Customer Reviews

Bible Came from Arabia

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most crackpot theories tend to be slapdash, clumsy affairs. Not so Kamal Salibi's exquisitely well-wrought thesis: he has the philological skills to meticulously analyze hundreds of comparative Semitic roots and reinterpret ancient Hebrew in the light of Arabic. The consonantal outlines of Semitic writing make this possible, bringing into sharp relief the similarities between different Semitic languages and obscuring the differences. I've studied enough comparative Semitics myself to appreciate how ingeniously he handles the subject. Salibi was clever enough to knit together a huge number of Semitic roots into a widespread texture of highly realistic imaginary geography closely overlaid on the real geography. It was almost as though he had bent the earth's crust, bringing together Canaan and southwest Arabia to achieve this overlay. There are some circumstantial considerations to corroborate The Bible Came from Arabia. One is the phenomenon of "land-nama": people who migrate to a new land superimpose on it names remembered from the old country (for example, all the Old World names used in America, including many Biblical names). Also, travelers to 'Asir have remarked on the mystical impression its fertility made on them amidst the surrounding desert--as though it could have been the prototype for the Garden of Eden. Salibi's ingenious skill at tying together so many philological and geographical strands almost had me believing it. Against my better judgment, he made me want to believe it. This is the mark of a superior quality crackpot theory. Read this wonderful book if only for an example of the prodigies the human brain is capable of.

I have read this book years ago and I must say it makes sense, for how come the Bible is elaborate on everything except the mention of the Pyramids in Eygpt. If the Hebrews were there they could not have missed the Pyramids. Surely they were not talking about the same Egypt and the Pharoes as we now know them.

I have read the book. I have been to Saudi Arabia and bought detailed maps of the area in question to verify what the Author was claiming and it really fits. It is well worth reading and should be widely distributed. It does not change the validity and importance of religion. In the end one is left with a feeling that the fighting in Israel-Palestine is futile and senseless. The land is being used an excuse and from this book it is the wrong piece of land, Judaism originated elsewhere. It also expalains why there are (were) relativly speaking so many Jews in Yemen, Ethiopia, etc... there was migration in all directions for West Arabia. Anyway, people need to learn to live together, have tolerance and respect for others regardless of religion. A good read, a different perspective.

In one word...this book is the truth...

I have read the Arabic Translation of this book...although I am a muslem and Mr.Salibi is chritian...I have found many proofs of his writings in the Quran...the book of Islam...even encient Arabic historians had previously implied Mr.Salibi's findings...

It is a revolution...recommened for every soul seeking the truth...

Dr.Kamal Salibi is one of the most knowlegable researchers in the history of the Middle East. I have read his books in which I have found the thread of the truth lost for many centuries. In this book Dr Salibi demonstrates an enormous intellectual ability for real scientific and logical study of historical scriptures. Finally, I should note that the author didn't mean to criticize the Jewish claim of "Palestine" as their historical kingdom nor to sujjest another geographical area; The only concern was to look more deeply into reality to know the truth.

The author shows an in-depth understanding of the consonantal languages of the Near East. His suggested translations of some of the known texts of the Bible makes linguistic sense. As a person who is very fluent in Arabic, I am very impessed by his treatemt of some of the Hebrew words that that had no vowels and how these words where mistakenly translated in the present day Hebrew Bible. The mistreatment of this book by Jewish scholars and publishers shows a great disservice to society and humanity.