reynolds-the-quran-in-its-historical-context-2

98 Robert G. HoylandScript/Lang.: Lihyanite (Dedaniticl 2Bib!.: JS Lihl07; Noja 1979, XVI: Script/Lang.: N abataean Aramaic. Bib!.: Altheim and Stiehl1968, p. 310; Noja 1979, XXIIThe Jews of the Hijaz in the Qur 'an 99Text:" 'Azaryah son of Asyah" ( 'z1yh br asyh)No.llPlace: ai-UiaType: GraffitoDate: c. 3rd to 1st century BCEScript/Lang.: Lihyanite (Dedanitic)Bib!.: JS Lih12; W. Caskel, Lihyan und Lihyanisch, Ki:iln: Westdeutscher Verlag,1954, 103 (no. 58); Noja 1979, XVIIText: "By Al]'ab son of Simak the one buried [here]" or "By/for Al]'ab son ofSimak is the tomb" (/- 'b'b bn smk hmqbr I hmjbr). 23No.12Place: ai-UiaType: GraffitoDate: c. 1st to 3rd century CEScript/Lang.: Nabataean AramaicBib!.: JS Nab262; Altheim and Stieh11968, 308Text: "Greetings/Farewell Joseph son of 'A wiyu" (slm ywsf bn \ryw).2 4Umm Judhayidh (near Tabule)· · Type: Graffito. Date: c. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE·.Script/Lang.: Nabataean AramaicBib!.: al-Theeb 2002, no. 159· ··.·Text: "May Ghanam son ofY ehiidii be remembered" ( dkyr ghnmw br yhwd' . . . ) 25Place: Umm JudhayidhType: Graffitoc. 1st century BCE to 1st century CEScript/Lang.: Nabataean Aramaic]3ibL: ai-Theeb 2002, no. 84']'ext: "May Joseph son of Ghanam be remembered well. Peace" (dkyr ywsf br· ghnmw b-tb w-slm)No.l3Place: ai-UiaType: GraffitoDate: c. 1st to 3rd century CE22 An exact floruit for the kingdom of Libyan, whose name has traditionally been used to designatetheir script (a version of the South Arabian script), has not been determined, but they were influencedin their art by the Ptolemies of Egypt (305-31 BCE) and were ousted by the Nabataeans inthe course of the first century BCE (see R.G. Hoyland, Arabia and the Arabs, London: Routledge,200 I, 66-68, for further discussion and references).23 These are the different readings of JS Lihl2 and Noja 1979, XVII (following Caskel) respectively.Caskel considers Ab' ab a Jewish name, but one would of course expect it to be written with a I)rather than a b. Smk and Smk'l are relatively common in Safaitic. All in all, then, the Jewish natureof this inscription is dubious.24 Jaussen and Savignac note regarding no. 12 (JS Nab262): "It is possible that the use of bn, attestedin many other graffiti of the region, is due to the influence of the Jewish colony installed there"( cf. JS Nab240 and Nab 261 ).Date: c. 3rd to 5th century CEScript/Lang.: Nabataean Aramaicc Bib!.: unedited 26· ·Text: "Indeed, may Simon son of 'Adiyu be remembered" (bly dkyr sm'wn br'dyw).·. ·· 25 AI-Theeb notes i)'lnvd as an option, buffavours njwd. However, the kink in the initial letter makesit pretty certain that it is a 'y' rather than an 'n'. The final word in this text is uncertain.26 Found in the course of the Saudi-French survey ofMada'in Salih (seen. 13 above).