Maimonides The Muslim? Could What We Call Jewish Law Have A Muslim Source?

Details:

Shaul Magid, reviewing Joel L. Kraemer's book, MAIMONIDES: The Life and World of One of Civilization's Greatest Minds, writes:

…The fact that Maimonides cites some Islamic sources, especially the philosopher Abu Nasar al-Farabi (c. 870-950), is well known. More subtle is the way even his ostensibly Jewish positions, and the methods he uses to reach them, appear to be taken, sometimes verbatim, from the Muslim tradition. One of Maimonides' great theological innovations, for example, was his Thirteen Principles of Faith, a list of Judaism's central beliefs. As Judaism is a religion founded on law and not on belief per se, no such creed had been attempted before. But the notion of principles, or pillars, of faith had existed for some time in Islam, and Kraemer contends that several of Maimonides's specific articles of faith -- including the first (God's existence), second (divine unity) and particularly the third (God is not a corporeal being) -- reflect the influence of such Islamic thinkers as al-Farabi, Ibn Sina and Ibn Tumart, founder of the Almohad movement.

Two ironies emerge from Kraemer's book. First, that the great architect of medieval and modern Judaism seems to have lived for a time, at least outwardly, as a Muslim; whether this was a feigned or true conversion, he was an insider in Muslim culture. And second, that what is often considered original in Maimonides is not very original at all. Throughout the book, Kraemer shows how many of Maimonides' contributions are derivative, not just of Aristotle and Plato, but also of Muslim thinkers. He notes that Maimonides's discussion of the five types of speech in Jewish law employs the same five categories contained in Islamic jurisprudence. He shows that Maimonides's prohibition of using sacred poems for mundane purposes (such as setting them to music at communal gatherings) is taken directly from a commentary on Plato's Republic by the Muslim philosopher Averroes.

Kraemer's subtitle, One of Civilization's Greatest Minds, is unfortunate, because the book undermines this claim throughout. Kraemer shows that for Jews and Judaism, Maimonides was certainly an innovator, and the depth of his knowledge and compassion was truly astounding. But as a contributor to the ideas of Western (including medieval Islamic) civilization, he did not have much new to offer. ·

Comments

[Garnel Ironheat]

I guess that means the Rav JB Soloveitchik was a German Protestant. After all...

…The fact that Soloveithcik cites some German Protestant philsophers as sources, especially the philosophers Kant and Heidegel is well known. More subtle is the way even his ostensibly Jewish positions, and the methods he uses to reach them, appear to be taken, sometimes verbatim, from the German philosophical tradition. One of Soloveitchik's great theological innovations, for example, was his dialetic approach to Jewish thought and prayer. As Judaism is a religion founded on law and not on belief per se, no such idea had been attempted before. But the notion of using the apprach dialetic existed for some time in German philosophy.

As for "Kraemer contends that several of Maimonides's specific articles of faith -- including the first (God's existence), second (divine unity) and particularly the third (God is not a corporeal being)"

I suppose Kramer missed all the Talmudical references to such principles, or maybe he's never heard of the Shema either?

-- reflect the influence of such Islamic thinkers as al-Farabi, Ibn Sina and Ibn Tumart, founder of the Almohad movement.

Two ironies emerge from Kraemer's book. First, that the great architect of medieval and modern Judaism seems to have lived for a time, at least outwardly, as a Muslim; whether this was a feigned or true conversion, he was an insider in Muslim culture. And second, that what is often considered original in Maimonides is not very original at all. Throughout the book, Kraemer shows how many of Maimonides' contributions are derivative, not just of Aristotle and Plato, but also of Muslim thinkers. He notes that Maimonides's discussion of the five types of speech in Jewish law employs the same five categories contained in Islamic jurisprudence. He shows that Maimonides's prohibition of using sacred poems for mundane purposes (such as setting them to music at communal gatherings) is taken directly from a commentary on Plato's Republic by the Muslim philosopher Averroes.

> But as a contributor to the ideas of Western (including medieval Islamic) civilization, he did not have much new to offer. ·

Seems okay, since that was never his intention.

[R]

What's wrong with embracing other cultures and seeing how you can use them within your own? The problem today is that we are brought up with the mindset that our religion must stay stagnant from 2000 years ago. He wasn't changing the religion, he was just adapting it to his times. Also Maimonidies wasn't very accepted in his day due to him studying philosophy and using it in his writings. They even banned his books and burnt them. He was seen as a heretic, yet today we see him as a great person.
Some people are just ahead of their time and are not appreciated until years after they die.

[Yochanan Lavie]

If Maimonides was such a copycat, why does Aquinas rely on his opinions so much? Is Aquinas really an Islamic thinker?

Most scholars know that Rambam was influenced by Muslim philosophers. But he adopted their ideas for a Jewish context, and wrote innovative Jewish works such as the Mishneh Torah (whose organization reflects Aristotlean taxonomy, according to Prof. Twersky, an Orthodox rabbi) and the Moreh Nevuchim.

Synthesizers are in their own way innovators. The modern fetish of "originality" really began with modern copyright laws, and the Enlightenment's emphasis on overthrowing authority (in the 18th century). It accelerated with the 19th century Romantic ideal of the Original Genius. Medieval and even Renaissance figures liked to rely on authority.

As for Islam, Rambam escaped the fundie Almohades, the same folks who trashed the liberal Muslim kingdom of Mali. (So much for the notion that all of Muslim Spain was a Golden Age). He probably did have to feign a temporary conversion, but lived openly as a Jew in Fustat. A Muslim who converts to another religion is considered a renegade whose life is forfeit (murtad). Once a Muslim, always a Muslim. He was probably cut some slack, because mainstream Islam doesn't believe in forced conversions.

Also, Catholics, Jews, and Muslims were very open minded about studying Greek philosophy, and each others' interpretations of it. The fundies later put the kibosh on that, which is why the Moreh was burnt in Paris, by Catholics, at the instigation of Jewish fundies. They decided burning Jewish books was so much fun they later burnt the talmud.

I learnt all about this stuff in Modern Orthodox institutions!

[Yoel B]

Yochanan Lavie is right on the money.
One of al Farabi's main teachers was a Nestorean Christian, Muhammad himself drew heavily from Jewish and according to at least one scholar, Syriac Christian sources (the guy who thinks 72 virgins is a mistranslation from Syriac, and that a lot of the linguistically difficult parts of the Koran work out fine if you treat them as being Syriac and not Arabic; of course, he has to publish under pseudonym for safety.)
In fact, most of the Muslim access to classical sources was via the Jewish and especially Christian converts and dhimmis who translated them and commented on them.

[Yoel B]

Not only that, the Gemara itself draws on Greek for some of its concepts.

אפותיקי anyone? See Wikipedia on "hypothecate," a word of Greek origin: ...A contract of mortgage or pledge as collateral for a debt in which the subject matter is not delivered into the possession of the pledgee or pawnee.

And, זוגות/זיוג is a cognate of zygote, yoke and yoga.

Shmarya, why get excited because Rambam's life and thought don't fit Artscroll criteria? It was the times, dude; Rambam's own son hung out with the Sufis, and Rambam's grandson was openly a Sufi.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Thanks, Yoel B. Good contributions, too.
I wonder what Maven has to say.

[shmuel]

"Rambam's own son hung out with the Sufis, and Rambam's grandson was openly a Sufi."

Fascinating. No, really. Source, please.

[Dr. Dave]

Read the texts. Sufism uses many forbidden metaphors (to mainstream Islam) such as "we drank the wine before the vine was planted."

Sufism states that it is better to be a good Jew than a bad Muslim.

Much of the secret teachings of religions have much more in common with each other than with their mainstream counterparts (you will see much in common between Sufism, Kabbalah and even Gnostic Christian writings).

Well maybe not all religions...

I haven't come across references to Xenu and engrams outside of Scientology.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Of course, there's that old comedian, Sufi Sales.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Dr. Dave: that's because you need to be "audited." Too bad about Travolta's son. I think Scientologists are behind a lot of the anti-mental health propaganda, and people don't know it. People should be free to believe what they want, as long as it doesn't endanger kids, and they don't impose it on others.

[Yoel B]

Taking Ovadiah ben Avraham ben Moshe ben Maimon first, regarding the Cairo Geniza fragments from http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/Taylor-Schechter/GF/4/:

The Genizah has proved to be a mine of biographical information about the scholars of mediaeval Egypt, especially of the Maimonides family who were leaders of Egyptian Jewry for over 200 years. Indeed, communal and literary documents have come to light which testify to the sustained intellectual activity of Oriental Jewry's most illustrious family.

Dr Paul Fenton, Research Assistant at the Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit, at present mainly engaged on the Unit's bibliographical project, recently discovered among the Cambridge Genizah fragments a hitherto unpublished mystical treatise composed in Judaeo-Arabic by Moses Maimonides' grandson, `Obadyah. The work shows the deep influence of the mystical and ascetic movement in Islam known as Sufism and as such is of great interest to the increasingly topical subject of the interdependence of Jewish and Muslim ideologies.

Unlike his rationalist grandfather, `Obadyah consciously uses Sufi concepts and mystical vocabulary in describing the Jew's spiritual journey towards God. The very title of the work "The Treatise of the Pool" refers to the typically Sufi idea that the heart is to be emptied of all but God in order to draw it near to the divine, just as a pool is first cleansed and then filled with clean water.

Dr Fenton's edition and translation of this important work has just been published (Octagon Press, London, 1981). In his introduction the editor traces the influence of Sufism through the Genizah period and its appearance in the later kabbalistic trends that emerged among Eastern Jewry. The text throws much light on the intellectual options exercised by Maimonides' descendants as well as on the manner in which Oriental Judaism absorbed certain ethical elements from the dominant Islamic environment in which it flourished.

And for Avraham son of Rambam, it's my impression that wikipedia is OK. Here's an excerpt:

Avraham Maimuni's best known work is his Sefer Milchamoth Hashem ("The Book of the Wars for God"), in which he answers the critics of his father's philosophical doctrines expressed in the Guide for the Perplexed. He had initially avoided entering the controversy over his father's writings, however, when he heard of the alleged burning of his father's books in Montpellier in 1235, he compiled Milchamot HaShem which he addressed to the Hachmei Provence. His principal work is originally composed in Judeo-Arabic and entitled "כתאב כפיא אלעאבדין" Kitāb Kifāyah al-`Ābidīn ("A Comprehensive Guide for the Servants of God"). From the extant surviving portion it is conjectured that Maimuni's treatise was three times as long as his father's Guide for the Perplexed. In the book, Maimuni evidences a great appreciation and affinity to Sufism (Islamic mysticism). Followers of his path continued to foster a Jewish-Sufi form of pietism for at least a century, and he is righlty considered the founder of this pietistic school.

[Dr. Dave]

Ovadiah the brother of R' David Hanagid - both grandsons of the Rambam wrote a treatise on sufism which was found in a geniza ( Ben-Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo) over 25 years ago.

It is called "The Treatise of the Pool". The title evidently refers to the concept of emptying yourself of preconceptions in order to accept G-d, just as a pool is emptied to accept clean water.

Whether he became a Sufi or just wrote of their philosophy, I don't know. i have not read the book.

You can purchase a translation on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Treatise-Pool-Al-Mawala-Al-Hawdiyya/dp/0900860871

[Yochanan Lavie]

Thanks, Dr. Dave. The medievals didn't always dichotomize between mysticism and rationality (although sometimes they did). And Rambam was against magic mysticism, such as amulets and the like. But his Aristotlean-Neoplatonism is open to the idea of an intellectual-mystical union with God, based on thinking His thoughts after Him, by a combination of studying torah and philosophical meditation.

There are analogues in Christian and Muslim thought, but there were also hyper-rationalists who rejected all forms of mysticism and hyper-mystics who rejected philosophical speculation and insisted on pure faith rather than reason. The h-m's were the first to try to refute Aristotlean proofs of God's existence; not out of atheism or agnosticism, but out of a conviction that faith alone was sufficient and logic is limited by finite human cognition.

But the consensus in all 3 faiths was that reason and revelation were not, and could not be, enemies. Later, reactionary elements in all 3 faiths stopped that; less so in the Christian tradition.

[Joel]

Sometimes Shmarya likes to sensationalize things because he doesn't like orthodoxy, and likes to rattle what others consider "institutions" like the Rambam. This doesn't detract from the often good points he makes about other subjects. I am sure he is aware of all the great points made by Yoel B, YL and others (with the exception of Sufi Sales, dude that was so awful I was gagging!!) The fact does remain that Islam and Judaism follow a very close line of theological thought. The Rambam considers a Jew who "converts" to Islam NOT to be an Apikorus or an ovdei avodah zarah, as opposed to a convert to Christianity. And remember according to us, Muslims would be considered Bnei Noah and perfectly wonderful citizens of the world (if they were not bent on killing us). As far as I know, what they practice falls well into the laws of Bnei Noah. All in all most of Islamic thought benefited from an earlier Judaic line. At the same time I watch some of the morning preachers because I believe that Jews don't hold a monopoly on espousing and teaching lessons from the Bible. I guess its kinda like math. The concepts can be around for millenia, but some guy comes up with a novel way to use them and POOF!! new concepts and understanding are created. Hmmmm, I like that math analogy. I will have to use that one day in a Dvar Torah or something.

[Yair]

If the thesis is that Maimonides' contribution is not the creation of new ideologies ex nihilo. but the fusion of several, some explicitly stated, others not, I fail to see how this diminishes his stature, or confound the expectations of any but the most fundamentalist. In fact, name me any great thinker who existed in a vacuum and whose brilliance was not chiefly the synthesis of prior material into a new, renewed, vibrant vision.

This is exactly the explanation most scholars use to illumine America's founding fathers, painting them as men drawing from religious, philosophical and political traditions they did not invent, but simply made use of (see Prof. Gordon Wood's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Creation of the American Republic"). Are Franklin, Jefferson and Madison any less impressive, influential or venerable because they fit this common intellectual profile? I think not.

[Yoel B]

The Rambam considers a Jew who "converts" to Islam NOT to be an Apikorus or an ovdei avodah zarah, as opposed to a convert to Christianity.

For such a Jew to return to Judaism would be just a bit more hazardous under Islam these days than under modern Xtianity. In the Rambam's day, of course, such a return from either Islam or Xtianity would best be accompanied by lighting out for the territories ASAP.

[maven]

Yochanan- Maven got in on this one late, but this discussion has been going on for several hundred years now, so what's the rush? The only people to whom this is some kind of news or problem are Aish Hatorah type newbies (in part because, in line with this thread, they have a view of religiosity and fundamentalism derived from Protestantism, much as the medieval thinkers absorbed Islamic and Christian polemics, either in agreement or in rejection, either way that leaves a trace. So, for example, while 60s Carlebachy types liked using incense as part of davening, the Jews of Cochin strictly forbid any use of incense since they associated it with the pure avoda zara of their Hindu surroundings). What we call "peshat" was a medieval construct based on the need to eliminate Christological readings that the freer Midrashic readings might have "allowed" in disputations, and so on.

This wouldn't surprise Archie or anyone who actually studied these texts. The Rambam's son, as I've pointed out in the past, states that Sufis preserved the techniques of the Neviim, for example (Shmuel- see the last chapter of Hamaspik L'ovdei Hashem, in any yeshiva library). The Jews in Turkey had good relations with the Sufis for generations and sang sufi type songs at dawn on Shabbat mornings until WWI brought an end to this. R. Yosef Karo describes his visits to the Sufis and the Mevlana. The Turkish ethnomusicologist Necdat Yashar plays tunes that he attributes to the Jewish composers in Turkey, it was no surprise or problem for either side.
Yoel B rightly quotes Paul Fenton, who I admire, we did a Sufi demonstration once together (I did work on the Turkish Jewish use of these techniques) and brought an Indian flutist who played raga variations on Carlebach.
One can go on and on, the "Aristo" that Rambam knew was of course a hodgepodge of Aristotelian and Neo-Platonist texts which had been preserved by the Christians and popularized by the Islamic civilization, etc.
So, the Ramchal liked Renaissance rhetoric, the Nazir apparently like Nietzche, the Rov liked Kierkegaard and existentialist thought, so nu? The only people who get away clean on this are the Litvaks, because they don't like anything :) (that was a joke, not an historical judgement, please don't flame)

[mordecai]

Even prior to Maimonides, other Jewish philosophers/rabbis such as Bahya Ibn Pakuda (who wrote duties of the heart) were heavily influenced by Neo-platonism. Pakuda, as well as others, followed the methods of the Muslim encyclopediests known as the "Brothers of Purity." There is no question that during the Period of Paskuda (about 1150 AD) and Maimonides, the Islamic world had made many contributions to philosophy.

[Yoel]

It is always interesting to speculate if some other individual, religion, or nation qualifies to be Benei Noach. At this link http://www.asknoah.org/
I have found a solid Torah book on this subject, and have seen with my own eyes that it is halachically detailed, with extensive sources (Gemora, etc) on this subject. Before reading this book I have a basic general idea about this, but did not realize the full level of detail in classical sources. The book is well worth the $18, it is translated from Hebrew, but the language is very good, and very good Torah scholarship (way better than anything I've seen before on this subject) This would also shed light on this post, Rambam, his relation to scholars of other religions. I'm glad Shmarya posted this article.

[A. Nuran]

Maimonedes is recognized as a Sheik by every major Sufi tariq. He was friends with many Sufis and other Muslims. What's so strange about that? He was an educated and cosmopolitan man of his times.

That Maimonides was one of the first Jewish philosophers and that he borrowed from Greek and Arab philosophy is not news.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Thanks, Maven. Good Kiekegaard critique; I tell you more later.

Philo predated Rambam by centuries, but was not as influential to Jews as he was to Christians.

[pierre]

If Shmuel is still shmuel, we talked about this before you left town. An academic source is the translation of his grandsons book "treatise of the pool" and paul fenton's essays therein cited. there's more recent material. the person to ask on ALL this is R. Jose Faur.

[alternative childcare]

Whoa, from a serious discussion we just shot way off into freak zone with the introduction of Jose Faur. Yes, the destruction of the wonders of Andalucia perpertrated by that evil Ramban and his Ashkenazi accomplices. And now let's go break up marriages and communities.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Faur is interesting, but he does have an anti-Ashkenazi bias, as AC contends. I say, read everything, but with a critical mind. Susan Handelman's The Slayers of Moses is also interesting, as is Thorlief Boman's Hebrew Thought compared with Greek. But Boman is comparing the ancient Hebrews to the ancient Greeks. Modern Jews have been influenced by the Greeks since Hellenistic times. (And Modern Greeks, of course, are Christian).

[Paul Freedman]

there's also Leo Straus on the inner-tensions of Arabic-Jewish Neo-Platonic harmonization/tension of revelation with reason--the dialectic etc.

[Paul Freedman]

and Rambam was driven into exile by Muslim fundamentalists

[Yochanan Lavie]

Paul: And Isadore Twersky from Harvard.

[Just a Goy]

My I ask,

What of the OJ community's general impression / consensus on/of the Sufi Movement:

The Sufi Message of Unity, of Spiritual Liberty, and of Love, Harmony and Beauty, destined for all humanity. Its purpose is not to draw seekers to a new path, but to awaken them to the path which they are destined to tread.

Truth is One; it cannot be otherwise. Therefore the Sufi finds the light and love of the Divine Spirit of Guidance hidden in all names and forms.

Is it acceptable, or considered one of blasphemy?

[maven]

In general the relationship concerned issues of technique, ie the meditative activities and the music, rather than dealing with specifics of dogma.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Personally, I wish all Muslims were Sufis. Maybe we could get along better.

[Shmendrik]

Doesn't Maimonides refer to Moe as a lunatic?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Just Moe? What about Larry and Curly? (All Jewish, BTW).

[Jason]

Gotta love the Sufi music too. I especially recommend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. And for all you electronica fans, he has been remixed by many Western djs/producers which is a real treat.

[ML]

My favorite part of the Misheh Torah is when Maimonides slips in anti-gay slurs and personal insults into his writing.

[A. Nuran]

YL, if more Muslims were Sufis and more Jews were the equivalent they'd have found a way to fit the Temple and a mosque on the Temple Mount.

[Yochanan Lavie]

ML: The Rambam is not a god. There is racism in the Moreh, too. Nothing should be read uncritically; but don't throw out the baby w/the bathwater either.

[Jeff Eyges]

The Rambam considers a Jew who "converts" to Islam NOT to be an Apikorus or an ovdei avodah zarah, as opposed to a convert to Christianity.

My understanding is that he would still be an apikorus, but that Islam, being monotheistic and aniconic, doesn't qualify as avodah zorah - no?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Jeff: I think you're right. The Quran rewrites the torah, and places the gentile Muhammad as the greatest prophet; not Moshe. Therefore, it is heresy for a Jew to become a Muslim; except to feign it as a temporary life-saving expediency.

[Jeff Eyges]

except to feign it as a temporary life-saving expediency.

Because it's heresy, but not idolatry. Got it.

[Amazed]

A

[S.]

>Two ironies emerge from Kraemer's book. First, that the great architect of medieval and modern Judaism seems to have lived for a time, at least outwardly, as a Muslim; whether this was a feigned or true conversion, he was an insider in Muslim culture.

I am not in the slightest bit perturbed if this were true, and I have no horse in this race vis a vis 'defending' the Rambam from this charge.

But I am interested in the truth, and the truth appears to be that this 'fact' is based on a conjecture of Abraham Geiger based on the incident that once in Egypt, Maimonides was accused by a Muslim of having reverted to Judaism after converting to Islam. He was acquitted of this charge. At the very least, this remains a question, less certain than presented here.

[svend]

A very interesting exchange about a truly fascinating figure.

A quick note: The idea that Sufism is antithetical to orthodox Islam tradition is a huge myth. Even the founder of Wahhabism was a card-carrying Sufi who praised some of the writings of Ibn Arabi (see the writings of George Makdisi), a fact contemporary Sufi-hating Wahhabis sweep under the rug.

Some rhetorical excesses by mystics while in an (God-)intoxicated state and intentionally provocative metaphors for complex spiritual truths by great Sufi thinkers have certainly caused controversy at times, but that is not an indication of them being at odds with Islamic orthodoxy itself.

The thing I find most interesting (and ironic) about the influence of Islam on Maimonides' is how he subscribed to rationalistic "Mutazilite" views that, for better or worse, ultimately came to be repudiated by the establishment of Islamic orthodoxy. In a sense, an extinct Islamic school of thought lived on in Judaism!

Speaking of Moses, he appears three times as often in the Quran as Muhammad (200 mentions vs. about 60, if memory serves). And there's some ambiguity in Islamic tradition about the legitimacy of ranking prophets (some scholars say that one may not say Muhammad is superior to Jesus, Abraham, Moses, ...). Muhammad was the Seal of the Prophets, of course, but that certainly isn't understood as coming at Moses' expense.

[elisheba bridgebuilder]

The Semite Muhammad is not placed above other prophets ( inspired teachers ) in the Quran..in fact it is forbidden to do so. Unfortunately, just as in Judaism..practice is different than theory..a lack of obedience.