The Importance of Syriac for Understanding the Qur'an W/ Prof. Jack Tannous

This is a clip about what the existence of Syriac words and phrases can tell us about the original context of the Qur'an. This clip is taken from my interview with Professor Jack Tannous. If you enjoyed this video please subscribe to the channel and like the video! Please be sure to check out the full interview, here: • Jack Tannous: The Impo...

[@PiratesRock]

Thanks for making this kind of content, Professor. Keep em coming! 👍

[@AishaYMusa]

Watching videos on this channel inspired me to start learning Syriac. Thank you.

[@AishaYMusa]

@@yassinzao9790 Syriac and Arabic are both Semitic languages, and as this scholar shown Syriac helps us understand the Quran in the context of Arabia at the time of its revelation. Another scholar working on this is Emran el-Badawi.

[@hayyanmintgreen8561]

Let’s not forget that the Almighty says: إنَّا انزلنَهُ قرآنًا عربيًا لَّعَلَّكم تعقلون “Verily we(Allah) have sent it down as Arabic Qur’an so that you may understand “ -Qur’an 12:2 Maybe we can trace back some words in Arabic during the Prophet’s Time from Syriac or Aramaic origin, but we always need to understand the book’s content and it’s context according to how the Prophet explained it and how his companions understood it and not from our own expectations, whims & desires. The Noble Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad and only He can give its true interpretations and only his companions understood it the way the Prophet wants it to be understood🤍💚 😢

[@jarnpr1316]

Although not a common topic I hear about or contention, I believe the Pre-Islamic Arab Christians who ultimately had a considerable input in the Quran were the Ghassanids and Lackmidts dynasties; allies to the Byzantine and Persian Empires, respectively. Many Christian Arabs from both of these Kingly confederacies, out of similar ethnic/cultural traits, apostatized Christianity to join the Mohammedan movement in search of power/trade/booty now that a power vacuum existed after the two exhausted great empires ran out of men and money to keep fighting one another. Also, a big migration from the South in the 5th Cent. brought in Arab Christians and Jews from Yemen, along with zoroastrian manicheism and Pagan Kaba Stone Worship, which ultimately had a great influence on Mohamad himself, if he ever existed, as in the standard islamic narrative (SIN) he is quoted as saying: "True religion comes from Yemen."

[@jimbob5848]

Chucks. Considering the trading nature of the folks of the Hijaz, there might even be words from the subcontinent of India/Pakistan/Indonesia of the time as well. Love the connection. between the Quran and the Psalms. Superb interview.

[@mohamad-alitrad2511]

It would be interesting if you could host Khaled Balkin, who has very interesting ideas on the language of the Qoran. His theory on فواتح السور is worth examining.

[@user-ox6hj6bm3t]

Sounds sensible. Both languages share a root and geographical boundaries so overlap is to be expected. The theory would be stronger if Arabic words were found in Syriac texts but then what was Arabic back then? The popular tradition is that the Quran was written in the Meccan (Qurayshi) accent but that the language had many variations in different localities.

[@roshlew6994]

Arabs compiled the Quran from Arabic translations of pre-islamic syro-aramaic lectionaries, homilies and folklores of Eastern churches in the 7th century middle-east.. Check out videos by Dr. Jay Smith on @pfander films

[@josm1481]

As Arabic evolved from Aramaic, probably Nabataean Aramaic, it's unlikely to be the other way round.

[@josm1481]

And the Koran was written in Hijazi Arabic.

[@roshlew6994]

@@josm1481 correct.. Arabic evolved out of Nabataean Aramaic from around 2nd century AD and was still developing when Islam emerged in 7th century AD.. the Arabic script used to write the Quran was a defective script in 7th century and was only corrected in 8th century when the diacritical marking and vowels were added..

[@josm1481]

@@roshlew6994 I've tried to find out when the diacritics were added exactly, but can only find the 8th century. Was it beginning or end of the 8th?

[@shakazulu8254]

What about the injeel a grec word is it arabisation?

[@agengsatya96]

yes

[@radwanabu-issa4350]

It is quite striking that at the time of Quran, there was little available written documents in Arabic and the bible was not translated into Arabic making the Quran quite a novelty in every sense!

[@inquisitivemind007]

Another great interview by Gabriel. Check out Marijn van Putten's interview on foreign words in the Quran by Derek Lambert from Mythvision Podcast.

[@roshlew6994]

Arabs compiled the Quran from Arabic translations of pre-islamic syro-aramaic lectionaries, homilies and folklores of Eastern churches in the 7th century middle-east.. Check out videos by Dr. Jay Smith on @pfander films

[@josm1481]

I lost a lot of faith in Van Putten when he claimed the only way extant Korans could only be similar due to faithful reproduction, given the Islamic narrative itself talks of 4 attempts at standardisation. It's like saying my dissertation must have been faithfully reproduced by me, ignoring the fact I've spell checked it 4 times.

[@inquisitivemind007]

@@josm1481 what 4 attempts to standardise? If you're taking about Hafsah's Quran we have no evidence that see did such a thing where with the 4 master copies the stemma (copying tree) that Hythem Sidky confirmed proves that Uthman did indeed standardise the Quran.

[@josm1481]

@@inquisitivemind007 Uthman standardised the Koran, then it happened again in the 10th, 14th and the last time in Cairo in 1924. The need to keep eradicate the errant copies shows they happened. The Islamic narrative is laughable to any academic.

[@Stardust475]

​@@inquisitivemind007 Uthman or later under Abdal Malik?

[@QuranicIslam]

But one issue is the Qur'an itself says regarding the story of Noah "you did not know this, neither you nor your people before this (revelation)" ... how does that fit into the average person in Mecca and Madina being so aware of Christian stories and biblical figures ... or is Noah just an exception for some reason?

[@andanandan6061]

Perhaps is was not general story but specific things that can not be found in biblical narrative..

[@baddbeliever]

in hebrew and maybe aramaic there were korens (recitations)...and still are. And I also believe there would have been gospels written in early arabic which had tons of loan words from nabatean while the crowd in south arabia that spoke a descendant of sabaic arabian would have written purely in ethiopic ge'ez due to the power and influence. but up there, it would have the former and of course the predominant aramaic.

[@josm1481]

There's plenty who believe the Koran started as a Christian lectionary, which is why it has so many verses that precede Muhammad by 100+yrs. One of the just obvious being Q5.32, which is taken from the Talmud.

[@sameka7664]

How prophet mohammad understand syriac/aramaic??

[@eromonsele1521]

I thought Hanifa in Aramaic meant Heretics or Heresy

[@Stardust475]

Yes it does, also in Judausm. Hanif means pagan.

[@A.--.]

Zam-zam is an antient Egyptian word

[@Trothoflife]

I don't think the other guy argument was sound. If quran was claimed to be from allah and specifically for an Arab speaking man who cannot read, why would allah spoke to him in a language not understand by the claimed prophet. That means there's high possibility to what's claimed by Abdullah ibn abi sarh in surah 23.12, claiming he suggesting some different format of words used while he was dictating for Muhammed.

[@A.--.]

Si-jeel is a Persian word

[@anoniemblijven9716]

Actually the Quran doesn't presume the people in Mecca of Medina knew all of these stories about past prophets when it was being revealed. As we read surah HUD 49 when it finished Noah's or Nuh's story it said: This is one of the stories of the unseen, which we reveal to you ˹O Prophet˺. Neither you nor your people knew it before this. So be patient! Surely the ultimate outcome belongs ˹only˺ to the righteous.

[@kilianklaiber6367]

The quran is the only book in the world that must inform the reader about the language, in which it is written! I think that should raise your alarm bells!!

[@chrisazure1624]

Yet the Quran instructs to follow and believe the Torah and Injill. Why would Muslims not preserve it?

[@agengsatya96]

because, original torah = original injil = the quran

[@chrisazure1624]

@@agengsatya96 Fail. The quran says to validate against the Torah and injil. How can you validate it against itself.

[@atozexplore4471]

​@@chrisazure1624musaddiqan LIMAA baina yadehi Correction for torah... New testament is not injeel. New testament written after 100-200 after Jesus son of mary

[@atozexplore4471]

How can you say moses original torah is hebrew because hebrew not in form at the time of moses Moses is Egyptian Hebrew evolve from Canaanite language after moses pbuh

[@chrisazure1624]

@@atozexplore4471 Wrong. Moses was hebrew and retained his mother tongue. He knew Eqyptian, but hebrew was extant in his day.

[@malpancmi2279]

Shlama

[@Homehs]

Jack, a word such as Ferdows from Persian meaning paradise or Zamharir meaning winter in 6th century arabia introducing huge concepts in a culture are not a joke. So don't take us for fools and use the piano analogy.

[@Ka112eb]

Uthman burnt all the pre-Islamic Christian texts in Arabic?

[@abdar-rahman6965]

When we talk about all languages, many of languages have commonality. This is quite normal, and no any Islamophobic Bigot should try to make it a fuss. For example, in Urdu Language, name is also called Ism. In Persian is also Ism. In Arabic is also Ism. But when you are reading Urdu, you can say that Ism is word of Urdu Language which have roots in Persian and Arabic because Persian and Arabic languages are older than Urdu. Some words in Italian and Punjabi language are same, and it is very strange

[@josm1481]

You can already be ignorant. You're an Islamofascist. We can all call people names. Take criticism of your cult or get called an Islamofascist.

[@Trothoflife]

Than one had to annulled the idea of those word coming from Allah, why would allah speak different languages concerning a message for an Arabic speaker. To include other language had to mean there are different contributors, instead of claiming from one source

[@user-sf8zw8wl3d]

The issue is that many words in Quran are in Syriac but those words do exist in Arabic. Example, the Quran uses the word Injil, which is derived from Roman language, but in Arabic should have called boshara, بشارى. Also, the whole Sura إن أعطينك الكوثر، فصلي لربك وانحر، إن شانئك هو الابطر. Most of the above Sura is in Syriac and if we translate it we can find the words in Arabic. الكوثر= الدوام و الثبات انحر = الصبر شانئك = عدوك أو الشيطان أبتر = مهزوم After we know their meaning in Arabic we can easily understand the verse, while the Muslims scholars have translated it completely wrong, for example they say that kawtar is a river in heaven. That's why we don't trust the Muslims their explanation.

[@Noorfollower]

get a life

[@OksintasObones]

It's exactly what happened to the bible when they translated it into greek and Latin then English .. many things they changed .. so when they translated all the preislamic books into Arabic they created Qur'an

[@preapple]

nabatean aramaic!

[@endpc5166]

Come on, it's not just a matter of there being non-Arabic words here & there in the Qur'an that can be considered adoptions (like "piano" in English), whole verses don't make sense in Arabic, like sura 19 mentioning how Mary conceived Jesus & describes Mary’s desperation about the birth of her son out of wedlock, and states that she therefore wished to be dead. Verse 24 of this sura in traditional translation reads: “And he [Jesus] said to her from beneath: _‘Do not grieve. Your Lord has provided a brook at your feet,’_ which makes no sense, as if that would help. Luxenberg shows that In Syro-Aramaic, however, the verse reads: _“Then he [Jesus] said to her after giving birth: ‘Do not be sad, for the Lord has made your birth legitimate’”_ , which does make sense.

[@BeNGALi4LFE]

It does make sense, read the surrounding verses. Its not talking about her concern about legitimacy and wishing she was dead. It was about the pain of the childbirth to which Allah provides food and drink to ease her ordeal. Unless these verses before and after 19:24 have a more coherent meaning in Syriac? "And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten..." "So eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to [any] man.' "

[@A.--.]

Conjectures after conjectures based on conjectures. "In my opinion" "I think" "it's possible" Yes: conspiracy theories is the correct diagnosis lol 🤣

[@litoalonzo4626]

For me Muhammad is not ummiun in the sense iliterate by writing nor reading is. Not issue as far as communication between easterner of north (Syrian) and south (Medina and Mecca) able exchange conversation. Or else Muhammad engage in Caravan to Syrian and he met a lot of Christian Syriac/Aramaic exchange of trade need talk and Muhammad most probably knew little Aramaic/Syriac and alternate Qureish Arabic very common words they differentiate only on phonetic dialect pronunciation. Even Hebrew had similar to all languages in the East, good example Abraham in Qureish is Ibrahim only letter "i" different etcetera. so ummiun of Muhammad no bearing for me at all because the exchange of conversation is not on paper but verbal. Remember Muhammad since childhood he went to joined with his uncle Abu Talib caravanbhe exposed to two communities the Christian Aramaic/Syriac and pagan Aramai/Syriac as well Arabic Christian so those words related to religious terms from Ahlul injilya Muhammad he forge then present to his own people it came from Allah. Remember Warqa ben Naufal played big role in Muhammad call and prophet claimed🤔

[@maslam6404]

Nabi-ul- ummi,, meaning mother of all nabi ( prophet)

[@litoalonzo4626]

@@maslam6404 defending on tense and setting because both described to either illiterate or mother. In the case of term "ummiun" more indicates to illiterate...

[@Trothoflife]

Thanks for a clearer explanation. I was thinking along the same line cos it was claimed to be Allah's word to an Arab man? And yeah I believe waraqa played a massive part in the origin of Islam.

[@litoalonzo4626]

@@maslam6404 yes, it can mean too. However if translate to other languages like into English it shades more meanings. The context setting determine which fit to it. In the case setting of Muhammad most Muslim believed aa well those translators translated it “illiterate” than “mother” or “community” also in figurative sense “Gentile”. So the supplement of translation for Nabi is the reading “illiterate prophet” or “Community Prophet” in the sense Muhammad is an Arab Qureish or some understood “Gentile Prophet” to distinct with the Jewish prophets. But it still the dilemma is the question is “Muhammad True Prophet”? Since 610 AD begin proclaim the Tauhid of Allah to Pagan Meccan and claim belong with the former Prophets sent by God but the objection and rejection of Jew and Christian remain until today of June 14, 2023😭😰😩

[@Noorfollower]

whats the issue with Arab man?

[@hetrodoxly1203]

The Quran isn't the words of Mohammed, word for word it supposed to be the word of Allah in Arabic and exists in heaven.

[@OksintasObones]

Mohamed does not exist

[@osamabajrai732]

Even jewish lanuge is very close to our yemen language

[@CaraCha212]

😂😂😂😂

[@osamabajrai732]

And the King Soluman when he came to Queen Arwa

[@santhiramorgan8329]

God says that the Quran is revealed in pure Arabic. You are describing the Quranic Arabic, just like another human language. You tend to forget that it is ALLAH'S LANGUAGE.

[@dom3073]

Nowhere does it say PURE. What does pure arabic even mean? All languages have some level of resemblance to antecedent languages or language of a people within close proximity. Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew trace to a common Semitic language, does that mean that all three languages are not their own pure language? Such a ridiculous argument.

[@AJansenNL]

Forget? That would imply accepting Allah's existence, specifically as the god of islam. That is, 'forget' is the language of the believer, not of non-believers.

[@mrsnoo86]

so allah's language is created by humans?

[@josm1481]

Yes, and it's a revelation that plagiarises a lot of Jewish, Christian etc stories.

[@josm1481]

@@mrsnoo86 Allah didn't even reveal original stories. Dul karnayne the Aramaic story of Alexander the Great, the sleepers, Jesus breathing life into clay animals, even the koranic crucifixion story all predate Muhammad by centuries.

[@user-xl2bo2om1q]

Dr Reynolds you forgot to mention Gabriel Sawma

[@roshlew6994]

You guys should speak to Dr. Jay Smith of @pfander films KZbin channel. He has been making videos on this subject for a long time

[@gibranmahmud5559]

the christian bible has been debunked by bart ehrman and other critical scholars as a hot pile of forgeries, misquoting the hebrew bible, fabrications, internal massive contradictions and outright plagiarism.

[@roshlew6994]

@@gibranmahmud5559 Arabs created Quran from compilation of pre-islamic Arabic translations of syro-aramaic lectionaries, homilies, hymnals and folklores of Eastern churches in 7th century middle-east. All stories in Quran are either plagiarised from the Bible or from popular folklores of the 7th century middle-east.

[@gibranmahmud5559]

​@@roshlew6994 not true, Quran comes from God, the bible is forged plagiarized, contradictory and incorrect. As for "folklores" theres plenty of true apocrypha that is no more or less verifiable than the fake 4 gospels which are mostly plagiarism and contradictions of each other, written by non eyewitnesses who were willing to lie for Jesus.

[@ee6lpzfzj023]

Didn't you hear the man saying he wants "to stay away from conspiracy theories"?

[@sura2proyect428]

@@ee6lpzfzj023 in sura 2:30 allah announces the angels he will place a successor or kalipha in the land, (Keep in mind they are in heaven). And I ask , how can this character be a successor when he is the first man Ever created or to who will he succeed? Conspiracy theory, I call critical thinking.