Medieval missionaries misread Muslim scripture so badly they argued from it wrongly

Evidence

Only in matters apparently favourable to Christianity was a very high degree of accuracy achieved, as, for example, in treating the Qur’anic beliefs about Christ and His mother. This draws attention to the motives underlying inaccuracies on themes where there was conflict. Accuracy in the one case, inaccuracy in the other, were equally useful in support of Christian belief. The process of misrepresentation did not extend, with authors who were conceivably in a position to know better, so far as to make their picture of Islam unrecognisable, but it nevertheless needs explaining. We have no right to assume that intellectual dishonesty was involved, until every other explanation has been sought in vain. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1367 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

And since they excel in reason and have sharp intellects, they do not want to believe anything they cannot understand.” The first thing to do in arguing with them is not to expound Christian law, for that would be casting pearls before swine, as they will only deride our doctrines. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1260 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Medieval polemicists misread Arabic idioms and accused Muslims of absurdities.; Byzantine creed misread the Koran to call God hammer-beaten metal.; Medieval Christian writers assumed Muslim doctrine derived from misinterpreted Scripture — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 315 (+17 more)

Broader Connections

• Medieval Christian writers distorted Islam where accuracy served polemic #corroborates (0.95) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1367
• A medieval missionary argued crusade conquest had failed and contradicted apostolic method #complicates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1296
• Medieval missionaries saw Christian disunity as the main obstacle to Muslim conversion #complicates (0.85)
• Thirteenth-century missionaries considered Muslims too rational to accept unexamined doctrine. #complicates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1260
• Medieval Christians argued the Gospel’s omissions disproved Muslim claims of textual corruption #complicates (0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 311
• Medieval Christian missionaries ventriloquized even favorable Muslim arguments through their own philosophy #complicates (0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2133
• Medieval Christian-Muslim disputation mostly argued from premises neither side shared #complicates (0.80)
• Arabic-trained missionaries failed to convert many Muslims in the thirteenth century #complicates (0.80)
• Medieval Christian knowledge systems failed to explain or influence Islam #complicates (0.80) — Edward W. Said, Orientalism, 168