Qays al-Ghassani, also known as 'Abd al-Masih, was a medieval Eastern Orthodox martyr. He died in the 9th century, during a wave of conversions to

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

. His death was recorded in a 10th-century manuscript now belonging to

Saint Catherine's Monastery Saint Catherine's Monastery ( ar, دير القدّيسة كاترين; grc-gre, Μονὴ τῆς Ἁγίας Αἰκατερίνης), officially the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Katherine of the Holy and God-Trodden Mount Sinai, ...

, on Mount Sinai.Obscure text, illuminating conversation: reading The Martyrdom of 'Abd al-Masih (Qays al-Ghassani)

Life

Qays, called ibn Rabi and ibn Yazid al-Ghassani, was a

Christian Arab Arab Christians ( ar, ﺍَﻟْﻤَﺴِﻴﺤِﻴُّﻮﻥ ﺍﻟْﻌَﺮَﺏ, translit=al-Masīḥīyyūn al-ʿArab) are ethnic Arabs, Arab nationals, or Arabic language, Arabic-speakers who adhere to Christianity. The number of Arab ...

Najran Najran ( ar, نجران '), is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen. It is the capital of Najran Province. Designated as a new town, Najran is one of the fastest-growing cities in the kingdom; its population has risen fr ...

, in southern Arabia. Living in the 9th century CE he fell in with a group of Muslims who practised raiding, and while in their company converted to

. However, after some thirteen years, while at

Baalbek Baalbek (; ar, بَعْلَبَكّ, Baʿlabakk, Syriac-Aramaic: ܒܥܠܒܟ) is a city located east of the Litani River in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley, about northeast of Beirut. It is the capital of Baalbek-Hermel Governorate. In Greek and Roman ...

, he heard the Gospel being read by a priest; he was reminded of his past life as a Christian, and became convinced of the error of his ways. He renounced his conversion to Islam and became a monk, first at

Sabas Sabas is a name derived from the Greek Savvas or Sabbas. Sabas may refer to, chronologically: Given name * Abda and Sabas, two early Christian martyrs and saints whose vitas are lost * Julian Sabas (died 377), hermit who spent most of his life i ...

, then at Mount Sinai. He served as steward, then superior, at Mount Sinai, and during this time he needed to travel to Ramla on a legal matter. While there he was recognized by an associate from his raiding days and arrested as an apostate. He was tried, and when he refused to return to Islam he was beheaded.

References

External links

Eastern ChristianityA New Dictionary of Saints
{{DEFAULTSORT:Qays al-Ghassani 9th-century Christian martyrs Converts to Christianity from Islam Christian saints Year of birth missing Year of death missing