Muhammad and the Origin of Islam in the Byzantine-Slavic Literary Context. A Bibliographical History - ebook

The presented publication is a type of bibliographic dictionary, compiled by an interdisciplinary team of authors (Byzantynists and Paleoslavists), containing an overview of medieval texts referring to the person of Muhammad, the Arabs, and the circumstances of the birth of Islam, which were known in the Slavia Orthodoxa area (especially in its eastern part, i.e. in Rus’). Therefore, it presents the works written in the Church Slavic language between the 9^th and the mid-16^th centuries. As the Old Rus’ discourse on Islam was shaped under the overwhelming influence of Byzantine literature, the majority of the presented sources are Byzantine texts from the 6^th–14^th centuries, translated into the literary language of the Orthodox Slavs. The reader will also find here a discussion on several relics, originally created in other languages of the Christian East (Syriac, Arabic) and the West (Latin), which – through the Greek – were assimilated on the Slavic ground.

This book aims to fill a gap in previous studies on inter-religious polemics in the Middle Ages, which has usually focused on Christian-Muslim cultural relations, analyzing Greek and Latin texts or the works written in one of the Middle Eastern languages, almost completely ignoring the Church Slavic heritage. It is worth noting that a number of the texts presented here (as well as Slavic translations of Byzantine sources) have not been published so far. The information on them, provided in this monograph, is therefore the result of research conducted directly on the manuscript material.

This publication represents a very high professional level. It is a unique, pioneering achievement that raises the level of knowledge about the reception of Old Rus’ literature until the mid-16th century in the context of what had been written about the prophet Muhammad and the birth of Islam in the 7^th century. The discourse is very specific, consistent, diligent, meticulous, yet not “verbose”. The analysis of the cited literature clearly shows that the state of research on individual works is well known to the authors and that this review includes the most recent findings.

Prof. Zdzisiaw Pentek
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan

Introduction 1

List of Abbreviations 7

I. Ammonius, Relatio on the Slaughter of the Monks of Sinai and Rhaithou Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 9

II. John Malalas, Chronicle Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 17

III. The Lives of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 24

IV. John Moschus, The Spiritual Meadow Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 40

V. Doctrina Iacobi Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 51

VI. Sophronius of Jerusalem, Synodical Letter Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 59

VII. The Quran Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 66

VIII. The Martyrdom of St. Arethas Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 71

IX. The Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 83

X. Anastasius of Sinai, Questions and Answers Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 105

XI. John of Damascus, On Heresies Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 114

XII. Michael Syncellus, Unknown refutation of Islam Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 124

XIII. Disputation between a Christian and a Saracen Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 132

XIV. Theophanes, Chronographia Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 139

XV. Nicephorus, the patriarch of Constantinople, Concise Chronography Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 145

XVI. The Life of St. John of Damascus Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 151

XVII. The Apocalypse of Daniel Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 156

XVIII. Gregory Decapolite, The Historical Sermon About a Vision Which a Saracen Once Had Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 177

XIX. The Formula of Abjuration of Islam Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 183

XX. George the Monk (Hamartolus), Chronicle Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 190

XXI. The Life of St. Constantine-Cyril (the Philosopher) Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 198

XXII. The Life of St. Gregentius, archbishop of the Himyarites (St. Gregory of Taphar) Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 204

XXIII. The Life of St. Basil the Younger Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 213

XXIV. Nicephorus, The Life of St. Andrew the Fool (Salos) Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 225

XXV. Symeon Magister and Logothete, Chronicle Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 240

XXVI. John Zonaras, Epitome historiarum Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 246

XXVII. Constantine Manasses, Chronicle Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 253

XXVIII. The Life of St. Theodore of Edessa Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 259

XXIX. The Story of How Prince Vladimir Chose the Religion Zofia A. Brzozowska 272

XXX. Euthymius Zigabenus, Panoplia Dogmatica Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 281

XXXI. Riccoldo da Monte Croce, Contra legem Sarracenorum Zofia A. Brzozowska, Teresa Wolińska 289

XXXII. The Sermon on Idols Zofia A. Brzozowska 302

XXXIII. Palaea Interpretata Zofia A. Brzozowska 306

XXXIV. John VI Cantacuzene, Four Apologies, Four Orations against Muhammad Zofia A. Brzozowska, Mirosław J. Leszka 312

XXXV. On Bohmit the Heretic Zofia A. Brzozowska 317

XXXVI. The Tale of the Rout of Mamai Zofia A. Brzozowska 326

XXXVII. Afanasy Nikitin, The Journey Beyond Three Seas Zofia A. Brzozowska 333

XXXVIII. The Tale of the Shameful Saracen Faith Zofia A. Brzozowska 342

XXXIX. Maximus the Greek (Michael Trivolis) Zofia A. Brzozowska 347

Indices 359

1. Index of People 359

2. Index of Ethnic and Geographic Names 371

Abstract 377