Paul Albar

Paul Albar (Latin: Paulus Alvarus, Spanish: Paulo Álvaro or Álvaro de Córdoba; c. 800 – 861) was a Mozarab Andalusi scholar, poet and theologian of the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule. He is most notable for his writings around the time of a rising high civilization of Islam, owing to the Caliph's efforts. He also wrote the Vita Eulogii ('The Life of Eulogius'), a biography of his close friend and fellow theologian Eulogius of Córdoba. Although Christians living in Córdoba and the rest of Muslim Iberia during his time lived under relative religious freedom, Albar was amongst the Christians who perceived the many restrictions on the practice of their faith to be unacceptable persecution; they regarded with extreme scorn Christians who participated in the Muslim government, converted to Islam, or simply concealed their true beliefs. As a result of these religious tensions Albar's writings are characterized by contempt of all things Muslim and he considered Muhammed to have been the precursor to the Antichrist.