Abu Issa
Abu Ya'qub bin Ishaq Ovadia 'Issa al-Isfahani is a pretender to the Jewish Messiah who lived in Persia , in the seventh century or the eighth century.
It is the origin of the sect of Issawites first stream of Judaism known for trying to integrate (at least outwardly) of the elements of Islam and for having the distinguished rabbinic Judaism since the destruction of the Second Temple Jerusalem.
Although limited in time and importance, the movement of Issawites still inspires the formation of other heterodox Jewish movements that were born during the era of Geonim , just outside the zone of influence of Talmudic academies in Babylonia.
Summary |
Biographical Elements
Abu Issa, according to its proponents, an illiterate tailor from poorer backgrounds, who although unable to read or write, consists of books suddenly without assistance (none have been preserved).
He says that the Messiah awaited by the Jews must be preceded by the five messengers, which itself is the last herald (rasul), Summoner (da'i) and prophet, sanctified by God. In an interview with him, Abu Issa would have been receiving the mission to deliver the Jews from the yoke of the Gentiles, and make them politically independent.
According to one source, it would not merely be proclaimed herald, but Messiah. If so, it would have done after gathering of the faithful as a herald. It is also possible that this claim was subsequently attributed to him by his adherents.
Anyway, Abu Issa is surrounded by a fairly large number of supporters to defy the caliph, who takes the threat seriously and dispatched an army. The final battle takes place at Rai, and results in the death of Abu Issa and the total defeat of his army. According to a disciple of Abu Issa, it would be hidden in a cave, and his fate is unknown. Others ascribe a miraculous victory: he surrounded his camp with a rope, and assured his men to save their lives as they would not cross the perimeter; the enemy has fled and was completely destroyed by the Abu Issa. It would then be left in the desert to announce the divine word bene Moshe and his own mission.
Problems of dating
Abu Issa's life is known only by the books of two heresiologists, Al-Qirqissani Yaakov , a historian Karaite of the tenth century , and Muhammad al-Shahrastani , a Muslim author of the twelfth century. Now the first is Abu Issa at the time of `Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan , the fifth Caliph Umayyad ( 685 - 705 ), while the latter actually a contemporary of Marwan II ( 744 - 750 ).
According Qirqissani, Abu Issa was due to appear as the Messiah, rose up in great political turmoil that recall the Battle of Gog and Magog. This would coincide with clashes with the Umayyad Byzantines on the other hand, it places early enough to influence the Karaism or at least the pineapple. Indeed, Anan ben David , the founder and backbone of the second movement of the first, would have taken some of its orders.
As for Shahrastani , if located at the end of the reign of the Umayyads, because it is a crucial moment in the history of Islam .
The issue is not resolved.
rites and doctrines of Issawites
Beliefs and customs of the followers of Abu Issa called Issawites, Issouyites, or Iswanites Issounites, are only known by quotations from Arab writers and a Jewish author.
Besides the personality cult around Abu Issa, the most radical issawite belief is the acceptance of Jesus and Muhammad as true prophets, but only for their own people. Al-Qirqissani, it is just a maneuver "diplomatic," because if Abu Issa was not saying believe in post-biblical prophets, its own claims were baseless. However, it was considered accurate by Muslim authors, and Ahmad al-Maqrizi , an Egyptian historian XIV century , wrote that Abu Issa had met in heaven.
Abu Issa has also introduced some changes in Jewish law, prohibiting the consumption of meat and wine , and the divorce , even in cases of adultery. It would also set up 7 prayers a day, relying on a literal reading of a biblical verse (another view, he superimposed the seven prayers of the prayer services morning, afternoon and Evening force in Rabbinic Judaism that the practice of Rahabites . Above all, Issawites follow the same schedule that Jews Rabbinites while Karaite Jews have rejected it. Accordingly, Issawites and Rabbinites have maintained good relations, while those with Rabbinites Karaites were tinged with antagonism.
Connection to Shiism?
The arrival of Abu Issa occurs, whatever the date, at a crossroads in the history of Judaism and Islam, when movement Shiite radicals are formed within Islam, Iraq and then Persia.
On the one hand, the rapid Muslim conquest takes some Jews Apocalypse Biblical proportions, and causes the outbreak of messianic movements.
On the other hand, the teaching of Abu Issa (at least as it is known by his commentators late) has many similarities with those of Shiism: the figure of the Prophet Muhammad illiterate reminiscent of, receiving the Koran then he can neither read nor write, while a "line of prophets" Messiah announcing recalls the line of imams and the expected arrival of the Mahdi.
Several studies have examined the possible mutual influence of Shiism and Issawi emerging .
Posterity
The disappearance of Abu Issa, many of his former supporters joined his chief disciple, Yudghan of Hamadan. In 930, Al-Qirqissani indicates that there remains much as 20 Issouniens in Damascus .
References
- a , b and c Israel Friedlaender , Elements in Jewish Sectarianism Shiitic, in Jewish Quarterly Review (Oct. 1910)
- a and b Steven Wasserstrom, Between Muslim and Jew, Princeton University Press, 1995
- Psalms 119:164
- TB Baba Batra 60b
- Cf Jeremiah 35:2-10
- Al-Qiriqissani quoted by Leon Nemoy, Karaite Anthology, ISBN 0-300-03929-8
Source
This article incorporates text from the Jewish Encyclopedia of 1901-1906, article "ISHAK BEN Ya'kub Obadiah Abu 'Isa al-Isfahani" by Joseph Jacobs & Max Schloessinger , a publication now in the public domain.
| Currents related to Judaism | Mosaic Yahwism Samaritanism Sabbatasme Frankisme |    |
| Historical currents | Judean sect: Sadducees Boethusiens Pharisees Chassidim Essenes Cult of the Dead Sea Zealots Sicarii Hellenistic Judaism : Jews of Elephantine Therapeutae Jews from the Hellenistic and Roman Egypt Min : Nazarenes Ebionites Crinthiens Elcsates Currents of the eighth century Issawi Yudghanisme | |
| Orthodox Judaism | Modern Orthodox Dati Leumi | |
| Ultra-Orthodox | Hasidim : Lubavitch Gur Breslav Belz Satmar Non-Hassidim : Mussar Edah Haredit Neturei Karta Hardal | |
| Karaism | Pineapple Benjamins Avelei Tzion Tiflissim Asheri Talmid | |
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