why thomas aquinas distrusted islam

7/26/2019 Why Thomas Aquinas Distrusted Islam

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Why Thomas Aquinas

Distrusted Islam1456269

byTHOMAS D. WILLIAMS, PH.D.27 Dec 20152,598

The 13th-century scholar Thomas Aquinas, regarded as one ofthe most eminent medieval philosophers and theologians,offered a biting critique of Islam based in large part on thequestionable character and methods of its founder, Mohammed.

According to Aquina, I!a" a##ea!ed to ignorant, $ruti%, carna! "en and

#read not $& t%e #o'er o( it argu"ent or di)ine grace $ut $& t%e #o'er o(

t%e 'ord.

Aquina, a *een o$er)er o( t%e %u"an condition, 'a (a"i!iar 'it% t%e c%ie(

'or* o( t%eMu!i"#%i!oo#%er o( %i da&+inc!uding A)icenna, A!gae!, and

A)erroe+and engaged t%e" in %i 'riting.

Since I!a" 'a (ounded and #read in t%e e)ent% centur&, Aquina-

conidered $& at%o!ic a a aint and doctor o( t%e %urc%-!i)ed in a #eriod

c!oer to t%at o( Mo%a""ed t%an to our o'n da&.

In one o( %i "ot igni/cant 'or*, t%e )o!u"inou Summa contra gentiles,'%ic% Aquina 'rote $et'een 125 and 12 AD, t%e c%o!ar argued (or t%e

trut% o( %ritianit& againt ot%er $e!ie( &te", inc!uding I!a".

Aquina contrat t%e #read o( %ritianit& 'it% t%at o( I!a", arguing t%at

"uc% o( %ritianit&3 ear!& ucce te""ed (ro" 'ide#read $e!ie( in t%e
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"irac!e o( 4eu, '%erea t%e #read o( I!a" 'a 'or*ed t%roug% t%e

#ro"ie o( enua! #!eaure and t%e )io!ence o( t%e 'ord.

Mo%a""ad, Aquina 'rote, educed t%e #eo#!e $& #ro"ie o( carna!

#!eaure to '%ic% t%e concu#icence o( t%e 6e% goad u. Hi teac%ing a!ocontained #rece#t t%at 'ere in con(or"it& 'it% %i #ro"ie, and %e ga)e

(ree rein to carna! #!eaure.

Suc% an o8er, Aquina contended, a##ea!ed to a certain te o( #eron o(

!i"ited )irtue and 'ido".

In a!! t%i, a i not une9#ected, %e 'a o$e&ed $& carna! "en, %e 'rote.

A (or #roo( o( t%e trut% o( %i doctrine, %e $roug%t (or'ard on!& uc% a

cou!d $e gra#ed $& t%e natura! a$i!it& o( an&one 'it% a )er& "odet'ido". Indeed, t%e trut% t%at %e taug%t %e "ing!ed 'it% "an& (a$!e and

'it% doctrine o( t%e greatet (a!it&.

:ecaue o( t%e 'ea*ne o( I!a"3 contention, Aquina argued, no 'ie

"en, "en trained in t%ing di)ine and %u"an, $e!ie)ed in %i" (ro" t%e

$eginning. Intead, t%oe '%o $e!ie)ed in %i" 'ere $ruta! "en and deert

'anderer, utter!& ignorant o( a!! di)ine teac%ing, t%roug% '%oe nu"$er

Mu%a""ad (orced ot%er to $eco"e %i (o!!o'er $& t%e )io!ence o( %i

ar".

I!a"3 )io!ent "et%od o( #ro#agation 'ere e#ecia!!& uncon)incing to

Aquina, ince %e (ound t%at t%e ue o( uc% (orce doe not #ro)e t%e trut% o(

one3 c!ai", and are t%e "ean tica!!& ued $& e)i! "en.

Mo%a""ad aid t%at %e 'a ent in t%e #o'er o( %i ar", Aquina 'rote,

'%ic% are ign not !ac*ing e)en to ro$$er and t&rant.

At t%e ti"e Aquina 'a 'riting, I!a" 'a genera!!& conidered a %ritian%ere&, ince it dre' o %ea)i!& on %ritian te9t and $e!ie(. Aquina 'rote

t%at Mo%a""ed #er)ert a!"ot a!! t%e teti"onie o( t%e O!d and ;e'

Teta"ent $& "a*ing t%e" into (a$rication o( %i o'n, a can $e een $&

an&one '%o e9a"ine %i !a'.


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According to t%e noted %itorian Hi!aire :e!!oc, I!a" $egan a a %ere&, not

a a ne' re!igion. It 'a not a #agan contrat 'it% t%e %urc%< it 'a not an

a!ien ene"&. It 'a a #er)erion o( %ritian doctrine. It )ita!it& and

endurance oon ga)e it t%e a##earance o( a ne' re!igion, $ut t%oe '%o

'ere conte"#orar& 'it% it rie a' it (or '%at it 'a-not a denia!, $ut anada#tation and a "iue, o( t%e %ritian t%ing.

In %i Summa contra gentiles, Aquina end %i argu"ent againt I!a" $&

o8ering a $ac*%anded co"#!i"ent to Mo%a""ed, noting t%at %e %ad to

*ee# %i (o!!o'er ignorant in order (or t%e" to re"ain (ait%(u!.

It 'a, Aquina 'rote, a %re'd deciion on %i #art to (or$id %i (o!!o'er to

read t%e O!d and ;e' Teta"ent, !et t%ee $oo* con)ict %i" o( (a!it&.

It i t%u c!ear t%at t%oe '%o #!ace an& (ait% in %i 'ord $e!ie)e (oo!i%!&,%e 'rote.

Follow Thomas D. Williams on Twitter @tdwilliamsrome
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why thomas aquinas distrusted islam

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