Linguistic Analysis of Gabriel Sawma's View on the Word “Sakine”

* Mohammad Ali Hemmati / Assistant Professor, University of Qur’an Science and Education, Shiraz     mohammadalihemati@gmail.com
Vafadar Keshavarzi / Assistant Professor, University of Qur’an Science and Education, Shiraz     vafadarkeshavarz@gmail.com
Zahra Jalali / M.A. Student, University of Qur’an Science and Education, Shiraz     tabassomekhorshid71@yahoo.com
Received: 2019/03/17 - Accepted: 2019/05/16
Abstract
In 2006 Gabriel Sawma wrote the book, “The Qur’an Misinterpreted, Mistranslated, and Misread, the Aramaic Language of the Qur’an”. In this book, he claims that the language of the Qur’an is Aramaic-Syriac that has derived from Jewish and Christian sources. He has mentioned many Quranic terms as a prof. One of these words is Sakine, in the verse, “Then Allah sent down His composure upon His Apostle”. (9: 26) He believed that the word is of Aramaic origin and should be translated according to the Aramaic principle. He cites evidence from the Hebrew and Syriac languages to show that this word is not an Arabic word that is derived from the culture of Hejaz. While presenting Gabriel Sawma's perspective, we will examine this idea from comparative historical linguistics view in three languages, Hebrew, Arabic and Syriac. The existence of Quranic words in the poems of the “Age of Ignorance” and the structural and semantic similarities of this words in these three languages have come from their Semitic origin. Studies in these languages reject the claim of Sawma. His translation seems to be derived from the teachings of the New Testament that has originated from the incarnation of God in Jesus (P.B.U.H.) and has a Christian origin and is incompatible with Quranic evidences. 
Keywords: Sakine, Gabriel Sawma, Aramaic, Syriac, Qur’an, the Old and the New Testament.