Arabic-L:LING:Etymology of sufi

[Dilworth Parkinson]

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Arabic-L: Thu 10 Apr 2003
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1) Subject:Etymology of sufi

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1)
Date: 10 Apr 2003
From: decaen at chass.utoronto.ca (Vincent DeCaen)
Subject:Etymology of sufi

dear friends,

i don't like the etymologies, as a comparative semitist, of sufi from
"wool" (folk etymology), "pure" (secondary), "sofia" (impossible).

however, there is the medieval hebrew tzofeh "seer", with biblical
roots,
and associated in medieval texts with merkavah mysticism, etc. ,etc. the
adjective is tzofi > arabic sufi.

has anyone ever seen a proposal along these lines? there's zero in the
standard books on sufism....

salaam/shalom,
V

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End of Arabic-L:  10 Apr 2003