Kitab al Khazari

Kitab al Khazari, also known as the Kuzari, or, Book of Refutation and Proof on Behalf of the Despised Religion, is a philosophical work by Judah Halevi. The work was first written in Arabic in around 1140, and is regarded as one of the most important works of Jewish philosophy, playing an important role in debates within the Jewish Enlightenment movement. It is framed as a dialogue between a Rabbi and the king of the Khazars. The legend behind it being that the king held a symposium to decide whether his people should convert to Judaism, Islam, or Christianity. This book therefore, serves as a fictional account of the debate in favour of Judaism, and emphasises the uniqueness of the Jewish people. Halevi was a medieval Spanish Jewish philosopher who is also considered one of the greatest Hebrew poets. He lived during a period of Muslim rule in Spain, in a time when Jewish communities flourished under a tolerant Islamic state.