Will the Real Quraysh Please Stand Up

Please find the updated version of this article on Gibraltar Messenger – Will the Real Quraysh Please Stand Up

by A. Freeman, contributing writer

Surah 106. Winter, Quraish

There is one reference in the Koran/Quran to the Quraysh/Quraish, found in Sura 106.

106:1. For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish,
106:2. Their covenants (covering) journeys by Winter and Summer,-
106:3. Let them adore the Lord of this House,
106:4. Who provides them with food against hunger, and with security against fear (of danger).

For hundreds of years, it has traditionally been assumed that the Quraysh (also spelled Quraish) were a pre-”Islamic” Meccan tribe, into which Muhammad was born. But if Mecca didn’t exist until hundreds of years after Muhammad’s alleged passing, how could it have been home to any tribe, much less a tribe that’s notably absent from all secular historical records?

From Peter Townsend’s The Mecca Mystery: Probing the Black Hole at the Heart of Muslim History. The Roman Empire and the Arabian Peninsula:

“Some scholars even suggest that the term Quraysh is a corruption of the Syro-Aramaic verbal root (qras ‘to gather’).²⁵⁴ This would make perfect sense within the context as it would denote, not a specific tribe…”

From Christoph Luxenberg’s THE SYRO-ARAMAIC READING OF THE KORAN:

Excursus:
On the Morphology and Etymology of قُرَيْش (Qurayš)

The Arabic spelling قُرَيْش (Sura 106:1), taken for an Arabic diminutive and falsely pronounced Qurayš, corresponds morphologically to the Syro-Aramaic masculine plural of the passive participle ܩܪ̈ܝܫܐܙ / qarīšē > qrīšē = gathered together, i.e.: foederati, and hence is to be pronounced in Arabic (without the Syro-Aramaic ending ē) Qarīš*. This meaning is attested in the Lisān (VI 335a) in one among other (from Aramaic) transmitted explanations as follows:

*Note: Qarīš = Christ’s (Matthew 24:31, Sura 43:61).

“It is said: the name of Qurayš is derived from (the verb) ta-qarraša i.e. ta-ğamma ^ca (= to meet, come together) after they (i.e. the Qurayš / Qarīš) were dispersed in the countries**, when Quşayy / a(c)tually Qasī < Syro-Aramaic ܩܨܝܐ / qaşyã = the Far One – as far as he is said to be almost a Nabatean originating from Syria) b. Kilãb had triumphed over it; for this reason Quşayy / Qasī was called ‘assembler’.”

From this philological understanding Qurayš / Qarīš cannot be the name of a single tribe, particularly of that of the Prophet***, as it is assured by the Islamic tradition.

**Note: It is NOT to Mecca, but to Christ and His Place of Defence (Isa. 33:16-17) that Christ’s Elect will be gathered together (Gen. 49:10, Mark 13:27), from where they’ve been dispersed/scattered amongst the nations (Amos 9:9, James 1:1).

***Note: This is a reference to Muhammad, described in the Koran/Quran as The Messenger/Angel of God (Sura 4:157; Sura 7:157-158) and the SEAL of the Prophets (Sura 33:40). See also: Exod. 23:20-23; Rev. 1:1 and Luke 16:16.

Is this singular Koranic reference to the Quraish/Quraysh really the name of a single, Meccan tribe, presumed to be the keepers of the Lord’s House and The Covenants? Not only does the word itself suggest otherwise, but there is no record of such a tribe among the Romans/Byzantines or the Persians/Sasanians (even though they both heavily recruited mercenaries from Arabia).

Is the Quraish/Quraysh simply another confirmation of the many references to “the gathered” (Gen. 49:10) in the Bible, also known as the “Elect”? In this instance where:

1. the Covenants in verse 1 = the Old Covenant and New Covenant = The New Song;

2. the references to journeys by “Winter” and “Summer” in verse 2 are the same as those mentioned in the Gospel accounts (Matt. 24:20-22, 32-34, Mark 13:18, 28, Luke 21:30, Thomas 4:1-2);

Matthew 24:20-22, 32-34
24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter, neither on the Sabbath day:
24:21 For then shall be great oppression, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the Elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

24:32 Now learn a parable of the Fig tree (Jews); When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves (1948), ye know that Summer [is] nigh:
24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it (the end) is near, [even] at the doors.
24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

Thomas 4:1-2
4:1 Jesus said: If you become disciples to Me and hear My words, these stones (Commandments) will minister to you. For you have five trees in Paradise which are unmoved in Summer or in Winter, and their leaves do not fall (the Torah).
4:2 Whoever KNOWS them will not taste death.

3. “the House” in verse 3 = the “House of Israel”; and

4. The Lord of the “House of Israel” in verse 4 provides them with all they need to keep them safe and secure from hunger and from fear.

Isaiah 33:16-17
33:16 He shall dwell on Sion (2 Esd. 13:35): his place of defence [shall be] the Fortress of Rock: bread shall be given him; his waters [shall be] sure.
33:17 Thine eyes shall see The King in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off (Israel).

2 Esdras 13:35. But he (Christ) shall stand upon the top of the mount of gathering (Isa 33:16).

See also Sura 52 and Sura 86 about the mount of gathering/fortress of the Rock and The Night Visitant

The sure word of prophecy (2 Peter 1:19) concerning Christ/Shiloh gathering the “Elect” from the sons of Jacob-Israel during the last days begins in the very first book of the Bible:

Genesis 49:1, 10, 22-24
49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell YOU [that] which shall befall YOU in the last days.

49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah [to Joseph], nor a law-giver from between his feet, UNTIL Shiloh comes [from Joseph-Ephraim v 22-24]; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people [be].

49:22 Joseph [is] a fruitful bough, [even] a fruitful bough by a well; [whose] branches run over the wall:
49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot [at him], and hated him:
49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty [God] of Jacob; (from THERE [is] The Shepherd, The [Corner] Stone of Israel:)(1 Cor. 10:4; Daniel 2:34-5; 45)

Which should be seen as yet another sure Sign that Christ is already here and Judgment Day is coming soon.

Sura 43:61. And (Christ the Mahdi) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) The Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about The (Hour), but follow ye Me: this is The Straight Way.

Surah 106. Winter, Quraish

106:1. For the covenants (of security and safeguard enjoyed) by the Quraish (the gathered, aka the “Elect” – Gen. 49:10, Enoch 1, Matt.24:22),
106:2. Their covenants (Old and New Covenants – Rev. 14:1-3, Rev. 15:3, covering) journeys by Winter and Summer (Thomas 4:1-2),-
106:3. Let them adore the Lord of this House (the “House of Israel”),
106:4. Who provides them with food against hunger (Isa. 33:16-17), and with security against fear (of danger).

May you adore the Lord of this House, that He may provide you with the Bread of Life that you may never hunger nor ever thirst (John 6:32-35) in the safety and security that only God can provide to those who cherish and keep the Covenants.

Peace be upon you.

The direct link to this article is https://hannahmichaels.wordpress.com/2022/04/16/will-the-real-quraysh-please-stand-up/