Various etymologies have been proposed for Arabic allah but also for Syriac allaha. It has often been proposed that the Arabic word was borrowed from Syriac. This article takes a comprehensive look at the linguistic evidence at hand. Especially, it takes into consideration more recent epigraphical material which sheds light on the development of the Arabic language. Phonetic and morphological analysis of the data confirms the Arabic origin of the word allah, whereas the problems of the Syriac form allaha are described, namely that the Syriac form differs from that of other Aramaic dialects and begs explanation, discussing also the possibility that the Syriac word is a loan from Arabic. The final part considers qur#anic allah in its cultural and literary context and the role of the Syriac word in that context.The article concludes, that both, a strictly linguistic, as well as cultural and literary analysis reveals a multilayered interrelation between the two terms in question. The linguistic analysis shows, that Arabic allah must be a genuinely Arabic word, whereas in the case of Syriac allaha, the possibility of both, a loan and a specific inner-Aramaic development are laid out. Apart from linguistic considerations, the historical and cultural situation in Northern Mesopotamia, i. e. the early Arab presence in that region is taken into scrutiny. In turn, a possible later effect of the prominent use of Syriac allaha on the use in the Qur#an is considered. It is emphasized, that we are presented with a situation of prolonged contact and exchange, rather than merely one-way borrowings.

Wie viel sagen frühislamische Quellen über das aus, was wirklich war? Von David Kiltz I. Einleitung Quellenlage Die Quellenlage zur Entstehung und Anfangszeit des Islam ist bekannter-und anerkanntermaßen schwierig. Diese Anfangszeit beginnt mit dem traditionell für die Prophetentätigkeit Muhammads angenommene Periode von 610 bis 632 nach der Zeitenwende und dauert bis zum Ende der umayyadischen Herrschaft im Orient 750. Dem Historiker stehen hier im Wesentlichen drei Quellentypen zur Verfügung: 1. Die innerislamischen literarischen Quellen, 2. die außerislamischen literarischen Quellen und 3. Realien beziehungsweise Inschriften und bildliche Darstellungen, wobei bei letzteren Münzen eine besondere Bedeutung zukommt.