Natan'el al-Fayyumi
Encyclopedia
Natan'el al-Fayyumi born about 1090 - died about 1165, of Yemen was the twelfth-century author of Bustan al-Uqul (Garden of Intellects), a Jewish version of Ismaili
Shi'ite doctrines. Like the Ismailis, Natan'el argued that Hashem sent different prophets to the various nations of the world, containing legislations suited to the particular temperament of each individual nation. Each people should remain loyal to its own religion, because the universal teaching was adapted to the specific conditions and experiences of each community. Not all Jewish depictions of Muhammad
were negative. Jews who lived in environments governed by Ismaili Shi'ites, did not view them as enemies - and vice versa.
Nethanel explicitly considered Muhammad a true prophet, who was sent from Heaven with a particular message that applies to the Arabs, but not to the Jews.. Marc Shapiro has written that al-Fayyumi's pluralistic views on religion are shared by numerous other rabbinical sources . However, Al-Fayymi's explicit acceptance of Muhammad's prophecy may be unique and was virtually unknown until recent times beyond his native Yemen
.
Ismaili
teachings speak of an evolutionary sequence of prophetic revelations, which will culminate in the era of the messianic Qa'im who will unite all humanity in acknowledging the one Divine Entity (Hashem). Ismaili
doctrine acknowledges that a single universal religious truth lies at the root of the different religions; and that each of the historical revelations plays a role in preparing the path for that universal truth. There were Jews, such as Natan'el, who accepted this model of religious pluralism, leading them to view Muhammad as a legitimate prophet, albeit not Jewish, sent to preach to the Arabs, just as the Hebrew prophets had been sent to deliver their messages to Israel.
This mutual tolerance proved ephemeral. Within a single generation, Natan'el's son Yakob ben Nethanel Ibn al-Fayyumi was compelled to turn to Maimonides
, asking urgently for counsel on how to deal with a new wave of religious persecutions and forced conversions that was threatening the Jews of Yemen. The letters and intellectual dialogue between the student Yakob ben Nethanel Ibn al-Fayyumi, and his teacher Maimonides
, and Saladin
had a lasting effect upon the Jews of Yemen.
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
Shi'ite doctrines. Like the Ismailis, Natan'el argued that Hashem sent different prophets to the various nations of the world, containing legislations suited to the particular temperament of each individual nation. Each people should remain loyal to its own religion, because the universal teaching was adapted to the specific conditions and experiences of each community. Not all Jewish depictions of Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
were negative. Jews who lived in environments governed by Ismaili Shi'ites, did not view them as enemies - and vice versa.
Nethanel explicitly considered Muhammad a true prophet, who was sent from Heaven with a particular message that applies to the Arabs, but not to the Jews.. Marc Shapiro has written that al-Fayyumi's pluralistic views on religion are shared by numerous other rabbinical sources . However, Al-Fayymi's explicit acceptance of Muhammad's prophecy may be unique and was virtually unknown until recent times beyond his native Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
.
Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
teachings speak of an evolutionary sequence of prophetic revelations, which will culminate in the era of the messianic Qa'im who will unite all humanity in acknowledging the one Divine Entity (Hashem). Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
doctrine acknowledges that a single universal religious truth lies at the root of the different religions; and that each of the historical revelations plays a role in preparing the path for that universal truth. There were Jews, such as Natan'el, who accepted this model of religious pluralism, leading them to view Muhammad as a legitimate prophet, albeit not Jewish, sent to preach to the Arabs, just as the Hebrew prophets had been sent to deliver their messages to Israel.
This mutual tolerance proved ephemeral. Within a single generation, Natan'el's son Yakob ben Nethanel Ibn al-Fayyumi was compelled to turn to Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
, asking urgently for counsel on how to deal with a new wave of religious persecutions and forced conversions that was threatening the Jews of Yemen. The letters and intellectual dialogue between the student Yakob ben Nethanel Ibn al-Fayyumi, and his teacher Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
, and Saladin
Saladin
Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb , better known in the Western world as Saladin, was an Arabized Kurdish Muslim, who became the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and founded the Ayyubid dynasty. He led Muslim and Arab opposition to the Franks and other European Crusaders in the Levant...
had a lasting effect upon the Jews of Yemen.