Abu Isa Muhammad b. Harun b. al-Warraq’s Attitude toward Christianity

Subject Areas : Christianity

vali abdi ¹ (Assistant professor of Religion and mysticism, Faculty of theology, Ferdowsi university of Mashad)

Received: 2019-03-07 Accepted : 2019-03-07 Published : 2018-07-23

Keywords: Trinity, hypostases, substance, Incarnation, crucifixion,

Abstract :

By the third/ninth century, Islamic theology has developed systematically, and the Mu'tazelite thinkers have played an important role in its development. The dialogical and controversial debates between Muslims and non-Muslims were the main characteristics of the third/ninth century. By studying the writings of this era, one can assert that Muslim's attitudes and approaches toward other religions were mainly rational. Abu Isa Muhammad b. Harun b. al-Warraq is a freethinker of the aforementioned era. He has studied other religions; particularly the Christianity, only through reason and rational arguments. In the same manner, al-Warraq has also challenged and criticized the Trinitarian doctrines merely by theological and philosophical methods. Thus, his arguments were mainly based not on proof-text reasoning but on rational reasons. al-Warraq’s trustworthiness in studying religions in general and Christianity, in particular, is another valuable aspect of his method. In other words, al-Warraq investigated Christian doctrines as he heard and understood them. Consequently, we have tried to examine his rational and theological attitudes to Christianity and to show how he has understood Christian Trinitarian doctrines.