Pre-Islamic Arabic inscription discovered in Najran, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission announced the discovery of the oldest known Arabic inscriptions. The inscription dates back to pre-Islamic times, 191 years before the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

It was discovered from Jabal Al-Haqqan mountain at the prominent Hima



cultural site of the Najran region in southern Saudi Arabia. The commission stated that the Al-Haqqan inscription represents a vital phase in the evolution of Arabic scripts.

The inscription as per the Nabataean calendar dates back to around the year 380 and would be the sixth-oldest inscription in records.