Chapter Four: Gog and Magog

• Their Origin:

Before discussing the emergence of Gog and Magog, I believe it appropriate to acquaint ourselves with their origin and ask: What do the names Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj mean?

Yaʾjūj and Maʾjūj are two names of non-Arabic origin, though it has also been said that they are Arabic.

According to the latter view, the names may derive from ajj, as in a fire blazing when it flares up; or from ujāj, intensely saline water whose saltiness burns. Another view derives them from ajj in the sense of running swiftly. It has also been said that Maʾjūj comes from māja, meaning “to be in turmoil.” Morphologically, Yaʾjūj follows the pattern yafʿūl, while Maʾjūj follows mafʿūl; alternatively, both follow the pattern fāʿūl.

This applies if the two names are Arabic. If, however, they are non-Arabic, they have no Arabic derivation, since foreign words are not derived from Arabic.

The majority recited “Yājūj” and “Mājūj” without a hamza. The alifs in the two names are therefore additional letters, and their original consonantal forms are (y-j-j) and (m-j-j). As for ʿĀsim’s reading, it employs the hamza,