Early Christianity in Arabia - Is Petra the Holy City of Islam?

IN ARABIA. 35
Asseman considers that Theophilus merely converted
the Christians, who were alread}^ spread over
the southern part of the peninsula, to the Arian
heresy, of which he was a zealous adherent. The
number of Christians in Arabia at this time must
certainly have been considerable. No less than
four bishoprics were established in the kingdom of
Hamyar. 2 The Christians of Yaman were still,
however, few in comparison with those amongst the
Arabs of S} r ria and the north, who were generally
understood by the name of Arabian Christians.
Of the tribes mentioned by Arabian authors as
having embraced the worship of Christ, few are included
within the limits of Arabia Felix.
But it is
not improbable that Christians and Jews are often
confounded. One writer tells us that Christianity
flourished in the tribes of Rabiah, Ghassan, and
Kodaah, and Judaism in Hanryar. We 3
know, however,
that in Hamyar there were many Christians.
Ibn Khalican enumerates, as
of Bahrah, Tanouch, and Taglab. 4
Christian tribes, those
To these may be
added, on the authority of Abulfeda and Safio'ddin,
many tribes in the neighbourhood of Nadjran, or
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2
Asseman, Biblioth. Orient, torn. iii.
3
Auctor Libri j laW*Jl ap. Pocock. Spec. Hist. Arab. p. 141.
4
Ibn Khalican, ap. Pocock. ib.
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