Ancient Arabic inscriptions discovered on a rock in Saudi Arabia linked to one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad

A new study has found that an ancient Arabic inscription on a rock near an abandoned mosque in Saudi Arabia may have been carved by the companion Hanzala ibn Abi Amir.

Taif-Mecca Epigraphic Survey Project, King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, directed by Ahmad Al-Jallad and Hythem Sidky

Although many inscriptions dating back to the early days of Islam are known, their authors remain uncertain, with the exception of one in the Al-Baha region of Saudi Arabia which can be safely attributed to a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Hanzala ibn Abi Amir, who was killed while participating in the Battle of Uhud.

The inscription, which researchers analyzed in a new study published in the April issue of the journal Near Eastern Studies, is the second confirmed inscription associated with the Prophet Muhammad.

This second inscription was carved in the early 7th century before Islam dominated the Arabian Peninsula, making it an important witness to the pre-Islamic Hijaz and the religious background of Muslims.

However, not everyone is completely convinced of the author's identity.

The researchers said the discovery sheds light on the early days of Islam. “That period is shrouded in mystery,” said Ahmed Al-Jallad, a professor of Arabic studies at Ohio State University. “These inscriptions provide a verifiable basis for writing an evidence-based history of the period.”

When Turkish calligrapher Yusuf Belin was visiting an ancient mosque in the city of Taif believed to have been built by Ali bin Abdulaziz, he noticed two inscriptions on a protruding rock about 100 metres (330 feet) away. In 2021, he brought the matter to the attention of the study’s authors.

The inscriptions were written in the old Arabic script, which describes the pre-Islamic stage of the Arabic alphabet. The authors of the inscriptions identified themselves as Hanzala ibn Abd Amr and Abd al-Uzza ibn Sufyan.

The inscription reads: “In Your name, our Lord, I am Hanzala ibn Abd Amr, I call to the fear of God,” and “In Your name, our Lord, I am Abd al-Izz ibn Sufyan, I recommend the fear of God.”

The authors studied the biography of the Prophet Muhammad and the genealogical records of the Arabs, and found that the use of Old Arabic easily places these inscriptions in the late sixth or early seventh century and closely matches the timeline of Hanzala, a companion who died at the Battle of Uhud in 625 CE.

The name Al-Uzza refers to the Arab goddess Al-Uzza, who was worshipped by the people of Mecca in pre-Islamic Arabia, supporting the idea that the inscriptions were written by individuals who were not followers of the Prophet Muhammad, or at least not yet, during that period.

These observations led researchers to conclude that Hanzala is most likely the same person associated with the Prophet Muhammad and that he carved these words while traveling through Taif, perhaps with someone named Abd al-Uzza, before converting to Islam.

Al-Jallad confirmed that the inscription and weathering patterns indicate that the text was written long ago, ruling out the possibility of modern forgery.