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Who is Sean Anthony?Sean W. Anthony is a historian of early Islamic history and Arabic literature. After receiving his doctorate from the University of Chicago in 2009, Anthony taught at the University of Oregon (Eugene) and the Ohio State University, where he is
currently professor of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.
What is Early Islam?Early Islam or the history of Islam is believed, by most historians to have originated with Muhammad's mission in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century CE. Although Muslims regard this time as a return to the original faith passed down by
the Abrahamic prophets, such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus, with the submission (Islam) to the will of God. According to the traditional account, the Islamic prophet Muhammad began receiving what Muslims consider to be divine revelations in 610 CE, calling for submission to the one God, preparation for the imminent Last Judgement, and charity for the poor and needy.
What is Kabah?The Black Stone (al-Hajaru al-Aswad, "Black Stone") is a rock set into the eastern corner of the Kaaba, the ancient building located in the center of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is revered by Muslims as an Islamic relic which
according to Muslim tradition, dates back to the time of Adam and Eve. The stone was venerated at the Kaaba in pre-Islamic pagan times. According to Islamic tradition, it was set intact into the Kaaba's wall by the prophet Muhammad in 605 CE, five years before his first revelation. Since then it has been broken into fragments and is now cemented into a silver frame in the side of the Kaaba. Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba as a part of the tawaf ritual during the hajj and many try to stop and kiss the Black Stone, emulating the kiss that Islamic tradition records that it received from Muhammad. Muslims do not worship the Black Stone.
