The most ancient name of Allah (swt) is El. The word El (singular, “god”) was used throughout the ancient Middle East as both a generic term for deity and the proper name of the supreme Semitic god. Found in Ugaritic texts (Syria), Phoenician inscriptions, Canaanite literature, and the Hebrew Bible, El is recognized as the head of the pantheon who is called “Creator/Possessor of Heaven and Earth” The spread of El worship is directly linked to Arab or Semitic DNA. Also, following the path of El worship is the spread of Yhwh worship. Yhwh became the preferred biblical name for the Jewish deity. However, the name Yhwh did not eclipse the name El in kingdoms of Israel and Judah.
Haplogroup J1 (specifically subclade J-P58) is a major Y-DNA lineage that corresponds to the prehistoric expansion of Semitic-speaking pastoralists across the Middle East, which likely spread early forms of “El” worship, the generic Semitic term for “god” who became the head of the Canaanite pantheon. This genetic marker, with its highest concentrations in modern Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula, suggests that the “El” worship of the early Levant, Midian, and nomadic tribes was carried by these pastoral groups moving along trade routes.
DNA J1 and the Origins of “El” (Allah swt) Worship:
Origin of J1 (J-M267): Haplogroup J1 arose roughly 20,000 years ago in northwestern Iran, the Caucasus, or northern Mesopotamia. The major sub-clade responsible for the spread of “El” worship, J1a1a1-P58, evolved roughly 9,500 years ago in the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, or southern Mesopotamia.
The “El” Worship Connection: The spread of “El” worship (the creator deity in the Ugaritic/Canaanite pantheon, and later the Hebrew Elohim) is tied to the expansion of Semitic-speaking peoples, which genetically corresponds to the movement of J1-P58 carriers.
Pastoral and Midianite Connection: Studies link this genetic spread with the rise of nomadic pastoralism in the arid zones of the Near East, specifically pointing to the Midianites and nomadic caravan traders of the 4th–3rd Century BCE.
Theological Expansion: The Semitic term for God, “El”, likely spread from the southern Levant and northern Arabia (Midian) northward as nomadic clans carrying J1 DNA spread their beliefs.
Key Findings on J1 Distribution
High Frequencies: J1 is most frequent in Yemen (up to 76%), Qatar (58%), Iraq (43%), Saudi Arabia (40%), and Palestine (38.5%).
Jews and Arabs: J1 is highly prevalent in both Jewish (19%–30%) and Arab populations, supporting the traditional narrative that they share an ancestral paternal ancestry, often linked to the Semitic tradition of Abraham (Ibrahim).
Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH): A specific sub-branch of J1-P58 known as J1-B877, also known as the Cohen Modal Haplotype, is strongly associated with the traditional Jewish priesthood (Cohanim), with a common ancestor estimated to have lived ~3200 years ago, matching the biblical timeline of Aaron.
Significance of J1-B877: J1-B877 has historically been associated with the Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH), a specific J1 lineage which, while common among Jewish populations, is alsofound among Arab populations, particularly those sharing common ancestry in the Levant and Southern Mesopotamia.
Frequency in Arab Populations: The majority of J1-M267 found in Arab populations (72% in Yemen, 40% in Saudi Arabia) belongs to the J1a1a1-P58 subclade, which includes J1-B877.
Ancient Evidence: The J1-P58 marker is identified as “early Neolithic/Bronze Age” and is not directly tied to the later 7th-century Islamic conquests, but rather to much earlier Semitic expansions.
Conclusion
The spread of the “El” worship system across the Near East correlates with the Neolithic and Bronze Age expansion of Y-DNA Haplogroup J1, which marks the pastoral, Semitic-speaking peoples of the Arabian and Levantine deserts. Caravan trade routes played a crucial role in the dissemination of ancient Near Eastern religions, serving as channels for both cultural exchange and the migration of theological concepts. The worship of El spread across the Levant, while Yahweh worship was likely introduced from the southern nomadic regions into Canaan through these same trade networks.