The Bahira legend
أسطورة بحيرا الراهب
The legend that the monk Bahira taught Muhammad his faith and was the real author of the Qur'an. Arslan reports the view of the orientalist Carra de Vaux, who found the legend in Arabic, thought it had no value, and noted that some Roman Catholic priests in Syria still believed it. Arslan mainly reports that scholar's assessment. The entry describes an old argument rather than settling a historical question.
At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
Overview
This is a legend in which some Christians claim that the monk Bahira taught Muhammad the creed and that he was the one who composed the Qur'an. Shakib Arslan presents what the orientalist Carra de Vaux said about it: that it survives in writing in Arabic, and that he found nothing in it that deserved consideration. He notes that some priests in Syria still believe it, and says that Carra de Vaux recorded what was said about Bahira, that he was a monk from Antioch. Arslan is content to convey Carra de Vaux's assessment without judging it himself. This presents a description of an old debate; it is not a historical verdict on the legend. 1
What is not recorded here needs a further source.
Sources
- Stoddard, Hadir al-ʿalam al-islami (Arabic translation with Arslan's commentary)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The Bahira legend”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/concept/bahira-legend/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.