Scholars have pointed out that David ben Abraham al-Fasi, in all the controversies between the Rabbanites (rabbanim) and the Karaites (maskilim), invariably sides with the latter, often criticizing the views of the former.[2] His method is concise, bringing down the definition of words as understood by his contemporaries, without mentioning them by name. The only authority that he mentions by name (twice) is Saadia Gaon, whom he calls Al-Fayyumi. Although in many cases, Al-Fasi's method of elucidation is similar to that of Saadia Gaon, in other areas of elucidation he does not withhold his criticism from Saadia Gaon's method, without naming him explicitly.[3] Early rabbinic sources, such as the Aramaic Targum of Onkelos and of Jonathan ben Uzziel are alluded to by his use of such titles as al-Targum, al-Suriani and al-Mutarjim.[4]