Anan ben David Biography

This Biography consists of approximately 3 pages of information about the life of Anan ben David.

Anan ben David Biography

This Biography consists of approximately 3 pages of information about the life of Anan ben David.
This section contains 618 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Anan ben David Biography

Encyclopedia of World Biography on Anan ben David

Anan ben David (active 8th century) was a Jewish religious leader in Babylonia who is believed to have founded the Karaite, or Scripturalist, sect about 760. The members of the sect were originally known as Ananites.

The account of the role of Anan in launching the Karaite sect must be viewed critically because it was written by a Rabanite opponent several centuries after Anan's death. The factual core contained in the available sources indicates that Anan was next in line of succession for the important hereditary office of exilarch, or head of the autonomous Jewish community in Babylon (now Iraq), because the reigning exilarch had died childless. However, Anan was passed over in favor of his younger brother Hananiah, who was less learned than Anan but more modest and pious. Anan was evidently rejected because he was apparently associated with a pseudo-messianic movement that displayed anti-Talmudic tendencies.

The Moslem...

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This section contains 618 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Anan ben David Biography
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Anan ben David from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.