In the assessment of Ann Christys, the unique manuscript of the Arabic Orosius is now 'their most important representative.
Bernard Lewis speculated that it was the first and only translation of a western European work into Arabic until the sixteenth century.
Medieval historians speculated about its origin, suggesting that it was by Ḥafṣ ibn Albār, noted for his translation into Arabic of the Psalms, and associated with the court of al-Ḥakam II, but while this may not be wrong, there is no convincing evidence to support these claims.
[1]: 136–42 Another suggested Christian translator is Bishop Reccemund of Elvira (ربيع إبن زيد, Rabi' ibn Zayd), who was the ambassador of Abd al-Rahman III to King Otto I in 956.
They took great liberties with the text, abbreviating and transposing it and sprinkling their effort with disclaimers, such as 'we have suppressed this, but through a love of conciseness and not wanting to go on at length'.
[1]: 142–47 A Horizon 2020-funded project promised an English translation of the Kitāb Hurūshiyūsh by Marco Di Branco,[3] to be published in 2022.