Early Christian-Muslim Debate on the Unity of God

Sara Leila Husseini, Ph.D. (2011), University of Birmingham, UK, is currently a Communications Advisor in Palestine. She has previously worked on interfaith projects in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan.

• AcknowledgementsIntroduction Part 1 Three Arabic-Speaking Christian Theologians and Their Writings on the Doctrine of the Trinity (c. 800–850)1 Historical and Intellectual Environment Christians in the Islamic Empire: Historical Social and Linguistic ContextsHistorical ContextSocial ContextLinguistic EnvironmentChristian Theologising on the TrinityPhiloxenus of Mabbug (d. 523)John of Damascus (c. 675–c. 754)Muslim Theologising on the Nature and Unity of GodAbū al Hudhayl (c. 750–c. 840)Ibn Kullāb (d.c. 855)Nature of kalāmMuslim Criticisms of the Doctrine of the Trinity2 Theodore Abū Qurra (c. 750–c. 830)BackgroundBiography Historical Context Intellectual ContextWorks Relating to the TrinitySetting the ContextRelationship between Faith and Reason Christianity as the True Religion Explanation of the Trinity Scriptural Proofs Rational Analogies Attributes of God Response to Muslim QuestionsTheodore Abū Qurra’s Understanding of the Nature of God3 Abū Rāʾiṭa Al-Takrītī (c. 755–c. 835)BackgroundBiography Historical Context Intellectual Context Works Relating to the Trinity Setting the Context Agreement that God is OneExplanation of the Trinity Types of Oneness Absolute vs. Relative NamesResponse to Muslim QuestionsAbū Rāʾiṭa’s Understanding of the Nature of God 4 ʿAmmār al-Baṣrī (d.c. 840) Background Biography Historical Context Intellectual Context Works Relating to the Trinity Setting the Context What can be Known about God Criticism of the Teaching that God has no ‘Word’ or ‘Life’ God’s Relationship to His Word and Life Explanation of the Trinity Four ‘Categories’ ‘One and Three’ is Not a Numerical Issue Al-uqnūm and the Relationship Between Substance and Hypostases Biblical Proofs Response to Muslim Questions ʿAmmār’s Understanding of the Nature of God Part 2 The Role and Function of Christian Explanations of the Trinity in Arabic5 The Tools of Christian Arabic Apologetic and PolemicAnalogy and Metaphor Scriptural Proofs Terminology Rational and Logical Proofs‘The Unity of Species’ ‘A Question for the Muslims’ ‘The Headship of God’ ‘Three is the Perfect Number’ The “Attribute-Apology” 6 Christian Theologians Employing Muslim Theology Priorities, Emphases and Engagement with Islamic Thought Abū Qurra Abū RāʾiṭaʿAmmār al-Baṣrī The Role of Christian Arabic Works Audience and Purpose The Place of Early Christian Theology in Arabic Conclusion Bibliography Bible of Qur’an Citations Index of People and Places Subject Index