Yeʾcūc ve Meʾcūc Kelimelerinin Etimolojisine Dair

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.

Keywords

• Yeʾcūc,Meʾcūc

On The Etymology of the Words Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj

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.

Keywords

• Yaʾjūj,Maʾjūj

References

1. İlyas Çelebi. “Ye’cûc ve Me’cûc,” Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslâm Ansiklopedisi, c.43, ss.373-375.