Juan Pedro Monferrer-Sala

¿Un eco cananeo en el Corán?

Introduction

¿un eco cananeo en el corán?. Explora la conexión entre la fórmula cananea 'ʻIlu el Benigno' y la basmala islámica en el Corán, sugiriendo mediación aramea y paralelos en la Biblia hebrea.

Abstract

En este artículo planteamos que la fórmula cananea lṭpn.il dp[id] («ʻIlu el Benigno, el Bondadoso»), formada por un teofórico y dos epítetos, podría ser un antecedente de la fórmula islámica incluida en la basmala islámica llegada al Corán por mediación de una adaptación aramea de la que tenemos equivalentes, entre otros, en el texto hebreo de la Biblia.

Review

The article, "¿Un eco cananeo en el Corán?", presents a remarkably bold and intriguing hypothesis concerning the deep historical origins of the Islamic *basmala*. The author proposes that this foundational Quranic phrase might have an antecedent in the Canaanite formula "lṭpn.il dp[id]" ('Ilu the Benign, the Gracious'), comprised of a theophoric element and two epithets. This proposition immediately signals an ambitious scope, aiming to uncover a much older linguistic and conceptual lineage for one of Islam's most recognizable and significant expressions, thereby positioning the article as a significant contribution to both ancient Near Eastern studies and early Islamic scholarship. The methodology outlined, though concise in the abstract, suggests a sophisticated interdisciplinary approach. The author posits a clear transmission pathway: from the Canaanite formula, through an Aramaic adaptation, and eventually into the Quran. The mention of equivalents in the Hebrew Bible provides a crucial point of reference, suggesting a broader Semitic tradition for expressing divine beneficence through similar appellations. This tracing of linguistic and theological diffusion across millennia and distinct cultural spheres, from Canaan to Aramaic milieus and finally to the Quranic text, represents a compelling and rigorous line of inquiry that promises to illuminate previously unexplored connections. Should the central thesis be robustly supported with detailed linguistic, historical, and comparative textual evidence, this article holds the potential to profoundly reshape our understanding of the pre-Islamic religious and linguistic environments that influenced the Quran. Future scholarship stemming from this work would benefit from an in-depth analysis of the precise phonological, morphological, and semantic evolutions across each proposed stage of transmission—Canaanite to Aramaic to Arabic—and a thorough presentation of the specific Aramaic and Hebrew Biblical parallels. Such an investigation would not only illuminate the origins of the *basmala* but also significantly enrich our appreciation for the intricate tapestry of linguistic and religious heritage in the ancient Middle East.

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