Dialogue de Théodore Abu Qurrah avec le calife Al-Mamun
Thèmes abordés et Table des matières

The caliph and the bishop

Wafik NASRY

2008

Indeed, many are the issues discussed and/or implied during al—
Mugfidalah. They include the following:

1. Inter-religious dialogue
2. Freedom of speech
3. Circumcision
4. The creation of human beings in the image and the likeness of God
5. The covenant with Abraham
6. The dignity of the human being
7. The goodness of creation
8. The New Covenant
9. idolatry
10. The identity of Jesus
11. Jesus” freedom in giving up His life on the cross
12. The reasons for Christian silence
13. The consequence of Christian silence
14. The human duty to search for and follow the truth once it is found
15. The interpretation of the Qur ’dn
16. Women in Islam
17. Homosexuality
18. The images of paradise in Christianity and in Islam
19. The reasons Muslims antagonize the Christians
20. Definitions and meanings: terms common to Christians and Muslims
21. Gihad
22. Tahrif
23 Takfir
24. The Quran’s View of the Christians
25. The rebellion of Satan
26. Marriage
27. Divorce
28. The veneration of the Cross
29. Who are the mzrlsrilnin according to the Qur’dn?
30. Who is a prophet, in Christianity and in Islam?
31. Is Muhammad a prophet?
32. The difference between inspired and munzal
33. The concept ot‘missionary activity in Christianity and in Islam
34. The importance of learning Arabic for a study of the Qur ’dn
35. God’s omniscience
36. The immutability of God
37. God’s Transcendence
38. The impassability of God
39. The ascension of Mary
40. Free will

Dialogue de Théodore Abu Qurrah avec le calife Al-Mamun

 Abu Qurrah and al-Ma’mun : Table of content

 [The scribe’s introduction and preparation of the debate] ...... .............. 173
    [1. Al-Ma’mun’s love for Abu Qurrah and the opposition of Qurays’s elite] ...... 173
     [2. The purpose of the debate] ................................................................................ 173
     [3. Al-Ma’mun’s invitation to Abu Qurrah and his acceptance of the debate] ...... 174
 [I. The law of circumcision and the Old Covenant] ........................................... 175
     [1. Is the foreskin impurelj .......................................................................... 175
     [2. God does not create something Impure] ................................................. 175
     [3. The covenant with Abraham] ................................................................. 176
 [II. Christ made a new covenant with the nations] .............................................. 178
 [A. The New Covenant] ................................................................................. 178
     [1 On the Laws of Moses and the Laws of the Lord, the Christ] ................. 178
     [2. God’s rejection of the sons of Israel]..
     [3. the Nazarenes belief in Christ] ................................................................. 179
 [B. On the status of Christ before God] ............................................................ 180
     [1. Al-Ma’mun grants Abu Qurrah safety and freedom of speech] ............. 181
     [2. Adam is a creature and can be described, measured, and limited] .......... 182
     [3. Christ, the Word of God and His Spirit] .................
 [C. On the matter of dialogue] .....................
     [1. On the reasons for the silence of the Nazarenes and its consequences] ........ 183
     [2. On how the Qur’an commands to address the Nazarenes] ............................. 184
 [III, The religion of God is faith] .......................................................... 185
 [A. Abu Qurrah denies the Muslims faith and affirms the Nazarenes’] ............ 185
     [1. Abu Qurrah asserts the rightness of the Nazarenes’ faith on the light of al-fatihah]
     [2. It is not rightful for the Muslim to boast his Islam over others] .................... 186
     [3. The religion of God is faith in His Word and Spirit and no more] .. ....... 187
 [B. Abu Qurrah asserts his denial of faith to the Muslims] ..................... 188
     [1. Your prophet and your book have witnessed that God excluded you from the faith]
    [2. Excursive clarification: Heaven and Hell] ................... 189
    3. Reasons for which the Muslims antagonize the Nazarenes] ..................... 190
    [4. On the necessity that the Muslim be content with the saying of his prophet and the witness of his book] ....... 191
 [C. Reaction of the people present: Inability, praise and summons of others to the debate]
     [1. Muhammad’s inability to debate with Abu Qur’rah and al-Mamun's praise] ..... 193
     [2. The summoning of Salam b. Mu‘awiyah al-Hamadarfi and dismissing him] ......194
     [3. The summoning of Sa‘sa‘ah b. llalid] ................................................ 195
 [IV. Christ came into the world perfectly human and perfectly Divine] ..
[ A. On the humanity of Christ] ............................................................
    [1. On the saying of Christ «I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my  God and your God»]
     [2. On the motive for the Incarnation] ..................
     [3. God did not make doubtful the Divinity of Christ] ......................................
     [4. God is not angry at those who follow His Spirit and Word] .......
     [5. The polytheists according to the Qui"an] ...................................
     [6. It is imperative to believe the Word of God and His Spirit] .....................
 [B. Abu Qur'ah responds to al—Hasimr’s accusation of polytheism] ..........
     [1. God’s freedom in choosing His Word and Spirit Son] ......................
     [2. The Psalter, the Qur’an and the Gospel admit a Son, though al-Hashimi denies it]
     [3. Al-Hasimi admits his inability in the debate and returns to Christ and Adam] ........
 [C. On the death of the Christ and His Divinity] .............................................. 209
 [D. On the Spirit of God residing in the belly of Mary] ........... A ............ 210
     [1. On accusing the angels and the book of lying] ..................... ....211
     [2. The slave’s honor is to believe his master] .................................. ....212
     [3. Al-Ki‘ifi reproaches Abu Qur‘rah and al-Ma’mu‘in defends him] ............ 212
     [4. Al—Dimasqi admits his inability to debate with Abfi Qurrah]
     [5. Al-Ma’mun summons ‘Ali b. al-Walid and Abu al-Hasan b. Lu’ayy al-Farisi] ...214
 [E. The crucifixion, death and resurrection] ........................................... 214
     [1. The Nazarenes do not worship the Cross] ...............
     [2. Affirmation of the crucifixion of Christ] .............................................. 216
     [3. An example of the effect of the resurrection] ................................................ ...216
     [4. On the truth of the crucifixion of the Word of God and His Spirit]. ...217
     [5. A1-Farisi admits his inability in the debate and Abu Qurrah invites him tofollow the Christ] ............ 218
     [6. Abu Qurr'ah enumerates some of what he takes against the behavior of his debater]
 [V. The Incarnation and the unity of the Trinity] ................................................ 222
 [A. Abu Qurrah responds to three objections of a man from the elite of Qurays]
    [1. The Creator is omnipresent and nothing can contain or stain Him] ................ 222
     [2. God is able to send His Word and Spirit wherever He wishes without leaving Him]
     [3. A prologue to the discourse on the unity of the Trinity] ................................. 224
     [4. Defense ofthe unity ofthe ’l‘rinity] ........................................................ 224
     [5. Abu Qurrah answers the objection: if Mary died while pregnant with Christ,who would be the judge'?] ....... 225
 [B. The Word of God and His Spirit is God] .........
     [1. On calling the Word of God and His Spirit God]
     [2. Al-Kufi prefers silence and Abu Qiu'rah opts to continue] .............. ..
     [3. Al-Kuifi asks Abu Qurrah to separate the Trinity and define the belief in Christ]
     [4. On the Oneness of God] 1. .
     [5. On the meaning of the term «The Word of God and His Spirit»] ..
     [6. On the impossibility of separating the Trinity and the credibility of the birth of theWord]
     [7. On the Creator of creation and the unity of the Trinity: One Creator]...
 [C. If Christ is God, how could He have eaten, drunk, and walked in the markets?]
     [1. Abu Qurrah’s faith in the unity of the Trinity] ........
     [2. Abt‘i Qul'rah’s faith in Christ] ............................................................... 234
     [3. Examples of the unity of the Trinity] .......................
     [4. Christ is perfectly Divine and perfectly human] ......
 [D. Abu Qurrah answers al-‘Iraqi, who accuses him of corrupting the Scripture]
     [1. Your book is the one that corrupted] ...................
     [2. Abu Qurrah offers an example of what he considers corruption] ..............
     [3. Abu Qurrah distinguishes between the Muslims and the believers] ..........
     [4. Abu Qurrah distinguishes between Islam and faith] ..................................
     [5. The messenger of Islam distinguished between Islam and faith] .....
     [6. Abu Qurrah enumerates some of what he takes against the behavior of his debater]
     [7. The Word of God is Essence and Truth: An invitation to follow Christ]
 [E. A return to Christ and Adam]. ........................................................... 244
     [1. Abu Qurrah marvels at Abu al-Qasim’s denial of What came regarding the Christ]
     [2. Unlike Adam, Christ did not obey Satan and did not sin, and raised himself and others up from death]
    [3. AI-Ma’mfin agrees with Abu Qurrah: no one is able to raise himself up to life, and Abu Qurrah repeats: Christ raised Himself up]
[VI, On the motives of the Incarnation] .............................................................. 247
[A. He vested Himself with a human to speak to the body with the body, out of love for humanity]............... 247
[B. He vested Himself with a human body to save the human from the bondage of Satan: History of salvation] ............................................ 248
    [1. God loved His creation, so He created them, poured His grace upon them, and required their obedience to Him]
     [2. God created the Angels and placed them in the most honorable of places] ..... 249
    [3. Satan’s desire for equality with God] ................................................ 249
    [4, The Divine reaction to Satan’s arrogance] ......................
    [5. Satan’s attempt to distance humans away from God] .............................. 250
    [6. God began His salvific work, sending tlis prophets, calling people to His worship]
    [7. In the fullness of time, He took a human body and became man so that humans might recognize the Weakness of their enemy and discredit him]
[VII. On the Divinity of Christ] .................................................................. .. 253
[A. The Quran witnesses to the Divinity of Christ] ......................................... 253
    [1, The Qur‘an witnesses to Christ’s ability to create, and to raise up the dead, and calls Him the Word of God and His Spirit] ...............................................
    [2. On denying that Christ is God defaming God] ........................................
[B. On the Divinity of Christ and His crucifixion] .....
    [1. Christ went to the cross freely] .....................................
    [2. Abu Qurrah asks the group to bear witness against their companion]
    [3. An analogous example, clarifying the silliness of the intervention] ............... 256
    [4, Al-Mamun’s praise of Abu Qurrah,
    [5. A practical example, clarifying the folly of the intervention] ............... 257
    [6. al-Hasimi is unable to debate with Abu Qurrah]..................................... 259
[C Different interventions about the Divinity of Christ] .................................. 259
    [1, Abu Qui’r‘ah refutes the intervention that Christ is a god who killed his mother]
    [2. On the Jews and the Cross] ................................................. 260
    [3. On the Christian worship of a god the Jews crucified and killed, and who died and was buried] ......... 261
    [4. Abu Qurrah defines, once again, his faith in the Divinity of Christ and enumerates some of the effects of His death] . .263
    [5. On the prayer of Christ] ........................................... “.263
[D. On the Nazarenes’ reverence one to another] ............................................. 264
[VIII. Al-Ma’mun praises Aha Qurrah and others invite him to Islam] .............. 265
[A. Al-Ma’mun’s scribe invites Abu Quirah to Islam because the religion of the Nazarenes is a wretched religion] ............. 265
[B. On God allowing tribulations and that the Byzantine Christian kings are not wretched] ....... 265
    [1. God allows tribulations for the healing ofhumans] ................................... 265
    [2. God allows tribulations for the pluning of humans] ................................... 266
    [3. The Byzantine Christian kings are not wretched] ................................... 266
[C. The paradise in Islam and Christianity] ...........
    [1. Al—Ma’mun’s minister invites Abu Qurrah to Islam, promising him the goods of this world and the goods of paradise] ............... ....266
    [2. Abu Qun‘ah prefers the paradise promised by Jesus, the Christ] ........ ...267
[IX. The conclusion of the debate: No one has seen God] .................................. 269
[A. Silence of the Muslim elite lamentation of al-Mamun and the reward to Abu Qurrah]
[B. Both sides agree that no one has seen God] .. 269
[C. Thanksgiving to God] ....................................................................... 270