Sydney H. Griffith provides a basic overview of Syriac authors that addressed the issue of Islam in their writings. Griffith discusses the major themes and common content of this literature and focuses on the dialogue genre.

Griffith discusses “On the Singles”, mimre by Mar Jacob of Serugh, for their reflections of Syrian monastic development. Following a biography and detailed literary analysis, Griffith examines the broader context of regional monastic literature for Mar Jacob’s possible influences.

With a focus on the Kitāb Ādāb al-falāsifah, a book of aphorisms attributed to Ḥunayn ibn Isḥāq, some of the important aspects of the Kitāb are laid out, particularly those dealing with religion and the pursuit of philosophy. Although putatively, translators and scholars such as Ḥunayn ibn Isḥāq, opened the way for philosophical dialogue between Muslims and Christians of Orthodox churches on precepts, often based on Aristotle, which they could agree would lead to wisdom and a humane society.

Iraq has been a centre of Syriac Christianity for almost two thousand years. This volume of collected papers from the Christianity in Iraq I-V Seminar Days (2004-2008) explores the Christian heritage of Iraq, highlighting the churches’ innate ability to transcend barriers of language, culture, ethnicity and religion.