Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/religion-in-pre-islamic-arabia

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary religious system?Polytheism, with a pantheon of gods and goddesses
2. What is the central sacred structure?The Kaaba in Mecca, originally a monotheistic shrine, later housing numerous idols
3. What were the main gods and goddesses worshipped in pre‑Islamic Arabia?The people of pre‑Islamic Arabia believed in many gods and goddesses. Hubal was a chief god in Mecca, and the goddesses Allat, Al‑Uzza, and Manat were also widely honored. They were thought to control nature, fertility, power, and fate.
4. Why was the Kaaba an important place for these gods and goddesses?The Kaaba was a big, cube‑shaped building in Mecca that held many idols. Pilgrims from all over the peninsula came to visit, and it helped keep different Arab groups connected.

Jahiliyyah: The pre-Islamic period in Arabia, often characterized by ignorance and polytheism.
Tawaf: The ritual of circumambulating the Kaaba seven times, a key practice in pre-Islamic and Islamic pilgrimage.
Divination: The practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means.