Orthodox Outlet for Dogmatic Enquiries Islam

ʺA question as to Mohammed not

being of Godʺ

by Theodore Abu Qurrah

Source: PG 97,1543A-1546A.

Re-published, from: h/p://thematorthodoxtheolog.blogspot.com/2010/11/blog-

post_21.html

Set out below is a noteworthy dialogue that took place in the 8th

century A.D. between a Christian and a Saracen, as found in the

Patrologia Graeca, Ref. PG 97,1543A-1546A.

Herebelow is the original text, accompanied by a loose translation in

English:

Έθος τοις των Σαρακηνών υποκριταίς, ει συναντών Χριστιανόν, µη

χαιρετίζειν, αλλ’ ευθέως λέγειν:

ʺΧριστιανέ, µαρτύριον, ότι είς ο Θεός ακοινώνητος τον Μωάµεθ έχει

δούλον και απόστολον.ʺ

Και ταύτα τις τών τοιούτων υποκριτών του Αβουκαρά ηρώτησεν. Ο

δε αποκριθείς είπεν:

ʺΟυχ άλις σοι το της ψευδοµαρτυρίας κατάκριµα, έως ου και άλλοις

ψευδοµαρτυρείν επιτρέπη;

It was customary for the hypocrites of the Saracens, if they should

happen to encounter a Christian, to not greet him, but to say directly

to him:

ʺChristian, there is testimony that God is one and incommunable, and

He has Mohammed as His servant and Apostle.ʺ

And this is what one such hypocrite asked Abukaras. He in reply

said to him:

ʺIsnʹt the crime of false witness enough for you, that it even allows

you to falsely witness to others also?ʺ

Σαρακηνός: Ου ψευδοµαρτυρώ.

Saracen: I do not bear false witness.

Χριστιανός: Ουκούν παρώς, ότε ο Θεός τον Μωάµεθ απέστειλε.

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Christian: Therefore you know when God sent Mohammed.

Σαρακηνός: Ουχί. Αλλ’ ως µαρτυρεί ο πατήρ µου, µαρτυρώ καγώ.

Saracen: No. But, just as my father testifies, so do I testify.

Χριστιανός: Ει πάντοτε αληθή τα υπό των γονέων τοις τέκνοις

λαλούµενα, και Σαµαρείται, και Ιουδαίοι, και Σκύθαι, και Χριστιανοί,

και Έλληνες καλώς αν πιστεύωσι, επειδή έκαστοι µαρτυρείν ως οι

γόνοι εδιδάχθησαν. Και τι εστί λοιπόν της θρησκείας σου το

διάφορον, τω πατρί σου πιστεύσαντος; ούτως γαρ θεµιστεύεται και

τα βοσκηµατώδη έθνη.

Christian: If the things that parents say to their children are always

true, then so do the Samaritans, and the Judeans, and the Scythians,

and the Christians, and the Hellenes rightly believe, because each one

of them was taught to testify like his parents. So, what is it in your

religion that makes it differ from the others, by having believed in

your father? For that is the way that the foraging nations govern

themselves.

Σαρακηνός: Επειδή µε εις απορίαν περιέστησας, ειπέ µοι συ· αρ’ ουχ

όσα δεδίδαξαι υπό του πατρός σου, µαρτυρείς;

Saracen: Because you have made me wonder, now tell me, donʹt you

testify everything you have learnt from your father?

Χριστιανός: Αληθώς. Αλλ’ εµέ ο πατήρ µου αλλά εδίδαξε, και σε ο

πατήρ σου άλλα.

Christian: That is true. But my father taught me other things and

your father taught you other things.

Σαρακηνός: Τίνα ουν εδίδαξέ σε ο πατήρ σου, και τίνα µε ο πατήρ

µου;

Saracen: What are the things that your father taught you, and what

are the things that mine taught me?

Χριστιανός: Ο πατήρ µου εδίδαξέ µε δέξασθαι απόστολον εκ

παλαιοτέρου προδηλωθέντα, ή δια σηµείων εαυτόν αξιόπιστον

παραστήσαντα. Ο δε σος Μωάµεθ εκατέρων γεγύµνωται, και

ηλλοτρίωται. Παλαιός γαρ αυτόν προφήτης, προφήτην ου

προεµύνησε, και σηµείοις εαυτόν ουκ επιστώσατο.

Christian: My father taught me to accept someone as an apostle, if it

has been foretold by someone in the past that he will come, or unless

he presents himself with signs that he is trustworthy. Your

Mohammed is lacking in and foreign to both these (points). For no oldprophet has pre-announced him, nor has he made himself trustworthythrough signs.

Σαρακηνός: Ναι, ο Χριστός εν τω Ευαγγελίω έγραψε λέγων·

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Αποστέλλω υµίν προφήτην, Μωάµεθ λεγόµενον.

Saracen: Yes, Christ wrote in the Gospel, saying: ʺI send you a

prophet, named Mohammedʺ.

Χριστιανός: Το µνηµόσυνον αυτού το Ευαγγέλιον ουκ έχει.

Christian: The Gospel has no commemoration of him.

Σαρακηνός: Είχεν, αλλ’ υµείς εξηλείψατε αυτό.

Saracen: It had, but you eliminated it.

Χριστιανός: Ο φέρων προς τον δικαστήν, κατά του οφείλοντος

δανείου, χειρόγραφον τι των ζητουµένων, ή λαλουµένων µη έχον, τι

κρίνει ο δικαστής, ίνα λάβη;

Christian: When someone brings (a case) before a judge against the

debtor of a loan, but has no manuscript of what was demanded or has

no witness to testify, what does the judge take into account, to reach a

decision? Σαρακηνός: Ουδέν.

Saracen: Nothing.

Χριστιανός: Ουκούν εν του Ευαγγελίου έχετε ουδέν.

Christian: Therefore you have nothing from within the Gospel.

Σαρακηνός: Καν εκ του Ευαγγελίου έχω ουδέν, αλλ’ εκ των

σηµείων, ων εποίησεν, αξιόπιστος δείκνυται προφήτης.

Saracen: Even if I have nothing from within the Gospel; but, from the

signs that he performed he has shown himself to be a trustworthy

prophet.

Χριστιανός: Ποίον σηµείον εποίησεν;

Christian: What sign did he perform?

Ο Σαρακηνός, εις ψευδή µυθολογίαν τραπείς, και µηδέν αληθές

ειπείν δυνηθείς, ησύχασεν.

The Saracen, having resorted to false evidence and tales, and unable

to say anything true, fell silent.

Translation K. N.

Article published in English on: 9-12-2010.

Last update: 9-12-2010.

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