Medieval Bilingual Dialogue:
This volume comprises an Arabic edition with English translation of the Arabic response made by Damascene Islamic scholar Shams Ibn Ab? T?lib, a fourteenth century 'faquih', in response to a provocative letter from 'across Mediterrenian' Cypriot Christians. In his Letter, the Cypriot Christian eludes that the Qur'an does not contradict, but in fact affirms the Christian religion and its basic doctrines. the Moslem scholar elaborates in his comprehensive reply, in detailed and wide-ranging themes, rewriting earlier familiar polemical works, in a reply to Christian's letter, which was also sent to Ibn Taymiyya, a controversial Islamic contemporary. This response is thus a parallel to Ibn Taymiyya's (Al-jaw?b al-sah?h)*.

Note on Master of Jihad:
In his original book, (Aljawaab AlSaheeh)*;'The Correct Answer,' Ibn Tayymiya elaborated an encyclopedic answer,in 7 volumes, to many Christian polemics. Ibn Taymiyya (1263-1328), well versed in Qur'anic studies, and scholastic theology, started giving fatwas on religious legal matters without following any of the four traditional legal schools, influenced by Ibn Hanbal. He was unyielding in his political and religious positions.
His jihad against the enemies of Islam, which he is now best known for, did not help him in his times, and he died in jail because of his daring opinions. Most notably, the Ibn Taymiyya writings were incorporated into Wahhabi doctrine in order to legitimize fighting anti-Islam as holy Jihad.

A Model Muslim/Christian Dialogue:
The development of Muslim christian interfaith dialogues, in the later medieval period is a good example of those polemics, is thus a rich source of information about the trends, attitudes, and rules of oral and written engagement.
The edition, in parallel Arabic versions and English translation presents in vivid account both parts of this correspondence, as a dialogue. The authors provide an elaborate introduction, detailed notes and commentary on the Arabic text rendered in a clear English translation.

Toil Lover Editors:
The Catholic Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission , inspired by Vatican II, and pioneered by two great scholars in the field Fr. Samir Khalil, and Fr. Sidney Griffith has progressed vastly this area of research. Dr. Rifaat Ebied, Professor of Semitic Studies, University of Sydney, has published extensively on Christian Arabic and Syriac studies, Studies on the Christian Arabic Heritage. Dr. David Thomas, of U. Birmingham, Islamic Studies has published profusely on Christian/Islamic issues, (Christians at the Heart of Islamic Rule, Brill, 2003).