The semantic evolution of the word “God” in the texts of the Ahl al-Haqq since the second century AH

The manifestation of God is the central tenet of the religion of the Ahl al-Haqq. According to their beliefs, God created the universe through general manifestation and manifested Himself in the form of man through special manifestation. Consequently, the Yarsanis consider humans to be embodiments of God’s essence (or grace), attributing to them various qualities, including the title “God” (as in “leader”) and identifying them with “the essence of God.” Because the term “God” initially signified “owner,” “possessor,” and “leader” before evolving to commonly mean “Allah,” many Yarsanis are unaware of this historical shift in meaning, leading to a tendency to view humans as divine figures within the Ahl al-Haqq community. Now, the question arises as to what is the way out of the human-god. Research suggests that the conceptualization of God in the texts from different periods reveals a significant difference in meaning between the ritual texts of the early Yarsan founders and those of later periods. This distinction provides a clear verbal and spiritual connotation to its use, meaning, and instances. This article, employs a descriptive-analytical method, drawing upon primary sources of the religion to examine and critique the tendency among some Ahl al-Haqq scholars to embrace the idea of a “human-god.” Furthermore, this article aims to analyze the conceptualization of the word “God” and its various interpretations within different texts.