Journals / Ankara Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi / 2018 / Cilt: 59 - Sayı: 2
On The Etymology of the Words Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj
- Pages
- 161–169
- DOI
- —
Abstract
The words Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog appear in the Qur’an, Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Although this group is generally understood to be a single structure in the Islamic tradition, it is clear that the roles of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog are different. When we look at the form of the words Yaʾjūj/Gog, we see that they are in active form while the words Maʾjūj/Gog are in passive form. Hence Gog, as clearly stated in the Book of Hezekiel, should be commander and leader, and corollary Maʾjūj/Gog must be understood as the soldiers under the command of Gog. Again, considering the fire related meanings in their etymology, Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog can be evaluated as representatives of Satan.
Özet
The words Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog appear in the Qur’an, Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Although this group is generally understood to be a single structure in the Islamic tradition, it is clear that the roles of Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog are different. When we look at the form of the words Yaʾjūj/Gog, we see that they are in active form while the words Maʾjūj/Gog are in passive form. Hence Gog, as clearly stated in the Book of Hezekiel, should be commander and leader, and corollary Maʾjūj/Gog must be understood as the soldiers under the command of Gog. Again, considering the fire related meanings in their etymology, Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj/Gog and Magog can be evaluated as representatives of Satan.