What do pre-Islamic inscriptions reveal about Arabian religion?

Pre-Islamic Arabian inscriptions provide a crucial record of the languages, history, and religious transitions of the Arabian Peninsula before the rise of Islam. Over 65,000 of these texts, ranging from casual graffiti to monumental royal works, have been recovered from surfaces such as stone, metal, and pottery. Recent scholarship utilizing these inscriptions has uncovered major historical insights, including the widespread presence of literate societies and the prevalence of monotheism during the fifth and sixth centuries.

What we know

• More than 65,000 pre-Islamic Arabian inscriptions have been found on various surfaces like stone, metal, pottery, and wood, documenting languages such as Arabic, Sabaic, and Qatabanic. [3]
• The study of pre-Islamic inscriptions has recently revealed the widespread presence of literate societies across the region and the prevalence of pre-Islamic Arabian monotheism during the fifth and sixth centuries. [3]
• In pre-Islamic Arabia, the dominant religious practice was Arab polytheism based on venerating deities and spirits like Hubal, al-Lāt, al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt. [2]

Where to go next

• how it workedHow did the Arabic script evolve from Nabataean writing?
• a case in pointWhat role did the Kaaba play in pre-Islamic polytheism?
• what caused itHow did Christianity spread through pre-Islamic Arabia?
• the bigger pictureWhat were the major kingdoms of ancient South Arabia?
• compared withHow are pre-Islamic societies depicted in Islamic literature?
• an unexpected connectionHow do stone carvings connect to the context of the Quran?Inscriptions carved into stone and metal by ordinary people and rulers provide concrete historical context for the linguistic and religious environment from which the Quran emerged.

Sources

• [1]religion in pre-Islamic Arabia (Wikidata Q97253422) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Pre-Islamic Arabian inscriptions · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Pre-Islamic Arabia · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Christianity in pre-Islamic Arabia · CC BY-SA 4.0