Abu Al-Fakhr Al-Masihi

              (CE:19a)
ABU AL-FAKHR AL-MASIHI, according to G. Graf (1947, pp. 435-36) author of the chronology for the oldest history of the Chronicon orientale, suggesting that he lived at the latest before the end of the thirteenth century. He was born a Jew and became a Christian (al-Masihi). There exists an exchange of letters between him and the Jew Abu al-‘Ala’ al-Sa’ij, the brother of Dawud al-Balat, dating from the time at Abu al-Fakhr's conversion, in which difficult passages in the Gospels are explained and objections to Christian doctrine discussed.

There also is a chronological summary work, the Book of Chronicles (Kitab al-Tawarikh) in the British Museum (Arabic Supplement 34; 1789, following a 1594/5 copy) by an unknown author who used the Chronicon orientale, including the part due to Abu al-Fakhr, and the historical work of Sa‘id IBN AL-BITRIQ, Agapius, Epiphanius, and others. In it there are time and dynasty tables up to the year 1257, and the popular time reckoning is brought into agreement with the Coptic (martyr) CALENDAR.
VINCENT FREDERICK