Dr. Ahmed al-Jallad, Professor of Arabic Studies, Ohio State University
Co-sponsored by the Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Near Eastern Studies Program. In-person attendance at 202 Jones Hall, free and open to the public.
Abstract
“In this talk I will share my knowledge of the past several years which have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of documented Paleo-Arabic inscriptions from the Ḥigāz, ranging from the region of Tabūk to Ṭāʾif. Many of these texts contain substantial content that shed light on the religious background of their authors. The aim of this talk is to bring this material in conversation with the Quran and early literary sources to bring us towards an evidence-based reconstruction of the religious landscape of the Ḥigāz on the eve of Islam.”