Exegesis of Polemical Discourse: Ibn Hazm on Jewish and Christian Scriptures

by Theodore Pulcini

In the history of relations among Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, the encounter in medieval Spain stands out as particularly noteworthy for its intensity and creativity. This interaction generated many polemical texts presenting the competing claims of the three monotheistic faiths. One such
text is the Treatise on Obvious Contradictions and Evident Lies , by the Muslim scholar Abu Mudhammad 'Ali ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (d. 1064). This study makes the content of the Treatise available to English speakers for the first time, providing a detailed description of the work and an assessment of
its significance. Theodore Pulcini argues that Ibn Hazm's polemical biblical exegesis is best understood within the centuries-old tradition in which Muslim authors evaluated the Jewish and Christian scriptures. Analyzing the historical and sociocultural dynamics of eleventh-century Islamic Spain, he
contends that Ibn Hazm wrote the Treatise for the purpose of effecting societal reform.

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1997