Inquiring of ‘Beelzebub’

Platt, Andrew and Gibson, Nathan P. (2018): Inquiring of ‘Beelzebub’. Timothy and al-Jāḥiẓ on Christians in the ʿAbbāsid Legal System. In: Bertaina, David; Keating, Sandra Toening; Swanson, Mark N. and Alexander, Treiger (eds.) : Heirs of the Apostles: Studies on Arabic Christianity in Honor of Sidney H. Griffith. Arabic Christianity, Vol. 1. Leiden: Brill. pp. 254-281

Abstract

This study juxtaposes the concerns of Catholios Timothy I (r. 780–823), leader of the Church of the East, with those of al-Jāḥiẓ (about 776–868/9), a popular Muslim writer, regarding the dangers for each community when Christians appear as plaintiffs or defendants in Islamic courts. Timothy’s Canons attempt to obviate some of the reasons Christians might voluntarily appeal to Islamic courts rather than resolving disputes within the church, and Canon 12 in particular uses a biblical turn of language to condemn this practice. By contrast, cases involving a Muslim disputant had to be tried in Islamic courts, and al-Jāḥiẓ argues that judges who mete out sentences favorable to Christians in such cases jeopardize the rightful social order of Muslims in regard to ahl al-dhimma (protected people).

• Item Type: Book Section
• Form of publication: Submitted Version
• Keywords: legal pluralism; canon law; Islamic law; Timothy I, Catholicos (r. 780–823); al-Jāḥiẓ, ʿAmr b. Baḥr (about 776–868/9); dhimmī; 1 Corinthians 10:21; 2 Corinthians 6:15; lex talionis; diyya (blood money)
• Faculties: Cultural Studies > Department of Ancient and Modern Cultures > Near and Middle Eastern Studies
• Subjects: 200 Religion > 270 History of Christianity; 200 Religion > 290 Other religions; 400 Language > 490 Other languages; 800 Literature > 890 Other literatures; 900 History and geography > 990 History of other areas
• ISBN: 978-90-04-38386-9
• Place of Publication: Leiden
• Language: English