬emphasis
ָ‫לֹוד‬.” (emphasis
herethroughout
and throughout
the article.
17
17
!"#‫ב‬$%ִ‫"רִּ "*ק)ִמ ('א&י‬+ְ‫ב‬,-ְּ‫ֵמ"! ָך‬#‫א‬/. ַ‫!יֶח‬$
+ ,"“‫ָנ‬-.( "‫"יִב‬-‫א‬
/01(2‫"!קָא‬#
“‫ָנ‬
‫ ָך‬,01
‫"!נֹמָּכ‬#
ִ‫ָי י‬$‫ק‬%&ִ‫ְל“;ם”י‬.!"#
‫הְי ָך‬$%‫*לֱא)( '&הָו‬+$ֹ‫ה‬,ֶ‫י‬-.‫"! ָך‬#
‫לֵא‬$ָ‫י‬%‫ּת'& ו‬$(ִ‫מְׁ)ש‬$*ָ‫ן*!ּו "ע‬.”;
ִ‫םי‬34‫הָל‬51 ֶ‫*!ם‬6‫ִמ‬7‫ *ק‬-8ֶּ‫ר‬-1ֶ‫"! ב‬#
‫חֲא‬$ֵ‫י‬%&‫ם”ֶה‬
‫מָ“ּכ‬.!"#
‫ָ!ךֹו‬%$ ‫תַ(תָ'&נְו‬#)ִּ‫רָ"!ב'&ְד י‬#ַ‫ּב י‬$ְ‫פ‬%&ִ‫*ד)ְו('וי‬%ִ‫רֶּ!ב‬+& ‫ֲא‬,(‫ל‬-ֵ‫י‬./0‫ֶה‬1‫ם‬1*.‫ֵא‬2‫ת‬-0 ‫*ּכ‬,"ָ‫ל‬3 4-‫ֲא‬0/ ‫ *ש‬.5ֶׁ‫ר‬3$"‫ֲא‬610‫וַצ‬789"
ֶּ‫ּוּנ‬.”#
18
18
E.g. al-Rāzī,
al-R!z", A‘lām
A‘l$m al-Nubuwwa,
al-Nubuwwa, p.
p. 195.
195.
E.g.
19
19
See Samaw’al
Samaw’al al-Maghribī,
al-Maghrib", Ifḥ
If!"m
al-Yah!d––Silencing
Silencingthe
theJews,
Jews,pp.
pp.29-30
29-30(7b).
(7b).
See
ām al-Yahūd
20
20
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
al-Mamdūd, pp. 59-60.
59-60. Cf.
Cf. “‫ָנ‬
‫יִב‬%‫יִ*)ק(ָא'& א‬+‫ם‬,- ‫ָל‬.‫ה‬/ֶ‫ם‬
‫םֶה‬-)1‫ּכ‬.ָ‫מ‬$5‫ָך”ֹו‬
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
!"#$
' '0 1#‫בֶ(רֶּ'&קִמ‬2$ ‫יֵח)&ֲא‬134
‫נ“ְו‬.!"#
ָ‫תַת‬$ִּ‫&י‬% ‫רָ)ב('ְד‬#*ַ‫יִ"!פְ('ּב י‬#‫ְו ו‬$‫בִד‬%& ֶּ‫ֲא"!ר‬#‫ל‬$%&ֵ‫תֵא*")ם('ֶהי‬+,-. ‫"!ּכ‬#ָ‫ל‬$-‫&ֲא‬% ‫!ש‬#$ֶׁ‫ "ר‬%‫*"וּנֶּ)(וַ!צ'&ֲא‬$.”+,&
21
21
E.g.
E.g. al-Rāzī,
al-R!z", A‘lām
A‘l$m al-Nubuwwa,
al-Nubuwwa, p.
p. 195.
195.
22
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 55-56. Cf. “.!"#%$ &'!( "! #$%&(' )#*%+ ,,-'% ./ "!012(! ”
On
the agenda
behind
such pp.
an identification,
see ‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p.
Al-Qantara
XXXVII
1, 2016,
111-128 ISSN 0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
65 n.45 (translation). See further, Schussman, “Abraham’s visits to Ishmael: The Jewish
Origin and Orientation”, pp. 325-345.
23
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 119. Cf. ;!"#$" &% ')( (* !"#%$ & ,'$()*+ ,- ., +/ 0 1 '$2*2!$ ”
!"#!$ % ,& '() !"# !"#!$ %&$'(" *) % +, -. ! "# $% &'!)( *,+ - +%). +/0 ,1' (# )2+3 )/ 1 "4 !" ! "# $% &'()*+ !"#$%&' ! "# #$%& ' () # *+,-.
“.!"#$%'&
24
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 48-49, 54-55. Cf. !"#%&$ ' ()*+ !"#$% &"'(! ! "#$% $&"'”
“.!" #$% &' () !"#$% &"'(! !"# !" # $%& ' ! "# $ %&$% ')( +* -, .*/*0+* ! !" # $" %& # $'()" ;".*+,-%+ . */ #*% 0! 1 !' %2 *+3 %456 7"50 The words
le-g%y gad%l recur in Gen. 17:20, a verse that ‘Abd al-!aqq uses to prove that
Mu!ammad’s name is alluded to in the Bible. However, he uses the gematria of the
words bi-me’od me’od only.
--
trans. by E. Alfonso, Madrid, CSIC, 1998, pp. 9-11. Throughout the article, I refer to the
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página116
Arabic text in Alfonso’s edition and translation. The Bible translation that I use
throughout the article is The King James Version of the English Bible: An Account of
the Development and Sources of the English Bible of 1611 with Special References to
Hebrew Tradition. In certain cases, the translation is slightly modified to reflect (in my
opinion) the Hebrew text more accurately.
3
Steinschneider, Polemische und apologetische Literatur in arabischer Sprache, p.
125.
4
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m", a Jewish Convert”, p. 180.
5
Perlmann, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, p. 176.
6
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert from Morocco to the Muslim
HAGGAI
Polemic against Jews and Judaism”, p.
83. MAZUZ
116
7
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 89.
8
Alfonso, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”, pp. 6-7.
suggestive
of Mecca. Gen. 12:9 reports that Abraham went ha-Negbah
9
Szpiech, Conversion and Narrative: Reading and Religious Authority in Medieval
(southward).
This word and Mecca share the numerical value of 65.
Polemic, pp. 196-200.
10
Mazuz,
“‘Abd to
al-!aqq
—An
Polemicist
Thus,
according
‘Abdal-Isl!m"
al-Ḥaqq,
theIndependent-Minded
verse proves that
Meccaor isa
Mimic of His Predecessors?” (forthcoming).
22
He
also
claims
alluded
to
in
the
Bible
and
that
Abraham
went
there.
11
See Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 84.
12
that the
heikhalō
(his temple)
in Mal. 3:1 (a verse that I discuss
‘Abdword
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
p. 20.
13
23
On
ta!r"f, see
Adang,
Muslim Writers
Judaism and
the Hebrew
Bible: From
again
below)
refers
to Mecca
on theongrounds
of equal
numeration.
2
Ibn
Rabban
to
Ibn
!azm,
pp.
223-248;
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Ta!r"f”,
EI
,
vol.
10,
pp.
111Now,
the tally of heikhalō is 71 and that of Mecca is 65. However, the
112; Accad, “Corruption and/or Misinterpretation of the Bible: The Story of the Islamic
word
heikhal
alone,
without
vav (‫ו‬,“On
6),the
is Qur’!nic
65. It is Accusation
not clear of
why
‘Abd
Usage of Ta#r"f”,
pp. 67-97;
Reynolds,
Scriptural
Falsification
(ta!r"f)
and manner
Christian but,
Anti-Jewish
Polemic”;
Nickel,
Narratives
of
al-Ḥ
aqq argues
in this
as we shall
see, this
is not
the only
Tampering
in
the
Earliest
Commentaries
on
the
Qur’$n;
Griffith,
The
Bible
in
Arabic:
time he manipulates the letter vav.
The Scriptures of the “People of the Book” in the Language of Islam, pp. 175-177;
Mazuz, The Religious and Spiritual Life of the Jews of Medina, pp. 17-21; Toenies
Keating, “Revisiting the Charge of Ta!r"f: The Question of Supersessionism in Early
Muhammad
Islam and the Qur’an”, pp. 202-217; del Río Sánchez, “The Rejection of Muhammad’s
Message by Jews and Christians and Its Effect on Islamic Theological Argumentation”,
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq finds allusions to Muhammad in several verses due
pp. 68-72.
14
to words
expressions
that add p.
up42.to 92. Examples are le-gōy gadōl
‘Abd or
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
15
‘Abdnation,
al-!aqq,Gen.
al-Sayf12:2;
al-Mamd!d,
p. 24
40.kī mī hū’ (for whom is this, Jer.
(a great
21:18),
16
“ !"#$
25 %&"' ( )"* +,-./0 %10 2345$ +%&.65$ +73895$ +%&: ;3<=# .!" !"#$
26 %&'()*,+ !"#$%&” See
andal-Sayf
havāal-Mamd!d,
ve-‘ad (and
came
to, Biblical
Dan. 7:13).
also
30:21),
‘Abd al-!aqq,
p. 40.
Cf. the
source: !"He
#!$ !"
#$%& '( %)sees
,*+,& -(such
%)# "*% .”
27
an
“.!"#$allusion
% &"'(! )& *+ ,-(in
./ the
,#&*!"&word
0 *1& *2(. amen,
3 $2$4 !"#$ %&which
:!" # $% !"appears
# $%&' ,!"# $ twice
% &"%'(*&) +,) in
!"# $Is.
% &"%65:16.
*)' -+& ,) !"# $ %It
&.)/*'is
0(
(emphasis
added
here and
throughout the
article).
not
clear
to
which
occurrence
he
refers.
In
this
example,
he
does
not
17
!"#$%& '( )*" "+ ,- !"#/. !$ ,01 !"#$%&” ;“.!"# $% &' () *+$, -. !"#$% &' $()$* " !*+ ," -.( " "-/01(2 !"#34 51 !*67* -8 -1 !"#$%&”
follow
count
of the word is 91; instead, he
“.!"#!%$ &' ( #)the
&' !"# Hebrew,
$ %& '()*%! +& ,(-in
./01 1*.which
2-0 *,"3 4 0/ *the
.5 3$"610 789"
#
18
calculates
according
to his transliteration,
in which he uses two alifs
E.g. al-R!z",
A‘l$m al-Nubuwwa,
p. 195.
19
See
Samaw’al
al-Maghrib",
If!"m
al-Yah!d
– Silencing
Jews, pp.
29-3092).
(7b).28
(‫)أأﻤن‬.
An
additional
example
is
his
use
of
the
wordtheelōhīm
(God,
20
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 59-60. Cf. !"#$% &'()*+ ,- ./' '0 1# &'(2$ &) 134 -)1.$5”
“.!"#$&% '( ) #* '( !"# $ %& !"#$%& '( )"* +,-. !"#$&% !#$" % &' ! () "*$+,&
21
E.g. al-R!z", A‘l$m al-Nubuwwa, p. 195.
22
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 55-56. Cf. “.!"#%$ &'!( "! #$%&(' )#*%+ ,,-'% ./ "!012(! ”
On 22
the‘Abd
agenda
such an
identification,
see ‘Abd
p.
al-Ḥbehind
aqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamdūd,
pp. 55-56.
Cf. al-!aqq,
“‫םָרְבַא עַּסִּיַו‬al-Sayf
, ‫נְו ְךֹולָה‬al-Mamd!d,
ָ‫הָּבְגֶּנַה ַעֹוס‬.” On
65 n.45
(translation).
Schussman,
“Abraham’s
visits toal-Mamdūd,
Ishmael: The
Jewish
the
agenda
behind suchSee
an further,
identification,
see ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf
p. 65
n.45
Origin and Orientation”,
325-345. “Abraham’s visits to Ishmael: The Jewish Origin
(translation).
See further,pp.
Schussman,
23
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 119. Cf. ;!"#$" &% ')( (* !"#%$ & ,'$()*+ ,- ., +/ 0 1 '$2*2!$ ”
and Orientation”,
pp. 325-345.
!"#!$ %23,&‘Abd
'() !"al-Ḥ
# !"#!$ aqq,
%&$'(" al-Sayf
*) % +, -. !al-Mamdūd,
"# $% &'!)( *,+ - +%)p.
. +/0119.
,1' (#Cf.
)2+3 )/“‫ִה‬
1‫"נ‬4ְ‫"לֹ!ׁש "!יִנ‬#ֵ‫ח‬$%ַ ‫*)('&ַמ‬
‫כָאְל‬+ִ‫י‬, !"#
‫פּו‬$ִ‫הָּנ‬%&'-‫"ךֶ!רֶד‬#ְ ‫ְל‬#$%&
‫פּו)( ;'יָנָפ‬#ִ‫*ת‬+,ְ‫א‬-ֹ‫ם‬.
‫ב“ָי‬.!"#$
‫ אֹו‬24
‫ֶא‬%‫ &'ל‬-‫רֶׁשֲא ןֹודָאָה ֹולָכיֵה‬-‫םיִׁשְקַבְמ םֶּתַא‬, ‫רֶׁשֲא תיִרְּבַה ְךַאְלַמּו‬-‫הֵּנִה םיִצֵפֲח םֶּתַא‬-‫רַמָא—אָב‬, ‫תֹואָבְצ הָוהְי‬.”
24 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 48-49, 54-55. Cf. !"#%&
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, pp. 48-49, 54-55. Cf. “‫אְו‬$ֶ‫ךְׂ*)(שֶ'ע‬+ ָ !"#$
‫ֹוגְל‬%‫('"&ּג י‬
ָ‫"אַו! ל!ֹוד‬#$ֲ‫ב‬%ָ‫ר‬$&"ֶ‫ָךְ”'כ‬
!" #“‫ּוק‬
$%& ' ‫" יִ!מ‬#‫ׂש‬$ְ‫א‬%&$%ִ‫ת ()ֶא' י‬+* -‫ַה‬
-, .*‫נ‬/ַּ‫*ע‬0ַ‫ר‬+* ‫יִזֲ"!חַ!הְו‬#‫ִק‬$"‫י‬%&‫ֶא‬#‫ת‬$'()"
. ‫*ג‬/‫ֹו‬#‫*י‬% ‫ּג‬0! ָ‫ד‬1‫ '!לֹו‬%2‫*שֲא‬+ִׂ‫י‬3‫ֶמ‬%45‫נ‬6ּ‫ו‬7"5ּ.”0 The
‫א“ַו‬.!"
ֲ‫דַג‬#$%
ְּ‫"!מְ )(ׁש'&הָל‬#$
ֶ‫ֶו ָך‬%‫('"&יְה‬
ֵ‫כָ"!רְ!ּב ה‬#ָ‫ה‬.”;
-‫"; ְךֵדָי‬.*+
‫ ֹוּב‬,‫ּכ‬-%
ִ‫י‬+ -‫ְל‬
The words
words
le-g%y gadōl
gad%l recur
le-gōy
recur in
in Gen.
Gen. 17:20,
17:20, aa verse
verse that
that ‘Abd
‘Abd al-!aqq
al-Ḥaqq uses
uses to
to prove
prove that
that
Mu!ammad’s
nameisisalluded
alludedto to
in the
Bible.
However,
he uses
the gematria
the
Muḥ
ammad’s name
in the
Bible.
However,
he uses
the gematria
of the of
words
words bi-me’od
me’od only.
bi-me’od
me’od
only.
25
25 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 117-118. Cf. !"$# %& %' !( #)* '+ ,+, -. %' !$/ %0 12 34 /3
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, pp. 117-118. Cf. “‫ּוּנֶּמִמ ֹוריִּדַא הָיָהְו‬, ‫צֵי ֹוּבְרִּקִמ ֹולְׁשֹמּו‬4 5ֵ‫א‬# ”,
“
.!"
#
!$
)*,+ ,,!
‫רְקִהְו‬26
ַ‫ב‬%ְ‫ויִּ!ת‬,"#$%‫שַּ"!גִנְו‬#ׁ $%‫'('יָ&לֵא‬: )‫ּכ‬#* ִ‫ י‬,+,‫ יִמ‬#‫"א!ּוה‬#-‫ֶז‬$‫'&ה‬% ‫"!ֶא *בַ")ר(ָע‬#
‫ת‬-‫בִל‬$ ּ‫ו‬%&ֹ, $%‫שֶג'ָל‬:!"ֶׁ‫ת‬# $%‫ְנ—(יַ'&לֵא‬
‫)םֻא‬-+-‫ְי‬.‫ה‬/' ‫ָו‬+0)‫ה‬1.”,+ ,%$2$!
26 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 116. Cf. !" #$#&
,3+.‫ ֵי) ָננ‬4& ‫ׁש‬4.‫מ‬
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, p. 116. Cf. “‫וֲה ֵהזָח‬% ‫ת ֵי‬,!"#‫ ְחּב‬$%‫יֵל)('&ֵי ְו ֶז‬,'*
‫יְל‬+‫ ָא‬-, ,+.-‫אַו‬+.‫) ֲר‬,‫ּו‬/10 ‫ִע‬2, ‫ם‬-‫ֲע‬
ְ /‫ ַי‬1* ‫” ָּא‬,
&+ /,‫ת‬0ִּ‫)י‬+*!
‫בְ“ּכ‬.!"ַ‫ר‬#$%
‫ֱא‬27‫ ׁ)(& &שָ'נ‬#‫"!תָא‬#ֵ‫*ה‬+‫וֲה‬,-ָ‫(&א‬$; ,#,
‫עְו‬.ַ‫ד‬-‫ַע‬
‫!(ֹוי ק‬
‫"יַמ‬1)ָּ‫א‬2‫ט"!ְמ‬#ָ‫ה‬%,$ ;&'
‫דְקּו‬%)ָ‫"יִה!ֹו (מ‬#$‫קַה‬%&ְ‫*הּו)(בְ'ר‬+ִ‫י‬,.”.- ,)& / +0 -%
27 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 122. Cf. ,! "#$ !"#$%"& '()" & *+, ! ,-(/)
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, p. 122. Cf. “‫ץֶרָאָּב ְךֵרָּבְתִּמַה רֶׁשֲא‬, . ‫*ּב& ְ ")(ךֵ'רָּבְ&תִי‬+ֵ‫א‬,01‫ֹל‬#‫ָא(יֵה‬.2‫מ‬3%ֵ‫”ן‬,
#!$%ְׁ‫עָּב‬$& ‫ּב‬,'(
. ְּ‫&ּור‬, ‫יֵע&*'ֵמ‬12,‫יָנ‬3.”
#( 41
‫ה“ְו‬.!"ַ‫שִּנ‬
ָ‫ץֶ)*)רָא‬+,,# ‫!ִי‬,‫ש‬-.ָּׁ‫עַ )ב‬,/0#1
‫אֵּב‬23
‫יֵ"(הֹל‬, 4‫מָא‬/0("
ֵ‫ן‬: 5‫ּכ‬4ִ‫י‬6 ‫ִנ‬,'7)
‫כְׁש‬8ְּ‫)ח‬2,‫ּו‬,# ‫!ַה‬,8‫רָּצ‬:‫"ת!ֹו‬#$‫"!רָה‬#ִ‫א‬$%"
‫('תֹו&נֹׁש‬, )‫*כְו‬+,ִ‫ִנ !י‬,‫תְס‬/0*
28
28
29
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, p.
p. 63
63 n.58.
n.58.
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 51-52. Cf. !"#!$ % !"# $% &' (&' ,&)* +,'& -(!'. # $/"& !"01”
“.!" # $% &'()*$ & ,+
),$ - $. !"#1,!"#2016,
$% !"#$%&pp.
,')*( 111-128 ISSN
+, -)!
( ". !" :#$ %&'
! ,() *,+ -.-/ ,0#2doi:
1 3" !10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
"#
Al-Qantara
XXXVII
0211-3589 30
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 35. Cf. :!"#$%&'(*) !" #" $ %&'( )*+ %, ! !" ,#$%&' (" )*+*,-* ”
“.!"#$&% '()* + ,-./ ,*%0."1) *) +20 23 .4 24.0 56 7 %8)* 9'- %:)* ! "#$% ,&'()* !"+ ", $- "-$+ ,+. /01*) 2'# 03)* ! "#
31
Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism, p. 106.
32
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 22. Interestingly, ‘alam has another
meaning in classical Arabic, a sign of prophethood that implies on Mu!ammad’s future
arrival.
33
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 85.
34
Cf. ! "# $%&'()" ,*+%% ,.- / -0- ()" ;!+- 12 3"456 ,7-*8- +9 %:". ! "#$% "# !" #!" $%& %'(!*) ,+!"#" $%&#' ," ()(*,+ -.#" "/,10 #2#3”
“.!"#%$$ & '()* ! "# $%& '('$
35
-
-
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página117
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
117
Although he does not specify which verse contains this word, his
argument appears in proximity to his transliteration of Deut. 18:15—
which includes not elōhīm but eloheikha (your God, without the mater
lectionis vav). If this is the verse that inspires him to see a reference to
Muhammad in the word elōhīm, then here too he manipulates the letter
vav, since the word elohīm is spelled without a vav.
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s eagerness to enhance his dalā’il arsenal leads him
to use verses in which no word adds up to exactly 92. Thus he argues
that some verses refer to Muhammad’s name and additional elements.
The “extras” are actually attempts to stretch the relevant verses in order
to accommodate his polemical intention. By doing this, he displays
originality. For example, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq interprets the word magen
(shield, 93) in Gen. 15:1 as a reference to Muhammad (92) and Allāh,
the one.29 Contemplating Gen. 1:16, he finds that ha-gedōlīm (the great
[lights], 98) is suggestive of Muhammad (92) and Friday (6), the
Muslim holy day that abrogates the Jewish one. In the Hebrew text,
the word appears without vav, as ha-gedolīm, which is exactly 92, just
like Muhammad’s name.30 It follows that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq had a different
text in front of him or added the vav. By implication, he had some
knowledge of Hebrew. This is the third time that he manipulates the
letter vav to satisfy his polemical needs.
Hebrew “cognates” of the word Muhammad
The Bible uses the word maḥmad (pleasant) in several places. Given
its homophonic similarity to Muhammad’s name, especially if its
vowelization is changed, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq mobilizes it for his cause.
Lazarus-Yafeh notes his unusual use of the root h.m.d..31 One example
is I Kgs. 20:6: “Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about
this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy
servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes
28
29
29
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfal-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d,pp.
p. 63
n.58.Cf. “‫הֶּלֵאָה םיִרָבְּדַה רַחַא‬, ‫רַבְד הָיָה‬-‫לֶא הָוהְי‬‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
51-52.
‫םָרְבַא‬, ‫‘ּב‬Abd
ַ‫הֶזֲחַּמ‬, al-!aqq,
‫רֹמאֵל‬: ‫לַא‬-‫ּת‬al-Sayf
ִ‫רְבַא אָרי‬al-Mamd!d,
ָ‫ם‬, ‫ךָל ןֵגָמ יִכֹנָא‬pp.
ְ—‫ׂש‬51-52.
ְ‫ָךְרָכ‬, ‫רַה‬Cf.
ְ‫דֹ"!אְמ הֵּב‬#!$.”% !"# $% &' (&' ,&)* +,'& -(!'. # $/"& !"01”
“.!" #30$% ‘Abd
&'()*$ & ,+
),$ - $.aqq,
!"# al-Sayf
!"# $% !"#$%& al-Mamdūd,
,')*( +, -)!
( ". !"p.:#$35.
%&'!Cf.
,() *“‫ַו‬
,+ -.-‫עַּי‬/ַ‫ש‬,0ׂ ‫ֱא‬#21 ‫ל‬3ֹ‫םיִ"ה‬,
! "#‫תֶא‬-‫םיִלֹדְּגַה תֹרֹאְּמַה יֵנְׁש‬: ‫תֶא‬al-Ḥ
#" $ %&'( )*+ %, ! !" ,#$%&' (" )*+*,-* ”
‫ֹואָּמַה‬30
‫‘ַה ר‬Abd
‫לֹדָּג‬, ‫מְל‬al-!aqq,
ֶ‫םֹוּיַה תֶלֶׁשְמ‬al-Sayf
, ‫תֶאְו‬-‫מַה‬al-Mamd!d,
ָּ‫שְמֶמְל ןֹטָּקַה רֹוא‬p.ֶׁ‫תֶל‬35.
‫יַּלַה‬Cf.
ְ‫הָל‬, ‫אְו‬:!"#
ֵ‫ ת‬$‫ַה‬% &'‫םיִ"!בָ )*כֹוּ(כ‬.”
“.!"#31
$&% Lazarus-Yafeh,
'()* + ,-./ ,*%0."1) *) +20Intertwined
23 .4 24.0 56 7 %8)* 9'%:)* ! "#$%Medieval
,&'()* !"+ ", $-Islam
"-$+ ,+. /0and
1*) 2'#
03)* !Criticism,
"#
Worlds:
Bible
Princeton,
31
Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism, p. 106.
p. 106.
32
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 22. Interestingly, ‘alam has another
meaning
in XXXVII
classical1,Arabic,
a sign
of prophethood
that implies
on Mu!ammad’s future
Al-Qantara
2016, pp.
111-128 ISSN
0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
arrival.
33
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 85.
34
Cf. ! "# $%&'()" ,*+%% ,.- / -0- ()" ;!+- 12 3"456 ,7-*8- +9 %:". ! "#$% "# !" #!" $%& %'(!*) ,+!"#" $%&#' ," ()(*,+ -.#" "/,10 #2#3”
“.!"#%$$ & '()* ! "# $%& '('$
35
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 26.
36
“.!"#$%&#' ()* ,+,-, ,! %.0$1
/ $ 2-3 14 ,!"! $# &% '# ! "#$% "# ;!#$" % &' $( )* + !",%$ &' $( !- .#$& , -+ ,/* 0 -+ 12$354 5"65- !"#”
37
See e.g. al-W!qid", Kit$b al-Magh$z", vol. 1, pp. 176-180, 374-375; Ibn Hish!m,
al-S"ra al-Nabawiyya, vol. 3, pp. 9-10; Kister, “The Massacre of the Ban# Quray$a: A
Re-examination of a Tradition”, pp. 61-96; Lecker, Mu!ammad and the Jews, pp. 133,
151-156, 171-174, 199-205.
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página118
118
HAGGAI MAZUZ
(maḥmad ‘eineikha), they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.”
This text describes the confrontation between Ben-Hadad, king of
Aram, and Ahab. ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq interprets this verse as follows: “And
everything in which your interest exists, Muhammad, they will put in
their hands and take it, i.e., the banner (‘alam) on which the name of
Muhammad, pbuh, appears.”32 Lazarus-Yafeh points out a possible
inspiration from BT, Sanhedrīn 102b, where the words maḥmad
‘eineikha are explained as denoting a Torah scroll (sefer Tōrah).33
Indeed, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq replaces the scroll with the banner.
I Kgs. 22:35, describing the war between Aram and Israel, reads:
“And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up
(ma‘omad) in his chariot against the Arameans, and died at even: and
the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.”34 ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq interprets the verse as follows: “And the king mentioned
Muhammad’s name as he fought al-Rūm.”35 The word al-Rūm
generally denotes the Romans, the Byzantines, or, in certain contexts,
the Seleucids. According to the Biblical text, Ahab fought Aram. Since
the lam that belongs to the definite article, before rā’, is not articulated,
the word sounds like ar-Rūm, which is close to Aram. ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq
seems to have been inspired by the similarity of the words ma‘omad
and mahmad, possibly suggesting that he was able, at least to some
extent, to read Hebrew.
The word maḥmad recurs in Hos. 9:6.36 ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq interprets this
verse as a prophecy concerning various forms of retribution that await
the Jews. One of them is that Muhammad will seize their property; by
28
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Sayf
63 n.58. the verse to the descriptions
so saying,
‘Abd al-Ḥ
aqqal-Mamd!d,
probablyp.matches
29
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 51-52. Cf. !"#!$ % !"# $% &' (&' ,&)* +,'& -(!'. # $/"& !"01”
of
the spoils that the Muslims
took from the Jews of Medina and
“.!" # $% &'()*$ & ,+),$ - $. !"# !"# $% !"#$%& ,')*( +, -)!
( ". !" :#$ %&'! ,() *,+ -.-/ ,0#21 3" ! "#
37
30
Khaybar.
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 35. Cf. :!"#$%&'(*) !" #" $ %&'( )*+ %, ! !" ,#$%&' (" )*+*,-* ”
“.!"#$&% '()* + ,-./ ,*%0."1) *) +20 23 .4 24.0 56 7 %8)* 9'- %:)* ! "#$% ,&'()* !"+ ", $- "-$+ ,+. /01*) 2'# 03)* ! "#
31
Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism, p. 106.
32
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 22. Interestingly, ‘alam has another
32
meaning
in al-Ḥ
classical
Arabic,al-Mamdūd,
a sign of prophethood
that implies
on has
Mu!ammad’s
future
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
p. 22. Interestingly,
‘alam
another meaning
arrival.
in
classical Arabic, sign of prophethood that implies on Muḥammad’s future arrival.
33
33
Lazarus-Yafeh,“Contribution
“Contributionof
ofaaJewish
JewishConvert”,
Convert”,p.
p.85.
85.
Lazarus-Yafeh,
34
34
Cf.“‫"עַּ!תַו‬#ֲ‫ל‬$%ֶ‫לִּמ")( 'ַה&ה‬,*ְ‫ח‬+%ָ‫מ‬% ,ָ‫ה‬.- , ‫ּב‬/ַ‫וּי‬-0-ֹ‫!;ַה ")(ם‬
,10 ‫מ‬#2#ַּ‫כ‬3ָּ‫”ה‬
Cf.
‫ּוה‬+‫א‬- 12, ‫ְו‬3"‫ה‬4ַ‫מ‬5 6ֶּ‫ךֶל‬,7-ְ ‫י*ָה‬8- ָ‫ה‬+9 ‫ָמ‬%:".‫"דָ!מֳע‬#$‫ּב‬%ַ‫"מ‬#ֶּ‫בָּ"!כְר‬#!" ָ‫ה‬,$%‫כ&ֹנ‬%'(ַ‫ר )*ֲא!ח‬,+
ָ‫"!;ם‬#‫תָמָּי"ַו‬$%&#‫רֶעָ'ּב‬,"ֶ‫ב‬,()(‫י*ַו‬,ִּ‫צ‬+ ֶ‫ק‬-.#"‫"םַּד‬/-‫ַה‬
‫ל“ֶא‬.!"-‫ֵח‬#‫י‬%$$ ‫)('ָה &ק‬
‫!בֶ*כָר‬.”"# $%& '('$
35
35
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, p.
p. 26.
26.
36
36
“‫ּכ‬
ִ‫י‬-‫ִה‬
‫ִמ‬0$1
‫צ‬/ ְ‫ר‬$ַ‫םִי‬2-3
‫קְּת‬14ַ‫ב‬,!
ְּ‫ !"םֵצ‬$‫ֹמ‬# &%‫'ף‬# ‫"קְ!ּת‬#$ַ‫ב‬%ְּ‫"םֵר‬#;;!‫ַמ‬#$‫ "ח‬%ְ‫דַ'&מ‬$(‫כ*)ְל‬+ַ‫םָּ"!פְס‬,,%$ ‫מ'&ִק‬$(ּ‫!שֹו‬-ׂ .‫ִי‬#$‫ָר &י‬,‫ש‬
ַ, ‫ּב‬3ְ‫א‬54 ָ‫ה‬5"ֳ‫ל‬6ֵ‫י‬5-‫"!םֶה‬.”
“.!"
#$%‫הֵּ&נ‬#' ‫כְ*ל)(ָה‬,+‫ּו‬,‫ִמ‬-,‫דֹּׁש‬,!, %.
-+ ֵׁ‫ם‬,/*, 0‫ֹוח‬-+‫ח‬12$
#”
37
37
See
pp. 176-180,
374-375;
Ibn Hishām,
al-Sīra
Seee.g.
e.g.al-Wāqidī,
al-W!qid",Kitāb
Kit$bal-Maghāzī,
al-Magh$z",1,vol.
1, pp. 176-180,
374-375;
Ibn Hish!m,
al-Nabawiyya,
3, pp. 9-10;
of theMassacre
Banū Qurayẓa:
Re-examination
al-S"ra al-Nabawiyya,
vol.Kister,
3, pp. “The
9-10;Massacre
Kister, “The
of the A
Ban#
Quray$a: A
of
a Tradition”, pp.
Lecker,pp.
Muḥ
ammad
and the
Jews, pp. 133,
Re-examination
of 61-96;
a Tradition”,
61-96;
Lecker,
Mu!ammad
and 151-156,
the Jews, 171-174,
pp. 133,
199-205
Hebrew].
151-156,[in
171-174,
199-205.
38
Cf. ,!"#!"#$ %! & '($ "! #$%& '( )* +%, -' ./ ,*()0%1&! 2()3 4* ;! "#%$ &'( ) ,*+ &," ) !"# $%&' ( )*+ ( ,-./ ,' .0 "1+2'& ( )*+ ( ,-./”
“Al-Qantara
.! "#$% &' (# !")*&XXXVII
(+
1, 2016, pp. 111-128 ISSN 0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
39
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 31. On the meaning of mary!", see ‘Abd al!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 56 n.16 (translation).
40
“.[...] !"#$ %&'" $("% '&)* [...]” See Batei Midrash%t, vol. 2, p. 25.
41
E.g. “.[...] !"#$% &"#'& () *#+,- .-*& ()#- &/-0 0"1 +,-)-” See Tef"lat Rabb"
Shim‘%n ben Y%!ai (The Prayer of Rabbi Shim ‘%n ben Y%!ai) in Beit ha-Midrash, vol.
4, p. 119.
42
E.g. The Epistle of R. Sherira Gaon, p. 100; Maimonides, Epistle to Yemen: The
Arabic Original and the Three Hebrew Versions, pp. 14, 18, 36, 38, 80; Samaw’al alMaghrib", If!"m al-Yah!d – Silencing the Jews, p. 67 (17a); Samaw’al
al-Maghrib"’s (d. 570/1175), If!"m al-Yah!d: The Early Recension, p. 39; The Itinerary
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página119
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
119
Then ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq discusses Hos. 9:7: “The days of visitation are
come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet
is a fool (’evīl), the man of the spirit (’īsh ha-rūaḥ) is mad (meshuga‘),
for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.”38 He interprets
the first hemiverse as speaking of the approach of days in which the
Jews will get their just desserts for having troubled Muhammad. Turning
to the second hemiverse, he writes: “You said that he is an ignoramus
and a fool who imagines visions (maryāḥ) and this is your gravest sin
and the reason for your severe punishment and the reason you are at
fault for your hatred.”39 He does not specify where the Jews said this;
this part seems less an interpretation of his own than a comment on a
Jewish interpretation of Hos. 9:7 that associates the words “fool” (not
necessarily
’evīl, but shōṭeh) and “man of the spirit,” ’īsh ha-rūaḥ, with
28
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
p. 63 n.58. do suggest that such an
Muhammad.
Several
Jewish sources
29
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 51-52. Cf. !"#!$ % !"# $% &' (&' ,&)* +,'& -(!'. # $/"& !"01”
interpretation
“.!" # $% &'()*$ & ,+),$ - $. existed.
!"# !"# $% !"#$%&For
,')*( +example,
, -)!
( ". !" :#$the
%&'! Pereq
,() *,+ -.-/ ,0Rabbī
#21 3" ! "# Shim‘ōn ben Yōḥai
30
‘Abdof
al-!aqq,
al-Mamd!d,
p. a35.
Cf. :!"#$[…]
% &'(*) !" “A
#" $ %&'(fool
)*+ %, !prophet
!" ,#$%&' (" )*and
+*,-* ”
(Chapter
Rabbial-Sayf
Shim‘ōn
ben Yōḥ
i) reads:
$&% '()*of+ ,-.the
/ ,*%0spirit
. "1) *) +20 23[…].”
.4 24.0 56 7 %8)40
* 9'%:)this
* ! "#$text,
% ,&'()* as
!"+ ",well
$- "-$+ ,+.as
/01*) others,
2'# 03)* ! "#the word shōṭeh
In
a“.!"#
man
31
Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible
Criticism, p. 106.
32
addition,
other
replaces
’evīl
and word
does
notInterestingly,
appear.41 In‘alam
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfmeshuga‘
al-Mamd!d,
p. 22.
has another
42
Jewish
the term
to describe
meaning sources
in classicaluse
Arabic,
a sign meshuga‘
of prophethood
that impliesMuhammad.
on Mu!ammad’s
future
arrival.
If
so,
‘Abd
al-Ḥ
a
qq
is
familiar
with
a
Jewish
interpretation
of
Hos.
33
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 85.
9:734and
comments
about
it.
What
is
more,
he
interprets
one
preceding
Cf. ! "# $%&'()" ,*+%% ,.- / -0- ()" ;!+- 12 3"456 ,7-*8- +9 %:". ! "#$% "# !" #!" $%& %'(!*) ,+!"#" $%&#' ," ()(*,+ -.#" "/,10 #2#3”
verse
as* an
of Muhammad’s future arrival. While upbraiding the
“.!"#%$$ & '()
! "# $%omen
& '('$
35
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
26. it to demonstrate the existence
Jews
for their use of Hos.
9:7, hep.uses
36
“.!"#$%&#' ()* ,+,-, ,! %.0$1
/ $ 2-3 14 ,!"! $# &% '# ! "#$% "# ;!#$" % &' $( )* + !",%$ &' $( !- .#$& , -+ ,/* 0 -+ 12$354 5"65- !"#”
of a37 reference
to Muhammad
in thevol.
Bible,
obliging
the
to
See e.g. al-W!qid",
Kit$b al-Magh$z",
1, pp. thus
176-180,
374-375;
IbnJews
Hish!m,
43
acknowledge
him.vol.
In3,other
words,
reinterprets
al-S"ra al-Nabawiyya,
pp. 9-10;
Kister,he
“The
Massacre ofthe
the verse.
Ban# Quray$a: A
Re-examination of a Tradition”, pp. 61-96; Lecker, Mu!ammad and the Jews, pp. 133,
151-156, 171-174, 199-205.
38
Cf. ,!"#!"#$ %! & '($ "! #$%& '( )* +%, -' ./ ,*()0%1&! 2()3 4* ;! "#%$ &'( ) ,*+ &," ) !"# $%&' ( )*+ ( ,-./ ,' .0 "1+2'& ( )*+ ( ,-./”
“.! "#$38% &'Cf.
(# !"“‫ּב‬
)*&‫א‬
ָ( +‫ ָּה ֻד ְּקפַה ֵימְי ּו‬, ‫ם ִּׁלשַה ֵימְי ּו ָאּב‬
ֻּ —‫ּו ְעדֵי‬, ‫א ִי ָּבנַה ל ִיוֱא ; ֵל ָא ְׂרשִי‬, ‫ע ֻׁגשְמ‬
ָּ ‫—חּורָה ׁשיִא‬
ַ ‫ ְךנֹ‍וֲע בֹר לַע‬,ָ
39
‫‘שַמ הָּבַרְו‬Abd
ְׂ‫הָמֵט‬.”al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 31. On the meaning of mary!", see ‘Abd al39 al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 56 n.16 (translation).
!aqq,
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd, p. 31. On the meaning of maryāḥ, see ‘Abd al40
“al-Sayf
.[...] !"#$
%&'" $("% '&)*
” See
Batei Midrash%t, vol. 2, p. 25.
Ḥaqq,
al-Mamdūd,
p. 56[...]
n.16
(translation).
41
40
E.g. ‫איבנ‬
“.[...]
!"#$%
() *#+,.-*& Midrashōt,
()#- &/-0 2,
0"1
“[...]
‫הטוש‬
‫"&שיאו‬#'&
‫[ חורה‬...].”
See Batei
p. +,-)25. ” See Tef"lat Rabb"
41
Shim‘%n
ben
Y%!ai‫שיא‬
(The
Prayer
of Rabbi
‘%n ben
in Beit
vol.
E.g.,
“‫דמועו‬
‫הטוש‬
‫חורה לעבו‬
‫רבדמו‬Shim
‫ה”בקה לע‬
‫םיבזכ‬Y%!ai)
[...].” See
Theha-Midrash,
Prayer of Rabbi
4, p. 119.ben Yōḥai (Tefīlat Rabbī Shim‘ōn ben Yōḥai) in Beit ha-Midrash, 4, p. 119.
Shim‘ōn
42
42
E.g. The Epistle of R. Sherira Gaon,
Maimonides,
Epistle to Yemen:
The
E.g.,
Gaon, p. 100;
100 [in
Hebrew]; Maimonides,
Epistle
to
Arabic Original
andOriginal
the Threeand
Hebrew
Versions,
pp. Versions,
14, 18, 36,pp.
38,14,
80;18,
Samaw’al
alYemen:
The Arabic
the Three
Hebrew
36, 38, 80;
Samaw’al
Ifḥām al-Yahūd
– Silencing
Jews,p.p. 67 (17a);
alMaghrib", al-Maghribī,
If!"m al-Yah!d
– Silencing
the the
Jews,
(17a);Samaw’al
Samaw’al
Maghribī’s
(d. (d.
570/1175),
IfḥāIf!"m
m al-Yahūd:
TheThe
Early
Recension,
p. 39;
TheThe
Itinerary
of
al-Maghrib"’s
570/1175),
al-Yah!d:
Early
Recension,
p. 39;
Itinerary
Benjamin
of Tudela,
pp. 54, 69.
further,
und apologetische
of Benjamin
of Tudela,
pp.See54,
69. Steinschneider,
See further, Polemische
Steinschneider,
Polemische
Literatur,
pp. 302-303;
Avishur,
for Gentiles
and JewsforinGentiles
Judaeound apologetische
Literatur,
pp.“Hebrew
302-303;Derogatories
Avishur, “Hebrew
Derogatories
Arabic
in in
theJudaeo-Arabic
Medieval Era in
andthe
Their
Metamorphoses”,
pp.Metamorphoses”,
98-103 [in Hebrew].
and Jews
Medieval
Era and Their
pp. 98-103.
43
43
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, pp.
pp. 32-33.
32-33.
44
For an example of another Muslim polemicist who did so, see Weston, “The
Kit!b
Mas!lik
al-Na$ar
of Sa‘!d
Ibn "asan of 0211-3589 Alexandria:doi:
Edited
for the First Time and
Al-Qantara
XXXVII
1, 2016,
pp. 111-128 ISSN
10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
Translated with Introduction and Notes”, p. 325; Halft, “Sa‘"d b. !asan al-Iskandar": A
Jewish Convert to Islam: Editio princeps of the Later Recension (732/1331) of His
Biblical ‘Testimonies’ to the Prophet Mu!ammad”, p. 285. See further, Mazuz, “Sa‘!d
b. !asan, Biographical Notes through the Prism of Mas$lik al-Na&ar”, pp. 52-53.
45
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 38-39. Cf. ;! "# "$ %& ! "#$%'& !"# ,!"#$% &' $()$* " +,-#.), ”
“.!"#"$ ! %& '( ) "*+", ! "# ,$ %& $ "'% (*)
46
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 41-42. Cf. !"#!" ! "#$"% &'% ,!()%* +, %"-%. ( / 01,2 34-”
“.!"#$%&# '()*" ,#(+,&* ,!'- .)( /( 01% 12 !(3 ) (4"#*& ,56" ' )(# &7! " !"# $ %&'(*) ;(+%% * ,-. ,/'( '0%1 ,23 "4 56 !"#$%&
47
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 44. Cf. !"# !"#!$ &% ,! "#"$ % &' () !"# ! "# $%&'( )# #+,* -., ”
“.! "# "#$% &'! ,( )*+ , !"#$!&% ')(( * !"#$!&% ;'( ) $*
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página120
120
HAGGAI MAZUZ
Ahmad
28
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 63 n.58.
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Mamd!d,
pp. 51-52.
% !"# $% &' (&' that
,&)* +,'& the
-(!'. # $/"name
& !"01”
While
most al-Sayf
Muslim
polemicists
tryCf.to!"#!$prove
“.!" # $% &'()*$ & ,+),$ - $.appears
!"# !"# $% !"#$in
%& ,'
)*( +,Bible,
-)!
( ". !" in
:#$ %&'
! ,() *,+ -.-/ places
,0#21 3" ! "#‘Abd al-Ḥaqq does
Muhammad
the
several
30
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 35. Cf. :!"#$%&'(*) !" #" $ %&'( )*+ %, ! !" ,#$%&' (" )*+*,-* ”
the
names
in Islamic
“.!"#$same
&% '()* + ,-.with
/ ,*%0."1) the
*) +20 23name
.4 24.0 56 7 Ahmad,
%8)* 9'- %:)* ! "#$one
% ,&'()*of!"+Muhammad’s
", $- "-$+ ,+. /01*) 2'# 03)* !
"#
44
31
tradition.
Gen. 2:8
reads: “And
Lord Islam
Godand
planted
a gardenp.(gan)
Lazarus-Yafeh,
Intertwined
Worlds:the
Medieval
Bible Criticism,
106.
32
‘Abdinal-!aqq,
al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
22. Interestingly,
‘alam
has another
eastward
Eden; and
there
he put thep. man
whom he had
formed.”
The
meaning in classical Arabic, a sign of prophethood that implies on Mu!ammad’s future
word
gan,
‘Abd
al-Ḥ
a
qq
asserts,
refers
to
Ahmad
since
the
numerical
arrival.
33
doesConvert”,
the same
with the expression
value
of both words
is 53.45ofHe
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
a Jewish
p. 85.
34
46
Cf.
!
"#
$%
&
'
(
)
"
,*
+%
%
,
.
/
-0(
)
"
;!
+
12
3"
4
5
6
,7*
8
+
9
%:"
.
!
"#$
%
"#
!"
#
!
"
$%
&
%'(
!
*
)
,+!"#" $%&#' ," ()(*,+ -.#" "/,10 #2#3”
hayah ke-ahad (become as one) in Gen. 3:22.
“.!"#%$$ & '()* ! "# $%& '('$
In‘Abd
three
other places he stretches his reasoning to claim that the
35
al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 26.
36
numerical
“.!"#$%&#' value
()* ,+,-, of
,! %.a
0$1
/ $word
2-3 14 ,!in
"! $# &% a'# Jewish
! "#$% "# ;!#$" %text
&' $( )* +refers
!",%$ &' $( !-to
.#$& ,Ahmad
-+ ,/* 0 -+ 12$3as
54 5"6well
5- !"#” as
37
See e.g. Islamic
al-W!qid", elements.
Kit$b al-Magh$z",
1, pp. 176-180,
374-375; ve-hinneh
Ibn Hish!m,
additional
For vol.
example,
he defines
al-S"ra al-Nabawiyya, vol. 3, pp. 9-10; Kister, “The Massacre of the Ban# Quray$a: A
(behold)
in Gen. 1:31, which adds up to 66, as a reference to Ahmad
Re-examination of a Tradition”, pp. 61-96; Lecker, Mu!ammad and the Jews, pp. 133,
(53),
Friday
as 199-205.
the sacred day of the week (6), the five daily prayers
151-156,
171-174,
Cf. ,!"
#!"#$ %!two
& '($ festivals
"! #$%& '( )* +%(2),
, -' ./ 47
,*()0probably
%1&! 2()3 4* ;! "#%$ referring
&'( ) ,*+ &," ) !"# $%&to
' ( )*+‘īd
( ,-./al-adhā
,' .0 "1+2'& ( )*+ ( and
,-./”
(5),38and
the
“.! "#$% &' (# !")*&( +
‘īd 39al-fiṭ
r
.
He
explains
the
word
yeyaḥ
e
lū
(shall
await,
64)
in
Is.
42:4
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 31. On the meaning
of mary!", see ‘Abd alsimilarly,
only
omitting
mention
of the festivals.48 He applies the same
!aqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
p. 56
n.16 (translation).
40
“.[...] !"#$
%&'" $("%
'&)*nogah
[...]” See
Batei Midrash%t,
vol.which
2, p. 25.appears in the
technique
to the
word
(brightness,
58),
41
E.g.
“
.[...]
!"#$%
&"#'&
()
*#+,.-*&
()#&/-0
0"1
+,-)-” Seeand
Tef"lat
Sabbath
morning
service, but links it only with Ahmad
theRabb"
five
Shim‘%n ben Y%!ai
(The Prayer of Rabbi Shim ‘%n ben Y%!ai) in Beit ha-Midrash, vol.
49
daily
prayers.
4, p. 119.
42
E.g. The
R. Sherira Gaon,
p. 100; may
Maimonides,
Epistle
Yemen: The
‘Abd
al-ḤEpistle
aqq’sofreferences
to Ahmad
represent
antoattempt
on
Arabic
Original
and
the
Three
Hebrew
Versions,
pp.
14,
18,
36,
38,
80;
Samaw’al
alhis part to refute Moses Maimonides’ (d. 1204 CE) rejection, in the
Maghrib", If!"m al-Yah!d – Silencing the Jews, p. 67 (17a); Samaw’al
Epistle
to Yemen,
of theIf!"m
argument
that
is implied
al-Maghrib"’s
(d. 570/1175),
al-Yah!d:
TheMuhammad’s
Early Recension,name
p. 39; The
Itinerary
29
of Benjamin of Tudela, pp. 54, 69. See further, Steinschneider, Polemische
und apologetische Literatur, pp. 302-303; Avishur, “Hebrew Derogatories for Gentiles
and Jews in Judaeo-Arabic in the Medieval Era and Their Metamorphoses”, pp. 98-103.
43
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 32-33.
44
44 For an example of another Muslim polemicist who did so, see Weston, “The
For an example of another Muslim polemicist who did so, see Weston, “The Kitāb
Kit!b Mas!lik
al-Na$ar
of Sa‘!d
"asan
of Alexandria:
Editedfor
forthe
theFirst
First Time
Time and
Masālik
al-Naẓar
of Sa‘īd
Ibn Ibn
Ḥasan
of Alexandria:
Edited
and
Translated with
with Introduction
Introduction and
and Notes”,
Notes”, p.
Translated
p. 325;
325; Halft,
Halft, “Sa‘"d
“Sa‘īd b.
b. !asan
Ḥasan al-Iskandar":
al-Iskandarī: A
A
Jewish Convert
ConverttotoIslam:
Islam:
Editio
princeps
ofLater
the Later
Recension
(732/1331)
of His
Jewish
Editio
princeps
of the
Recension
(732/1331)
of His Biblical
Biblical ‘Testimonies’
to theMuḥ
Prophet
Mu!ammad”,
p. further,
285. SeeMazuz,
further,“Sa‘īd
Mazuz,
“Sa‘!d
‘Testimonies’
to the Prophet
ammad”,
p. 285. See
b. Ḥ
asan,
b. !asan, Biographical
Notes
through
theMasālik
Prism ofal-Naẓar”,
Mas$lik al-Na&ar”,
pp. 52-53.
Biographical
Notes
through
the
Prism
of
pp.
52-53.
45
45
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, pp. 38-39. Cf. “‫"טִּי!;ַו‬#ַּ‫"ע‬$ %&‫"ה!ָוהְי‬#$%‫"!הֹל &'ֱא‬#ִ‫םי‬,,!"#‫ּג‬$ַ‫ן‬-‫ּב‬
% &'ְ‫דֵע‬$(ֶ‫ִמ—)ן‬
$* " +,‫ק‬-ֶּ‫ד‬# .ֶ‫ם‬
), ”;
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
.!"ֶׂ‫ם‬#"$‫םָ!ׁש‬%&, '(‫)תֶא‬-‫ָה‬
"*+"‫א‬,ָ‫" !םָד‬#‫שֲא‬
,$ֶׁ‫ר‬%&‫צָי‬$ָ‫'"ר‬%.”(*)
‫שָּי“ַו‬
46
46
‘Abdal-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfal-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d,pp.
pp.
41-42.
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
41-42.
Cf.Cf.
“‫רֶמ"! ֹּאיַו‬#!" ‫"הָו!הְי‬#$"‫ֱא‬%‫'& ֹהל‬%‫ם ִי‬,,!()
‫ןֵה‬%‫א *ָה‬+, ‫ ָד‬%"‫ם‬
ָ -%.‫הי(ָה‬
ָ / ‫ּכ‬01,2‫א‬
ְ 34‫ח‬
ַ -”‫ַד‬
‫מ“ִמ‬.!"ֶּ‫וּנ‬#ּ,$ %&‫ָל‬#‫ "*תַ)עַ('ד‬, ,#(
‫ֹוט‬+‫ב‬,&*‫רָו‬,!'ָ‫;ע‬.‫ע ()ְו‬/( ַ‫ת‬01
ָּ‫ה‬%‫ּפ‬12ֶ‫ן‬-‫ש(!ִי‬3 ְׁ‫(חַ)ל‬4"#‫ֹו &*דָי‬,56"
, ‫חַ()קָ 'לְו‬# &7‫ֵמ"! " !םַּג‬#‫ע‬$ֵ‫ ץ‬%&'‫ם(;יִּיַ )*ח(ַה‬,+%% *‫אְו‬,-.
ָ‫לַכ‬, ,/'
‫' יַ(חָו‬0%‫ְל‬1‫ע‬,23
ֹ‫"םָל‬4.”56 !"#$%&
47
47
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
!"#
+,* -., ”‫ב‬
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
al-Mamdūd, p. 44. Cf.
Cf. “‫ַו‬
‫"!אְרַּי‬#‫!ֱא‬$ ‫&ל‬% ֹ‫ה‬,!
ִ‫"םי‬#"‫ֶא‬$‫ת‬%-‫)(לָ'&ּכ‬-‫ש"!ֲא‬#ֶׁ‫"ָע!ר‬#‫ש‬$%&
ָׂ‫ה‬,'‫)ה(ְו‬#ִ‫הֵּנ‬#-‫ֹוט‬
#$!‫&ק‬% ֶ‫'ר‬,)(( ‫"!ם*ֹוי‬#‫ַה‬$ !‫ש‬
&% ִּׁ‫ש‬
;'( ִּׁ‫)י‬.”$*
‫א“ְמ‬.!ֹ‫"ד‬#; "#$‫יַו‬%ְ‫!'&יִה‬
-‫רֶע‬,(
ֶ‫*) ב‬+‫יַו‬,ְ‫"!יִה‬-‫ֹב‬
48
48
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
!#$%
" ‫('כִי& א‬
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
al-Mamdūd, pp.
pp. 66-67.
66-67. Cf.
Cf. “‫ֹל‬
ְ‫*)הֶה‬%‫אֹ"!ל(ְו‬#‫רָי‬,$%&'
‫ץּו‬,( ‫*)ַע‬+
‫ד‬-‫ָי‬,‫ש‬-.ִׂ‫י‬-‫ם‬/+ 0 (‫ץֶ”רָ*)אָּב‬
.!"#
‫ש“ִמ‬
ְׁ‫פ‬$ָּ‫;ט‬%&'&‫"!לּו‬#ְ‫ת‬$‫רֹו‬#% ָ‫ת‬,&'
‫ֹו‬, )&'*
‫םיִּי (ִא‬+,‫;יְי‬-(
ַ‫ח‬.ֵ‫*ּול‬/.”#0
49
49
‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d, p.
p. 121.
121. Cf.
Cf. “‫םיאלמ‬
“.!"# !"#"$%&
&"' !"()%
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‫םיקיפמו ויז‬
‫הגנ‬.””
50
Maimonides, Epistle to Yemen, pp. 43-45. See further, Mazuz, “The Identity of
the
ApostateXXXVII
in the Epistle
Yemen”,
p. 370. 0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
Al-Qantara
1, 2016,topp.
111-128 ISSN
51
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 118-120.
52
For a summary of the classical attitude toward ‘Uzayr, reviewing all the relevant
literature, see Lazarus-Yafeh, “Ezra-‘Uzayr: History of a Pre-Islamic Polemical Motif
through Islam to the Beginning of Biblical Criticism”, pp. 359-; Lazarus-Yafeh,
Intertwined Worlds, pp. 50-74. See further, Heller, “Ezra the Scribe in Islamic Legend”,
pp. 214-217; Hirschberg, “Maqr#n—the Horned One—and Ezra-‘Uzayr is the son
All!h”, pp. 125-133; Comerro, “Esdras est-il le fils de Dieu?”. For a different view on
‘Uzayr’s identity, see Sharon, ‘People of the Book’, vol. 4, pp. 36-43. Cf. Sharon, “The
Decisive Battles in the Arab Conquest of Syria”, p. 40; Sharon, “The Decisive Battles in
the Arab Conquest of Syria”, p. 301; Segovia, “Response to Annette Yoshiko Reed,
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 35. Cf. :!"#$%&'(*) !" #" $ %&'( )*+ %, ! !" ,#$%&' (" )*+*,-* ”
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página121
“.!"#$&% '()* + ,-./ ,*%0."1) *) +20 23 .4 24.0 56 7 %8)* 9'- %:)* ! "#$% ,&'()* !"+ ", $- "-$+ ,+. /01*) 2'# 03)* ! "#
31
Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds: Medieval Islam and Bible Criticism, p. 106.
32
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 22. Interestingly, ‘alam has another
meaning in classical Arabic, a sign of prophethood that implies on Mu!ammad’s future
arrival.
33
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 85.
34
Cf. ! "# $%&'()" ,*+%% ,.- / -0- ()" ;!+- 12 3"456 ,7-*8- +9 %:". ! "#$% "# !" #!" $%& %'(!*) ,+!"#" $%&#' ," ()(*,+ -.#" "/,10 #2#3”
“.!"#%$$ & '()* ! "# $%& '('$
35
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 26.
36
“.!"#$%&#' ()* ,+,-, ,! %.0$1
/ $ 2-3 14 ,!"! $# &% '# ! "#$% "# ;!#$" % &' $( )* + !",%$ &' $( !- .#$& , -+ ,/* 0 -+ 12$354 5"65- !"#”
37DDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
A
121
See e.g. al-W!qid", Kit$b al-Magh$z", vol. 1, pp. 176-180, 374-375; Ibn Hish!m,
al-S"ra al-Nabawiyya, vol. 3, pp. 9-10; Kister, “The Massacre of the Ban# Quray$a: A
Re-examination
of Maimonides’
a Tradition”, pp. reasoning—that
61-96; Lecker, Mu!ammad
and the Jews,
pp. 133,
in
Gen. 17:20.
the Qur’ān
(apparently
151-156, 171-174, 199-205.
38 states that the name appearing in the Torah is Aḥmad, which is
61:6)
Cf. ,!"#!"#$ %! & '($ "! #$%& '( )* +%, -' ./ ,*()0%1&! 2()3 4* ;! "#%$ &'( ) ,*+ &," ) !"# $%&' ( )*+ ( ,-./ ,' .0 "1+2'& ( )*+ ( ,-./”
“.! "#$% &' (# !")*&( +
53—deprives
the Muslim polemicists’ argument of its value.50
39
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 31. On the meaning of mary!", see ‘Abd al!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 56 n.16 (translation).
40
“.[...] !"#$ %&'" $("% '&)* [...]” See Batei Midrash%t, vol. 2, p. 25.
41
2. Attitude
toward
‘Uzayr
E.g. “.[...]
!"#$% &"#'&
() *#+,- .-*& ()#- &/-0 0"1 +,-)-” See Tef"lat Rabb"
Shim‘%n ben Y%!ai (The Prayer of Rabbi Shim ‘%n ben Y%!ai) in Beit ha-Midrash, vol.
4, p. 119.
42
‘Abd
aqq describes
‘Uzayr
one Maimonides,
of the prophets
foretold
E.g. al-Ḥ
The Epistle
of R. Sherira
Gaon, as
p. 100;
Epistlewho
to Yemen:
The
51
Muḥ
a
mmad’s
arrival.
‘Uzayr
is
a
Qur’ānic
figure
that
most
Muslim
Arabic Original and the Three Hebrew Versions, pp. 14, 18, 36, 38, 80; Samaw’al
alMaghrib",
If!"m
al-Yah!d
– Silencing
p. 5267‘Abd
(17a);
Samaw’al
and
modern
scholars
identify
as EzrathetheJews,
Scribe.
al-Ḥ
aqq is
al-Maghrib"’s (d. 570/1175), If!"m al-Yah!d: The Early Recension, p. 39; The Itinerary
strongly
unique
and original
here
previous
Muslim polemicists
of Benjamin
of Tudela,
pp. 54,
69.because
See further,
Steinschneider,
Polemische
described
‘Uzayr-Ezra
as 302-303;
the culprit
behind
theDerogatories
falsification
of the
und apologetische
Literatur, pp.
Avishur,
“Hebrew
for Gentiles
53 in Judaeo-Arabic in the Medieval Era and Their Metamorphoses”, pp. 98-103.
and Jews
Bible.
43
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 32-33.
‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq ascribes to ‘Uzayr Mal. 3:1: “Behold, I will send my
44
For an example of another Muslim polemicist who did so, see Weston, “The
messenger,
and he ofshall
way before
andFirst
theTime
Lord,
Kit!b Mas!lik al-Na$ar
Sa‘!d prepare
Ibn "asan the
of Alexandria:
Editedme:
for the
and
Translated
Introduction
and Notes”,
p. 325;
Halft,
“Sa‘"d b.
!asan
A
whom
yewith
seek,
shall suddenly
come
to this
temple,
even
theal-Iskandar":
messenger
Jewish Convert to Islam: Editio princeps of the Later Recension (732/1331) of His
of
the
covenant,
whom
ye
delight
in:
behold,
he
shall
come,
saith
the
Biblical ‘Testimonies’ to the Prophet Mu!ammad”, p. 285. See further, Mazuz, “Sa‘!d
Lord
of Biographical
hosts.” Interestingly,
passage
BT, Megīlla
states that
b. !asan,
Notes throughathe
Prism of in
Mas$lik
al-Na&ar”,15a
pp. 52-53.
45
‘Abd
al-!aqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
Cf. ;! "# "$ %& of
! "#$%'& ‘Abd
!"# ,!"#$al-Ḥ
% &' $()$*a" qq’s
+,-#.), ”
“Ezra
is Malachi.”
If so,
this maypp.be38-39.
an example
“.!"#"$ ! %& '( ) "*+", ! "# ,$ %& $ "'% (*)
familiarity
with a Talmudic idea.
46
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 41-42. Cf. !"#!" ! "#$"% &'% ,!()%* +, %"-%. ( / 01,2 34-”
“.!"#$%&# '()*" ,#(+,&* ,!'- .)( /( 01% 12 !(3 ) (4"#*& ,56" ' )(# &7! " !"# $ %&'(*) ;(+%% * ,-. ,/'( '0%1 ,23 "4 56 !"#$%&
47
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 44. Cf. !"# !"#!$ &% ,! "#"$ % &' () !"# ! "# $%&'( )# #+,* -., ”
“.! "# "#$% &'! ,( )*+ , !"#$!&% ')(( * !"#$!&% ;'( ) $*
48
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 66-67. Cf. !#$%
" & '( )*% ( !"# ,$%&' ( )*+, -.-/+ 0 ( )*”
“.!"#$%&'& !"# $ #% ,&')&'*
( +, ;-(. */ #0
49
50 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 121. Cf. “ .!"# !"#"$%& &"' !"()%”
Maimonides, Epistle to Yemen, pp. 43-45. See further, Mazuz, “The Identity of the
50
Maimonides,
Epistle
to Yemen,
pp. 43-45. See further, Mazuz, “The Identity of
Apostate
in the Epistle
to Yemen”,
p. 370.
the 51
Apostate
in the
Epistle
toal-Mamdūd,
Yemen”, p. pp.
370.118-120.
‘Abd
al-Ḥ
a
qq,
al-Sayf
51
52 ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 118-120.
For
a
summary
of
the
classical
attitude
toward ‘Uzayr, reviewing all the relevant
52
For see
a summary
of the classical
attitude History
toward ‘Uzayr,
reviewingPolemical
all the relevant
literature,
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Ezra-‘Uzayr:
of a Pre-Islamic
Motif
literature,
see to
Lazarus-Yafeh,
History pp.
of a359-379
Pre-Islamic
Polemical
Motif
through
Islam
the Beginning “Ezra-‘Uzayr:
of Biblical Criticism”,
[in Hebrew];
LazarusthroughIntertwined
Islam to the
Beginning
of Biblical
Criticism”,
pp. 359-;
Lazarus-Yafeh,
Yafeh,
Worlds,
pp. 50-74.
See further,
Heller, “Ezra
the Scribe
in Islamic
Intertwined
See further,
Heller,
“Ezra the Scribe
in Islamic
Legend”,
Legend”,
pp.Worlds,
214-217pp.[in50-74.
Hebrew];
Hirschberg,
“Maqrūn—the
Horned
One—and
Ezrapp. 214-217;
Hirschberg,
“Maqr#n—the
Horned One—and
‘Uzayr
is the son
Allāh”, pp.
125-133 [in Hebrew];
Comerro, Ezra-‘Uzayr
“Esdras est-ilislethe
filsson
de
All!h”, pp.
“Esdras est-il
le fils
Dieu?”.
For a of
different
viewvol.
on
Dieu?”.
For 125-133;
a differentComerro,
view on ‘Uzayr’s
identity,
seede
Sharon,
‘People
the Book’,
‘Uzayr’s
identity,
see Sharon,
the Book’,
4, Conquest
pp. 36-43.ofCf.
Sharon,
“The
4,
pp. 36-43.
Cf. Sharon,
“The ‘People
DecisiveofBattles
in thevol.
Arab
Syria”,
p. 40
[in
Decisive Battles
the Arab
Conquest
p. 40;
Sharon,
Decisive
in
Hebrew];
Sharon,in“The
Decisive
BattlesofinSyria”,
the Arab
Conquest
of“The
Syria”,
p. 301;Battles
Segovia,
the Arab Conquest
of Syria”,
301; Segovia,
“Response
Yoshiko
Reed,
“Response
to Annette
Yoshikop.Reed,
‘Fallen Angels
and to
theAnnette
Afterlives
of Enochic
‘Fallen Angels
and Islam’”.
the Afterlives of Enochic Traditions in Early Islam’”.
Traditions
in Early
53
53
E.g. Ibn
Ibn Ḥ!azm,
Kit!bal-Fiṣ
al-Fi!al
l-Milal
wa-l-Ahw!’
wa-l-Ni!al,
p. 312;
E.g.,
azm, Kitāb
al fī f"l-Milal
wa-l-Ahwā’
wa-l-Niḥ
al, vol.vol.
1, p.1,312;
Ibn
Ibn
!azm,
al-Radd
al-Naghr"la
al-Yah!d"
wa-Ras$’il
Ukhr$,
p. 77;
Samaw’al
Ḥ
azm,
al-Radd
‘alā ‘al$
Ibn Ibn
al-Naghrīla
al-Yahūdī
wa-Rasā’il
Ukhrā,
p. 77;
Samaw’al
alal-Maghrib",
al-Yah!d
– Silencing
thep. 51
Jews,
p. See
51 further,
(13a). Whittingham,
See further,
Maghribī,
IfḥāIf!"m
m al-Yahūd
– Silencing
the Jews,
(13a).
Whittingham,
“Ezra asofthe
of the Torah?
&azm’s
in
“Ezra
as the Corrupter
theCorrupter
Torah? Re-Assessing
IbnRe-Assessing
Ḥazm’s RoleIbn
in the
Long Role
History
theanLong
History of an Idea”.
of
Idea”.
Al-Qantara XXXVII 1, 2016, pp. 111-128 ISSN 0211-3589 doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página122
122
HAGGAI MAZUZ
3. Familiarity with Midrashic ideas and Jewish interpretive
methods
Although ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq made extensive use of Biblical sources, it
is clear that he was also inspired by Midrashic texts. He specifically
mentions having drawn on matters that the Jews claimed to appear in
the Torah and “their other compositions from the Hebrew texts,” based
on “interpretation by their ancient ones and elucidation by their sages”
(tafsīr qudamā’ihim wa-sharh ‘ulamā’ihim).54 Thus, it is very likely
that these other compositions refer to the Oral Law.
Thus far, we have mentioned the possibility that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq was
familiar with a Jewish interpretation of Hos. 9:7 and the idea that “Ezra
is Malachi” in BT, Megīlla 15a. Lazarus-Yafeh correctly mentions the
example of BT, Sukka 5b, where R. Abahū says that the kerūbīm
(cherubs) are children, on which basis ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq accuses the Jews
of idolatry. She also mentions BT, Sanhedrīn 102b (where maḥmad
‘eineikha is explained as denoting a Torah scroll).55 It seems that ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq was inspired by another passage in Tractate Sanhedrīn on the
Ahab story discussed above since, as he puts it, the Israelites considered
Ahab one of the greatest of infidels because he believed in
Muhammad’s religion.56 This brings to mind the dictum regarding the
portion in the hereafter of the seven figures whom the Jewish tradition
considers the vilest: “Three kings and four laymen have no portion in
the afterlife.” One the kings listed is Ahab.57 If so, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq has
reframed Ahab’s image.58
An additional Talmudic source that may have inspired ‘Abd alḤaqq is BT, Megīlla 14a. One of the Jewish fundamentals that ‘Abd
54
55
54
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 14.
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
of p.
a 14.
Jewish Convert”, pp. 84-85. For ‘Abd al‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamdūd,
55
!aqq’s
remarks on the“Contribution
ker!b"m, see of
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfpp.
al-Mamd!d,
89-90.
Lazarus-Yafeh,
a Jewish
Convert”,
84-85. Forpp.
‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq’s
56
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
20, 25.
remarks
on the
kerūvīm,
see ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq,pp.
al-Sayf
al-Mamdūd, pp. 89-90.
57
56
“.[...]al-Ḥ
!"#a$%&'%
(%) $#%
*+! ,,&-&+.#pp.
#'"/!&
$+0%1 #2&%2” See Mishna, Sanhedr"n
‘Abd
qq, al-Sayf
al-Mamdūd,
20, 25.
57
10:2;
JT, Sanhedr"n
50b (10:2),
(10:2);
BT, Sanhedr"n
90a;Mishna,
Ab%t de-Rabbi
Nathan
“‫השולש‬
‫העבראו םיכלמ‬
‫תוטוידה‬,53a
‫םהל ןיא‬
‫םלועל קלח‬
‫[ אבה‬...].” See
Sanhedrīn
10:2;
JT,
Sanhedrīn 50b (10:2), 53a (10:2); BT, Sanhedrīn 90a; Abōt de-Rabbi Nathan 36:6.
36:6.
58
58
Interestingly,
asan uses another king on this list, Manasseh, for his
Interestingly, Sa‘īd
Sa‘!d b. Ḥ
"asan
polemical
thethe
monarch
“cried
out to
Allāh,
extolled
and exalted,
asking
polemical needs,
needs,claiming
claimingthat
that
monarch
“cried
out
to All!h,
extolled
and exalted,
for
helpfor
through
ammad”
and was eventually
rescued byrescued
Allāh (Weston,
Kitāb
asking
help Muḥ
through
Mu!ammad”
and was eventually
by All"h“The
(Weston,
Masālik
al-Naẓar”,
332-333).pp.
If so,
both quondam
Jewsquondam
invoke figures
that arefigures
poorly
“The Kit!b
Mas!likpp.
al-Na$ar”,
332-333).
If so, both
Jews invoke
regarded
and rejected
in Jewish
traditioninand
present
them asand
proto-Muslims.
that are poorly
regarded
and rejected
Jewish
tradition
present themThe
as reason
protofor
their doing
so entails
study.
Muslims.
The reason
for further
their doing
so entails further study.
59
60
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 70-71.
!" #$XXXVII
%&'(%! )#%
%(*+ )#%
-!# %)./(/
(%)'./ $.,%
!/%",% -'$.&) &"(”
Al-Qantara
1, 2016,
pp. #)&,'#
111-128 ISSN
0211-3589 doi:-')'./
10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
“.!"#$% &'(%% )*+ !'*,- -*,./
61
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 42.
62
Mishnat Rabbi El"‘ezer ’% Midrash Shelosh"m !-Shtaim M"dd%t. Hillel (Hyman)
Gershom Enelow (ed.), p. 38.
63
!"#$ %"&' !"!() $*+ !"#$%& :'(%)* &#"+#, *-$) $+$ !(,$&+ ".+ ("$% !($# (/")% "0*”
“.!"#"$!%" !"&'()*'+%" ,"-./% !*0/ ,"+0 ,!"# $% &'(") *+&+, See Maimonides, “Letter on
Astrology to the Rabbis of Montpellier,” vol. 2, p. 479.
64
!"#$%& !"#$! !"#$ !"#$ !" !"#$%"&' !"#$ !"#$% !"# !" !"# !"# !"#$%& !"#!"$ !"#$%" [...]”
“.!""# .!"#$% !"# !" !"#$ !"#$ !" !" See Ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah, vol. 1, p.
169 (Gen. 14:14).
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página123
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
123
al-Ḥaqq criticizes concerns the festivals. The Jews, he claims, added
festivals that do not appear in the Torah, such as Purim (which he calls
the festival of Haman [‘īd Hāmān]), and terms the Scroll of Esther
(megīllat Ester) the Chapter of Haman [sūrat Hāmān]). Such a
supplement, he states, contravenes the injunction neither to add to nor
to subtract from the contents of the Torah.59 His words may suggest
that he was familiar with the following passage in BT, Megīlla 14a:
“Our Rabbis taught: ‘Forty-eight prophets and seven prophetesses
prophesied to Israel, and they neither subtracted from nor added to what
is written in the Torah, with the exception of the reading of the Scroll
[of Esther].”60 In Section 2, I raised the possibility that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq
was familiar with the idea in BT, Megīlla 15a, that “Ezra is Malachi.”
The two contents appear only one page apart. This proximity raises the
hypothetical possibility that ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq took much interest in this
part of Tractate Megīlla.
As mentioned, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq considers the gematria a cardinal
principle in the Jewish religion.61 The Jewish attitudes towards gematria
and its function are varied. R. Eli‘ezer b. Yossei the Galilean numbers
it among the thirty-two “measures” (mīddōt) in the study of Aggada
(not54Torah).62 Mishna Abōt 3:18 terms gematria a “dessert” relative to
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 14.
“wisdom,”
i.e., secondary
in studying
theConvert”,
Torah. The
various
55
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
of a Jewish
pp. 84-85.
Forattitudes
‘Abd altoward
gematria
among
Jewish
sages
remained
controversial
even in
!aqq’s remarks on the ker!b"m, see ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 89-90.
56
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
20, 25.
later57 generations.
Maimonides,
forpp.example,
considers gematria one of
“.[...] !"# $%&'% (%) $#% *+! ,,&-&+.# #'"/!&
$+0%1 #2&%2” See Mishna, Sanhedr"n
63
Abraham
b. Ezra (d. 1167 CE),
the
things
that
one
should
believe.
10:2; JT, Sanhedr"n 50b (10:2), 53a (10:2); BT, Sanhedr"n 90a; Ab%t de-Rabbi Nathan
however,
regards it as a derash (exegetic) method only, meaning that
36:6.
58
64
Interestingly,
"asan (literal
uses another
king on this
list, Biblical
Manasseh, text.
for his
it cannot
explainSa‘!d
the b.peshaṭ
meaning)
of the
polemical needs, claiming that the monarch “cried out to All!h, extolled and exalted,
Although
the attitudes vary, it is clear that gematria has some place and
asking for help through Mu!ammad” and was eventually rescued by All"h (Weston,
importance
in Jewish
tradition.
This
may
al-Ḥafigures
qq’s
“The Kit!b Mas!lik
al-Na$ar”,
pp. 332-333).
If so,
bothexplain
quondam ‘Abd
Jews invoke
that are poorly regarded and rejected in Jewish tradition and present them as protoMuslims. The reason for their doing so entails further study.
59
59
‘Abdal-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfal-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d,pp.
pp.70-71.
70-71.
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
60
60
!" #$‫םיעברא‬
%&'(%!‫הנומשו‬
)#% %(*+
)#%‫עבשו‬
#)&,'#
-!#‫ואבנתנ‬
%)./(/
(%)'./
$.,%
!/%",%
-'$.&)
“‫ר”ת‬
‫םיאיבנ‬
‫תואיבנ‬
‫םהל‬
‫לארשיל‬
‫אלו‬-')'./
‫אלו ותחפ‬
‫וריתוה‬
‫”("& המ לע‬
‫בותכש‬
‫הרותב‬
‫ץוח‬
‫ארקממ‬
‫הליגמ‬.”
“.!"#$%
&'(%%
)*+
!'*,- -*,./
61
61
‘Abd
aqq, al-Sayf
‘Abdal-Ḥ
al-!aqq,
al-Sayfal-Mamdūd,
al-Mamd!d,p.
p.42.
42.
62
62
Mishnat
Mishnat Rabbi
Rabbi Elī‘ezer
El"‘ezer ’ō
’% Midrash
Midrash Sheloshīm
Shelosh"m ū-Shtaim
!-Shtaim Mīddōt.
M"dd%t. Hillel (Hyman)
Gershom
Gershom Enelow
Enelow (ed.),
(ed.), p.
p. 38.
38.
63
63
“‫ועד‬
‫יואר ןיאש‬
‫ ןימאהל‬:'(%)*
‫דחאב אלא‬
‫השולשמ‬
‫"ןושארה‬.+- ‫רבד‬
‫" וילע‬0*”
‫היאר‬
!"#$‫יתובר‬
%"&' !"!()
$*+‫"!ונל‬#$%&
&#"+#,
*-$)‫םירבד‬:
$+$ !(,$&+
("$% ‫היהתש‬
!($# (/")%
‫הרורב‬
‫'*)('&"!ותעדמ‬+%"
‫םדא לש‬, ‫ןוגכ‬
‫*! תמכח‬0/
‫ןובשחה‬
‫תופוקתהו‬.”
“.!"#"$!%"
,"-./%
,"+0‫תואירטמיגהו‬
,!"# $% &'(")
*+&+, See Maimonides, “Letter on
Astrology
Astrology to
to the
the Rabbis
Rabbis of
of Montpellier,”
Montpellier,”vol.
vol.2,
2,p.
p.479.
479.
64
64
“[...]
‫ןובשחו‬
‫תויתוא‬
‫"!יכ שרד‬#$
‫בותכה ןיא‬
‫לכוי לוכי‬
‫הצורה‬
‫איצוהל‬
‫לכ‬
!"#$%&
!"#$!
!"#$‫רזעילא‬
!"#$ !"‫ךרד‬
!"#$%"&'
!"#$%‫רבדמ‬
!"# !"‫הירטמיגב‬
!"# !"#‫"!יכ‬#$%&
!"#!"$
!"#$%"
[...]”
‫םש‬
‫ בוטל‬.!"#$%
‫"!קר ערלו‬#
‫"!םשה‬
‫ועמשכ‬.
See
b. Ezra,
Commentary
Torah,
vol.
“.!""#
!"#$ ‫ל”כע‬.”
!"#$ !"
!"Abraham
See Ibn Ezra,
Commentary
on on
thethe
Torah,
vol.
1, 1,
p.
p.
169
(Gen.
14:14).
169
(Gen.
14:14).
65
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, p. 87.
66
‘AbdXXXVII
al-!aqq,1,al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
p. 370211-3589 (introduction).
Al-Qantara
2016, pp.
111-128 ISSN
doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
67
Mazuz, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”.
68
E.g. Mazuz, “The Midrashic Sources of Sa‘!d b. "asan”, pp. 67-81; Mazuz,
“Sa‘!d b. "asan”, pp. 49-57.
69
See Ibn Kamm!na’s Examination of the Inquiries into the Three Faiths: A
Thirteenth-Century Essay in Comparative Religion, pp. 49-50; Ibn Kamm!na’s
Examination of the Three Faiths: A Thirteenth-Century Essay in the Comparative Study
of Religion, pp. 76-77; Sklare, “Responses to Islamic Polemics by Jewish Mutakallim#n
in the Tenth Century”, pp. 137-161. See further, Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds, pp.
145-151.
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página124
124
HAGGAI MAZUZ
statement and, in turn, may demonstrate that he was familiar with or
inspired by one or more of the sources that find gematria legitimate.
One of the categories into which Lazarus-Yafeh sorts ‘Abd alḤaqq’s claims is “arguments with Karaite characteristics.”65 The
Karaites’ resistance to the Rabbanites centered on the Oral law. Such
resistance requires, at least, some knowledge in sources such as the
Mishna and the Talmuds or ideas from them. This again suggests ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq’s familiarity with such sources.
Conclusion
Apart from the early polemicists, it is almost impossible to find a
Muslim polemicist who did not absorb his predecessors’ teachings.
‘Abd al-Ḥaqq, apparently, is no exception in this regard; he fits the
mold
emphatically by accusing the Jews of anthropomorphism. Yet the
54
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Sayf al-Mamd!d,
14.polemicists’ texts leaves ample
existence
of differences
among p.the
55
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish Convert”, pp. 84-85. For ‘Abd alroom
comparative
research.
!aqq’s for
remarks
on the ker!b"m,
see ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 89-90.
56
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
pp. 20,al-Ḥ
25. aqq’s writings where his
Alfonso
notes
places
in ‘Abd
57
“.[...] !"#
$%&'% (%)
*+! ,,&-&+.#those
#'"/!& of
$+0%1previous
#2&%2” Seeapostate
Mishna, Sanhedr"n
arguments
appear
to$#%
resemble
Jewish
10:2; JT, Sanhedr"n 50b (10:2), 53a (10:2); BT, Sanhedr"n 90a; Ab%t de-Rabbi Nathan
polemicists
such
as
Samaw’al
al-Maghribī
and
Sa‘īd
b.
Ḥ
a
san,
but
states
36:6.
that58these
notes are
not
be exhaustive,
to befor
used
Interestingly,
Sa‘!d
b. intended
"asan usesto
another
king on thislet
list,alone
Manasseh,
his
66
polemical
needs,
claiming
that
the
monarch
“cried
out
to
All!h,
extolled
and
exalted,
to reconstruct the genesis of al-Sayf al-Mamdud. I showed that, with
asking for help through Mu!ammad” and was eventually rescued by All"h (Weston,
the
of two
examples,
it is unlikely
thatquondam
the former
inspired
“Theexclusion
Kit!b Mas!lik
al-Na$ar”,
pp. 332-333).
If so, both
Jewswas
invoke
figures
by
latter regarded
and ‘Abd
al-Ḥaqq’s
thinking
was
novel
and
that the
are poorly
and rejected
in Jewish
tradition
and actually
present them
as proto67
Muslims. The reason
forshould
their doing
so
entails further
study.
One
not
necessarily
seek
his
sources
of
inspiration
independent.
59
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 70-71.
entirely
in %&'(%!
previous
Jewish
converts’
works.
Actually,
when
viewed
side60
!" #$
)#% %(*+
)#% #)&,'#
-!# %)./(/
(%)'./
$.,% -')'./
!/%",%
-'$.&) &"(”
by-side
with)*+their
“.!"#$% &'(%%
!'*,-reuse
-*,./ of previous polemical contents, apostate Jewish
61
68
‘Abd al-!aqq,
al-Mamd!d,
p. 42.
After all, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq
polemicists
makeal-Sayf
an original
contribution.
62
Mishnat Rabbi El"‘ezer ’% Midrash Shelosh"m !-Shtaim M"dd%t. Hillel (Hyman)
lived
as
a
Jew
until
the
age
of
forty
and
was
probably
part of a Jewish
Gershom Enelow (ed.), p. 38.
63
community.
He
must
have
absorbed
something
from
this
period
and "0*”
this
!"#$ %"&' !"!() $*+ !"#$%& :'(%)* &#"+#, *-$) $+$ !(,$&+ ".+ ("$%
!($# (/")%
“.!"#"$!%"
!"&'()*'+%"
,"-./%
!*0/
,"+0
,!"#
$%
&'(")
*+&+,
See
Maimonides,
“Letter
milieu. Thus, some of the contents he discusses may reflect a piece on
of
Astrology to the Rabbis of Montpellier,” vol. 2, p. 479.
the
spiritual
“cargo”
of
his
quondam
community.
It
is
also
possible
that
64
!"#$%& !"#$! !"#$ !"#$ !" !"#$%"&' !"#$ !"#$% !"# !" !"# !"# !"#$%& !"#!"$ !"#$%" [...]”
“.!""# .!"#$% !"# !" !"#$ !"#$ !" !" See Ibn Ezra, Commentary on the Torah, vol. 1, p.
169 (Gen. 14:14).
65
65
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution
“Contribution of
of aa Jewish
Jewish Convert”,
Convert”, p.
p. 87.
87.
Lazarus-Yafeh,
66
66
al-!aqq,
al-Mamd!d, p. 37 (introduction).
‘Abd al-Ḥ
aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd,
67
67
Mazuz, “‘Abd
“‘Abd al-Ḥ
al-!aqq
al-Isl!m"”. 8
Mazuz,
aqq al-Islāmī”.
68
68
E.g.,
Sources
of Sa‘īd
b. Ḥab.san”,
pp. 67-81;
Mazuz,Mazuz,
“Sa‘īd
E.g. Mazuz,
Mazuz,“The
“TheMidrashic
Midrashic
Sources
of Sa‘!d
"asan”,
pp. 67-81;
b.
Ḥasan”,
pp. 49-57.
“Sa‘!d
b. "asan”,
pp. 49-57.
69
See Ibn Kamm!na’s Examination of the Inquiries into the Three Faiths: A
Thirteenth-Century
in 111-128 ISSN
Comparative 0211-3589 Religion, pp.
49-50; Ibn Kamm!na’s
Al-Qantara XXXVII 1,Essay
2016, pp.
doi: 10.3989/alqantara.2016.005
Examination of the Three Faiths: A Thirteenth-Century Essay in the Comparative Study
of Religion, pp. 76-77; Sklare, “Responses to Islamic Polemics by Jewish Mutakallim#n
in the Tenth Century”, pp. 137-161. See further, Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds, pp.
145-151.
AlcantaraVolXXXVII-1(222222)_Maquetación126/07/1613:25Página125
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF ‘ABD AL-ḤAQQ AL-ISLāMī TO THE MUSLIM-JEWISH POLEMIC
125
he was familiar with some of the Islamic arguments that he mentions
from his Jewish, and not Muslim, milieu, since they were well-known
topics of conversation among believers of both faiths.69
This discussion shows that the arguments regarding ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq’s
lack of uniqueness, originality, and Jewish education are of limited
validity. Taken together with my second article on this polemicist, it
also demonstrates that, in many ways, ‘Abd al-Ḥaqq was an original
thinker and made a unique contribution to the Islamic literature. He
may even have known some Hebrew—possibly exceeding the purely
ritual fluency that most Jews in the Islamic world possessed.
54
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 14.
Bibliography
55
Lazarus-Yafeh, “Contribution of a Jewish
Convert”, pp. 84-85. For ‘Abd al!aqq’s remarks on the ker!b"m, see ‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 89-90.
56
‘AbdSources
al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, pp. 20, 25.
Primary
57
“.[...] !"# $%&'% (%) $#% *+! ,,&-&+.# #'"/!& $+0%1 #2&%2” See Mishna, Sanhedr"n
10:2; JT, Sanhedr"n 50b (10:2), 53a (10:2); BT, Sanhedr"n 90a; Ab%t de-Rabbi Nathan
‘Abd
36:6. al-Ḥaqq al-Islāmī, al-Sayf al-Mamdūd fī l-radd ‘alā Aḥbār al-Yahūd,
58
Esperanza
Alfonso
Madrid,
Superior
de
Interestingly,
Sa‘!d b.(ed.
"asanand
usestrans.),
another king
on thisConsejo
list, Manasseh,
for his
polemical
needs, claiming
the 1998.
monarch “cried out to All!h, extolled and exalted,
Investigaciones
Cientíthat
ficas,
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Mu!ammad”
andAaron
was eventually
rescued
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All"h (Weston,
Batei
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60
!" #$ %&'(%!1921.
)#% %(*+ )#% #)&,'# -!# %)./(/ (%)'./ $.,% -')'./ !/%",% -'$.&) &"(”
Verfassers,
“.!"#$%
&'(%%
)*+
!'*,Ibn 61Ezra, Abraham, -*,./
Commentary on the Torah, 3 vols., Asher Weiser (ed.),
‘Abd al-!aqq, al-Sayf al-Mamd!d, p. 42.
62
Jerusalem,
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Gershom
Enelow
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38. ‘Alī b. Aḥmad, Kitāb al-Fiṣal fī l-Milal wa-l-Ahwā’
63
!"#$ %"&'
$*+Beirut,
!"#$%&Dār
:'(%)*
&#"+#,
*-$) $+$ !(,$&+ ".+ ("$% !($# (/")% "0*”
wa-l-Niḥ
al,!"!()
5 vols.
al-Jīl,
1985.
“.!"#"$!%"
!"&'()*'+%"
,"-./%
!*0/‘Alī
,"+0 b.
,!"#
&'(")
*+&+, See
Maimonides,
“Letter alon
Ibn Ḥazm,
Abū Muḥ
ammad
Aḥ$%
mad,
al-Radd
‘alā
Ibn al-Naghrīla
Astrology to the Rabbis of Montpellier,” vol. 2, p. 479.
Yahūdī wa-Rasā’il Ukhrā, Cairo, Maktabat Dār al-‘Urūba, 1960.
64
!"#$%& !"#$! !"#$ !"#$ !" !"#$%"&' !"#$ !"#$% !"# !" !"# !"# !"#$%& !"#!"$ !"#$%" [...]”
Ibn
Hishām,
‘Abd!"al-Malik,
al-Sīra
4 vols.on
Beirut,
Dār vol.
al-Kitāb
“.!""#
.!"#$% !"#
!"#$ !"#$ !"
!" Seeal-Nabawiyya,
Ibn Ezra, Commentary
the Torah,
1, p.
1987.
169 al-‘Arabī,
(Gen. 14:14).
Lazarus-Yafeh,
“Contribution
of Inquiries
a Jewish Convert”,
p. 87. Faiths: A ThirteenthIbn 65
Kammūna’s
Examination
of the
into the Three
66
‘Abd
al-!aqq,
al-Sayf
al-Mamd!d,
p.
37
(introduction).
Century Essay in Comparative Religion. Moshe Perlmann (ed.), Berkeley and
67
Mazuz, “‘Abd al-!aqq al-Isl!m"”.
Los
Angeles, University of California Press, 1967.
68
E.g. Mazuz, “The Midrashic Sources of Sa‘!d b. "asan”, pp. 67-81; Mazuz,
“Sa‘!d b. "asan”, pp. 49-57.
69
See Ibn Kamm!na’s Examination of the Inquiries into the Three Faiths: A
Thirteenth-Century
EssayExamination
in Comparative
Religion,
49-50;Faiths.
Ibn AKamm!na’s
69
See Ibn Kammūna’s
of the Inquiries
intopp.
the Three
ThirteenthExamination
theComparative
Three Faiths:
A Thirteenth-Century
in the Comparative
Century
Essayofin
Religion,
pp. 49-50; Ibn Essay
Kammūna’s
Examination Study
of the
of Religion,
Sklare, “Responses
to the
Islamic
PolemicsStudy
by Jewish
Mutakallim#n
Three
Faiths.pp.
A 76-77;
Thirteenth-Century
Essay in
Comparative
of Religion,
pp. 76in the
Tenth“Responses
Century”, to
pp.Islamic
137-161.
See further,
Lazarus-Yafeh,
Intertwined
Worlds,
pp.
77;
Sklare,
Polemics
by Jewish
Mutakallimūn
in the Tenth
Century”,
145-151.
pp. 137-161. See further, Lazarus-Yafeh, Intertwined Worlds, pp. 145-151.
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