Early Christian Reaction to Muhammad
Upvote:2
The most notable early Christian writing that I am aware of was by John of Damascus (676-749). In Heresies in Epitome: How They Began and Whence They Drew Their Origin he claims that the basis of Mohammed's fundamental teachings came from an Arian monk:
There is also the superstition of the Ishmaelites which to this day prevails and keeps people in error, being a forerunner of the Antichrist. They are descended from Ishmael, [who] was born to Abraham of Agar, and for this reason they are called both Agarenes and Ishmaelites. They are also called Saracens, which is derived from Sarras kenoi, or destitute of Sara, because of what Agar said to the angel: ‘Sara hath sent me away destitute.’ These used to be idolaters and worshiped the morning star and Aphrodite, whom in their own language they called Khabár, which means great. And so down to the time of Heraclius they were very great idolaters. From that time to the present a false prophet named Mohammed has appeared in their midst. This man, after having chanced upon the Old and New Testaments and likewise, it seems, having conversed with an Arian monk, devised his own heresy. Then, having insinuated himself into the good graces of the people by a show of seeming piety, he gave out that a certain book had been sent down to him from heaven. He had set down some ridiculous compositions in this book of his and he gave it to them as an object of veneration.
The rest of the text can be found here.
Some say that the iconoclast heresy in Byzantium arose because certain Christians were envious of the material success of surrounding Moslems and surmised that their practices - especially their rejection of depictions of human form - were earning them God's favor. John of Damascus was one of the most vocal critics of the iconoclast Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Ironically, John wrote his Apologetic Treatises against those Decrying the Holy Images while under the protection of a nearby moslem caliph.
[Note: This question seems almost indistinguishable from the related question, so I posted the same answer in both places, expecting perhaps that one of the two questions will eventually be deleted.]
More post
- 📝 Question about nativity and timelines
- 📝 The LDS perspective on the Four Horsmen
- 📝 Are there documented reports about Jews around the time of Jesus? And what did they say about the first christians?
- 📝 Are there any verses showing God being fooled or deceived?
- 📝 How does Catholic Church explain the phrase " Ïn the beginning " in Genesis and Gospel of John?
- 📝 Does LDS doctrine explicitly emphasize the atonement in Gethsemane?
- 📝 What is the biblical basis for praying to Jesus, as opposed to praying to God in the name of Jesus?
- 📝 Literal or legend: how do Catholics treat non-Biblical miracles?
- 📝 How do LDS know that Brigham Young and his successors are true prophets?
- 📝 Were (at least some) Babylonians (at least somewhat) righteous?
- 📝 Was a Unitarian understanding of God present in the Early Church prior to 400 AD?
- 📝 Why Does Luther Translate "Alpha and Omega", in the Book of Revelation, as "A und O" (A and O)?
- 📝 Why does Scripture imply Jesus had siblings if Mary was "ever virgin" per Catholic belief?
- 📝 Different Bibles and Religions
- 📝 Are there any other early non-canonical nativity accounts besides the Gospel of James?
- 📝 Once a Catholic always a Catholic?
- 📝 What did Jesus mean by "not peace but division"?
- 📝 Is it sinful to prophesy using the Bible?
- 📝 What is the difference between "catholicism" and "catholic"?
- 📝 Were humans worshipped as gods in Biblical times?
- 📝 What was the organizing principle of Melanchthon's Loci Communes?
- 📝 How do the Catholic and Orthodox views of original sin differ?
- 📝 What isn't spiritual communion?
- 📝 Jesus and Contingency
- 📝 If God cannot tempt anyone, what is the meaning of the following scriptures?
- 📝 What is the traditional view of Divine Command Theory in accordance to the Reformed tradition?
- 📝 How is new humanism different from the catholic teaching?
- 📝 Is there a translation of the Bible into Hebrew that is based on the LXX+NT?
- 📝 What were the Laodicean church members supposed to do?
- 📝 What is the case against Gore Vidal's view that St. Paul "invented Christianity"?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Early Christian Reaction to Muhammad
- 📝 When was the early Christian apology "Dialogue with Trypho" written?
- 📝 Did any groups or noted theologians in early Christian history teach that the Holy Spirit is matriarchal?
- 📝 What was Martin Luther's perspective on the early Christian church?
- 📝 What did the early Christian twice weekly fasts consist of?
- 📝 Do any Christian groups sell all their possessions as it seems the Early Church did?
- 📝 What was the socioeconomic makeup of early Christian Gnostic sects?
- 📝 Why did the early Christian church stop building and worshiping in temples?
- 📝 Is modern Evangelical Protestant soteriology consistent with the early Christian idea of "theosis"?
- 📝 Does the Bible suggest that there would be a literal apostasy of the early Christian church?
- 📝 Early Christian Lent Fasting Practices
- 📝 Early Christian responses to suicide (source/text identification)?
- 📝 Did early Christian converts follow Kosher?
- 📝 Early 90s Jungle themed christian childrens Musical
- 📝 Who were the recepients of Christian monumental sculptures in the early middle ages (10th and 11th century)?
- 📝 Are there any passages in Early Christian literature that discuss angels and pagans?
- 📝 Atheism is the default position. Isn't the burden of proof on the Christian to assert that God exists?
- 📝 How is the Christian Jesus different from the Muslim Jesus?
- 📝 If the Ten Commandments say “thou shalt not kill” how can a Christian fight in a war?
- 📝 Can a Christian choose to walk away from his or her salvation?
- 📝 Does being a Christian mean being a Bible literalist?
- 📝 Who is a Christian according to the Russian Orthodox Church
- 📝 Is there evidence that Isaiah 53 was viewed as a Messianic prophecy within Judaism, or is it an exclusively Christian interpretation?
- 📝 Was tithing 10% required or encouraged by the early church?
- 📝 Did early church fathers understand the doctrine of trinity?
- 📝 What is the meaning and origin of bridal veils in Christian weddings?
- 📝 Does "Mere Christianity" represent the core of Christian belief?
- 📝 Did the early Church Fathers have a complete agreement on how to interpret 1 Peter 3:18-20?
- 📝 Early church writers opposed to the baptism of infants?
- 📝 What is the purpose and meaning of the Christian Flag?
