Hajj What does the Bible have to say about the hajj? First of all, there are many words or phrases in the Bible which even Biblical scholars are unsure of the meaning. For example, the footnotes of The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), published by the International Bible Society and probably the most widely used version of the Bible, are replete with statements such as the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain. Then there is the problem of translation itself, from Hebrew or Aramaic to Greek to Latin and finally into modern languages such as English. It has been widely acknowledged that these translation and retranslation processes are fraught with loss or change in the meanings of words and idioms. This is especially true if the translators are not familiar with the Semitic customs and manners of the time, in which the scriptures were recorded originally. There are many other sources of error in translations of this kind (discussed for example in Kenyon, 1958, Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts; Lamsa, 1968, The Holy Bible from the Ancient Eastern Text; Lisa Spray, 1992, Jesus: Myths and Message, and others). Hajj And Hag: A Parallel What has this to do with the subject of hajj? We have to start with the word itself, and its root h-j. The investigation of the original meaning of the root h-j goes no further than hypotheses. The Arabic lexicographers give the meaning to betake oneself to or towards an object of reverence;this would agree with pilgrimage although this meaning is clearly denominative. According to Gesenius A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, the Hebrew equivalent is ag(Hebrew script here). The verb means to make a pilgrimage or to keep a pilgrim-feast(see for example Moses in Exodus 5:1, 10:9). In the noun form it has the same meaning; additionally, the hag also refers to the Feast of Booths, to which we will come back later. It is also possible that the root oog(Hebrew script here = to go around, to go in a circle) in North as well as South Semitic languages is connected with it. (One may recall that circumambulation, or tawaf - going around the Kaba, is an important part of the hajj). It is a common practice among the Jews to perform circling (hoog) in the temples sanctuary during the hag. It is interesting that the verb agcan also refers to circling in the sacred dance.Keeping in mind that Hebrew, Aramaic and Arabic the scriptural languages of Abrahams descendants have a common Semitic root, we can easily see that the Arabic characters ha and jim are the equivalent of the Hebrew heth and gimel. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Arabic speaking Egyptians also make the same substitution. For example, they use `gabal instead of the standard Arabic `jabal for mountain; thus, they also say `hag instead of `hajj. Let us compare the following passages, which contain the word `pilgrimage, from the Quran and the Bible: He said (to Moses), wish to offer one of my two daughters for you to marry, in return for your working for me for eight pilgrimages; if you make them ten, it will be voluntary on your part... (Quran 28:27) Pharaoh asked him, how old are you? And Jacob said to Pharaoh, the years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers. (Genesis 47:8-9, NIV Bible) In both cases, the word `pilgrimage alludes to the same meaning, i.e. year, indicating a well known fact that pilgrimage is an annual event. Other translations of the Bible use the word `sojourning and `wayfaring in place of `pilgrimage (The Holy Scriptures, Jewish Publication Society, 1916 and The New American Bible, Catholic Book Publishing, 1977 respectively). They may have kept the same understanding (i.e. `year) but in doing so, they have inadvertently obscured the fact that pilgrimage already was a well known annual event during the time of Jacob and the Pharaoh. An Old Semitic Custom According to E.J. Brills First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1916 (Vol.III, pp.199-200), pilgrimage to a sanctuary is an old Semitic custom, which is prescribed even in the older parts of the Pentateuch as an indispensable duty. Three times a year shall you celebrate for Me a hag.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Dec 2013 05:37:39 +0000