Al-Abbadi Deconstructs the Concept of 'Semitism' and Replaces It with the 'Thamudic-Arabic-Jordanian Identity'

Ammon

01-07-2025

Ammon News - In a bold and unconventional historical and scientific endeavor, Jordanian thinker and historian Dr. Ahmad Oweidi Al-Abbadi presents a profound critical reassessment of the concept of 'Semitism' in his newly released book 'The Nabataean Kingdom of Jordan (500 B.C. – 130 A.D.)'. In it, he proposes replacing the fabricated Orientalist term with a more accurate and historically grounded identity: the 'Thamudic–Arabic–Jordanian'.
In the introduction to his book, Dr. Al-Abbadi examines the origins of the term 'Semitic,' explaining that it emerged from European Orientalist discourse when the German scholar August Ludwig Schlözer coined it in 1781. Schlözer based his classification on biblical narratives, particularly the division of the sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—despite this classification having no basis in the Qur'an, epigraphy, or historical anthropology. Al-Abbadi describes this as a mythical linguistic-ethnic fabrication, inconsistent with the Qur'anic account, which mentions only one son of Noah who disbelieved and drowned in the flood, as in the verse:
"And Noah called out to his son, who had kept himself apart, 'O my son, come aboard with us and do not be with the disbelievers!'... But he was among the drowned." [Hud: 42–43].
Dr. Al-Abbadi poses a provocative and essential question: 'How is it that the biblical narrative is exalted and granted taxonomic authority over human origins and languages, while the Qur'anic text—which never once refers to the three sons of Noah—is neglected? Is this not a methodological rupture that demands a thorough reevaluation of the foundations we often accept without scrutiny?'
He further argues that the concept of "Semitism" has been deliberately used as a linguistic smokescreen to support colonial agendas, particularly the justification of the Zionist entity's existence as a supposed 'natural return' to the ancestral land of the so-called 'Semitic peoples'—a claim devoid of scientific, linguistic, or scriptural credibility.
As an alternative, Dr. Al-Abbadi offers a rigorously substantiated and evidence-based identity: the Thamudic–Arabic–Jordanian civilization, grounded in archaeological findings, epigraphic records, and the environmental geography of the region. He asserts that this identity better represents the peoples of the region—the Thamud, Edomites, Moabites, Ammonites, Nabataeans, Lihyanites, Safaites, Qedarites, Bashanites, and the people of the forgotten Jordanian Kingdom of Perea—all of whom contributed to the development of the Arabic language through local inscriptions and scripts.
Al-Abbadi emphasizes that the land of Jordan was historically home to the people of Thamud, memorialized in the Qur'an in the verse: 'And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley.' [Al-Fajr: 9].
He points to their inscriptions and architectural remains in Tayma, Al-Hijr, Al-'Ula, Madain Salih, and the eastern mountains of Jordan, all of which serve as testimony to a once-thriving Arab civilization. Contrary to colonial narratives, which portray early Arabs as mere nomads, these findings reveal their role as city builders and cultural pioneers.
In a detailed historical context, Al-Abbadi reconstructs the development of the Arabic language, clarifying that what is now known as the Arabic script is not a continuation of the fictitious 'Semitic' model, but rather the result of organic linguistic evolution through the Thamudic, Nabataean, and Safaitic scripts that originated in the heart of ancient Jordan. He calls for a reclassification of the Arabic script to reflect its authentic local roots rather than its association with misleading terminologies.
Dr. Al-Abbadi concludes with an earnest appeal to Arab and Islamic research institutions to rebuild historical and linguistic consciousness on the basis of solid evidence—from the Qur'anic text to field inscriptions and scientific analysis—rather than relying on inherited biblical tales authored in eras of political and religious captivity.
It is worth noting that 'The Nabataean Kingdom of Jordan' stands as one of the most significant intellectual publications of the past decade. It masterfully bridges Jordanian national identity with its deep linguistic and civilizational roots, restoring dignity to long-neglected local civilizations—from Thamud to the Nabataeans, from Ammon to Petra—and challenging dominant global narratives that have historically marginalized the true Arab contributions to human heritage.