The Book of Beliefs and Opinions
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The first systematic Jewish philosophy of religion argues its case in the vocabulary of Muslim rational theology, because that is the argument its author is actually in.
- revelation defended in the technical vocabulary of rational theology
- non-literal reading required where the plain sense contradicts reason
- scripture translated into the community's spoken language
- systematic philosophy prompted by an internal challenge to tradition
Saadia treats creation, the unity of God, command and prohibition, obedience and rebellion, merit, the soul, resurrection and redemption, arguing throughout that reason and revelation reach the same conclusions and that scripture must be read non-literally where its plain sense contradicts reason or sense experience. He wrote in Judeo-Arabic and translated the Bible into Arabic for Jews who no longer read Hebrew easily. He also fought the Karaites, who rejected rabbinic tradition, which is part of why a systematic defence was needed.
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