On Attributes and Hypostases: Muslim Theology in the Interreligious Writings of Patriarch Timothy I (d. 823)

As Christians and Muslims encountered each other in the Middle East from beginning of Islam 7th century CE onward, theology was not only a field setting boundaries to distinguish one’s own community but also an area mutual influence between communities. This article analyzes two letters Syriac patriarch Timothy I (d. 823), both which have apologetic agenda at same time demonstrate Timothy’s familiarity with Muslim intellectual milieu his day. To defend Christian doctrine Trinity against objections, made reference Islamic divine attributes. He used relational attributes consist subject, act, object show that there must be certain plurality as well relationships subjects, acts, objects These serve proof for Trinity. In this article, arguments teachings he ascribed counterparts are compared what modern scholars reconstructed about thinkers period; so far, such comparisons been done Arabic writings more commonly than ones. The result comparison shows positions approximate very closely ideas Muʿtazilite Abū l-Hudhayl al-ʿAllāf. Thus, based on their content, it is possible connect concrete person among intellectuals period or circles where al-ʿAllāf seems somehow involved.