Entrails and divine wrath: Two quranic words in light of parallel aramaic texts

This study identifies pre-Islamic parallels to a few Quranic verses which concern two words: (a) hawāyā (Q 6:146) and (b) rijz/rujz (especially in its occurrences regarding Sodom and Egypt). In both cases hitherto unnoticed possible Biblical precedents or triggers for the Quranic diction are identified. The two cases studied here shed light on the form, meaning and origin of these two Quranic words. In the first case I examine a parallel in the Peshitta to Leviticus which lends support to an emendation offered by Christoph Luxenberg, but does not settle the matter. In the second case the parallels reinforce the argument for an Aramaic or Syriac provenance.