Ethiopic Motifs in the Arabic Koran Single words and beyond

Ethiopic Motifs in Ethiopic Motifs in the Arabic Koranthe Arabic KoranSingle words and Single words and

beyondbeyond

Oriental pearls at random Oriental pearls at random string:string:

Ethiopic motifs in the Qur‘anEthiopic motifs in the Qur‘an• Introduction: Introduction: an-najaashiian-najaashii and related in Hadiith and and related in Hadiith and

Muslim traditionMuslim tradition• Rectangular and cubic churches in EthiopiaRectangular and cubic churches in Ethiopia• Some considerations on the vocabulary of the Qur’anSome considerations on the vocabulary of the Qur’an• Aayat an-NuurAayat an-Nuur

and the word and the word mishkaatmishkaat | | mäshkotmäshkotbetween Arabic and Ethiopicbetween Arabic and Ethiopic

• Motifs around the Motifs around the taabuuttaabuut /tabot/tabot• ShayTaan ShayTaan arab. arab. ShayTaanShayTaan eth. eth.

Proposed origin of the phonetic formProposed origin of the phonetic form• Maa’idaMaa’ida arab. arab. Maa’ed(d)eMaa’ed(d)e eth. eth.

Proposed etymologyProposed etymology• Motifs an reminiscences in Q 5,112-14Motifs an reminiscences in Q 5,112-14

from this Ethiopian homily?from this Ethiopian homily?

An-Najaashi – the Negus(ä) NägästAn-Najaashi – the Negus(ä) Nägäst

as portrayed on Aksumite coins

Ella Gabaz, contemporary to the Prophet

Rectangular and cubic churches in EthiopiaRectangular and cubic churches in Ethiopia

Did the first muhaajiruun see churches of this kind?

And where?

Some considerations on the vocabulary of Some considerations on the vocabulary of the Qur’anthe Qur’an

Trying to classify the specific presumed foreign or loaned vocabulary of the text one must consider:

the Semitic part (Aramaic, Akkadian, Hebrew, Ethiopic etc.): – common Semitic, i.e. inherited words, which can have specific, not properly Arabic meanings – borrowed from Semitic languages, to be recognized by phonetic features and specific meanings

borrowings from non-Semitic languages (Iranian, Greek, Latin etc.)

And, most important:one must try to divide two layers in that vocabulary: – foreign or loan words belonging to the common and general vocabulary of Arabic at the time – words characteristic and specific of Qur‘anic usage or introduced by this text

Aayat an-NuurAayat an-Nuurand the word and the word

mishkaatmishkaat | | mäshkotmäshkot

between Arabic between Arabic and Ethiopicand Ethiopic

Motifs around the Motifs around the taabuuttaabuut /tabot/tabot

Q 2,248

Q 20,39

In any case, and quite important: tabuut is typical Palestinian Aramaic, as some other words of the religious sphere in Arabic and Ethiopic.

ShayTaan ShayTaan arab. arab. ShayTaanShayTaan eth. eth.Proposed origin of the phonetic formProposed origin of the phonetic form

Hebrew / Aramaic

SaaTaan

In the Greek Bible: satanas /diabolos

(Popular) Levantine Aramaic (?) s(h)ayTaan / diyeblees (?)

shayTaan rajiim : In the Qur‘aan; and: ibliis

In the Ethiopic Bible: shayTaan (reguum)

only later in learned revisions: diyablos

Maa’idaMaa’ida arab. arab. Maa’ed(d)eMaa’ed(d)e eth. eth.Proposed etymologyProposed etymology

Greek / Latin: table

literary popular

tarapeza ma(g)ida(n)

In the Greek gospel: tarapeza

maa‘ed(d)e: In the Ethiopic gospel:

maa‘ida: In the Qur‘aan 5,112 ss.;passage with possible reminiscences of Ethiopic homiletic text

Motifs an Motifs an reminiscencereminiscences in Q 5,112-s in Q 5,112-

1414from this from this Ethiopian Ethiopian homily?homily?