Abd al-Haqq al-Islami
- Died
- 750 AH
- Born in
- -
Abd al-Haqq al-Islami (fl. 8th century AH / 14th century CE) was a North African Maliki scholar, judge, and former Jewish rabbi known for his polemical treatise al-Husam al-Mamdud fi al-Radd ala al-Yahud (The Extended Sword in Refutation of the Jews) .
Background and Career
His full name is recorded as Abu Muhammad Abd al-Haqq ibn Sa'id ibn Muhammad al-Maghribi al-Miknasi . Originally a Jewish religious scholar and rabbi, he converted to Islam and adopted the nisba "al-Islami" . He settled in Morocco, where he followed the Maliki school of jurisprudence and served as a judge in Meknes . He was among the scholars who taught the Andalusian historian and statesman Lisan al-Din Ibn al-Khatib . Historical records place his activity in the eighth Islamic century, noting that he composed a legal commentary on legal rulings in 761 AH (1360 CE) and lived past that year .
Polemical Method and Arguments
Drawing on his direct knowledge of Jewish texts and the Hebrew language, he authored his principal apologetic work, al-Husam al-Mamdud fi al-Radd ala al-Yahud—also cataloged under titles such as al-Sayf al-Mamdud and al-Husam al-Mahdud . The treatise addresses Judaism across five core thematic chapters: establishing biblical passages that indicate the universal prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ; proving the abrogation (naskh) of previous laws by the Islamic message; refuting Jewish criticisms of various prophets and messengers; demonstrating elements of anthropomorphism (tajsim), polytheism, and textual alteration (tabdil) within the altered Torah; and examining references to the Prophet ﷺ in Jewish prayers and scriptures . In supporting his theological arguments, he quoted directly from Hebrew scripture, including his interpretation of the vision of Daniel as a prophecy of the coming of Muhammad ﷺ .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Husam al-Mamdud fi al-Radd ala al-Yahud (The Extended Sword in Refutation of the Jews) is a polemical and theological treatise dedicated to refuting Judaism and proving the prophethood of Muhammad from Jewish scriptures.