Dhu Samawi

Dhū Samāwī (Musnad: 𐩹𐩪𐩣𐩥𐩺, sometimes 𐩪𐩣𐩺) was a pre-Islamic deity that was worshipped in South Arabia. He was a kind of sky deity who resided in the heavens. He was also associated with camels, especially by the Bedouins.

Symbolism

The name Dhū Samāwī means The Heavenly One in the Sabaic language.^[1][2] He was seen as a sky deity. He was also named Malik al-Dhū Samāwī, which meant that he was also regarded as a Lord of the Heavens.^[3]

Worship

Dhū Samāwī was worshipped by an Arab tribe known as Banu Amir, who offered votive statuettes of camels to ensure that he would protect their herds.^[4] He was also worshipped in temples, and a temple dedicated to Dhū Samāwī was also uncovered at Kharibat in Yemen.^[5]

See also

• List of pre-Islamic Arabian deities

References

1. "Roads of Arabia". Archeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – via Academia.
2. Issawi, Charles (April 1950). "THE HISTORICAL ROLE OF MUHAMMAD". The Muslim World. 40 (2): 83–95 – via Wiley Online Library.
3. Maududi (1 January 2015). Tafheem-ul-Qur'an (in Urdu) (Deluxed ed.). India: Idara Tarjuman ul Qu'ran. ISBN 978-9697311224.
4. "Item number 315681001". British Museum. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
5. Kitchen, Kenneth A (July 1997). "Three unusual Sabaean inscriptions in bronze". Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies. 28: 149–156 – via JSTOR.