The Hidden Identities: Reinterpretation of Surah al-Najm Considering the Arabian Deities

Lāt, ‘Uzzā and Manāt are mentioned once in the Qur’an, Surah al-Najm (Q. 53: 19-20). Since these deities did not have positive functions in the Islamic Monotheistic System, they have not been proposed extensively. Inquiring the background of these gods and reestablishing their functions, this research clarifies the semantic context of the verses related to them. Its main question is that “what were the functions of these gods (Lāt, ‘Uzzā and Manāt) in different historical periods and to what extent they are reflected in the Qur’anic application?” The study of the symbolic aspects of these gods shows that they were praised and consecrated in the Arabic culture not only as deities of hope, but also as deities of fear. According to the historical evidence, one may conclude that these two characteristics are implicitly pointed out in Surah al-Najm, all of them return to the God of Islam, Allah.