72 Virgins

[Ahimsa]

gilliam:

the god al-Lah predates Islam in the Arabic pagan tradition.
.

I think you’re referring to “al-ilah”. The claim that “al-ilah” is the source of “allah” is one theory, but I (and others) think another theory is perhaps a bit more likely:

The etymological derivation of “Allah” as a contraction of “al-ilah”… is “popular” etymology and surely not historic. It would be rather strange that especially the “i” should have been disappeared due to neglect of the speakers, since the syllable “il” is the most important in “al-ilah”: “il” or “el” is the semitic word for God since times immemorial.

Instead, the word “Allah”, as a lot of other words, especially words of the religious sphere, was imported from the Syriac (Aramaic) language: “alaha” - with three long a-vowels -, is the Aramaic word for the (Christian) unique God.

 

[gilliam]

Ahimsa:

I think you’re referring to “al-ilah”. The claim that “al-ilah” is the source of “allah” is one theory, but I (and others) think another theory is perhaps a bit more likely:

No the name I have for the old Arabic god is al-Lah. The god predates Mohammad, as does the Kaaba, and the Hijjah. The term al-ilah may mean “the god” and have been a term for any number of gods, I don’t know.

My reference is:

“Arabs knew that Judaism and Christianity, which were practised in the Byzantine and Persian emprires, were more sophisticated than their own pagan traditions. Some had come to believe that the High God of their pantheon, al-Lah (whose name simply meant “the God”), was the deity worshipped by the Jews and the Christians, but he had sent the Arabs no prophet and no scripture in their own language…”

Islam : A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles) by Karen Armstrong

Also see:

W.M. Watt, Muhammed’s Mecca and

The Moslem doctrine of God: An essay on the character and attributes of Allah according to the Koran and orthodox tradition by Samuel Marinus Zwemer

 

[Ahimsa]

gilliam:

“Arabs knew that Judaism and Christianity, which were practised in the Byzantine and Persian emprires, were more sophisticated than their own pagan traditions. Some had come to believe that the High God of their pantheon, al-Lah (whose name simply meant “the God”), was the deity worshipped by the Jews and the Christians, but he had sent the Arabs no prophet and no scripture in their own language…”

It seems that Ms Armstrong may have allowed a typo to go un-noticed. “al-Lah” should have been “al-ilah”, it seems to me, especially if the word is to mean “the God” (since “al” is the definite article; and “il” is the Semitic root for deity). Though I could be wrong.

 

[Joe_Monahan]

While the linguistics involved in the most recent posts are interesting and folks can speculate for a considerable period, without ever knowing definitively, whether or not the cited author erred in her spelling, these matters are not even remotely connected to the topic of the thread. Those who wish to discuss them further should begin a new thread on the topic.

It has been more than a week since anyone has posted anything relevant to the thread topic. Thanks to all who have participated.

The thread is now closed.

Joe