Abu Raita al-Takriti
# Abu Raita al-Takriti

Abu Raita al-Takriti (Arabic: حبيب ابن خدمة أبو رائطة التكريتي, Ḥabīb ibn Khidma Abū Rāʾiṭa l-Takrītī), was a 9th-century Syriac Orthodox theologian and apologist.

## Biography

Little is known about Abu Raita's life, and although some sources portray him as a bishop of Tikrit there is no contemporary evidence to support this. Abu Raita referred to himself as a "teacher" (Classical Syriac: ܡܠܦܢܐ malfono). It appears that his reputation as a theologian made him so well known that he was recalled to defend his fellow non-Chalcedonian co-religionists in Armenia.

Armenian tradition mentions that Abu Raita was recalled by the prince Ashot Msaker to defend the miaphysite against the Melkite teachings of Theodore Abū Qurra who was on a missionary activity in Armenia. Abu Raita was unable to travel to Armenia but sent his relative Archdeacon Nonnus of Nisibis with a letter defending his doctrine. Another story has Abu Raita personally engaging in a debate with Abu Qurra and the East Syriac metropolitan Abdishu ibn Bahriz.

It is possible that his name appears as "Ibn Rabita" in a list of translators of scientific and philosophical works to Arabic provided by Ibn al-Nadim.

He probably died in Tikrit no later than 830 A.D.

## Works

Abu Raita's writings are mainly Dialectical aimed at providing answers to questions asked about Christian doctrines. He relies heavily on Christian scriptures and apologetic methods coupled with principles of Hellenistic philosophy. His methods became highly regarded by later Christian apologetics in the Middle East.

Despite not quoting from the Quran or the Hadith, Abu Raita's writings show deep knowledge of Islam.

