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| The Three Daughters of Allah |
By Bobby Darvish, Iranian-American Ex-Muslim, Former Vegan, Former Democrat, Former Socialist, Former CAIR-Columbus Executive Director, Former Muslim Forum of Utah President, Christian Conservative LDS
Islam claims to be the final revelation, a continuation of Judeo-Christian monotheism, but a deeper dive into its origins exposes a different story. The deity called Allah was not introduced by Muhammad as the singular, universal God of Abraham but was originally a pagan Arab deity worshiped alongside other gods. This includes the infamous “Three Daughters of Allah”—al-Lāt, al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt—who were briefly enshrined in the Quran before being disavowed.
This article will explore the pagan roots of Allah, the fleeting acknowledgment of his daughters in Islam’s early texts, and how Arabic linguistics perpetuate confusion about the identity of God in Christian and Jewish Arab communities.
The Three Daughters of Allah and the Satanic Verses
In pre-Islamic Arabia, the Kaaba housed idols representing various tribal deities. Among these was Allah, recognized by the Quraysh as a high god but one among many. His daughters, al-Lāt, al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt, were powerful goddesses revered as intercessors between humanity and the divine. Al-Lāt was a fertility goddess, al-‘Uzzā a goddess of love and war, and Manāt the goddess of fate.
Early in his ministry, Muhammad sought to unify the Quraysh under his message. According to early Islamic sources like al-Tabari and Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad initially included the following verses in the Quran:
"These are the exalted cranes (gharaniq), whose intercession is to be hoped for."
These verses granted legitimacy to the daughters of Allah, a move aimed at reconciling the pagan Quraysh to Muhammad’s nascent monotheism. However, after facing backlash, Muhammad recanted, claiming these verses were inspired by Satan—a significant theological and historical controversy now referred to as the "Satanic Verses" incident (Surah 53:19-23).
While modern Islamic apologists dismiss the story as fabrication, its documentation in early Islamic history remains problematic for the claim of an unaltered Quran. It also highlights how deeply rooted the daughters of Allah were in the religious psyche of the Arabs.
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| Allah and Two of his Daughters |
The name "Allah" predates Islam. Archaeological and historical evidence shows that Allah was worshiped as a moon god in Mecca and surrounding regions. His name was simply the Arabic contraction of al-Ilah, meaning "the god." This deity was distinctively Arab, with no ties to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Arabic’s linguistic dominance in Islamic doctrine further complicates the matter. The Quran claims to be the literal word of Allah in Arabic, and translations are often considered mere interpretations. This linguistic exclusivity ties the Arab identity and language to the deity in a way that sidelines other cultures. This is a stark contrast to Christianity, which spread its message in the vernacular of the people it reached.
Because of this linguistic influence, Arab Jews and Christians also use the word “Allah” to refer to God. However, this Allah is not the pagan deity of pre-Islamic Arabia but the God of the Bible. The confusion arises from the monopolization of the Arabic word "Allah" in Islamic theology, which erases its pagan origins and redefines it as the singular God of monotheism.
Theological Implications for Christians
As a Christian conservative, I find this historical narrative deeply troubling. Islam’s claim to Abrahamic continuity is undermined by its pagan roots. The Quran itself acknowledges the existence of earlier scriptures (Surah 2:136), yet it redefines key tenets of those scriptures to fit the Arabized worldview of Muhammad’s revelations.
The Christian God is a God of love, justice, and truth, while Allah—rooted in a pagan moon deity—exhibits characteristics aligned with tribal warfare and submission. As an Iranian-American, I see this distinction as especially important because Persian Zoroastrianism, with its emphasis on light and truth, was one of the many spiritual traditions erased by Arab imperialism under the banner of Islam.
Conclusion: Reclaiming Truth and Faith
Islam’s early incorporation of the daughters of Allah and its linguistic imperialism reveal a religion deeply tied to the Arab pagan tradition rather than a universal divine truth. For Christians and Jews in the Arab world, the word "Allah" may be a linguistic necessity, but it is not the same as the God of the Bible.
As Christians, we must reclaim the narrative, distinguishing the true God of the Bible from the Arab pagan deity rebranded by Islam. Only then can we fully understand the spiritual and historical forces that shaped the Islamic world and its ongoing impact on global faith and culture.
Citations
Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah (The Life of the Prophet Muhammad), translated by Alfred Guillaume.
Al-Tabari, The History of al-Tabari: Muhammad at Mecca, trans. W. Montgomery Watt.
Bell, Richard. The Origin of Islam in Its Christian Environment. London: Macmillan, 1926.
Crone, Patricia, and Michael Cook. Hagarism: The Making of the Islamic World. Cambridge University Press, 1977.
Tisdall, W. St. Clair. The Original Sources of the Quran. Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1905.
"Pre-Islamic Arabia: Religion and Culture." Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Arabia/Pre-Islamic-Arabia
Guillaume, Alfred. Islam. Penguin Books, 1954.
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