Comparing Benjamin Tudela and Habib Ibn Muslama

Daniel Costello

Dr. Hofmann

Hist 101

Using the following primary source documents by Benjamin of Tudela and Habib ibn Muslama, I found that they share similar themes pertaining to rulers' relations with their subjects and the influences religions and cultures have on each other in a society. More specifically each primary source explores the rulers and their positive or negative relationships with their subjects.

In Benjamin of Tudela's Book of Travels the quality of life for Jews under Islamic rule in Baghdad is examined. The Islamic rule and culture in Baghdad had a profound impact on Jewish individuals' faith. In this primary source we see that Judaism is allowed but in order to participate in everyday affairs one must participate in traditions of the Islamic culture. The Jews faith in Judaism was not shattered but rather strengthened. In turn, Jews were forced to put their beliefs second after Islamic orders. For example, Emir al-Mumin, the lord of Islam, granted Daniel, also known by Muslims as Saldna ben Daoud, "authority over all the congregations of Israel. For thus Muhammad commandedÐ'...grant a seal of office over all the congregations that dwell under his rule, and ordered that everyone, Muslims or JewsÐ'... should rise up before him and salute him, and any one who should refuse to rise up should receive one hundred stripes." This states that David, "head of captivity" over all communities including Persia, Armenia and ever over some African Christian civilizations including Nubia and Ethiopia. It is unclear whether these areas were required to participate as heavily in the Islamic traditions. What is known is that David, the head of the captivity, bestowed communities with the power to appoint Rabbis and Ministers as long as these appointed individuals go to him and allow themselves to be consecrated. Only then will David grant them the "authority to own hospices, gardens and plantations in BabylonÐ'...no one can take his possessions from him by force. He has fixed weekly revenue arising from the hospices of the Jews, the markets and the merchantsÐ'...very rich, and wise in the scriptures as well as in the Talmud."

The desire for David to meet and bestow authority on any appointed ministers from the Christian communities and rabbis from Jewish communities shows the relations between ruler and subjects. Another example of Rulers relations with those they rule and Benjamin Tudela's book of travels, is his description of al-Abbasi "he is kind unto his real and many belonging to the people of Israel are his attendance; he knows all languages and is well versed in the law of Israel. He reads and writes the Holy Language [Hebrew]"2. Al-Abbasi, the Caliph, is a Muslim ruler in Baghdad who recognizes the Jewish community living under his Islamic rule. He educated himself and in Israeli law and Hebrew. Although he kept Islam superior to Judaism and Christianity, he paid his Jewish and Christian subjects the ultimate respect by educating himself on their religious culture and by allowing them to worship freely alongside Muslim traditions. In Benjamin's accounts what we must understand is that the Jewish community is in exile and is being subjected to Muslim Diaspora because they have entered a culture that is different from their own. Benjamin sought to describe the influence of Muslim rule over the Jewish culture. According to Benjamin, though the Islamic rule forced Jews to participate in Muslim traditions, Jews rather than be influenced by the rituals remained faithfully to the covenant.

Ibn Muslama's account is a little different in that