Jewish-Muslim symbiosis, Islamic Hellenism, and the purpose of Islamic Studies: the humanistic legacy of Samuel Stern’s teachers

Like all scholars, Samuel Stern was profoundly influenced by his teachers and mentors. This article focuses on four scholars with whom forged especially close relationships: S.D. Goitein (1900–1985), D.H. Baneth (1893–1973), Paul Kraus (1904–1944), Richard Walzer (1900–1975). Through an analysis of their ideas about Islam, Judaism, Islamic Studies, this paper aims to situate Stern’s work in its proper context offer the twentieth-century German-Jewish orientalist tradition which he was, words Albert Hourani, embodiment. It proposes that mentors constructed a broadly positive sympathetic view Islam as sister religion Judaism heir Hellenic civilization, scholarship trends modern Jewish philosophy, Studies constitutes humanistic contribution thought.