Medieval polemicists framed Islam as a pragmatic corruption of prior scriptures
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)
These very same Saracens greatly abhor images, and they destroy pictures, and trample them, and fling them into filthy places. Indeed I heard that recently, after they captured the city of Tripoli, the Saracens dragged a crucifix on the tail of an ass, and threw all the foul things they could on the images. When indeed the Sultan Bendocar had taken the city and returned toward Damascus after his victory, I went to his army so that I might help out the captive [Christians]. And as I walking amongst the Army some Saracens called me and asked “why do you Christians adore pictures and images?” I responded to them “You are wrong, for Christians do not adore pictures or images, but they adore and venerate the saints who are in heaven, whom the pictures represent.” And they were silent, not knowing what more to say. — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1083 (
#complicates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Medieval polemicists distinguished what Muslims believed from what they only thought they believed.; Muslims held that Jews and Christians corrupted their scriptures; Medieval Christians weaponized accurate Islamic learning for polemics (+15 more)
Broader Connections
- Medieval Christian writers distorted Islam where accuracy served polemic
#corroborates(1.00) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1367 - Medieval Christian polemicists framed Islam as lust-driven heresy rather than separate religion
#complicates(0.90) - Medieval Christian polemicists framed Islam as a religion of compelled violence
#complicates(0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 710 - Medieval Christian polemic framed Islam alongside heresy and Judaism
#complicates(0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1045 - Medieval polemic distinguished actual belief from what Muslims merely profess
#complicates(0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 253 - Medieval Christian polemic against Islam recycled a narrow stock of weak logical templates
#complicates(0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1972 - Medieval Christian polemic framed Islam as incomplete faith, not false one
#complicates(0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 263 - Medieval polemicists framed Muslim image-abhorrence as savage iconoclasm
#complicates(0.80) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1083 - The Reformation polemic against Islam reproduced twelfth-century medieval texts
#complicates(0.70) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 1355