أبابيل

See also: ابابیل

Arabic

Etymology

Natively derived from ء ب ل (ʔ-b-l) pertaining to great bundles or collections, by extension camel herding and in general flocks, bevies, and droves. The plural pattern فَعَاعِيل (faʕāʕīl) is rare, but attested in other examples such as دَنَانِير (danānīr) and عَبَابِيد (ʕabābīd). Associated connotations of putting into commotion as well as scattered or disunited separate groups or waves connects it also to ب ل ب ل (b-l-b-l).

Possible Alternative Theories and Connections

• Connection to Proto-Semitic *bul- (“relating to birds”), comparing Akkadian 𒅁𒉈𒌈 (ib-bil-tum /⁠ibbiltu⁠/, “an unidentified bird”), also Akkadian 𒁍𒇷𒇷 (bu-li-li /⁠bulīlu⁠/, “a type of crested bird”), Tigre ኣምበላ (ʔa-mə-bä-la /⁠ʔambäla⁠/, “weaver birds”) and Amharic ቡላል (bu-la-lə /⁠bullal⁠/, “dove”), and native بُلْبُل (bulbul, “nightingale”). This goes further back to a Proto-Afroasiatic *bul- form, having cognates in Chadic and Cushitic, all denoting specifically doves or turtle-doves. All terms are identifications of a bird or bird type, and not convincingly semantically fitting as the adjective used in the Quranic example.

• By comparison to the double-pluralization of حَبَشِيّ (ḥabašiyy, “Abyssinian”) to أَحْبَاش (ʔaḥbāš, “Abbysinians”) to أَحَابِيش (ʔaḥābīš, “very many Abbysinians”), perhaps a double-plural of بَابِلِيّ (bābiliyy, “Babylonian”) or a related form. Birds sent "like a myriad of Babylonians", perhaps likening the coming of the destructive birds upon God's enemies, to the similar Biblical function of God sending Babylon as agents to punish Israel.

Adjective

أَبَابِيل • (ʔabābīl) (plural only, hapax)

1. The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include:
   • 609–632 CE, Qur'an, 105:3-4:

     وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ / تَرْمِيهِمْ بِحِجَارَةٍ مِنْ سِجِّيلٍ

     waʔarsala ʕalayhim ṭayran ʔabābīla / tarmīhim biḥijāratin min sijjīlin

     And He sent upon them birds in flocks; afflicting them with stones of hardness (baked clay)

   1. successive, in waves, in droves, flock after flock
   2. many, numerous
   3. flocks, companies, divisions
   4. as a myriad of Babylonians (numerous, destructive, agents of divine retribution)