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Dhu Samawi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

References[edit]

  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.