Archaeological evidence shows that the world of the early Muslims--seventh century western Arabia--was home to sizable Jewish communities. Traces of these communities, their histories and practices, can be found in the Quran and early Muslim writings. This talk is an introduction to Judaism in the historical context of early Islam.

Hamza Zafer is an Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Washington. He is a historical linguist specializing in the ancient languages and literatures of the Red Sea region.  His work explores the historical interface between Jewish and Muslim religio-political thought in the Red Sea region from the sixth to the sixteenth century. His book Ecumenical Community (Brill, 2020) is a history of the Quranic word ummah or community.