*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 10*
*RELIGIONS OF ARABS*
Most Arabs believed in the religion of Abraham since his descendants lived in Mecca and spread in the Arabian peninsula. They worshipped Allāh as only one God and put into practice the True straight religion of Abraham (Monotheism). But with the passage of time they forgot the true religion while Monotheism and some rituals of this religion remained.
When 'Amr Ibn Luhayy, the chieftain of Khuzā'a, emerged, people loved and venerated him in the belief that he was one of the top Scholars and righteous people. He also was celebrated for benevolence and devoutness. Once he travelled to Ash-Shām, he saw people worshiping idols. He approved of this and regarded it as right worship. Since Ash-Shām was the origin of Prophets and scriptures. Then he returned, brought with him an idol called 'Hubal' and installed it in the heart of the Ka'abah. Thereby, he invited people to play polytheism and idolatry and they accepted his invitation easily. Very swiftly the people of Hijaz imitated Meccans on the pretext that they were the custodians of the Sacred House.
As regards the idol of Hubal, it was made of garnet, in the shape of a human, with a broken right hand. As Quraish found its hand broken, they made a hand of gold. So it was the first and greatest idol that polytheists worshipped. Among the oldest idols were Manāt which Huzail and Khuzā'a worshipped. It was erected in Al-Mushallal, at the coast of the Red Sea opposite Qudaid. Then Thaqīf worshipped Al-Lāt and installed it in At-Tā'if. Quraish and Banu Kināna worshipped Al-'Uzzā and erected it in the Wadi of Nakhlah.
It is reported that 'Amr Ibn Luhayy had a dream in which a Jenni told him that the idols (Wadd, Suā', Yaghus, Ya'uq and Nasr) worshipped by the people of Prophet Noah were buried in Jeddah. So he recognised their place and brought out. Then he offered to Tuhāma and when the season of pilgrimage came, he gave them the idols and they returned home with them.
Wadd was worshipped by the tribe of Kalb at Jarsh, Daumatul-Jandal near Iraq. As for Suā', it belonged to Huzail Ibn Mudreka and was located at Ruhāt, the land of Hijaz, towards the coast of the Red Sea, near Mecca. Yaghus belonged to Banu Ghutaif of Banu Murād and it was situated at Al-Jurf, Sheba.
Ya'uq appertained to Hamadān and was found at the village of Khaiwan, Yemen, Nasr was worshipped by Al-Dhul-Qilā' and was located at Hemyar.
People constructed buildings for these idols and sanctified them as they did the Ka'abah. They appointed custodians and janitors and oblations were offered to the idols in spite of their acknowledgement that the Ka'abah had an advantage over these buildings. Some tribes followed the same example, worshipped idols and built structures where they performed their rites. Dhul-Khalasa was worshipped by Daws, Khath'am, and Bujaila and it was located at Tabāla, a place lying between Mecca and Yemen. Fels located between the two mounts of Salam and Aja was worshipped by Banu Tayye'. Riyām situated at Sanaa was worshipped by Yemenis and Hemyarites. Ridāa was worshipped by Rabī'ah Ibn Kā'ab Ibn Zaid. Al-Ka'abāt found at Sandād, belonged to Bakr and Taghlab the two sons of Wā'il and Iyād.
On the other hand, Daws worshipped another idol called Dhul-Kaffain. Banu Bakr, Mālik and Malkān the descendants of Kināna worshipped Sa'ad. Some people of 'Uzra worshipped Shams while Khaulān worshipped 'Umayānis.
Thus polytheism prevailed everywhere and idols spread in all places. Each tribe had its own idol to worship. Concerning the Holy Mosque, polytheists filled it with idols. When the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) opened Mecca, he found nearly 360 idols around the Ka'abah and broke them with a stick he held in his hand. Then they were collected and burned. Also inside the Ka'abah there were idols and pictures, two of which were in the form of Abraham and Ishmael holding divining arrows in their hands. But all of these idols and pictures were completely effaced and removed at the Conquest of Mecca.
People persisted in their aberration and unbelief. We find that Abu Rajāa Al-'Utāridy say: "We worshipped stones (before Islam). If we found a stone which was better, we abandoned the one we worshipped first and began to worship another one. If we did not find a stone, we collected a pile of dust, brought a ewe to milk it over the pile and then we circumambulated it." (Narrated Bukhāry)
To sum up, polytheism and idolatry were the two important manifestations of the religious beliefs held by Pagans who claimed that they followed the religion of Abraham.
*...To be continued In-sha-Allah!*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
*Part 10*
*RELIGIONS OF ARABS*
Most Arabs believed in the religion of Abraham since his descendants lived in Mecca and spread in the Arabian peninsula. They worshipped Allāh as only one God and put into practice the True straight religion of Abraham (Monotheism). But with the passage of time they forgot the true religion while Monotheism and some rituals of this religion remained.
When 'Amr Ibn Luhayy, the chieftain of Khuzā'a, emerged, people loved and venerated him in the belief that he was one of the top Scholars and righteous people. He also was celebrated for benevolence and devoutness. Once he travelled to Ash-Shām, he saw people worshiping idols. He approved of this and regarded it as right worship. Since Ash-Shām was the origin of Prophets and scriptures. Then he returned, brought with him an idol called 'Hubal' and installed it in the heart of the Ka'abah. Thereby, he invited people to play polytheism and idolatry and they accepted his invitation easily. Very swiftly the people of Hijaz imitated Meccans on the pretext that they were the custodians of the Sacred House.
As regards the idol of Hubal, it was made of garnet, in the shape of a human, with a broken right hand. As Quraish found its hand broken, they made a hand of gold. So it was the first and greatest idol that polytheists worshipped. Among the oldest idols were Manāt which Huzail and Khuzā'a worshipped. It was erected in Al-Mushallal, at the coast of the Red Sea opposite Qudaid. Then Thaqīf worshipped Al-Lāt and installed it in At-Tā'if. Quraish and Banu Kināna worshipped Al-'Uzzā and erected it in the Wadi of Nakhlah.
It is reported that 'Amr Ibn Luhayy had a dream in which a Jenni told him that the idols (Wadd, Suā', Yaghus, Ya'uq and Nasr) worshipped by the people of Prophet Noah were buried in Jeddah. So he recognised their place and brought out. Then he offered to Tuhāma and when the season of pilgrimage came, he gave them the idols and they returned home with them.
Wadd was worshipped by the tribe of Kalb at Jarsh, Daumatul-Jandal near Iraq. As for Suā', it belonged to Huzail Ibn Mudreka and was located at Ruhāt, the land of Hijaz, towards the coast of the Red Sea, near Mecca. Yaghus belonged to Banu Ghutaif of Banu Murād and it was situated at Al-Jurf, Sheba.
Ya'uq appertained to Hamadān and was found at the village of Khaiwan, Yemen, Nasr was worshipped by Al-Dhul-Qilā' and was located at Hemyar.
People constructed buildings for these idols and sanctified them as they did the Ka'abah. They appointed custodians and janitors and oblations were offered to the idols in spite of their acknowledgement that the Ka'abah had an advantage over these buildings. Some tribes followed the same example, worshipped idols and built structures where they performed their rites. Dhul-Khalasa was worshipped by Daws, Khath'am, and Bujaila and it was located at Tabāla, a place lying between Mecca and Yemen. Fels located between the two mounts of Salam and Aja was worshipped by Banu Tayye'. Riyām situated at Sanaa was worshipped by Yemenis and Hemyarites. Ridāa was worshipped by Rabī'ah Ibn Kā'ab Ibn Zaid. Al-Ka'abāt found at Sandād, belonged to Bakr and Taghlab the two sons of Wā'il and Iyād.
On the other hand, Daws worshipped another idol called Dhul-Kaffain. Banu Bakr, Mālik and Malkān the descendants of Kināna worshipped Sa'ad. Some people of 'Uzra worshipped Shams while Khaulān worshipped 'Umayānis.
Thus polytheism prevailed everywhere and idols spread in all places. Each tribe had its own idol to worship. Concerning the Holy Mosque, polytheists filled it with idols. When the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) opened Mecca, he found nearly 360 idols around the Ka'abah and broke them with a stick he held in his hand. Then they were collected and burned. Also inside the Ka'abah there were idols and pictures, two of which were in the form of Abraham and Ishmael holding divining arrows in their hands. But all of these idols and pictures were completely effaced and removed at the Conquest of Mecca.
People persisted in their aberration and unbelief. We find that Abu Rajāa Al-'Utāridy say: "We worshipped stones (before Islam). If we found a stone which was better, we abandoned the one we worshipped first and began to worship another one. If we did not find a stone, we collected a pile of dust, brought a ewe to milk it over the pile and then we circumambulated it." (Narrated Bukhāry)
To sum up, polytheism and idolatry were the two important manifestations of the religious beliefs held by Pagans who claimed that they followed the religion of Abraham.
*...To be continued In-sha-Allah!*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
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