ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book presents a brief survey of the city of Erznka and, demonstrates that the Ismaili channel through which most of the Arabic texts became available in the city. It deals with the introduction of secular knowledge and sciences in Armenian intellectual culture through Yovhannes's summary of Rasail Ikhwan al-?afa. The book discusses the colse connections between the Armenian and Islamic urban youth coalitions and the adoption of Caliph al-Na?ir's reform project not only in Erznka, but later on in the East European Armenian communities to the end of the nineteenth century. It focuses on the images of the Prophet Mu?ammad in medieval Armenian literature and the conceptualization of Islam through polemical strategies. The book provides a brief presentation of the image of the "Armenian Mahmet" through the "Cycle of Mahmet Legends," as well as the karshuni.
