ded in 1962, the UEAI aims to facilitate meetings and exchange of ideas and information among specialists of the Arab and Islamic world working in European universities. Congresses are held every two years and the proceedings are published.
Dr Al铆-de-Unzaga’s paper was entitled 鈥樷淚t appeared so unto them鈥: Ta鈥檞il, the Torah and the Gospel in Ismaili Works (with special attention to the Epistles of the Pure Brethren- Rasa鈥檌l Ikhwan al-Safa鈥)鈥 and was part of a panel on Philosophy and Science. The paper focused on the use and interpretation of citations from the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospels聽in the Rasa鈥檌l Ikhwan al-Safa鈥. Even though the Ismaili character of the work is disputable, it is clear that the approach to, and use of, biblical material by the Ikhwan al-Safa鈥 bears close proximity to that of Ismaili authors, including those of Ja鈥榝ar b. Mansur al-Yaman, Abu Hatim al-Razi, and Hamid al-Din聽al-Kirmani. A comparison between the Rasa鈥檌l and those authors highlights a number of parallels which were explored in Dr. Ali-de-Unzaga鈥檚 paper: they had Biblical texts at their direct disposal; even though they saw the cycles of Judaism and Christianity as superseded by Islam, not only did they permit the study of the previous scriptures but also encouraged it; they saw the issue of the 鈥渇alsification鈥 of the scriptures mostly on the level of interpretation; they applied the same hermeneutical vision (which we can call 鈥榯a鈥檞il鈥 for lack of a better term) to the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍Muslims believe that the Holy 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 contains divine revelations to the Prophet Muhammed received in Mecca and Medina over a period of 23 years in the early 7th century CE. More and the previous scriptures; they interpreted the 蚕耻谤鈥檃苍 as accepting the physical crucifixion of Jesus while maintaining the immortality of the soul; finally, the interpretations were framed in the context of the Ismaili da鈥檞a from the 10th century onwards.
Dr Al铆-de-Unzaga’s presentation was very well received and raised a number of interesting questions.
