The Christian Interpretation of Islam: Louis Massignon as a Sample

Abstract

In Western Orientalism, Louis
Massignon represents a unique
phenomenon, a paradox of a type of
crudely transcendent approach to the
Arab-Islamic heritage. As he
reconsiders it as part of the global
spiritual heritage, he seeks through
confiscations of a purely intuitive
nature to Christianize it (or to
anoint it), neglecting his central
opposing texts in public the most
important pillars of Christian
thought: Trinity, Crucifixion,
Redemption and Salvation, to be
inspired by Sufi texts, especially the
texts of al-Hallaj. Through a pattern
of excessive interpretation, in the
words of Umberto Eco, he confirms
his seizure of Christian Islam.