Medieval contempt for Islam’s philosophy reflected lack of historical perspective, not hypocrisy.

Evidence

It is impossible that Ricoldo should have had the knowledge necessary to discuss the Qur’an on anything like equal terms with Muslim theological teachers or students. Mediaeval contempt for the Islamic world as unphilosophical contrasts strangely with our modern concept of the mediaeval Latin West as wholly indebted for its philosophy to the Islamic East. Even if the modern view is correct, we need not assume mediaeval hypocrisy, but just a lack of historical perspective. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1995 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Medieval critics lacked the historical imagination to reconstruct Muhammad’s Meccan context; Medieval Christian critics of Islam lacked Arabic competence and historical perspective — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1995; Medieval European misinformation about Islam came from polemical needs, not ignorance. — Robert Irwin, For Lust of Knowing: The Orientalists…, 106

Broader Connections

• Medieval Christian critics of Islam lacked Arabic competence and historical perspective #corroborates (0.95) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1995