Severus ibn al-Muqaffa
Sevērus ibn al-Muqaffaʿ or Severus of El Ashmunein was a Coptic Orthodox bishop, author and historian. Severus is sometimes confused with the better-known Abbasid author Abdullah ibn al-Muqaffa'.
He was bishop of Hermopolis Magna in Upper Egypt around the end of the tenth century. In this period, Egypt was ruled by the Isma'ili Fatimid Caliphate, which had taken Egypt from the Abbasid Caliphate in 969. Fatimid rule slowly but surely changed Coptic Christian culture, especially in the realm of language. Complaining that the Coptic Orthodox Christians of Egypt no longer knew the Coptic language, Severus composed a theological text in Arabic—the first Coptic text written in that language.
While he was known as the traditional author of the History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria since the 18th century, modern scholarship holds that it was Mawhib ibn Mufarrij of Alexandria who composed this work. One of the stories in it relates how Bishop Severus was asked by the Muslim chief justice whether a passing dog was Muslim or Christian. As it was a Friday, the Bishop said to ask the dog by offering it both meat and wine as Muslims do not drink wine and Christians do not eat meat on Fridays.
Life
After a brief period serving the government in Fatimid Egypt, he decided to join a monastery and become a monk. Later, he was ordained bishop of al-Ashminayn by Patriarch Theophane. He gained prominence for composing many works in defense of Christianity, in addition to his skills as a debater, even within the Fatimid courts under Caliph al-Mu‘izz, where he defended Christian doctrine. Thus he became the first Coptic author to compose theological works in Arabic. His legacy endures in the Coptic Orthodox Church whose theological and spiritual writings continue to be published in Arabic, like those of Pope Shenouda III.Works
Some of the most known works by Severus ibn al-Muqaffa are the following :- Lamp of the Intellect
- History of the Patriarchs of Alexandria. This is a compilation begun by Severus Ibn al-Muqaffaʿ and based on earlier biographical sources. It was continued by others including Michael, bishop of Tinnis, ibn Mufarrij, deacon of Alexandria., and Pope Mark III of Alexandria.
- Affliction's physic and the cure of sorrow
- Book of The Precious Pearl, 15 Chapters. A book rich with Biblical and Patristic citations. The book has 1161 Biblical citations and at least 191 Patristic citations.
- The Refutation Of Eutychius, of four parts and also known as The Book On The Councils. The book was written mainly to defend the position of the Jacobites who rejected the Council of Chalcedon against what has been brought up by the Melchite Patriarch Eutychius, or Sa'id ibn Bitriq, in his book known as the Annals Of Eutychius.
- The Arrangement of the Priesthood, i.e. Information on Ranks in the Church,.
- The Book of Brief Explanation on the Faith,.
- The Explanation,, 12 Chapters. The book is sometimes confused with the previously mentioned book of The Precious Pearl.
- Stringing together of Jewel and Pearls, in answer to the doctrine of fate and divine decree, Mistakenly-attributed to George Elmacin.