Tag Archives: Arabic

The Arab World in Muhammad’s Time

Posted on November 25, 2020 by Ruth

Muhammad was born in Mecca sometime around 560 AD. We’ve traced the development of culture in Arabia for about the thousand years before this, bringing us up to his time. What did it mean then to be an Arab? The … Continue reading →

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Classical Arabic and Poetry

Posted on November 19, 2020 by Ruth

We come to the last major cultural element that brings us up to the time—and the phenomenon—of Muhammad. This is a particularly difficult element for Americans to understand because it’s so unlike us. (1) Every culture has at least one … Continue reading →

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Writing in Arabia

Posted on November 16, 2020 by Ruth

Until very late in Arabia’s history, writing was used only for inscriptions and other short statements made for important occasions. The first book written in Arabic—or in any form of Arabian language—was the Quran. East Arabia used Sumer’s cuneiform during … Continue reading →

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