Open AccessWitnessed in Stone: Epigraphic Evidence of Addressees of the Prophet’s Missives in Ḥaḍramawt
Author(s) -
Sergey А. Frantsouzoff
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
orientalistica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2687-0738
pISSN - 2618-7043
DOI - 10.31696/2618-7043-2021-4-3-571-577
Subject(s) - clan , islam , skepticism , epigraphy , ancient history , history , genealogy , classics , philosophy , archaeology , theology , anthropology , sociology
The present article deals with the authenticity of early Islamic historical tradition. The sceptical approach of some Western scholars is balanced by an attempt to substantiate the data available in the Arab Muslim sources with the information from the inscriptions from South Arabia. The author was fortunate to discover an Islamic source, which dates back to the first half of 9 th century AD, the Kitāb al-Ṭabaqāt alkabīr by Ibn Sa‘d, which comprises the missives of the Prophet Muhammad to two noble clans of Ḥaḍramawt: dhū Marḥab and al-Bassī. These clans are also mentioned in two late Sabaean inscriptions, which originate from the territory of Ḥaḍramawt: Beeston – Wādī Sanā’ and MM (al-Mukalla’ Museum) 157. Therefore, the existence of at least two addressees of the missives of the prophet Muḥammad is confirmed in the epigraphic documents from Ancient Yemen.