'Abd al-Jabbar, Critique of Christian Origins.

• Author: Thomas, David
• Position: Book review

'Abd al-Jubbar, Critique of Christian Origins. Edited by GABRIEL SAID REYNOLDS and SAMIR KHALIL SAMIR. Islamic Translation Series. Provo: BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PRESS, 2010. Pp. lxxv + 246 + 179 (Arabic). $37.95.

One of the most distinctive genres in Islamic religious literature is the dala'il al-nubuwwa ('proofs of prophethood') works that comprise arguments to establish the prophetic status of Muhammad. It appears very early in Islamic history, and the first surviving examples show that a major reason, probably the major reason, for its appearance was accusations from Christians that Muhammad was not a true prophet because he did not bear the recognised marks of prophethood. Muslim apologists replied with a broad range of evidence, including proof texts from the Old and New Testaments, Muhammad's personal traits of humility and simplicity of life, his ability to foretell events, and his miracles. With the passing of time, these became set components of the genre and grew increasingly elaborate.

One of the longest and most impressive examples of the genre from its early years is the Tathbit dala'il al-nubuwwa ("Confirmation of the proofs of prophethood") by the theologian 'Abd al-Jabbar al-Hamadhani, who died in 415/1025. He was a leading member of the rationalist Mdtazili theological school that advocated the application of reason and logic to matters of faith, and he is the best known among them by virtue of a major exposition of his theology that came to light and was published in the 1960s. This work, the Mughnift abwab al-tawhid wa-l-'adl ("Summa on the subjects of divine unity and justice"), is an unrivalled guide to rationalist theological argumentation and the thought of particular intellectuals in the important ninth and tenth centuries.

At the same time as the Mughni was being brought to public notice, so in 1966 was the Tathbit al-nubuwwa first published. If the Mughni stirred up excitement among historians of Muslim thought, the Tathbit caused a minor sensation. For, as part of its argument that the Qur'an is right in denying that Jesus was crucified (Q 4:157) it cites traditions purporting to come from ancient sources that recount how another man was crucified in Jesus's place. Scholars claimed to find in these traditions unknown Judeo-Christian Gospels, and for a time there was heated debate over their true nature.

As he responds to Christian accusations, 'Abd al-Jabbar is required to maintain that the Qur'an is right in...