Christian Literature in Arabic in the Early Islamic Period

This article focuses on the rise of Christian literature in Arabic (8th-10th c.) in Palestino-Sinaitic area occurring alongside the spread of Islam in the same region and at the same time. It emphasizes the fundamentally multicultural mechanism of the emergence of Christian Arabic literature. Indeed, the Palestino-Sinaitic monasteries Mar Saba and St. Catherine of Sinai were the multicultural centres where Greek, Arabic, Syriac, and Georgian speaking scholar-monks cohabited. A burgeoning literary activity developed there creating a favourable context for the circulation and exchange of texts and ideas. The aforementioned literary collaborations were an important source, heavily influencing the birth of Christian literature in Arabic, nourishing it by its literary connections. This article discusses therefore the specific translation channels formed within this collaborative context and explores their content and character.