alUzza

Al-Uzza (Arabic: العُزّى, often transliterated as Al-Uzza or AlUzza) was a major goddess in the polytheistic religion of pre-Islamic Arabia, particularly in the western regions surrounding Mecca and Taʼif. She was commonly regarded as a goddess of power, strength, and protection, and her worship was among the best-attested cults in the Arabian Peninsula. In many lists of pre-Islamic goddesses, Al-Uzza appears alongside Al-Lat and Manat, and Islamic tradition sometimes describes them as the daughters of Allah.

Her cult involved sanctuaries and statues that served as focal points for devotion in certain tribal communities. The name Al-Uzza is often interpreted to mean “the mighty one” or “the strong one,” reflecting her association with power and safeguarding aspects that were valued by her worshippers. The specifics of ritual practice and the precise locations of her principal shrines vary across sources.

In the Qur’an and early Islamic historiography, Al-Uzza is mentioned in the context of polemics against idolatry and the veneration of the three goddesses, along with Lat (Al-Lat) and Manat. These references reflect pre-Islamic Arab religious practices that Islam later rejected.

With the rise of Islam, the cult of Al-Uzza declined. After the Muslim conquest of Mecca in 630 CE, the Prophet Muhammad ordered the destruction of the idols and shrines associated with polytheism, including the image of Al-Uzza, as part of the establishment of an Islamic monotheistic community. Today, Al-Uzza is discussed mainly within historical and religious studies of pre-Islamic Arabia, with surviving details derived from Islamic sources and later scholarship.