‘Uj ibn Anaq
Encyclopedia
‘Uj ibn Anaq is a giant
, portrayed in Islamic tales and miniatures
. The origins of this character lay in Jewish lore and the Old Testament
, e.g. king Og
. He takes his ‘surname’ from his mother Anaq – ‘Anâq; cf. Book of Numbers
13:33– who begat him after an incest affair. Famous and much painted episodes include his fight with the prophet Musa
, and his fishing and frying of whales, while he stands just about knee-deep in the ocean.
Several of his striking features merged with the description of another giant in Islam, the Antichrist
-figure of Dajjal
.
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
, portrayed in Islamic tales and miniatures
Miniature (illuminated manuscript)
The word miniature, derived from the Latin minium, red lead, is a picture in an ancient or medieval illuminated manuscript; the simple decoration of the early codices having been miniated or delineated with that pigment...
. The origins of this character lay in Jewish lore and the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, e.g. king Og
Og
Og, according to the bible, was an Amorite king of Bashan who, along with his army, was slain by Moses and his men at the battle of Edrei...
. He takes his ‘surname’ from his mother Anaq – ‘Anâq; cf. Book of Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
13:33– who begat him after an incest affair. Famous and much painted episodes include his fight with the prophet Musa
Islamic view of Moses
Musa , known as Moses in the Old Testament, is considered an Islamic prophet, messenger, lawgiver and leader in Islam. Moses is mentioned more in the Quran than any other individual, and his life is narrated and recounted more than that any other prophet...
, and his fishing and frying of whales, while he stands just about knee-deep in the ocean.
Several of his striking features merged with the description of another giant in Islam, the Antichrist
Antichrist
The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner...
-figure of Dajjal
Dajjal
al-Masih ad-Dajjal , is an evil figure in Islamic eschatology. He is to appear pretending to be Masih at a time in the future, before Yawm al-Qiyamah , directly comparable to the figures of the Antichrist and Armilus in Christian and Jewish eschatology, respectively.-Name: is a common Arabic word ...
.