Al-Uzza

For the seed-bug genus, see Uzza. For biblical character, see Uzzah. For king of Judah, see Uzziah.
al-‘Uzzá
Goddess of might and protection
2nd century AD relief from Hatra depicting the goddess al-Lat flanked by two female figures, possibly goddesses al-Uzza and Manat
Major cult centerPetra
SymbolThree trees
RegionArabia (Arabian Peninsula)
Genealogy
SiblingsAl-Lat, Manāt
Part of the myth series on
Religions of the ancient Near East
Pre-Islamic Arabian deities
Arabian deities of other Semitic origins

Al-ʻUzzā (Arabic: العزى al-ʻUzzā [al ʕuzzaː] or Old Arabic, [al ʕuzzeː]) was one of the three chief goddesses of Arabian religion in pre-Islamic times and she was worshipped by the pre-Islamic Arabs along with al-Lāt and Manāt. A stone cube at Nakhla (near Mecca) was held sacred as part of her cult. She is mentioned in Qur'an 53:19 as being one of the goddesses who people worshipped.

Relief from Hatra of the Arabian goddess Al-Lat, likely flanked by goddesses Manat, and al-Uzza. Iraq Museum
"Eye" imagery in many forms is associated with the goddess

Al-ʻUzzā, like Hubal, was called upon for protection by the pre-Islamic Quraysh. "In 624 at the 'battle called Uhud', the war cry of the Qurayshites was, "O people of Uzzā, people of Hubal!".[1] Al-‘Uzzá also later appears in Ibn Ishaq's account of the alleged Satanic Verses.[2]

The temple dedicated to al-ʻUzzā and the statue was destroyed by Khalid ibn al Walid in Nakhla in 630 AD.[3][4]

  1. ^ Tawil (1993).
  2. ^ Ibn Ishaq Sirat Rasul Allah, pp. 165–167.
  3. ^ S.R. Al-Mubarakpuri (6 October 2020). The sealed nectar. Independently Published. p. 256. ISBN 9798694145923. Retrieved 2013-02-03.
  4. ^ "He sent Khalid bin Al-Waleed in Ramadan 8 A.H", Witness-Pioneer.com Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine