Baptism as صبغ

[Devon Provencher]

Hello,

I hope this finds you all well.

I’m looking for any secondary studies on the use of the word “صبغ” to refer to baptism in early Arabic manuscripts. If you’re familiar with any, I would be grateful to know!

Thank you,
Devon Provencher

[Ádám Gacsályi-Tóth]

Hi Devon,

I haven't encountered any secondary literature on the use of this word, but for what it's worth, it definitely appears in early Arabic Bible manuscripts, such as the 9th century Sinai, Ar. 74, where we find يحنا المصبغ designating John the Baptist (see, for example, 4r, line 8, corresponding to Matthew, 3:1).

Best regards,

Adam

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[Rodrigo Adem]

Dear Devon,

See pages 123-124 of the following study (which you may already know):

https://www.academia.edu/1119373/_Further_Notes_on_the_Word_%E1%B9%A2ibgha_in_Qur%CA%BEan_2_138_Journal_of_Semitic_Studies_59_1_Spring_2014_117_129

Rodrigo Adem

Assistant Professor

Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies

Georgetown University

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[ff1m...@uco.es]

Hi Devon,

there is good article on term "sibgah" (Sean W. Anthony, “Further
Notes on the Word ṣibgha in Qurʼān 2:138”, Journal of Semitic Studies
LIX/1 (2014), pp. 117-129), and another article of mine (but in
Spanish!: "¿Un eco gnóstico en el Corán? A propósito del hapax
legomenon coránico ṣibġah") that I'm attaching. I hope they are of
interest for you.

With all best wishes,
Juan Pedro


Devon Provencher <provench...@gmail.com> escribió:

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[aldeeb sami]

I suppose you know that this term is used in the Koran

صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً ۖ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ (138)

See the commentary of Al-Tabari 

القرآن الكريم - تفسير الطبري - تفسير سورة البقرة - الآية 138

See also the commentary in my Arabic edition of the Koran

https://www.academia.edu/66901372

صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدُونَ

هـ87\2: 138[1]

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[1]     قِراءة مُخْتَلِفة: 1) صِبْغَةُ ♦ نص ناقص تكملته: [اتبعوا، أو: صبغتنا] صبغة الله ♦ ت1) الصبغة: جاءت هذه الكلمة مرَّتين في هذه الآية. الماوردي: فيه تأويلان: 1) معناه دين الله. وسبب ذلك أن النصارى كانوا يصبغون أولادهم في ماء لهم، ويقولون هذا تطهير لهم كالختان، فرد الله تعالى ذلك عليهم بأن قال: صِبْغَةَ اللهِ أي صبغة الله أحسن صبغة، وهي الإسلام. 2) أن صبغة الله، هي خلقة الله. فإن كانت الصبغة هي الدين، فإنما سُمِّيَ الدين صبغة، لظهوره على صاحبه، كظهور الصِّبْغِ عَلَى الثوبِ، وإن كانت هي الخلقة فلإحداثه كإحداث اللون على الثوب. قال أمُيَّة بن أبي الصِّلت: في صبغة الله كان إذ نسي\العهد، وخلى الصواب إذ عرفا (متولي: القُرآن في الشعر الجاهلي). قِراءة لوكسنبرغ: صنعة من السريانية ܨܢܥܬܐ صِنِعْتا، بِمَعْنى: حكمة الله، أو عمل الله، لأن العماد هو للإنسان وليس لله ت2) خطأ: الآية 137 دخيلة، والآية 138 تتمة للآية 136 ♦ س1) عن ابن عباس: كان النصارى إذا ولد لأحدهم ولد فأتى عليه سبعة أيام صبغوه في ماء لهم يقال له المعمودي ليطهروه بذلك ويقولون هذا طهور مكان الختان. فإذا فعلوا ذلك صار نصرانيًا حقًا. فنزلت هذه الآية.

Dr. Sami Aldeeb

Centre de droit arabe et musulman
Ochettaz 17

CH-1025 Saint-Sulpice

Tél. fixe: 0041 21 6916585 - Mobile et Whatsapp: 0041 78 9246196

Site - Academia.edu - Hiwar - Paypal - Wikipedia - Youtube - skype: sami.aldeeb

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[Devon Provencher]

Thank you to all who responded to this request on and offline. This has given me a great starting point for further research. 

Devon Provencher

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[pear...@gmail.com]

see also the Sinai ar. MS 154, where you find the term صبغة 21times (folio no. 102v, 128v, 132rv, 133rv, 134v, 135r, 136rv, and 137r). 

Thank you.

Yen