The Bibliographical Sources and Etymological Origins of Foreign Loanwords for the Names of Messengers and Prophets in the Holy Qur'an: A Comparative Study between Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac

Abstract

Abstract

This research comes under the title "Linguistic Proclivities of Supposed Foreign Etymons for the Names of Prophets and Messengers in the Holy Qur"an: A Comparative Study of Arabic, Hebrew, and Syriac." It is an analytical and investigative study that delves into the structural composition of terms commonly labeled as "foreign" (A"jami) in linguistic and Orientalist scholarship. The research is organized into two primary chapters: the first tracks the "Names of the Arch-Prophets (Ulu al-Azm) and Their Progeny," analyzing the linguistic origins of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them), as well as their descendants, including Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The second chapter investigates "Other Prophets and Messengers in the Semitic Scale," categorizing them into two stages: the "Establishment and Royal Empowerment" stage (e.g., Israel, Job, David, and Solomon), and the "Reform and Evangelism" stage (e.g., Elijah, Jonah, Zechariah, and John).

Employing a comparative linguistic methodology, the research demonstrates that these names, despite having phonetic cognates in sister Semitic languages (Hebrew and Syriac), fundamentally belong to a "unified linguistic stock." The research concludes with a pivotal result that refutes claims of "separatist foreignness"; it asserts that what is termed "foreign" in the Qur"an is merely a "linguistic shared-heritage" (Common Semitic) tracing back to the primary Semitic root, whose integrated characteristics have been preserved in Arabic. Alternatively, these terms represent "descriptive Arabization" (Al-Mu"arrab al-Wasfi) fused by the Arabs into their morphological patterns until they became an integral part of their linguistic fabric and identity long before the Revelation.

Furthermore, through evidence from lexicography and ancient Semitic records, the research proves that these names underwent a process of "Semantic Elevation" within the Qur"anic discourse, transforming them from mere "identifying nouns" into "vessels of value" and civilization. The phonetic and semantic similarities between Arabic and its Semitic sisters are thus manifestations of linguistic kinship rather than dependency or passive borrowing. The significance of this research lies in its ability to prove that the "linguistic sovereignty" of Arabic enabled it to assimilate the names of Prophecy and reproduce them in a masterfully miraculous mold, thereby reinforcing the uniqueness of the Qur"anic eloquence and obstructing any attempt to strip the pure Arabic character from the language of Divine Revelation.