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Allah as a moon-god

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The claim that Allah (God in Islam) originated as a moon god was first suggested in 1901 by archaeologist Hugo Winckler. Winckler proposed that Allah was based on the pre-Islamic god Lah or Hubal, associating him with lunar worship. Modern scholars reject this theory as baseless and unsupported by evidence.

The idea resurfaced in the 1990s, championed by Christian apologists such as Robert Morey. In his 1994 pamphlet The Moon-god Allah: In Archaeology of the Middle East and his 2001 book The Islamic Invasion, Morey claimed that elements of Islamic practice, such as the lunar calendar and the star and crescent symbol, pointed to a link with moon worship.[1]

Pre-Islamic beliefs and scholarly views[change]

File:Winckler, Hugo.jpg
Hugo Winckler

Before Islam, the Kaaba housed a statue of Hubal, which some early scholars, like Julius Wellhausen, speculated might have been another name for Allah.[2][3][4] However, modern scholars, such as Patricia Crone, argue that Hubal and Allah were distinct. Crone pointed out that if they were the same, Hubal’s name would have continued in Islamic tradition, but it has not.[5]

Modern scholars, such as Joseph E. B. Lumbard, reject the claim that Allah originated as a moon god. They consider this theory an offensive misrepresentation, not only to Muslims but also to Arab Christians, who also refer to God as "Allah." [6]

Pre-Islamic Arabs viewed Allah as a creator god and the bringer of rain but did not worship Him as the sole deity. They often associated Allah with subordinate gods or companions and believed in a kinship between Allah and the jinn.[7] Some traditions even attributed sons and daughters to Allah.[8] Angels were also sometimes linked to Him.[9][10] Despite their polytheistic practices, the Meccans invoked Allah in times of distress or need.[10][11]

Muhammad’s father, Abd Allah ibn Abd al Muttalib, whose name translates to "the servant of Allah" (عبد اللهScript error: The function "transl" does not exist.), reflects the significance of Allah in pre-Islamic Arabia.[10]

Christian claims and Muslim rebuttals[change]

Robert Morey argued that pre-Islamic deities like Al-‘Uzzá and Hubal were moon gods linked to Allah.[12] This theory was further promoted by groups like Chick tracts and individuals such as Pat Robertson.[13] However, modern research has debunked these claims, showing no connection between the cited artifacts and Islam. For instance, a statue Morey used as evidence was proven to be unrelated to Allah or Islamic practices.[14]

Muslim sources reject these claims. Hisham Ibn Al-Kalbi's Book of Idols says Hubal was a statue used for fortune-telling and had no link to Allah.[15] At the Battle of Uhud, Muhammad’s followers declared Allah’s greatness, rejecting Hubal.[16]

The Quran also says not to worship the moon or sun. Verse 41:37 states: "Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostrate to Allah, who created them."[17][18]

References[change]

  1. ↑ Jones, Prudence; Pennick, Nigel (1995). A History of Pagan Europe. London: Routledge. p. 77. ISBN 0415091365.
  2. ↑ Hommel, F. Houtsma, M. T.; Arnold, T. W.; Basset, R.; Hartmann, R. (eds.). First Encyclopedia of Islam. Vol. 1. pp. 379–380.
  3. ↑ Glassé, C. The New Encyclopedia of Islam. p. 185.
  4. ↑ Wellhausen, Julius. Reste Arabischen Heidenthums. p. 75.
  5. ↑ Crone, Patricia (1987). Meccan Trade And The Rise Of Islam. pp. 193–194.
  6. ↑ "Scholarly Pursuits: Joseph Lumbard, classical Islam professor". BrandeisNOW. Brandeis University. 2007-12-11.
  7. ↑ See Qur'an 37:158
  8. ↑ See Qur'an (6:100)
  9. ↑ See Qur'an (53:26–27)
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Böwering, Gerhard. "God and his Attributes". Encyclopedia of the Qur'an.
  11. ↑ See Qur'an 6:109; 10:22; 16:38; 29:65
  12. ↑ Morey, Robert (1994). The Moon-god Allah in the Archeology of the Middle East. Newport, PA: Research and Education Foundation.
  13. ↑ Schmidt, Donald E. (2005). The folly of war: American foreign policy, 1898-2005. Algora. p. 347.
  14. ↑ Juferi, Mohd Elfie Nieshaem (2005-10-15). "The Mysterious Statue at Hazor: The 'Allah' of the Muslims?". Bismika Allahuma. Archived from the original on 2019-02-04.
  15. ↑ Peters, Francis E. (1994). Muhammad and the origins of Islam. SUNY Press. p. 109.
  16. ↑ Guillaume, Alfred (1998). The Life of Muhammad. Oxford University Press. p. 386. ISBN 0-19-636033-1.
  17. ↑ Juan Eduardo Campo (ed.). "moon". Encyclopedia of Islam. p. 479.
  18. ↑ "Tafsir Ibn Kathir – 53:19 – English". Retrieved 2021-05-21.

Bibliography[change]

Other websites[change]

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