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mohamed-khalil

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ATHAR

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وَكَانَتْ ثَقِيفٌ تَخُصُّ اللاتَ كَخَاصَّةِ قريشٍ الْعُزَّى. وَكَانَتِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ تَخُصُّ مَنَاةَ كَخَاصَّةِ هَؤُلَاءِ الآخرين

The Thaqif, on the other hand, were wont to offer Manah the exclusive honor of visitation and sacrifice, in the same way the Quraysh offered it to al-’Uzza, while the Aws and the Khazraj favored Manah therewith

فَأَمَّا الْعُزَّى فَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ تَخُصُّهَا دُونَ غَيْرِهَا بِالزِّيَارَةِ وَالْهَدِيَّةِ, وَذَلِكَ فِيمَا أَظُنُّ لقربها كَانَ مِنْهَا

Al-’Uzza, however, received from the Quraysh the exclusive honor of visitation and sacrifice. This, I believe, was because of her close proximity

فَقَالَ أَبُو خرٍاش فِي دُبَيَّةَ الشِّعْرَ الَّذِي تَقَدَّمَ قَالَ أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ وَلَمْ تَكُنْ قُرَيْشٌ بِمَكَّةَ وَمَنْ أَقَامَ بِهَا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ يُعَظِّمُونَ شَيْئًا مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ إِعْظَامَهُمُ الْعُزَّى ثُمَّ اللاتَ ثُمَّ مَنَاةَ

Abu-al-Mundhir said The Quraysh as well as the other Arabs who inhabited Mecca did not offer to any of the idols anything similar to their veneration of al-’Uzza. The next in order of veneration was Allat and then Manah

حَدَّثَنَا الْعَنَزِيُّ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ كَانَتِ الْعُزَّى شَيْطَانَةً تَأْتِي ثَلاثَ سمراتٍ بِبَطْنِ نَخْلَةٍ فَلَمَّا افْتَتَحَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَكَّةَ بَعَث خَالِدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيد فَقَالَ لَهُ إيت بَطْنَ نَخْلَةٍ فَإِنَّكَ تَجِدُ ثَلاثَ سمراتٍ فَاعْضُدِ الأولى فَأَتَاهَا فعضدها. فَلَمَّا جَاءَ إِلَيْهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قَالَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ شَيْئًا قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَاعْضُدِ الثَّانِيَةَ فَأَتَاهَا فَعَضَدَهَا ثُمَّ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ شَيْئًا قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَاعْضُدِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَأَتَاهَا فَإِذَا هُوَ بِحَبَشِيَّةٍ نافشةٍ شعرهَا واضعةٍ يَديهَا على عاتقها تصرف بأنيابها وَخَلفهَا دبية بن حرمى الشَّيْبَانِيّ ثمَّ السُّلَمِيُّ وَكَانَ سَادِنَهَا فَلَمَّا نَظَرَ إِلَى خالدٍ قَالَ أعزاء شُدِّي شَدَّةً لَا تَكْذِبِي ... عَلَى خالدٍ أَلْقِي الْخِمَارَ وَشَمِّرِي فَإِنَّكِ إِلا

We were told by al-’Anazi abu-’Ali that ‘Ali ibn-al-Sabbah had told him that he himself was informed by abu-al-Mundhir, who reported that his father had related to him on the authority of abu-Salih that ibn-’Abbas said Al-’Uzza was a she-devil which used to frequent three trees in the valley of Nakhlah. When the Prophet captured Mecca, he dispatched Khalid ibn-al-Walid saying, Go to the valley of Nakhlah; there you will find three trees. Cut down the first one. Khalid went and cut it down. On his return to report, the Prophet asked him saying, Have you seen anything there? Khalid replied and said, No. The Prophet ordered him to return and cut down the second tree. He went and cut it down. On his return to report the Prophet asked him a second time, Have you seen any- thing there? Khalid answered, No. Thereupon the Prophet ordered him to go back and cut down the third tree. When Khalid arrived on the scene he found an Abyssinian woman with dishevelled hair and her

قَالَ أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ يَطِيفُ مِنَ الطُّوفَانِ مِنْ طَافَ يَطِيفُ. وَالهَطِفُ بَطْنٌ مِنْ بَنِي عَمْرِو بن أسدٍ اللقف الْحَوْض المنكسر الَّذِي يضْرب أَصله المَاء فيتثلم يُقَال قد لقف الْحَوْض

(Said abu-al-Mundhir Al-Hatif is a clan of the banu-’Amr ibn-Asad.) Abu-al-Mundhir said Sa’id ibn-al-’As abu-Uhayhah was wont to don a turban while in Mecca. Whenever he donned his turban no one ever dared don another of the same color

فَقَالَ أَبُو خِرَاشٍ الْهُذَلِيُّ فِي دُبَيَّةَ يَرْثِيهِ مَا لِدُبَيَّةَ مُنْذُ الْيَوْمِ لَمْ أَرَهُ ... وَسْطَ الشُّرُوبِ وَلَمْ يُلْمِمْ وَلَمْ يَطِفِ لَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا لَغَادَاهُمْ بمترعةٍ… مِنَ الرَّوَاوِيقِ مِنْ شِيزَى بَنِي الْهَطِفِ ضَخْمُ الرَّمَادِ عَظِيمُ الْقِدْرِ جَفْنَتُهُ ... حِينَ الشِّتَاءِ كحوض المنهل اللقف أَمْسَى سقام خلاءً لَا أنيس بِهِ ... إِلَّا السبَاع وَمر الرّيح بالغرف

Abu-Khirash al-Hudhali said lamenting Dubayyah What is wrong with Dubayyah? For days I have not seen him Amid the wine-bibbers; he drew not nigh, he did not appear. If he were living I would have come with a cup Of the banu-Hatif make, filled with Bacchus oil. Generous and noble is he; no sooner his wine cups Are filled than they become empty, like an old tank full of holes in the midst of winter. Suqam has become desolate, deserted by all of its friends, except the wild beasts and the wind which blows through its empty chambers

فَلَمَّا كَانَ عَامُ الْفَتْحِ دَعَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَالِدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ فَقَالَ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى شجرةٍ بِبَطْنِ نَخْلَةٍ فَاعْضُدْهَا فَانْطَلَقَ فَأَخَذَ دُبَيَّةَ فَقَتَلَهُ وَكَانَ سَادِنَهَا

In the year of the victory (‘am al-fath), the Prophet summoned Khalid ibn-al-Walid and said unto him, Go unto a tree in the valley of Nakhlah and cut it down. Khalid went thereto, captured Dubayyah, who was the custodian of al-’Uzza, and killed him

قَالَ أَبُو لَهَبٍ وَاللَّه مَا عُبِدَتْ حَيَاتَكَ لأَجْلِكَ وَلا تُتْرَكُ عِبَادَتُهَا بعْدك لموتك فَقَالَ أَبُو أُحَيْحَةَ الآنَ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ لِي خَلِيفَةً وَأَعْجَبَهُ شِدَّةَ نَصَبِهِ فِي عِبَادَتِهَا

Abu-Lahab answered and said, By God! Al-’Uzza was not worshipped during your lifetime for your sake, and her worship will not be discontinued after you depart because of your death. Abu-Uhayhah then said, Now I know that I have a successor, and was well pleased with abu-Lahab’s intense loyalty to al-’Uzza

فَقَالَ مَا يُبْكِيكَ يَا أَبَا أُحَيْحَةَ أَمِنَ الْمَوْتِ تَبْكِي وَلا بُدَّ مِنْهُ قَالَ لَا وَلَكِنِّي أَخَاف أَن لَا تُعْبَدَ الْعُزَّى بَعْدِي

Thereupon abu-Lahab asked, What makes you weep O abu-Uhayhah? Is it death which is inevitable? Abu-Uhayhah replied, No. But I fear that al-’Uzza will not be worshipped after I depart

وَمَرِضَ أَبُو أُحَيْحَةَ وَهُوَ سعيد بن الْعَاصِ بن أُميَّة ابْن عَبْدِ شَمْسِ بْنِ عَبْدِ مَنَافٍ مَرَضَهُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ, فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَبُو لهبٍ يَعُودُهُ فَوَجَدَهُ يَبْكِي

Then abu-Uhayhah (Sa’id ibn-al-’As ibn-Umayyah ibn-’Abd-Shams ibn-’Abd-Manaf) was taken sick by what proved to be his last and fatal sickness. As he lay on his deathbed, abu-Lahab came to visit and found him weeping

فَلَمْ تَزَلِ الْعُزَّى كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَعَابَهَا وَغَيَّرَهَا مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهَا وَنَزَلَ الْقُرْآنُ فِيهَا, فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى قُرَيْشٍ

Al-’Uzza continued to be venerated until God sent His Prophet who ridiculed her together with the other idols and forbade her worship. At the same time a revelation concerning her came down in the Koran42. This proved very hard upon the Quraysh

وَله يَقُول أَبُو خراشٍ الْهُذلِيّ وَكَانَ قدم عَلَيْهِ فحذاه نَعْلَيْنِ جيدتين فَقَالَ حذانى بعد مَا خذمت نِعَالِي ... دُبَيَّةُ إِنَّهُ نِعْمَ الْخَلِيلُ مُقَابِلَتَيْنِ مِنْ صِلْوَيْ مَشَبٍّ ... مِنَ الثِّيرَانِ وَصْلُهُمَا جَمِيلُ فَنِعْمَ مُعَرَّسُ الأَضْيَافِ تَذْحَى ... رِحَالُهُمُ شَآمِيَّةٌ بَلِيلُ يُقَاتل جُوعَهُمْ بمكللاتٍ ... مِنَ الْفُرْنِيِّ يَرْعَبُهَا الْجَمِيلُ

In connection with a visit to Dubayyah, in which he was given a good pair of shoes, abu-Khirash said When my old slices went to pieces, Dubayyah gave me a new pair. The best friend is he. Carefully and evenly made of the hide of a full-grown ox, Truly they are a worthy present to give. How excellent is the place where his guests rest, While the refreshing north winds lash their tents. Their hunger he satisfies with cakes Steeped in butter, tasty and sweet

وَكَانَ سَدَنَةَ الْعُزَّى بَنُو شَيْبَانَ بْنِ جَابر بن مرّة بن عبس بن رِفَاعَة بن الْحَارِث ابْن عتبَة بن سليم بن مَنْصُور من بني سليم وَكَانَ آخر من سدنها مِنْهُم دبية ابْن حرمى السّلمِيّ

The custody of al-’Uzza was in the hands of the banu-Shayban ibn-Jabir ibn-Murrah ibn-’Abs ibn-Rifa’ah ibn-al-Harith ibn-’Utbah ibn-Sulaym ihn-Mansur of the banu-Sulaym. The last of them to hold its custody was Dubayyah ibn-Harami al-Sulami

فَلِذَلِكَ يَقُولُ زَيْدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ نُفَيْلٍ وَكَانَ قَدْ تَأَلَّهَ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّة وَترك عبادتها وَعِبَادَةَ غَيْرِهَا مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ تَرَكْتُ اللاتَ وَالْعُزَّى جَمِيعًا ... كَذَلِكَ يَفْعَلُ الْجَلِدُ الصَّبُورُ فَلا الْعُزَّى أَدِينُ وَلا ابْنَتَيْهَا ... وَلا صَنَمَيْ بَنِي غنمٍ أَزُورُ وَلا هُبَلا أَزُورُ وَكَانَ رَبًّا ... لَنَا فِي الدَّهْرِ إِذْ حِلْمِي صَغِيرُ

The Quraysh were wont to venerate her above all other idols. For this reason Zayd ibn-’Amr ibn-Nufayl, who, during the Jahiliyah days, had turned to the worship of God and renounced that of al-’Uzza and of the other idols, said I have renounced both Allat and al-’Uzza, For thus would the brave and the robust do. No more do I worship al-’Uzza and her two daughters, Or visit the two idols of the banu-Ghanm; Nor do I journey to Hubal and adore it, Although it was our lord when I was young

وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ تَخُصُّهَا بِالإِعْظَامِ

The Quraysh were wont to venerate her above all other idols

وَلَهُ يَقُولُ قَيْسُ بْنُ مُنْقِذِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ ضَاطِرِ بْنِ حبشية بن سلول الْخُزَاعِيّ (وَلَدَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ بَنِي حُدَادٍ مِنْ كِنَانَةَ وَنَاسٌ يَجْعَلُونَهَا مِنْ حُدَادِ محاربٍ) وَهُوَ قَيْسُ بن الحدادية الْخُزَاعِيّ تلينا بَيت اللَّهِ أَوَّلَ حلفةٍ ... وَإِلا فأنصابٍ يَسِرْنَ بِغَبْغَبِ

Qays ibn-Munqidh ibn-’Ubayd ibn-Datir32 ibn-Hubshiyah ibn-Salul al-Khuza’i (born to a woman of the banu-Hudad of the Kinanah while others hold that she was of the banu- Hudad of the Mubarib) who is the same as Qays ibn-Hudadiyah, speaking of it, said We swore first by the House of God, And failing that, by the baetyls which in al-Ghabghab stand

فلغبغبٍ يَقُولُ نُهَيْكَةُ الْفَزَارِيُّ لِعَامِرِ بْنِ الطُّفَيْلِ يَا عَامُ لَوْ قَدَرَتْ عَلَيْكَ رِمَاحُنَا... وَالرَّاقِصَاتُ إِلَى منى فالغبغب لتقيت بالوجعاء طعنة فاتكٍ... مران أَوْ لَثَوَيْتَ غَيْرَ مُحْسَبِ

Nuhaykah al-Fazari, addressing ‘Amir ibn-al-Tufayl, speaks of al-Ghabghab saying O ‘Amir! If we had but overtaken thee with our spears, By the stars that watch over Mina and al-Ghabghab! Thou wouldst have avoided the thrust of a bold warrior by turning thy hind part, Or thou wouldst have taken thy resting place with neither honor nor shroud

فَكَانُوا يَقْسِمُونَ لُحُومَ هَدَايَاهُمْ فِيمَنْ حَضَرَهَا وَكَانَ عِنْدَهَا

It was customary to divide the flesh of the sacrifice among those who had offered it and among those present at the ceremony

فَلَهُ يَقُولُ الْهُذَلِيُّ وَهُوَ يَهْجُو رَجُلا تَزَوَّجَ امْرَأَةً جَمِيلَةً يُقَالُ لَهَا أَسْمَاءُ لَقَدْ أُنْكِحَتْ أَسْمَاءُ لِحَى بقيرةٍ...مِنَ الأُدْمِ أَهْدَاهَا امْرُؤٌ مِنْ بَنِي غَنْمِ رَأَى قَذَعًا فِي عَيْنِهَا إِذْ يَسُوقُهَا... إِلَى غَبْغَبِ الْعُزَّى فَوَضَعَ فِي الْقَسْمِ

Hudhali26 speaks of it in a satire which he composed against a certain man who had married a beautiful woman whose name was Asmr. He said Asmi’ was married to the jawbone of a little cow Which one of the banu-Ghanm’ had offered for sacrifice. As he led it to the Ghabghab of al-’Uzza, He noticed some defects in its eyes; And when the cow was offered upon the altar, And its flesh divided, his portion was foul

وَكَانَ لَهَا مَنْحَرٌ يَنْحَرُونَ فِيهِ هَدَايَاهَا يُقَالُ لَهُ الْغَبْغَبُ

She also had a place of sacrifice called al-Ghabghab where they offered their oblations

وَلَهَا يَقُولُ دِرْهَمُ بْنُ زيدٍ الأَوْسِيُّ إِنِّي وَرَبِّ الْعُزَّى السَّعِيدَةِ وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي دُونَ بَيْتِهِ سَرَفُ

Dirham ibn-Zayd al-Awsi21 also said By the Lord of al-’Uzza, the propitious, And by God betwixt whose House and Suqam Sarif stands

فَذَاك قَوْلُ أَبِي جندبٍ الْهُذَلِيِّ ثمَّ القردي فِي امْرَأَة كَانَ يهواها فَذكر حَلفهَا لَهُ بِهَا لَقَدْ حَلَفْتُ جَهْدًا يَمِينًا غَلِيظَةً...بِفَرْعِ الَّتِي أحمت فروع سقام لَئِن أَنْت لَمْ تُرْسِلْ ثِيَابِي فَأَنْطَلِقْ... أُبَادِيكِ أُخْرَى عَيْشَنَا بِكَلامِ يَعُزُّ عَلَيْهِ صَرْم أُمِّ حويرثٍ... فَأَمْسَى يَرُومُ الأَمْرَ كُلَّ مَرَامِ

Abu-Jundub al-Hudhali (also al-Qirdi), describing a woman with whom he was in love, composed the following verses and mentioned in them a vow which she made to him swearing by al-’Uzza She swore an earnest and solemn oath By her to whom the vales of Suqam were dedicated If thou wouldst not return my clothes, go, For the rest of my life I would hate thee. Since it was hard for him to part with umm-Huwayrith, He became eager to fulfil her desire

وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ قَدْ حَمَتْ لَهَا شِعْبًا مِنْ وَادِي حراضٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ سقَامٌ يُضَاهُونَ بِهِ حرم الْكَعْبَة

The Quraysh had dedicated to it, in the valley of Hurad, a ravine (shi’b) called Suqam and were wont to vie there with the Sacred Territory of the Ka’bah

فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ رَسُولَهُ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ {أَفَرَأَيْتُمُ اللَّاتَ وَالْعُزَّى وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةَ الأُخْرَى أَلَكُمُ الذَّكَرُ وَلَهُ الأُنْثَى تِلْكَ إِذًا قِسْمَةٌ ضِيزَى إِنْ هِيَ إِلا أَسْمَاءٌ سَمَّيْتُمُوهَا أَنْتُمْ وَآبَاؤُكُمْ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ بهَا من سُلْطَان

When the Apostle of God was sent, God revealed unto him concerning them the following Have you seen Allat and al-’Uzza, and Manah the third idol besides? What? Shall ye have male progeny and God female? This indeed were an unfair partition! These are mere names ye and your fathers named them thus God hath not sent down any warranty in their regard

كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَهُنَّ يَشْفَعْنَ إِلَيْهِ

These were also called the Daughters of Allah, and were supposed to intercede before God

وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ تَطُوفُ بِالْكَعْبَةِ وَتَقُولُ وَاللاتِ وَالْعُزَّى وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَةِ الأُخْرَى... فَإِنَّهُنَّ الْغَرَانِيقُ الْعُلَى وَإِنَّ شفاعتهن لَتُرْتَجَى

The Quraysh were wont to circumambulate the Ka’bah and say By Allat and al-’Uzza, And Manah, the third idol besides. Verily they are the most exalted females Whose intercession is to be sought

وَقَدْ بَلَغَنَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَكَرَهَا يَوْمًا فَقَالَ لَقَدْ أَهْدَيْتُ لِلْعُزَّى شَاةً عَفْرَاءَ وَأَنَا عَلَى دِينِ قَوْمِي

We have been told that the Apostle of God once mentioned al-Uzza saying, I have offered a white sheep to al-’Uzza, while I was a follower of the religion of my people

وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَب وقريش تسمى بهَا عبد الْعُزَّى. وَكَانَت أَعْظَمَ الأَصْنَامِ عِنْدَ قُرَيْشٍ. وَكَانُوا يَزُورُونَهَا وَيُهْدُونَ لَهَا وَيَتَقَرَّبُونَ عِنْدَهَا بِالذَّبْحِ

The Arabs as well as the Quraysh were wont to name their children ‘Abd-al-’Uzza. Furthermore al-’Uzza was the greatest idol among the Quraysh. They used to journey to her, offer gifts unto her, and seek her favours through sacrifice

وَكَانَ الَّذِي اتَّخَذَ الْعُزَّى ظَالِمُ بْنُ أَسْعَدَ. كَانَتْ بوادٍ مِنْ نَخْلَةِ الشَّامِيَّةِ يُقَال لَهُ حُرَاضٌ بِإِزَاءِ الْغُمَيْرِ عَنْ يَمِينِ الْمُصْعِدِ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَذَلِكَ فَوْقَ ذَاتِ عرقٍ إِلَى الْبُسْتَانِ بِتِسْعَةِ أَمْيَالٍ فَبَنَى عَلَيْهَا بَسًّا (يُرِيدُ بَيْتًا). وَكَانُوا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهِ الصَّوْتَ

The person who introduced al-’Uzza was Zilim ibn-As’ad. Her idol was situated in a valley in Nakhlat al-Sha’miyah9 called Hurad, alongside al-Ghumayr’ to the right of the road from Mecca to al-’Iraq, above Dhat-Irq and nine miles from al-Bustin. Over her Zalim built a house called Buss14 in which the people used to receive oracular communications

فَوجدت تَمِيم بن مر سمى ابْنه زَيْدَ مَنَاةَ بْنَ تَمِيمِ بْنِ مُرِّ بْنِ أد بن طابخة وَعبد مَنَاة بن أد وباسم اللات سمى ثَعْلَبَة بن عكابة ابْنه تيم اللات وتيم اللات بن رفيدة بن ثَوْر وزَيْدِ اللاتِ بْنِ رُفَيْدَةَ بْنِ ثَوْرِ بْنِ وبرة بن مر بن أد ابْن طابخة وتيم اللات بن النمر بن قاسط وَعبد الْعُزَّى بن كَعْب بن سعد ابْن زَيْدِ مَنَاةَ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ. فَهِيَ أَحْدَثُ مِنَ الْأَوليين

Thus I have found that Tamim ibn-Murr had called his sons Zayd-Manah ibn-Tamim ibn-Murr ibn-Udd ibn-Tabikhah’ and ‘Abd-Manah ibn-Udd. Similarly Tha’labah ibn-’Ukabah named his son after Allit, calling him Taym-Allat. Others were Taym-Allat ibn-Rufaydah ibn-Thawr, Zayd-Allat ibn-Rufaydah ibn-Thawr ibn-Wabarah ibn-Murr ibn-Udd ibn-Tabikhah. Taym-Allat ibn-al-Namir ibn-Qasit, and ‘Abd-al-’Uzza ibn-Ka’b ibn-Sa’d ibn-Zayd-Manah ibn-Tamim. It is therefore more recent than the first two

ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُوا الْعُزَّى. وَهِيَ أَحْدَثُ مِنَ اللاتِ وَمَنَاةَ وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي سَمِعت الْعَرَب سمت بهما قبل الْعُزَّى

They then adopted al-’Uzza1 as their goddess. She is, in point of time, more recent than either Allat or Manah, since I have heard that the Arabs named their children after the latter two before they named them after al-’Uzza

وَقَالَ أَوْسُ بْنُ حجرٍ يَحْلِفُ بِاللاتِ وَبِاللاتِ وَالْعُزَّى وَمَنْ دَانَ دِينَهَا ... وَبِاللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مِنْهُنَّ أَكْبَرُ

Aws ibn-Hajar, swearing by Allat, said By Allat and al-’Uzza and those who in them believe, And by Allah, verily He is greater than both

وَفِي ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ شَدَّادُ بْنُ عارضٍ الْجُشَمِيُّ حِينَ هُدِمَتْ وَحرقت ينْهَى ثقيفاً عَن الْعود إِلَيْهَا وَالْغَضَب لَهَا لَا تنصروَا اللاتَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مُهْلِكُهَا... وَكَيْفَ نَصْرُكُمْ مَنْ لَيْسَ يَنْتَصِرُ؟ إِنَّ الَّتِي حُرِّقَتْ بِالنَّارِ فَاشْتَعَلَتْ ... وَلَمْ تُقَاتِلْ لَدَى أَحْجَارِهَا هَدَرُ إِنَّ الرَّسُولَ مَتَى يَنْزِلُ بِسَاحَتِكُمْ ... يَظْعَنُ وَلَيْسَ بِهَا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا بَشَرُ

In this connection, when Allat was destroyed and burnt to the ground, Shaddid ibn-’Arid al-Jushami’ said warning the Thaqif not to return to her worship nor attempt to avenge her destruction Come not to Allat, for God hath doomed her to destruction; How can you stand by one which doth not triumph? Verily that which, when set on fire, resisted not the flames, Nor saved her stones, is inglorious and worthless. Hence when the Apostle in your place shall arrive And then leave, not one of her votaries shall be left

فَلَمْ تَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى أَسْلَمَتْ ثَقِيفٌ فَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمُغِيرَةَ بْنَ شُعْبَةَ فَهَدَمَهَا وَحَرَّقَهَا بِالنَّارِ

Allat continued to be venerated until the Thaqif embraced Islam, when the Apostle of God dispatched al-Mughirah ibn-Shu’bab, who destroyed her and burnt her temple to the ground

وَلَهُ يَقُولُ الْمُتَلَمِّسُ فِي هِجَائِهِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْمُنْذِرِ أَطْرَدْتَنِي حَذَرَ الْهِجَاءِ وَلا ... وَاللاتِ وَالأَنْصَابِ لَا تَئِلُ

Likewise it was the same idol to which al-Mutalammis alluded in his satire of ‘Amr ibn-al-Mundhirt when he said Thou hast banished me for fear of lampoon and satire. No! By Allat and all the sacred baetyls (ansab), thou shalt not escape

وَلها يَقُول عَمْرو بن الجعيد فإنى وَتَرْكِي وَصْلِ كأسٍ لَكَالَّذِي ... تَبَرَّأَ مِنْ لاتٍ وَكَانَ يَدِينُهَا

It was this same Allat which ‘Amr ibn-al-Ju’ayd had in mind when he said In forswearing wine I am like him who hath abjured Allat, although he had been at one time her devotee

وَكَانَتْ فِي مَوْضِعِ مَنَارَةِ مَسْجِدِ الطَّائِفِ الْيُسْرَى الْيَوْمَ وَهِيَ الَّتِي ذَكَرَهَا اللَّهُ فِي الْقُرْآن فَقَالَ {أَفَرَأَيْتُم اللات والعزى

She stood in the place of the left-hand side minaret of the present-day mosque of al-Ta’if. She is the idol which God mentioned when He said, Have you seen Allat and al-’Uzza

وَبهَا كَانَت الْعَرَب تسمى زيد اللات وتيم اللاتِ

They also used to name their children after her, calling them Zayd-Allat and Taym-Allat

وَكَانَ سَدَنَتَهَا مِنْ ثَقِيفٍ بَنُو عَتَّابِ بْنِ مالكٍ وَكَانُوا قَدْ بَنَوْا عَلَيْهَا بِنَاءً وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْش وَجَمِيع الْعَرَب تعظمها

Her custody was in the hands of the banu-’Attab ibn-Malik of the Thaqif, who had built an edifice over her. The Quraysh, as well as all the Arabs, were wont to venerate Allat

وَاللاتُ بِالطَّائِفِ وَهِيَ أَحْدَثُ من مَنَاة. وَكَانَت صَخْرَةً مُرَبَّعَةً وَكَانَ يَهُودِيٌّ يَلُتُّ عِنْدَهَا السَّوِيقَ

Allat stood in al-Ta’if, and was more recent than Manah. She was a cubic rock beside which a certain Jew used to prepare his barley porridge (sawiq

ثُمَّ اتَّخَذُوا اللاتَ

They then adopted Allat as their goddess

وَيُقَالُ إِنَّ عَلِيًّا وجد هذَيْن السيفين فِي الْفلس وَهُوَ صنم ظيى حَيْثُ بَعَثَهُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فهدمه

It is also said that ‘Ali found these two swords in the temple of al-Fals, the idol of the Tayyi’, whither the Prophet had sent him, and which he also destroyed

فَوَهَبَهُمَا النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِعَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْه فَيُقَالُ إِنَّ ذَا الْفِقَارِ سَيْفٌ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمَا

The Prophet gave these two swords to ‘All. It is, therefore, said that dhu-al-Faqar, the sword of ‘Ali, was one of them

وَهُمَا سَيْفَا الْحَارِثِ اللَّذَانِ ذَكَرَهُمَا عَلْقَمَةُ فِي شِعْرِهِ فَقَالَ مُظَاهِرُ سِرْبَالَيْ حديدٍ عَلَيْهِمَا ... عَقِيلا سيوفٍ مِخْذَمٌ وَرَسُوبُ

They are the two swords of al-Harith which ‘Alqamah mentions in one of his poems. He said Wearing two coats of mail as well as Two studded swords, Mikhdham and Rasub

فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَخَذَ سَيْفَانِ كَانَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي شمرٍ الْغَسَّانِيُّ مَلِكُ غَسَّانَ أهداهما لَهَا أَحَدُهُمَا يُسَمَّى مِخْذَمًا وَالآخَرَ رَسُوبًا

Among the treasures which ‘Ali carried away were two swords which had been presented to Manah by al-Harith ibn-abi-Shamir al-Ghassani, the king of Ghassan. The one sword was called Mikhdham and the other Rasub

فَلَمَّا سَارَ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ أَرْبَعَ ليالٍ أَوْ خَمْسَ ليالٍ بَعَثَ عَلِيًّا إِلَيْهَا فَهَدَمَهَا وَأَخَذَ مَا كَانَ لَهَا. فَأَقْبَلَ بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

When he was at a distance of four or five nights from Medina, he dispatched ‘Ali to destroy her. ‘Ali demolished her, took away all her treasures, and carried them back to the Prophet

وَكَانَتْ قُرَيْشٌ وَجَمِيعُ الْعَرَبِ تُعَظِّمُهُ. فَلَمْ يَزَلْ على ذَلِكَ حَتَّى خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم من الْمَدِينَة سنة ثمانٍ من الْهِجْرَة وَهُوَ عَامُ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ

The Quraysh as well as the rest of the Arabs continued to venerate Manah until the Apostle of God set out from Medina in the eighth year of the Hijrah16, the year in which God accorded him the victory

وَمَنَاة هَذِه الَّتِي ذَكَرَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَقَالَ {وَمَنَاةَ الثَّالِثَة الْأُخْرَى} وَكَانَتْ لهذيلٍ وَخُزَاعَةَ

This Manah is that which God mentioned when He said, And Manah, the third idol besides. She was the goddess of the Hudhayl and the Khuza’ah

وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَبُ جَمِيعًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يُسَمُّونَ الأَوْسَ وَالْخَزْرَجَ جَمِيعًا الْخَزْرَجَ. فَلِذَلِكَ يَقُولُ عِنْدَ مَحَلِّ آلِ الْخَزْرَجِ

During the Jahiliyah days, the Arabs were wont to call both the Aws and the Khazraj by the single generic name, al-Khazraj. For this reason the part said, at the sacred place of the Khazraj

فَلإِعْظَامِ الأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ يَقُولُ عَبْدُ الْعُزَّى بْنُ وَدِيعَةَ الْمُزَنِيُّ أَوْ غَيْرُهُ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ إِنِّي حَلَفْتُ يَمِينَ صدقٍ بَرَّةً ... بِمَنَاةَ عِنْدَ مَحَلِّ آلِ الْخَزْرَجِ

Because of this veneration of Manah by the Awa and the Khazraj, ‘Abd-al-’Uzza ibn-Wadi’ah al-Muzani, or some other Arab, said An oath, truthful and just, I swore By Manah, at the sacred place of the Khazraj

فَإِذَا نَفَرُوا أَتَوْهُ فَحَلَقُوا رُءُوسَهُمْ عِنْدَهُ وَأَقَامُوا عِنْده لَا يرَوْنَ لحجهم تَمَامًا إِلا بِذَلِكَ

At the end of the pilgrimage, however, when they were about to return home, they would set out to the place where Manah stood, shave their heads, and stay there a while. They did not consider their pilgrimage completed until they visited Manah

قَالَ أَبُو الْمُنْذِر هِشَامُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَحَدَّثَنَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارِ ابْن يَاسِرٍ وَكَانَ أَعْلَمَ النَّاسِ بِالأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ قَالَ كَانَتِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ وَمَنْ يَأْخُذُ بِأَخْذِهِمْ مِنْ عَرَبِ أَهْلِ يَثْرِبَ وَغَيْرِهَا فَكَانُوا يَحُجُّونَ فَيَقِفُونَ مَعَ النَّاسِ الْمَوَاقِفَ كُلَّهَا وَلا يَحْلِقُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ

Abu-al-Mundhir Hisham ibn-Muhammad said I was told by a man from the Quraysh on the authority of abu-’Ubaydab ‘Abdullab11 ibn-abi-’Ubaydah ibn-’Ammar ibn-Yasir who was the best informed man on the subject of the Aws and the Khazraj, that the Aws and the Khazraj, as well as those Arabs among the people of Yathrib and other places who took to their way of life, were wont to go on pilgrimage and observe the vigil at all the appointed places, but not shave their heads

وَكَانَ أَوْلادُ مَعْدٍ عَلَى بقيةٍ مِنْ دِينِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَكَانَتْ رَبِيعَةُ وَمُضَرُ عَلَى بقيةٍ مِنْ دِينِهِ. وَلَمْ يَكُنْ أَحَدٌ أَشَدَّ إِعْظَامًا لَهُ مِنَ الأَوْسِ وَالْخَزْرَجِ

The children of the Ma’add were followers of a faith which still preserved a little of the religion of Ishmael. The Rabi’ah and the Mudar, too, were followers of a similar faith. But none venerated her more than the Aws and the Khazraj

وَكَانَتِ الأَوْسُ وَالْخَزْرَجُ وَمَنْ يَنْزِلُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَمَكَّةَ وَمَا قَارَبَ مِنَ الْمَوَاضِعِ يُعَظِّمُونَهُ وَيَذْبَحُونَ لَهُ ويهدون لَهُ

In particular the Aws and the Khazraj, as well as the inhabitants of Medina and Mecca and their vicinities, used to venerate Manah, sacrifice before her, and bring unto her their offerings

وَكَانَتِ الْعَرَب جَمِيعًا تعظمه وتذبح حوله

All the Arabs used to venerate her and sacrifice before her

وَكَانَ مَنْصُوبًا عَلَى سَاحِلِ الْبَحْرِ مِنْ نَاحِيَةِ الْمُشَلَّلِ بِقُدَيْدٍ بَيْنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَمَكَّةَ

Manah was erected on the seashore in the vicinity of al-Mushallal in Qudayd, between Medina and Mecca

وَقد كَانَت الْعَرَب تسمى عبد مناه وَزيد مَنَاةَ

The Arabs used to name their children ‘Abd-Manah and Zayd-Manah

فَكَانَ أقدمها كلهَا مَنَاة

The most ancient of all these idols was Manah

فَلَمَّا صَنَعَ هَذَا عَمْرُو بْنُ لُحَيٍّ دَانَتِ الْعَرَب للأصنام وعبدوها واتخذوها

When, therefore, ‘Amr ibn-Luhayy brought the idols from al-Balqa, they accepted and worshipped them

هَذِهِ الْخَمْسَة الْأَصْنَام الَّتِي كَانَت يَعْبُدهَا قوم نوحٍ فَذكرهَا الله عز وَجل فِي كِتَابه فِيمَا أَنْزَلَ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ {قَالَ نُوحٌ رَبِّ إِنَّهُمْ عَصَوْنِي وَاتَّبَعُوا مَنْ لَمْ يَزِدْهُ مَالُهُ وَوَلَدُهُ إِلا خَسَارًا وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا كُبَّارًا وَقَالُوا لَا تَذَرُنَّ آلِهَتَكُمْ وَلا تَذَرُنَّ وَدًّا وَلا سُوَاعًا وَلا يَغُوثَ وَيَعُوقَ وَنَسْرًا وَقَدْ أَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَلا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلا ضلالا

These, then, are the five idols which the people of Noah used to worship. For this reason God mentioned them in His Book, which He revealed to His Prophet, Said Noah, ‘O Lord! they rebel against me, and they follow those whose riches and children do but aggravate their ruin.’ And they plotted a great plot; and they said, ‘Forsake not your gods; Forsake not Wadd and Suwa, nor Yaghuth and Ya’uq and Nasr.’ And they caused many to err; and thou, too, shalt be the means of increasing only error in the wicked

وَلَمْ تَحْفَظِ الْعَرَبُ مِنْ أَشْعَارِهَا إِلا مَا كَانَ قُبَيْلَ الإِسْلامِ

Furthermore, the Arabs preserved nothing of its poetry except those poems which belonged to the period immediately preceding Islam

فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ تبع من مسيره الَّذِي سَار فِيهِ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ قَدِمَ مَعَهُ الْحَبْرَانِ اللَّذَانِ صَحِبَاهُ من الْمَدِينَة, فأمراه بهدم رئام. قَالَ شَأْنَكُمَا بِهِ. فَهَدَمَاهُ وَتَهَوَّدَ تُبَّعُ وَأَهْلُ الْيمن. فَمن ثمَّ لم أسمع بِذكر رئام وَلَا نسرٍ فِي شئ مِنَ الأَشْعَارِ وَلا الأَسْمَاءِ

When the Tubba’ returned from the expedition to al-’Iraq, the two rabbis (al-habran) who accompanied him to Medina came along with him to destroy Ri’am. He told them, Do with it whatever you wish. Thereupon they demolished it, and the Tubba’, together with the people of Yemen, embraced Judaism. Henceforth I never heard of any mention of Ri’am and Nasr either in poetry or in proper names

وَكَانُوا فِيمَا يَذْكُرُونَ يُكْلَمُونَ مِنْهُ

According to one report, they used to receive communications from an oracle therein

وَكَانَ لِحِمْيَرَ أَيْضًا بَيْتٌ بِصَنْعَاءَ يُقَالُ لَهُ ريَامُ يُعَظِّمُونَهُ وَيَتَقَرَّبُونَ عِنْدَهُ بِالذَّبَائِحِ

The Himyar had also another temple (bayt) in San’a’. It was called Ri’am; the people venerated it and offered in it sacrifices

وَأَظُنُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ لانْتِقَالِ حِمْيَرَ أَيَّامَ تبعٍ عَنْ عِبَادَةِ الأَصْنَامِ إِلَى الْيَهُودِيَّةِ

I think this is because the Himyar relinquished idolatry and embraced Judaism during the reign of Tubba

وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ حِمْيَرَ سَمَّتْ بِهِ أَحَدًا وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ لَهُ ذِكْرًا فِي أَشْعَارِهَا وَلا أشعار أحدٍ من الْعَرَبِ

have not, however, heard of the Himyar naming any of their members after Nasr (i.e. ‘Abd- Nasr. Nor have I heard of any mention of Nasr in the poetry of the Arabs

وَاتَّخَذَتْ حِمْيَرُ نَسْرًا. فَعَبَدُوهُ بِأَرْضٍ يُقَالُ لَهَا بَلْخَعٌ

The Himyar adopted Nasr1 as their god, and worshipped it in a place called Balkha

وَأَظُنُّ ذَلِكَ لأَنَّهُمْ قَرُبُوا مِنْ صَنْعَاءَ وَاخْتَلَطُوا بِحِمْيَرَ فَدَانُوا مَعَهُمْ بِالْيَهُودِيَّةِ أَيَّامَ تَهَوَّدَ ذُو نواسٍ فَتَهَوَّدُوا مَعَهُ

I think this is because they were situated close to San’a5, and consequently mixed with the Himyar and embraced Judaism with them at the same time when dhu-Nuwas accepted the religion of Israel and converted his followers to it

وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ هَمْدَانَ سَمَّتْ بِهِ وَلا غَيْرَهَا مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ لَهَا وَلا لغَيْرهَا فِيهِ شِعْرًا

I have not heard of the Hamdan4, or of any other tribe among the Arabs, naming any of their members after Ya’uq i.e. calling any individual ‘Abd-Ya’uq. Nor have I ever heard of any mention of Ya’uq in their poetry

فَكَانَ بِقَرْيَةٍ لَهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهَا خَيْوَانُ مِنْ صنعاء على لَيْلَتَيْنِ مِمَّا بلَى مَكَّةَ

It was placed in a village of theirs called Khaywan3, at a distance of two nights’ journey towards Mecca

وَاتَّخَذَتْ خَيْوَانُ يَعُوقَ

The Khaywin1 adopted Ya’uq2 as their god

وَقَالَ الآخَرُ وَسَارَ بِنَا يَغُوثُ إِلَى مرادٍ ... فَنَاجَزْنَاهُمْ قَبْلَ الصَّبَاحِ

Said another Yaghuth led us unto the Murad, And we vanquished them before the morning

وَقَالَ الشَّاعِرُ حَيَّاكَ وَدٌّ فَإِنَّا لَا يَحِلُّ لَنَا ... لَهْوُ النِّسَاءِ وَإِنَّ الدِّينَ قَدْ عَزَمَا

Said the poet May Wadd keep thee and bless thee! For to us it is unlawful With women to daily and wanton; Thus our faith hath resolved

وَاتَّخَذَتْ مَذْحِجٌ وَأهل حرش يَغُوثَ

The Madhhij as well as the people of Jurash adopted Yaghuth (as their god

وَاتَّخَذَتْ كَلْبٌ وَدًّا بِدُومَةِ الْجَنْدَلِ

The Kaib adopted Wadd as their god. That was in Dimat al-Jandal

وَلَمْ أَسْمَعْ لهذيلٍ فِي أَشْعَارِهَا لَهُ ذِكْرًا إِلا شِعْرَ رجلٍ مِنَ الْيَمَنِ

However, I have not heard any mention of it in the poems of the Hudhalites. I did, however, hear of it in a poem by a certain man from Yemen

اتَّخَذُوا سُوَاعًا, فَكَانَ لَهُمْ برهاطٍ مِنْ أَرْضِ يَنْبع وينبع عرض من أَعْرَاض الْمَدِينَة وَكَانَت سَدَنَتَهُ بَنُو لِحْيَانَ

The Hudhayl adopted Suwa as their god and placed it in Ruhat in the vicinity of Yanbu’, one of the villages of Medina. The custodians of its temple were the banu-Lihyan

وَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ تِلْكَ الأَصْنَامَ مِنْ ولد إِسْمَاعِيل وَغَيرهم من النَّاس وسموها بِأَسْمَائِهَا عَلَى مَا بَقِيَ فِيهِمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِهَا حِينَ فَارَقُوا دِينَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ هُذَيْلُ بْنُ مُدْرَكَةَ

The first among the Children of Ishmael, and among other people besides, to adopt such idols and give them individual names, in accordance with the traditions which persisted concerning them when the people departed from the religion of Ishmael, were the Hudhayl ibn-Mudrikah

قَالَ أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ هِشَامُ بْنُ محمدٍ فَحَدَّثَ الْكَلْبِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ إِسَافًا وَنَائِلَةَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ جُرْهُمٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ إِسَافُ بْنُ يَعْلَى وَنَائِلَةُ بِنْتُ زيدٍ مِنْ جُرْهُمٍ وَكَانَ يَتَعَشَّقُهَا فِي أَرْضِ الْيَمَنِ فَأَقْبَلُوا حُجَّاجًا فَدَخَلا الْكَعْبَةَ فَوَجَدَا غَفْلَةً مِنَ النَّاس وخلوة فِي الْبَيْتِ فَفَجَرَ بِهَا فِي الْبَيْتِ فَمُسِخَا فَأَصْبَحُوا فوجدوهما مسخين فأخرجوهما فوضعوهما موضعهما فعبدتهما خُزَاعَة وَقُرَيْشٌ وَمَنْ حَجَّ الْبَيْتَ بَعْدُ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ

Abu-al-Mundhir Hishim ibn-Muhammad said Al-Kalbi related on the authority of ahu-Sahlih who, in turn, related on the authority of ibn-’Abbas, that Isif and Ni’ilah (a man from the Jurhum called Isif ibn-Ya’la and a woman called Ni’ilah, the daughter of Zayd, another Jurhumite) were two lovers). Isif was courting Na’ilah in the land of Yemen. They set out to perform the pilgrimage. Upon their arrival in Mecca they entered the Ka’bah. Taking advantage of the absence of anyone else and of the privacy of the Sacred House, Isaf committed adultery with her in the sanctuary. Thereupon they were transformed into stone, becoming two miskhs. They were then taken out and placed in their respective places. Later on, the Khuza’ah and the Quraysh, as well as everyone who came on pilgrimage to the Sacred House, worshipped them

فَسَأَلَهُمْ أَنْ يُعْطُوهُ مِنْهَا فَفَعَلُوا فَقَدِمَ بِهَا مَكَّةَ ونصبها حول الْكَعْبَة

Thereupon he asked them to give him a few of those idols, and they did. He took them back with him to Mecca and erected them around the Ka’bah

وَوَجَدَ أَهْلَهَا يَعْبُدُونَ الأَصْنَامَ فَقَالَ مَا هَذِهِ فَقَالُوا نستسقي بِهَا الْمَطَرَ وَنَسْتَنْصِرُ بِهَا عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ

During his stay there, he noticed that the inhabitants of the place worshipped idols. He, therefore, queried them saying, What are these things? To which they replied, To them we pray for rain, and from them we seek victory over the enemy

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ مَرِضَ مَرَضًا شَدِيدًا فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّ بِالْبَلْقَاءِ مِنَ الشَّامِ حَمَّةً إِنْ أَتَيْتَهَا بَرَأْتَ, فَأَتَاهَا فَاسْتَحَمَّ بِهَا فَبَرَأَ

He then became very sick, and was told, There is a hot spring in al-Balqa, in Syria (al-Sha’m); if you would go there, you would be cured. o he went to the hot spring, bathed therein, and was cured

وَكَانَ الْحَارِثُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَلِي أَمْرَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ عَمْرَو بْنَ لُحَيٍّ نَازَعَهُ فِي الْولَايَة وَقَاتل جرهما بِبَنِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ فَظَفَرَ بِهِمْ وَأَجْلاهُمْ عَنِ الْكَعْبَةِ وَنَفَاهُمْ مِنَ بِلادِ مَكَّةَ وَتَوَلَّى حِجَابَةَ الْبَيْتِ بَعْدَهُمْ

It was al-Harith32 who used to be the custodian of the Ka’bah. But when ‘Amr ibn-Luhayy came to Mecca he disputed his right to its custody, and with the aid of the children of Ishmael, fought the Jurhumites33, defeated them, and cleared them out of the Ka’bah; he then drove them out of Mecca, and took over the custody of the Sacred House (al Bayt) after them

وَكَانَتْ أُمُّ عَمْرِو بْنِ لُحَيٍّ فُهَيْرَةَ بِنْتَ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ وَيُقَالُ قَمَعَةُ بِنْتُ مُضَاضٍ الْجُرْهُمِيُّ

The mother of ‘Amr ibn-Lubayy was Fuhayrah28, the daughter of ‘Amr ibn-al-Harith29. It is also said that she was Qam’ah30, the daughter of Mudad al-Jurhumi

فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ غَيَّرَ دِينَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ, فَنَصَبَ الأَوْثَانَ, وَسَيَّبَ السَّائِبَةَ, وَوَصَلَ الْوَصِيلَةَ, وَبَحَرَ الْبَحِيرَةَ, وَحَمَى الْحَامِيَةَ عَمْرَو بْنَ رَبِيعَةَ وَهُوَ لحى بن حَارِثَة ابْن عَمْرِو بْنِ عَامِرٍ الأَزْدِيُّ وَهُوَ أَبُو خُزَاعَةَ

The first to change the religion of Ishmael, set up images for worship, institute the practices of the sa’ibah22, the wasilah23, the bairah24, the hamiyah25, was ‘Amr ibn-Rabi’ah, who is Luhayy ibn-Harithah ibn-Amr ibn-’Amir al-Azdi26, the father of the Khuz’ah tribe

وَكَانَتْ رَبِيعَةُ إِذَا حجت فقضت الْمَنَاسِك ووقفت فِي الْمَوَاقِفَ نَفَرَتْ فِي النَّفَرِ الأَوَّلِ وَلَمْ تَقُمْ إِلَى آخر التَّشْرِيق

Whenever the Rahi’ah20 performed the pilgrimage, observed the sacred rites and ceremonies, and carried out the vigils at the appointed places, they were wont to start back with the first returning group and not wait until the al tashriq

وَكَانَتْ تَلْبِيَةُ عَكَّ إِذا خَرجُوا حجاجاً قدمُوا أمامهم غُلامَيْنِ أَسْوَدَيْنِ مِنْ غِلْمَانِهِمْ فَكَانَا أَمَامَ رَكْبِهِمْ. فَيَقُولَانِ نَحن غرابا عك. فَنَقُول عَكُّ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمَا عَكُّ إِلَيْكَ عَانِيَةْ عِبَادُكَ الْيَمَانِيَةْ كَيْمَا نَحُجُّ الثَّانِيَةْ

The talbiyah of the ‘Akk19, whenever they set out on a pilgrimage, was as follows They would place at the head of the caravan two of their black slave who would lead the procession and say, We are the two ravens of the ‘Akk! Thereupon the ‘Akk would say in response, The ‘Akk humble themselves before thee; Thy Yamanite servants are we. We are come to perform another pilgrimage

أَيْ مَا يُوَحِّدُونَنِي بِمَعْرِفَةِ حَقِّي إِلا جَعَلُوا مَعِي شَرِيكًا مِنْ خَلْقِي

In other words, they would not declare His unity through the knowledge of His rightful dues, without associating with Him some of His own creatures

وَيُوَحِّدُونَهُ بِالتَّلْبِيَةِ ويدخلون مَعَه آلِهَتِهِمْ وَيَجْعَلُونَ مِلْكَهَا بِيَدِهِ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ {وَمَا يُؤمن أَكْثَرهم بِاللَّه إِلَّا وهم مشركون

They would thus declare His unity through the talbiyah17 and at the same tune associate their gods with Him placing their affairs in His hands. Consequently, God said to His Prophet, And most of them believe not in associating other deities with Him18

فَكَانَت نزار تَقُولُ إِذَا مَا أَهَلَّتْ لَبَّيْكَ اللَّهُمَّ! لَبَّيْكَ! لبيْك! لَا شريك لَك! إِلَّا شريك هُوَ لَكَ! تَمْلِكُهُ وَمَا مَلَكَ

Thus whenever the Nizar raised their voice7 the tahlil, they were wont to say Here we are O Lord! Here we are! Here we are! Thou hast no associate save one who is thine Thou hast dominion over him and over what he possesseth

وَفِيهِمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ بَقَايَا مِنْ عَهْدِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ يَتَنَسَّكُونَ بِهَا مِنْ تَعْظِيمِ الْبَيْتِ, وَالطَّوَافِ بِهِ, وَالْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ, وَالْوُقُوفِ عَلَى عَرَفَةَ وَمُزْدَلِفَةَ, وَإِهْدَاءِ الْبُدْنِ, وَالإِهْلالِ بِالْحَجِّ وَالْعُمْرَةِ مَعَ إدخالهم فِيهِ مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ

Among these devotional practices were some which came down from the time of Abraham and Ishmael, such as the veneration of the House and its circumambulation, the pilgrimage, the visitation or the lesser (al-umrah), the vigil (al-wuqul) on ‘Arafah and al- Muzdalifah13 sacrificing she-camels, and raising acclamation of the name of the deity (tahlil) age and the visitation, introducing there into belonging to it

وَانْتَجَثُوا مَا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ قَوْمُ نوحٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِنْهَا عَلَى إِرْثِ مَا بَقِي فيهم مِنْ ذِكْرِهَا

They sought and determined what the people of Noah had worshiped of these images and adopted the worship of those which were still remembered among them

فعبدوا الأَوْثَانَ وَصَارُوا إِلَى مَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ الأُمَمُ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ

Consequently they took to the worship of images, becoming like the nations before them

ثُمَّ سَلَخَ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ إِلَى أَنْ عَبَدُوا مَا اسْتَحَبُّوا وَنَسُوا مَا كَانُوا عَلَيْهِ وَاسْتَبْدَلُوا بِدِينِ إِبْرَاهِيم وَإِسْمَاعِيل غَيره

In time this led them to the worship of whatever took their fancy, and caused them to forget their former worship. They exchanged the religion of Abraham and Ishmael for another

فَحَيْثُمَا حَلُّوا وضعوه وطافوا بِهِ كطوافهم بالكعبة تيمنا مِنْهُم بهَا وصبابة بِالْحرم وحبا بهَا وَهُمْ بَعْدُ يُعَظِّمُونَ الْكَعْبَةَ وَمَكَّةَ وَيَحُجُّونَ وَيَعْتَمِرُونَ عَلَى إِرْثِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلامُ

Wherever he settled he would erect that stone and circumambulate it in the same manner he used to circumambulate the Ka’bah before his departure from Mecca, seeking thereby its blessing and affirming his deep affection for the Sacred House

وَكَانَ الَّذِي سَلَخَ بِهِمْ إِلَى عِبَادَةِ الْأَوْثَان وَالْحِجَارَة أَنه كَانَ لَا يظعن من مَكَّة ظَاعِنٌ إِلا احْتَمَلَ مَعَهُ حَجَرًا مِنْ حِجَارَةِ الْحَرَمِ تَعْظِيمًا لِلْحَرَمِ وَصَبَابَةً بِمَكَّةَ

The reason which led them to the worship of images and stones was the following No one left Mecca without carrying away with him a stone from the stones of the Sacred House (al-Haram) as a token of reverence to it, and as a sign of deep affection to Mecca

قَرَأْتُ عَلَى هِشَام بن محمدٍ الْكَلْبِيّ فِي سنة 201 قَالَ حَدثنَا أَبِي وَغَيْرُهُ وَقَدْ أَثْبَتَ حَدِيثَهُمْ جَمِيعًا أَنَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا لَمَّا سكن مَكَّة وَولد لَهُ بهَا أَوْلَاد كثير حَتَّى ملأوا مَكَّةَ وَنَفَوْا مَنْ كَانَ بِهَا مِنَ الْعَمَالِيقِ ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مَكَّةُ وَوَقَعَتْ بَيْنَهُمُ الْحُرُوبُ وَالْعَدَاوَاتُ واخرج بَعضهم بَعْضًا فتفسحوا فِي الْبِلَاد والتماس الْمَعَاشِ

in the year of the Hijrah 201, while studying at the feet of Hisham ibn-al-Kalbi, he received the following Hisham ibn-Muhammad al-Kalbi said I was informed by my father and others, and I personally checked and ascertained their report, that when Ishmael, the son of Abraham, settled in Mecca, he begot many children. Their descendants multiplied so much that they crowded the city and supplanted its original inhabitants, the Amalekites. Later on Mecca became overcrowded with them, and dissension and strife arose among them, causing them to fight among themselves and consequently be dispersed throughout the land where they roamed seeking a livelihood

قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عُلَيْلٍ الْعَنَزِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ بْنِ الْفُرَاتِ الْكَاتِبُ قَالَ

abu-Bakr Ahmad ibn-Muhammad ibn-’Abdullah al-Jawhari had related to him on the authority of abu-’Ali al-Hasan ibn-’Ulayl al-Anazi that abu-al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn-al-Sabbah ibn-Furat said that

قُرِئَ عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْمُسْلِمَةِ فِي سَنَةِ 463 قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عمرَان بن مُوسَى الْمَرْزُبَانِيُّ إِجَازَةً

from whom I received the recension, that, in the year of the Hijrah 463 , abu-Ja’far Muhammad ibn-Ahmad ibn-al-Muslimah related to him that he was told by abu-Ubayd-Allah Muhammad ibn-’Imran ibn-Musa al-Marzubani, with the permission to teach that

أَخْبَرَنَا الشَّيْخُ أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ الْمُبَارَكُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّار بن أَحْمد الصَّيْرَفِي

I was told by al-Shaykh abu-al-Husayn al-Muburak ibn-’Abd-al-Jabbar ibn-Ahmad al-Sayrafi