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Mentioned in the Qur'an (Sura 53:20), al-ʕuzzā "the Mightiest One" or "the strong" (derived from the root ʕzy) was a pre-Islamic Arabian fertility goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. She, Manāt and al-Lāt were known as "the daughters of god". Uzzā was worshipped by the Nabataeans, who equated her with the Graeco-Roman goddesses Aphrodite, Urania, Venus and Caelestis. A stone cube at at Ta'if (near Mecca) was held sacred as part of her cult. The Religions of the Ancient Near East were mostly polytheistic, with some early examples of emerging Henotheism (Akhenaton, early Judaism). ... Image File history File links Palm_tree_symbol. ... Mesopotamian mythology is the collective name given to Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian mythologies from the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq. ... Arabian mythology is the ancient beliefs of the Arabs. ... In the Levantine pantheon, the Elohim are the sons of El the ancient of days (olam) assembled on the divine holy place, Mount Zephon (Jebel Aqra). ... Arabian mythology is the ancient beliefs of the Arabs. ... Ä’l (אל) is a Northwest Semitic word and name translated into English as either god or God or left untranslated as El, depending on the context. ... Bel, signifying lord or master, is a title rather than a genuine name, applied to various gods in Babylonian relgion. ... Abgal is a pre-Islamic north Arabian god, known from the Palmyrian desert regions as a tutelary god of Bedouins and camel drivers. ... Palmyrene deities: from left to right: the lunar god Aglibôl, the supreme god Beelshamên, the sun god Malakbêl, 1st century CE, found near Bir Wereb, Wadi Miyah, Syria, Louvre Museum. ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Astarte on a car with four branches protruding from roof. ... Atargatis, in Aramaic ‘Atar‘atah, was a Syrian deity, more commonly known to the Greeks by a shortened form of the name, Derceto or Derketo (Strabo 16. ... For other uses, see Ishtar (disambiguation). ... The god Bes. ... Anthem Bilady, Bilady, Bilady Capital (and largest city) Cairo Official languages Arabic1 Government Semi-presidential republic  -  President Hosni Mubarak  -  Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif Establishment  -  First Dynasty c. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Manaf is one of the pre-Islamic polytheist gods of Mecca [1]. Category: ... The name Nergal (or Nirgal, Nirgali) refers to a deity in Babylonia with the main seat of his cult at Cuthah represented by the mound of Tell-Ibrahim. ... It has been suggested that Nebo (god) be merged into this article or section. ... Al-Qaum (القوم), the Nabataean god of war and the night and guardian of caravans. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Shamash or Sama, was the common Akkadian name of the sun-god in Babylonia and Assyria, corresponding to Sumerian Utu. ... Wadd was the Minaean moon god. ... Yaghuth is an idol referred to in the Quran (71:23) as being worshipped in ancient Yemen. ... According to the Quran, Yauq was a deity worshipped in the days of Noah. ... Palmyrene deities: from left to right: the lunar god Aglibôl, the supreme god Beelshamên, the sun god Malakbêl, 1st century CE, found near Bir Wereb, Wadi Miyah, Syria, Louvre Museum. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: ;, literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... Surat An-Najm (The Star) is the 53rd sura of the Quran with 62 ayat. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a mainly desert peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia and an important part of the greater Middle East. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture For the 1934 film, see, see The Goddess (1934 film). ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Petra, the Nabataean capital The Nabataeans, a people of ancient Arabia, whose settlements in the time of Josephus gave the name of Nabatene to the border-land between Syria and Arabia from the Euphrates to the Red Sea. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... Simon Vouet, The Muses Urania and Calliope, c. ... Marble Venus of the Capitoline Venus type, Roman (British Museum) Venus was a major Roman goddess principally associated with love and beauty, the rough equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. ... Taif in 1970 Taif (Arabic: ‎ transliterated: ) is a city in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1700 metres on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains. ...

Uzzā, 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!" (Tawil 1993) Uzza also later appears in Ibn Ishaq's account of the Satanic Verses which imply that "the daughters of god" had been temporarily endorsed as intercessors with Allah for Muslims. Hubal (هبل) was a god worshipped in pagan Arabia, notably at Mecca before the arrival of Islam. ... Quraish (sura) is also the name of a Surah in the Quran. ... Combatants Muslims Quraysh-led Coalition Commanders Muhammad Abu Sufyan Strength 700 3,000 Casualties 70 dead 22 The Battle of Uhud was fought on 23 March, 625, between a force from the small Muslim community of Medina, in what is now north-western Arabia, and a force from Mecca, the... Hubal (هبل) was a god worshipped in pagan Arabia, notably at Mecca before the arrival of Islam. ... Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, or simply Ibn Ishaq (Arabic: , meaning the son of Isaac) (died 767, or 761 (Robinson 2003, p. ... For the novel by Salman Rushdie, see The Satanic Verses. ... Allah is the Arabic language word for God. ...

At Petra

First mention of Uzza is available from the inscriptions at Dedan the capital of the Lihyanite Kingdom in the fourth or third century BC. She had been adopted alongside Dushara as the presiding goddess at Petra, the Nabataen capital, where she assimiliated with Isis, Tyche and Aphrodite attributes and superseded her sisters.^[1] During the 5th century Christianity became the prominent religion of region following conquest by Barsauma.^[2] Dedan - low ground. ... Lihyan (Arabic:لحيان ) is an ancient Arab kingdom, it was located northwestern Arabia, and it is known for its Old North Arabian inscriptions dating to ca. ... Dhu l-Sharā Lord of the Mountain, also known in Greek transliteration as Dusares, was worshipped at Petra (of which city he was the patron deity) by the Nabataeans. ... Petra (from petra, rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. ... This article discusses the ancient goddess. ... Tyche on the reverse of this coin by Gordian III. In Greek mythology, Tyche (Roman equivalent: Fortuna) was the presiding tutelary deity that governed the fortune and prosperity of a city, its destiny. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Cult of Uzz

It is not simple now to get glimpses of the deities of pre-Islamic Arabia. Origins of deities have to be suggested with caution, but inscriptions related to Uzzā among the Nabataeans at Petra have been interpreted to associate Uzzā with the planet Venus. Petra, the Nabataean capital The Nabataeans, a people of ancient Arabia, whose settlements in the time of Josephus gave the name of Nabatene to the border-land between Syria and Arabia from the Euphrates to the Red Sea. ... Petra (from petra, rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. ... (*min temperature refers to cloud tops only) Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 9. ...

According to the Book of Idols (Kitāb al-Asnām) by Hišām b. al-Kalbī (N.A. Faris 1952, pp. 16-23) Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi, full name Mundbir Hishkm ibn Mahommed ibn us-Sgib ul-Kalbi (- ca. ...

Over her [an Arab] built a house called Buss in which the people used to receive oracular communications. The Arabs as well as the Quraysh were wont to name their children "ʕAbdu l-Uzzā". Furthermore, Uzzā was the greatest idol among the Quraysh. They used to journey to her, offer gifts unto her, and seek her favours through sacrifice [often of young children (Jawad Ali, Al-Mufassal Fi Tarikh al-Arab Qabl al-Islam (Beirut), 6:238-9)]. We have been told that the Apostle of Allah [ Muhammad ] once mentioned Uzzā, saying, "I have offered a sheep to Uzzā while I was a follower of the religion of my people

The Quraysh were wont to circumambulate the Kaʕbat and say,

By al-Lāt and al-ʕuzzā,

And al-Manāt, the third idol besides.

Verily they are al-gharānīq

Whose intercession is to be sought.

This last phrase is said to be the source of the aforementioned Satanic Verses; the Arabic term is translated as "most exalted females" by Faris in the text, but he annotates this much-argued term in a footnote as "lit. Numidean cranes." Quraish (sura) is also the name of a Surah in the Quran. ... Quraish (sura) is also the name of a Surah in the Quran. ... Muhammad in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman. ... Quraish (sura) is also the name of a Surah in the Quran. ... The Kaaba or Kaabah, is a building located inside the mosque known as Masjid al Haram in Mecca (Makkah). ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... For the novel by Salman Rushdie, see The Satanic Verses. ...

The Kitāb al-Asnām offers additional detail of the "three exalted cranes" Ibn Ishaq says were deleted from the Qur'an: Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar, or simply Ibn Ishaq (Arabic: , meaning the son of Isaac) (died 767, or 761 (Robinson 2003, p. ... The Qur’ān [1] (Arabic: ;, literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ...

These were also called "the Daughters of God" and were supposed to intercede before God.

It is unclear whether these goddesses were always regarded as the daughters of God, or had originally been called daughters of some other deity; the Kitāb al-Asnām says that each of the three's worship was introduced at a different period, suggesting that they may not originally even have been sisters.

Each of the three goddesses had a separate shrine near Mecca. The most prominent Arabian shrine of ʕuzzā was at a place called Nakhlah near Qudayd, east of Mecca towards Taif; three trees were sacred to her there (according to a narration through al-'Anazi Abū-ʕali in the Kitāb al-Asnām.) This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Taif in 1970 Taif (Arabic: ‎ translit: ) is a city in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1700 metres on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains. ...

She was the Lady ʕuzzayan to whom a South Arabian offered a golden image on behalf of his sick daughter, Amat-ʕuzzayan ("the Maid of ʕuzzayan"). ʕabdu l-ʕuzzā ["Slave of the Mightiest One"] was a favourite proper name at the rise of Islam. (Hitti 1937).

The name ʕuzzā appears as an emblem of beauty in late pagan Arabic poetry quoted by Ibn al-Kalbī, and oaths were sworn by her. [1]

ʕuzzā's possible presence in South Arabia has been thoroughly effaced by time but her presence has not been obliterated far north at Petra of the Nabataeans, who had deities with Arabian names early in their history, whom they later associated with Hellenistic gods, ʕuzzā becoming associated with Isis and with Aphrodite [2]. Excavations at Petra since 1974 have revealed a temple, apparently dedicated to Isis/ʕuzzā, now named after some carvings found inside, the Temple of the Winged Lions (Hammond). Inscriptions record the name of ʕuzzā at Petra. Petra (from petra, rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. ... Al Khazneh, Petra (the Nabataean capital) Shivta The Nabataeans, Arabic (الأنباط) Al-Anbaat, were an ancient trading people of southern Jordan, Canaan and the northern part of Arabia- whose oasis settlements in the time of Josephus gave the name of Nabatene to the borderland between Syria and Arabia, from the Euphrates... This article discusses the ancient goddess. ... The Birth of Venus, (detail) by Sandro Botticelli, 1485 For other uses, see Aphrodite (disambiguation). ... This article discusses the ancient goddess. ... Petra (from petra, rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء, Al-Butrā) is an archaeological site in Jordan, lying in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. ...

A fragment of poetry by Zayd ibn-'Amr ibn-Nufayl, quoted in the Kitāb al-Asnām, suggests that ʕuzzā; had two daughters:

No more do I worship ʕuzzā and her two daughters. [Arabic فلا العزى أدين ولا ابنتـيهـا.]

Muhammad Mohar Ali writes (2002):

The Arabs had developed a number of subsidiary Kaʕbat (tawaghit) at different places in the land, each with its presiding god or goddess. They used to visit those shrines at appointed times, circumambulate them and make sacrifices of animals there, besides performing other polytheistic rites. The most prominent of these shrines were those of al-Lāt at Ta'if, al-ʕuzzā at Nakhlah and al-Manāt near Qudayd. The origins of these idols are uncertain. Ibn al-Kalbī says that al-Lāt was "younger" ('ahdath) than al-Manāt, while al-ʕuzzā was "younger" than both al-Lāt and al-Manāt. But though al-ʕuzzā was thus the youngest of the three; it was nonetheless the most important and the greatest (ʕazam) idol with the Quraysh who, along with the Banū Kinānah, ministered to it.

On the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas, Al-Tabari derived "al-Uzzā" from Al-Aziz (the Mighty), one of the 99 beautiful names of Allah, in his commentary on Qur'an 7:180 (Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi, The Book of Idols, 25). Al-Lāt is likewise said to have been derived from the very name Allāh. The Kaaba or Kaabah, is a building located inside the mosque known as Masjid al Haram in Mecca (Makkah). ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Taif in 1970 Taif (Arabic: ‎ transliterated: ) is a city in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1700 metres on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Manāt was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Quraish (sura) is also the name of a Surah in the Quran. ... Abdullah ibn Abbas (Arabic: عبد الله ابن عباس ) was a cousin of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. ... Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari (Arabic الطبري, AD 838-AD 923), was an author from Persia. ... Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi, full name Mundbir Hishkm ibn Mahommed ibn us-Sgib ul-Kalbi (- ca. ... Mentioned in the Quran (Sura 53:20), Allāt (a contraction of pre-Arabic *al-ilāhat the Goddess) was a pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. ... Allah is the Arabic language word for God. ...

ʕuzzā the Garden

According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, Uzza was a garden in which Manasseh and Amon were buried (2 Kings 21:18, 26). It was probably near the king's palace in Jerusalem, or may have formed part of the palace grounds. Manasseh may probably have acquired it from some one of this name. Eastons Bible Dictionary generally refers to the Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, by Matthew George Easton M.A., D.D. ( 1823- 1894), published three years after Eastons death in 1897 by Thomas Nelson. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This entry incorporates text from the public domain Eastons Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897. ... Amon can refer to: Amun, Egyptian god, also known sometimes as Amon Amon, god of rage Amon (demon) Amon (Formula One team) Deicide (band), formerly called Amon Amon, one of the four Sinsitrals and main villains of Lufia Amon, mountain in Sindarin, an artificial language by J. R. R. Tolkien... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ...

Links to India

Aditi Chaturvedi alleges, in " The Vedic past of Pre-Islamic Arabia", that Uzza is an Arab version of the Hindu deity Urja.

As an Angel

In Judaic and Christian lore Uzza has been also used as an alternative name for the angel Metatron in the Sefer ha-heshek. More commonly he is referred to as either the seraphim Semyaza or as one of the three guardian angels of Egypt (Rahab, Mastema and Duma) harried the Jews during the exodus.^[3] As Semyaza in legend he is the seraph tempted by Ishtahar into revealing the Explicit name of god and was thus burned alive and hung head down between heaven and earth as the constellation Orion.^[4] In the 3rd book of Enoch and in the Zohar he is one of the fallen angels punished for cohabiting with human women and fathering the anakim.^[5] Uzza is also identified with Abezi Thibod ("father devoid of counsel") who in early Jewish lore is also used as another name for Samael and Mastema referring to a powerful spirit who shared princedom of Egypt with Rahab and opposed Moses to eventually drown in the Red sea.^[6] Metatron has been known by a number of different names, including (but not limited to) the following. ... For the Darkwell album, see Metatron (album). ... 六翼天使 Seraphim(六翼天使) is a Taiwanese symphonic metal band similar to Nightwish and Therion. ... Ouza, also Azza, Uzza, Semyaza, A major leader of the fall from heaven, also one of the angels that came down from heaven alongside Azael to interbreed with humans. ... For the video game character from Legacy of Kain Series, see Rahab (Legacy of Kain). ... Mastema, Hebrew משטמה (maśṭēmâ), translated as hatred/hostility/enmity/persecution. From Hosea 9. ... Exodus is the second book of the Torah, the Tanakh, and the Old Testament. ... // Orion was a hunter in Greek mythology. ... Redirect page ... The Zohar (Hebrew: זהר Splendor, radiance) is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. ... It has been suggested that Evil Angels be merged into this article or section. ... Anakim - the descendants of Anak (Josh. ... Samael is an important figure in Talmudic and post-Talmudic lore, a figure who is accuser, seducer, and destroyer. ... Mastema, Hebrew משטמה (maśṭēmâ), translated as hatred/hostility/enmity/persecution. From Hosea 9. ... For the video game character from Legacy of Kain Series, see Rahab (Legacy of Kain). ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ...

References

• Ambros Arne A 2004: "A Concise Dictionary of Koranic Arabic". Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag. ISBN 3-89500-400-6
• Burton, John, The Collection of the Qur'an, Cambridge University Press, 1977: the collection and composition of the Qu'ran in the life time of Muhammad
• Finegan, Jack, The Archeology of World Religions, Princeton University Press, 1952, pages 482-485, 492
• Hammond, Philip, "An Isisian Model for The Goddess of the 'Temple of the Winged Lions' at Petra (Jordan)". 1985
• Hitti, Philip K. History Of The Arabs, 1937, pp 96-101
• The Kitab al-Asnam ("Book of Idols"): translation as posted by an evangelical Christian site.
• Kitab al-Asnam in the original Arabic
• Peters, F. E., The Hajj: The Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca and the Holy Places. Princeton University Press 1994
• al-Tawil, Hashim, "Early Arab Icons: Literary and Archaeological Evidence for the Cult of Religious Images in Pre-Islamic Arabia", PhD dissertation, University of Iowa, 1993 [3]
• Ibn al-Kalbī; (author) and Nabih Amin Faris (translator & commentary) (1952): The Book of Idols, Being a Translation from the Arabic of the Kitāb al-Asnām." Princeton University Press. US Library of Congress #52006741
• This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.

Philip Khuri Hitti was a western scholar of Islam. ... History of the Arabs is a book written by Philip Khuri Hitti in 1937. ... Eastons Bible Dictionary generally refers to the Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, by Matthew George Easton M.A., D.D. (1823-1894), published three years after Eastons death in 1897 by Thomas Nelson. ...

External links

• See definition for al-Uzza in Encyclopedia Mythica
• "Pre-Islamic Arabia And Its Socio-Religious Condition", by Prof. Muhammad Mohar Ali, Islamic University Madina, Saudi Arabia, 2002
• "Islamic roots in polytheism": this Christian evangelical site gives some verifiable references that have been used in this entry
• "Those Are The High Flying Claims": A Muslim site on Satanic Verses story
• Nabataean pantheon including Uzza
• Quotes concerning 'Uzza from Hammond and Hitti
• Book of the Idols