Expert: Sirine Malas - 2/24/2011

Question
QUESTION: Dear Expert,
I hope you can help me on the etymology of the word udhiyah. This word was used to mean animal sacrificed for God. but nowadays in Arabic language it has another meaning too: victim of crime. My question is when, where and why such word, which apparently in none of Islamic texts has such function, is now used in the meaning of the one who crime is affected to him or her.
thanks for reading my question and answering it.
Bests

ANSWER: Hi Hoseyn,

I see where you are coming from . But I think as you do not speak Arabic there is a small misunderstanding.

Udhiya      أضحية
Means a sacrificed kill for God that is true ..not necessarily an animal could be a person too like in ancient times before Islam.

Now the other word which is very similar to Udhiya is Dahiya ضحية which is a different word with a different meaning used in a different context meanig a victim. A victim of anything not necessarily a victim of crime. So these are two differnt words that sound and look the same but are not the same at all.
This is very common in Arabic as we have something called the derivative of a word. For example
Love which is Hob, lover which is Habib, loved one which is Mahboub and so on and so forth ... you see how similar all these words are it is because they are derivatives on one original word only they are not the same at all.

I hope this was helpful.

Regards,
Sirine

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Sirine,

Thank you for answering my question; And sorry for delay!
I understood what you said about Dahiya but the question is why and how historically the meaning of this word which was only in the meaning of a sacrificed one (almost always an animal) for God, changed and used in the meaning of a victim of crime. How, when, in which kind of books (criminology, history, religion, jurisprudence), and under influence of which beliefs such development happen?
Maybe you can tell me in which book the answer of such questions can be found; like English etymology books in which we can find the changes in the meaning of the words in different period of history.
It might be interesting for you to know this question is asked also about the word victim in English/Latin language. Such word was used in the meaning of a sacrificed animal for God, but in 16th century, for the first time (under the influence of Christianity theology) was used for Jesus Christ. After that, about 3 century before, the word victim was used in a quite new, different meaning: victim of crime. And today, as you probably know, this word is the only one in criminology science and also English legal texts for those affected by crime. Scholars believe this development in victim meaning, is more importantly under the influence of Christianity ideology (if you are interested in the issue, I will send you some articles about).
As I know, Islam and Christianity are two different religions with distinguished ideologies and orders (at least about victims’ rights in forgiveness or retribution). I believe, more than anything else, this is a cross over from developed western countries to Islamic countries. Islamic Arabic countries translated victim to its literal meaning and without considering its ideological meaning, tried to pay more attention to the findings and functions of this modern science (victimology).
This is the reason why I am asking such question. I guess the new use of the word Dahiya, is related to the period of cross over between Islamic and western countries during last century. I looked for Dahiya in lots of Arabic legal texts and, as I expected, I could find this word in none of them - but the word Majni Alayh مجنی علیه. In contrast, in criminological books we can find Dahiya as a common word (e.g. علم الضحیة)
Sorry I’m interrupting you, but I want to know is there any book or online database which help me to find from which time dahiya was used for crime victims; in spite of having an appropriate word like Majni Alaih in Arabic language. Or maybe you can yourself help me to know.
Again thanks for answering me for nothing.

Bests
Hoseyn

ANSWER: Dear Hoseyn,

It seems like I was not clear the first time about the Dahiya and Udhiya words.
I’ll try to be more specific this time.
You are referring to Udhiya or Dahiya as a term not a word this is why you are implying that you believe it used to mean one thing and after some time in history it developed and started taking a new meaning.

This is not true.
Dahiya is an independent word that has an independent unique meaning and usage. That meaning is Victim. And a victim is not always necessarily a Majni Alaih as you said. As one can be a victim of circumstances or some unfortunate accident like falling off a cliff because of loosing balance or being a victim of a natural disaster like an earthquake or a flood. So in this case a Majni Alaih does not apply as a synonym to Dahiya at all.
Because Majni Alaih literally means “someone that was wronged by someone else”. Like killed, or raped or mugged etc… There has to be a criminal in this equation. If there isn’t a criminal that intended to offend or harm the other party then this other party cannot be referred to as Majni Alaih. Which is precisely why there are two words to express someone that was subject to some kind of harm. Which are Victim Dahiya and Majni Alaih. And also the reason why Majni Alaih is always the word used in a court of law.
مجني عليه   this is how it spells in Arabic.
Udhiya is also an independent word that has an independent unique meaning and usage.
Neither words are a term.
Now even if I would go along with your claim that Udhiya or Dahiya took on different meanings it would still be wrong to say that it was after Islam.
Because as I mentioned before Udhiya meaning a sacrificed token which is used as a symbol of devotion or worship to a God or Gods , or an answer to a vow or a gift to the God/s from someone that is praying to receive something in return from that or those God/s-all these were being performed by people way back in history before Islam existed. So it has nothing to do with Islam. You can check encyclopedias and history books. You will find that the Pharaos used to give up sacrifices (udhiya) to their Gods just like the Greeks , the Latin, the Assyrians , the Mayans etc…. And during those time the Udhiyas were not always animals sometimes they were human beings. Like the beautiful girls the Egyptians used to throw into the waters of the great Nile river imploring it (the river) not to flood over their towns.
Udhiya has another very exact synonym which is Qorban  قربان
Which literally means “something that you give away in order to get (virtually)closer to someone  (usually devine).
In fact, in Islam the Udhiya if you want to think of it as a term is a lamb that is slaughtered and its meat is given away immediately fresh to poor people for free right after the Hajj pilgrim is completed as part of the Hajj rituals.
On the other hand, sacrifices (udhiya) that were given away to please God/s were kept near statues or in temples until they rotted or bird ate them up. Because back then they believed that Gods ate and drank!
Now if you want a website for Arabic translation or transliteration I have got a good website I can send the address to you later on coz I don't have it on me right now.
Once, more each of the words Dahiya and Udhiya are independent and have got unique meanings attached to them even though they belong to the same root. It does not mean that they once upon a time meant the same thing or meant one thing and now the meaning has developed. The root of the word issue is something very important in Arabic literature and helps in understanding the exact meaning of a word and not mix up meanings. Especially that Accents were absent before from Arabic language.
To fully understand all this you really need to sit classes in Arabic language and then Arabic literature and go through different stages. In Arabic there is something called Nahou نحو and something called  ادب
Which basically literature and there is عروض  which is a stage deeper than literature. It is a very ancient and complex language.
I personally am not able to explain the higher stages of Arabic language you need someone that is a graduate in نحو or أدب or عروض
It is not as simple as Litterature in Latin and Greek languages.
I hope I have made a better illustration this time.
All the Best
Sirine


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear Sirine

Thanks a lot for your answer.
Actually I need some etymology websites or books in which I can find the diverse meanings of a word in different contexts; especially etymology ones which explain new and conventional uses of the words. In your last comment, you kindly told me you will send me some online resources. It would be very helpful for me to access them.
Best Regards

Hoseyn

Answer
HI Hosayn,

Thanks for your rating ...

Sorry about not sending you the link ...I forgot :-(

Anyway click on this link http://www.baheth.info/index.jsp
It is called the Arabic Searcher

This is a website where you can search Arabic words from all possible dictionaries and reference books

Lisan Al Arab  لسان العرب
Maqayees A'Llugha   مقاييس اللغة
A'Sihah Fi'LLugha   الصحاح في اللغة
Al Qamous Al Muheet  القاموس المحيط
Al 3ebab A'Zakher العباب الزاخر

If you try to check the words in question  Udhiya and Dahiya you will find that as I explained before these words are of the same root but of different meanings ... You will also find that they never changed over the years ....

I hope you can find a clearer answer to what you are looking for in this website ...


Thanks for rating me.

All the Best,
Sirine