Polemical scholars adopted textual accuracy only as a tactical weapon against Islam

Evidence

Pedro’s reasonably scientific account of the Islamic view was given a widening publicity, exemplified by the Anonymous Minorita, which omits his rationalised explanations and Christian criticism, however, as do the Legenda Aurea and Peter de Pennis. Marino Sanudo, explicitly citing Pedro as his authority, paraphrased both of the relevant paragraphs of his source in one clear and consecutive passage. He ‘improved’ the source, suppressing Pedro’s unambiguous admission that Muhammad himself abolished the idol-worship that he found, so far as he was able; and he introduced the motif by which the lapidation became a deliberate form of Venereal worship. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1208 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

More consistent deformation comes with the actual life of Muhammad. The development of the Bahira legend is a case in point; the Muslim legend was wholly ignored, except, illogically, the bare assertion of a hermit who knew Muhammad, and whom the Christians give a new role. There was no reason why they should not create their own fantasies; what is significant is that they picked out of a series of Muslim statements just the one that suited them. — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1353 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Factual corrections to Christian anti-Islamic polemic only patched a weakened doctrinal structure; Later polemicists distorted early scholarly accounts of Islam for propaganda purposes — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1208; Canonical Islamic texts were cited only to discredit Islam — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1388 (+7 more)

Related

• Later polemicists distorted early scholarly accounts of Islam for propaganda purposes (similarity 0.92)
• Scholars perpetuated apocryphal Islamic legends despite knowing they lacked sources (similarity 0.88)
• Factual corrections to Christian anti-Islamic polemic only patched a weakened doctrinal structure (similarity 0.88)
• Medieval Christians weaponized accurate Islamic learning for polemics (similarity 0.87)
• Medieval Christian polemic interpreted Qur’anic texts as nastily as possible (similarity 0.87)
• Medieval polemicists quoted the Qur’an inaccurately without scruple (similarity 0.87)
• Christian polemicists read Muslim sources as unwittingly confirming Christian legends (similarity 0.87)
• Medieval polemicists ignored known facts to fabricate Muslim heretical intent (similarity 0.87)
• Medieval polemicists recycled general accusations of Muslim vice without personal knowledge (similarity 0.87)
• Medieval polemicists quietly dropped claims lacking cross-tradition confirmation (similarity 0.86)
• Scholarly polemic failed because it never spoke in terms Muslims could recognize (similarity 0.86)
• Christian polemicists studied Muslim revelation accounts seriously rather than dismissing them (similarity 0.86)
• Medieval writers ignored Islamic ritual because praising it served no polemic purpose (similarity 0.84)
• Medieval polemicists used Muslim sources to validate anti-Muslim legends (similarity 0.84)
• Medieval audiences preferred Islam accounts easier to ridicule over accurate ones (similarity 0.84)

Broader Connections

• Later polemicists distorted early scholarly accounts of Islam for propaganda purposes #corroborates (0.85) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1208
• Canonical Islamic texts were cited only to discredit Islam #corroborates (0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1388
• Medieval Christians weaponized accurate Islamic learning for polemics #complicates (0.80)
• Medieval polemicists quoted the Qur’an inaccurately without scruple #contradicts (0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1410
• Christians selected from Muslim sources only details that served their polemic #corroborates (0.80) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1353
• Medieval polemicists distorted Quranic verses to serve anti-Muslim arguments #contradicts (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 2364
• Christian polemicists studied Muslim revelation accounts seriously rather than dismissing them #contradicts (0.75)
• Medieval anti-Islamic polemic worked through fact curation rather than argument #corroborates (0.75) — Norman Daniel, Islam and the West, 1302
• Medieval polemicists ignored known facts to fabricate Muslim heretical intent #corroborates (0.70)