Lāt, al-

Northern Arabian goddess of pre-Islamic times.

A stone cube near Mecca was held sacred as part of her cult. Two other northern Arabian goddesses, Manāt and al-ʽUzzā, are associated with al-Lāt in the Qurān. According to a contentious account, Muhammad was said to have recognized these three as goddesses, but a new revelation led him to abandon his attempt to placate Meccan pagans, and he later ordered the sanctuaries of al-Lāt and the other two goddesses destroyed. The goddesses were worshiped by Arab tribes located as far away as Palmyra, Syria.

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▪ Arabian deity

      North Arabian goddess of pre-Islāmic times to whom a stone cube at aṭ-Ṭāʾif (Ṭāʾif, Al-) (near Mecca) was held sacred as part of her cult. Two other North Arabian goddesses, Manāt (Fate) and al-ʿUzzā (Strong), were associated with al-Lāt in the Qurʾān (Islāmic sacred scriptures). The Prophet Muḥammad once recognized these three as goddesses, but a new revelation led him to abrogate the approving verses he had earlier recited and to abandon his attempt to placate Meccan pagans. Members of the tribe of Quraysh circumambulated the Kaʿbah in Mecca (now a central shrine of Islām in Mecca's al-Ḥaram mosque) chanting the praises of al-Lāt, al-ʿUzzā, and Manāt. Each of the three had main sanctuaries near Mecca that were sites of pious visits and offerings until Muḥammad ordered them destroyed. The goddesses were also worshipped by various Arab tribes located as far away as Palmyra, Syria.

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