The Place of Reason in an Early Arab-Christian-Muslim DialoguePatrimonio culturale arabo cristiano 11Syriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/BEX3R2VY/tei
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CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.WafikNasryThe Place of Reason in an Early Arab-Christian-Muslim Dialoguehttp://syriaca.org/cbss/BEX3R2VYhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/BEX3R2VYhttps://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/BEX3R2VYDavideRighiLa letteratura arabo-cristiana e le scienze nel periodo abbaside (750-1250). Atti del 2<sup>o</sup> Convegno di studi arabo-cristiani, Roma, 9-10 marzo 2007TorinoSilvio Zamorani2009179-189Patrimonio culturale arabo cristiano 11In this paper, I present a debate between Bishop Abū Qurrah of Ḥarrān with a group of Muslim theologians in the presence and participation of the Caliph ‘Abd Allāh al-Ma’mūn. From among 26 manuscripts, my concern was focused on the available Melkite manu-scripts written in the Arabic (a total of eleven manuscripts). Some of these manuscripts are complete while others are incomplete. In this debate, Abū Qurrah uses a variety of ways to argue his points. Some are depend-ent on the ‘Aql (reason) and others on the Naql (proof text). In all cases, without exception, Abū Qurrah is concerned to argue in a logical manner, by simple syllogism and dialectical logical analogies. In different parts of the debate, Abū Qurrah also uses selected passages from the Qur’ān to answer the objections he has to counter. Abū-Qurrah demands rationality. He demands consistency and harmony.
I have emphasized the importance of this aspect of the manuscripts because it shows a Christian apologist trying to get across an idea of reason which was not necessarily shared by all of his Muslim interlocutors.
The use of reason in this debate shows courage, intellectual honesty and respect. It shows the «Place of Reason» in inter-religious dialogue. It acts as an offer of a common ground and the necessary freedom with which to continue the dialogue. It also shows re-spect and confidence in ones debate opponents; it allows them the occasion to understand my view and, at one and the same time, the opportunity to explicate their own view on an equal footing. Reason also demands from both debaters consistency and harmony. Such a striving after a rational discourse is as important today as it ever was.
Nasry, Wafik. “The Place of Reason in an Early Arab-Christian-Muslim Dialogue.” In La Letteratura Arabo-Cristiana e Le Scienze Nel Periodo Abbaside (750-1250). Atti Del 2o Convegno Di Studi Arabo-Cristiani, Roma, 9-10 Marzo 2007, edited by Davide Righi, 179–89. Patrimonio Culturale Arabo Cristiano 11. Torino: Silvio Zamorani, 2009.
Wafik Nasry, The Place of Reason in an Early Arab-Christian-Muslim Dialogue, in La Letteratura Arabo-Cristiana e Le Scienze Nel Periodo Abbaside (750-1250). Atti Del 2o Convegno Di Studi Arabo-Cristiani, Roma, 9-10 Marzo 2007, ed. Davide Righi, Patrimonio Culturale Arabo Cristiano 11 (Torino: Silvio Zamorani, 2009), 179–89.