WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:16.640
<v Speaker 1>Hia Allon says, have you then considered a let in

2
00:00:16.679 --> 00:00:21.760
<v Speaker 1>Aloza and Manette the other third? Deep within the sands

3
00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:28.399
<v Speaker 1>of Arabia, whispers of a bygone era still linger. Let Usa,

4
00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:33.280
<v Speaker 1>two goddesses who once held sway over the peninsula, stand

5
00:00:34.039 --> 00:00:38.479
<v Speaker 1>as potent symbols of a time before Islam. Their faded

6
00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:43.399
<v Speaker 1>statues and crumbling shrines hold a peculiar fascination in the

7
00:00:43.439 --> 00:00:48.560
<v Speaker 1>modern world, particularly in light of Islamic prophecies hinting a

8
00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:52.039
<v Speaker 1>return to idle worship in the end times. As the

9
00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:55.200
<v Speaker 1>prophets of a Laho AliOS Selim said, the system of

10
00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:59.479
<v Speaker 1>night and day would not end until the people have

11
00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:03.880
<v Speaker 1>taken to the worship of a Let and Uzza. A

12
00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:08.079
<v Speaker 1>wave of apparent Saudi social media accounts have been promoting

13
00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:12.799
<v Speaker 1>and calling for the return of ancient Arabian deities as

14
00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:17.519
<v Speaker 1>part of the kingdom's national heritage, amid the Countri's push

15
00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:22.719
<v Speaker 1>to replace its religious identity with a more nationalist one.

16
00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:26.239
<v Speaker 1>One user on Acts posted pictures of the ancient Arabian

17
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:31.719
<v Speaker 1>goddess Aluza, showing imitated rituals surrounding the statue and existing

18
00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:36.840
<v Speaker 1>figures of it displayed in Saudi museums. According to that user,

19
00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:40.760
<v Speaker 1>from the past to the future, Alusa is always there

20
00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:45.560
<v Speaker 1>as Saudi Arabians, the user wrote, citizens are deeply connected

21
00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.040
<v Speaker 1>with our past and it doesn't matter if we are

22
00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:56.719
<v Speaker 1>Muslims or not. The user also cited the three main

23
00:01:56.840 --> 00:02:03.000
<v Speaker 1>goddesses of the pre Islamic polytheistic pantheon, a Let, Manat,

24
00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:08.719
<v Speaker 1>and Aluza as our ancient history and symbols of female empowerment.

25
00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:14.400
<v Speaker 1>Since ancient times, Arabs have sanctified the female entity. The

26
00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:18.000
<v Speaker 1>user says, we should be proud of our history in

27
00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:24.520
<v Speaker 1>abolish the stereotypical and distorted image of female infanid, claiming

28
00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:28.879
<v Speaker 1>that in Arabian culture, women were the ideal integrated entity

29
00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:34.280
<v Speaker 1>among the Arabs, allowing belief in goddesses to flourish. The

30
00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:39.120
<v Speaker 1>user in its affiliated or friendly accounts, even justified the

31
00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:44.599
<v Speaker 1>pre Islamic practice of being one's newborn or young daughters,

32
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:49.280
<v Speaker 1>saying that female infanied was not due to shame, as

33
00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:54.080
<v Speaker 1>some claim, but instead to offer girls as saces to

34
00:02:54.199 --> 00:03:00.560
<v Speaker 1>the feminine trinity. Let in Usa were no mere figments

35
00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:06.120
<v Speaker 1>of imagination. Archaeological evidence paints a vivid picture of their prominence.

36
00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:12.039
<v Speaker 1>Statues depicting let the lioness goddess and Uzza, associated with

37
00:03:12.199 --> 00:03:18.960
<v Speaker 1>power and protection, dotted the Arabian landscape by itself housed

38
00:03:19.080 --> 00:03:23.159
<v Speaker 1>idols dedicated to them, a testament to their deeply ingrained

39
00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:28.280
<v Speaker 1>place in pre Islamic society. However, the rise of Islam

40
00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:32.199
<v Speaker 1>in the seventh century CE marked a dramatic shift. The

41
00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:37.000
<v Speaker 1>Quran challenged the worship of idols, advocating for the worship

42
00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:41.520
<v Speaker 1>of one God Allah. The prophet Muhammed, Peace be upon him,

43
00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:47.319
<v Speaker 1>led the destruction of idols in Mecca, effectively dismantling the

44
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:52.560
<v Speaker 1>pantheon of Arabian gods. There is a crucial distinction to

45
00:03:52.599 --> 00:03:57.520
<v Speaker 1>be made between historical interest and religious revival. While some

46
00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:02.560
<v Speaker 1>may be intrigued by let in Uzza, their open worship

47
00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:09.159
<v Speaker 1>in contemporary Saudi Arabia, a strictly Islamic theocracy remains highly unlikely.

48
00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:14.639
<v Speaker 1>The Saudi government enforces strict religious laws, and public displays

49
00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:19.360
<v Speaker 1>of idolatry would be met with swift action. However, the

50
00:04:19.480 --> 00:04:25.600
<v Speaker 1>issue goes beyond mere legislation. Islam emphasizes the oneness of God,

51
00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.199
<v Speaker 1>and the vast majority of Muslims find the concept of

52
00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:36.639
<v Speaker 1>idle worship abhorrent. The history of a let in Alza.

53
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:41.439
<v Speaker 1>A let was a white stone with inscriptions on There

54
00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:44.439
<v Speaker 1>was a house built around a let in a thief

55
00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:49.879
<v Speaker 1>with curtains, servants and his sacred courtyard around it. The

56
00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:54.240
<v Speaker 1>people of a thief, the tribe of Thakif and their allies,

57
00:04:54.560 --> 00:05:00.879
<v Speaker 1>worshiped Alet. They would boast to Arabs except the that

58
00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:06.480
<v Speaker 1>they had a let. Ibinjaridri said they derived a Lat's

59
00:05:06.600 --> 00:05:11.079
<v Speaker 1>name from a LA's name and made it feminine. A

60
00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:15.000
<v Speaker 1>Lot is far removed from what they ascribed to him.

61
00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:22.319
<v Speaker 1>It was reported that Alt is pronounced Alet because, according

62
00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:25.720
<v Speaker 1>to Abdullah bin Abbas, Alat was a man who used

63
00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:29.879
<v Speaker 1>to mix soil a kind of barley mash with water

64
00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.720
<v Speaker 1>for the pilgrims during the time of Jahiliyah. When he died,

65
00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:38.639
<v Speaker 1>they remained next to his grave and worshiped him. Ibinjari

66
00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:44.319
<v Speaker 1>said they also derived the name for their idol, Aluza,

67
00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:48.959
<v Speaker 1>from Allah's name. A Laaziz Aluza was a tree on

68
00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:53.639
<v Speaker 1>which the idolators placed a monument in curtains in the

69
00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:58.959
<v Speaker 1>area of Nachla between Macca and a Thief. The Koraish

70
00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:04.240
<v Speaker 1>revered Uzza during the battle of Oha, Abusufiyan said, we

71
00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:09.000
<v Speaker 1>have al Uzza, but you do not have Aluzza. Allah's

72
00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:13.399
<v Speaker 1>messenger Salaalaha Alioa Seldom replied, say, Allah is our supporter,

73
00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:18.199
<v Speaker 1>but you have no support. Manette was another idol in

74
00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:24.000
<v Speaker 1>the area of mushell Lel near Podeide, between Maka and Almadina.

75
00:06:24.279 --> 00:06:28.720
<v Speaker 1>The tribes of Rosa Aus and Rasraj used to revere

76
00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:33.120
<v Speaker 1>Manette during the time of Jahiliya. They used to announce

77
00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:37.879
<v Speaker 1>hej to the Kabba from next to manant Al Bohati

78
00:06:37.959 --> 00:06:42.120
<v Speaker 1>collected a statement from Aaysha with this meaning there were

79
00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:46.560
<v Speaker 1>other idols in the Arabian peninsula that the Arabs revered

80
00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:51.720
<v Speaker 1>just as they revered the Kabba. And Nessai recorded that

81
00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:55.319
<v Speaker 1>Abbotkofail said, when the messenger of Allah said a Laha

82
00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:59.879
<v Speaker 1>Aloa seldom conquered Maca, he sent Halidnilualid to the air

83
00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.759
<v Speaker 1>of Nahla, where the idol of Aluza was erected on

84
00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:08.439
<v Speaker 1>three trees of a forest. Halid cut the three trees

85
00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:12.759
<v Speaker 1>and approached the house built around it and destroyed it.

86
00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.319
<v Speaker 1>When he went back to the prophet and informed him

87
00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.199
<v Speaker 1>of the story, the prophet said to him go back

88
00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:21.040
<v Speaker 1>and finish your mission, for you have not finished it.

89
00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:25.040
<v Speaker 1>Halid went back, and when the custodians, who were also

90
00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:28.959
<v Speaker 1>its servant of Aluza, saw him, they started invoking by

91
00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:32.360
<v Speaker 1>calling Aluza. When Halid approached it, he found a naked

92
00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:35.920
<v Speaker 1>woman whose hair was untidy and who was throwing sand

93
00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:39.639
<v Speaker 1>on her head. Halid slew her with a sword and

94
00:07:39.720 --> 00:07:42.279
<v Speaker 1>went back to the messenger of Allah, who said to

95
00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:47.079
<v Speaker 1>him that was Aluza. Muhammad Ib in his hap narrated

96
00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:52.720
<v Speaker 1>Alet belonged to the tribe of Tharkif in the area

97
00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:56.920
<v Speaker 1>of a thief badamu Atteb were the custodians of Alet

98
00:07:57.720 --> 00:08:02.160
<v Speaker 1>and its servants. The prophet sent a Murira, Bincherba and

99
00:08:02.199 --> 00:08:06.439
<v Speaker 1>Abusufiyan to destroy Alat. They carried out the prophet's command

100
00:08:06.839 --> 00:08:09.399
<v Speaker 1>and built a mesgid in its place in the city

101
00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:14.000
<v Speaker 1>of Ataif. Manat was near the coast, close to the

102
00:08:14.040 --> 00:08:18.279
<v Speaker 1>area of Mushell, Lel and Kodaid. The prophets sent Abusufiyan

103
00:08:18.920 --> 00:08:22.519
<v Speaker 1>or ali I bin Abipalib to demolish it. Ibinis Hack

104
00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:28.399
<v Speaker 1>said that dull Halasa was the idol of the tribes

105
00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:33.080
<v Speaker 1>of those Ratham and Bajilla and the Arabs who resided

106
00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:37.279
<v Speaker 1>in the area of Tabeala I say that dullu Klasa

107
00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:41.639
<v Speaker 1>was called the southern Kabba, and the Kabba in Maka

108
00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.200
<v Speaker 1>was called the northern Kababa. The messenger of Alasa Lallah

109
00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:50.039
<v Speaker 1>Ali was Seldam sent Jariir bin Abdullah al Bajeli to

110
00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:55.279
<v Speaker 1>dul Jalasa, and he destroyed it. Ibinis Hack said that

111
00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:59.519
<v Speaker 1>Fels was the idol of Tai and the neighboring tribes

112
00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:03.080
<v Speaker 1>in the mouths of Tight such as Selma and aja I.

113
00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.120
<v Speaker 1>Bin Hasham said that some scholars of knowledge told him

114
00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:09.919
<v Speaker 1>that the messenger of allas A La Llaho Aliuo Sellem

115
00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:14.279
<v Speaker 1>sent Ali binh Abipaleb to Fealis, and he destroyed it

116
00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:17.720
<v Speaker 1>and found two swords in its treasure, which the prophet

117
00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:22.440
<v Speaker 1>then gave to Ali as war spoils. Muhammad Binishp also

118
00:09:22.519 --> 00:09:26.559
<v Speaker 1>said that the tribes of Himir and Yemen in general

119
00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:31.519
<v Speaker 1>had a house of worship in Senna Caldriem. He mentioned

120
00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.159
<v Speaker 1>that there was a black dog in it and that

121
00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:37.879
<v Speaker 1>the religious men who went with Tuba removed it and

122
00:09:37.960 --> 00:09:42.679
<v Speaker 1>demolished the building. Doctor Glenn Kurbey from the American Center

123
00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:47.720
<v Speaker 1>for Oriental Research in Jordan, said the Nabataeans themselves who

124
00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:52.000
<v Speaker 1>lived in Petra, seemed to have worshiped, in particular, the

125
00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:56.840
<v Speaker 1>goddess Aluza, who is simply termed the mightiest. The narrator

126
00:09:56.919 --> 00:10:00.799
<v Speaker 1>noted that Aluza was worshiped longbe for the rise of

127
00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:06.320
<v Speaker 1>Islam across the Arabian Peninsula. Aluza's image has been found

128
00:10:06.440 --> 00:10:11.120
<v Speaker 1>throughout Petra, carved on small blocks of stone, which for

129
00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:15.840
<v Speaker 1>centuries the Nabatians used to represent their deities. On some

130
00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:20.159
<v Speaker 1>of these blocks, they carved basic features like eyes and noses,

131
00:10:20.559 --> 00:10:25.519
<v Speaker 1>known today as iye idols. Doctor Kerbey explained, based on

132
00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:30.279
<v Speaker 1>inscriptions we have around Petra and other Nabataan sites, this

133
00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:35.320
<v Speaker 1>type of figurine is typically associated with Aluza. She was

134
00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:39.840
<v Speaker 1>directly linked with Petra's ever present need for water. In

135
00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:43.440
<v Speaker 1>the center of Petra stands the Temple of the Winged

136
00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:48.879
<v Speaker 1>Lion Stands, named after the carved winged lions that one

137
00:10:49.279 --> 00:10:54.120
<v Speaker 1>adorned the columns. A dazzling eye idol was discovered within it,

138
00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:59.360
<v Speaker 1>a uniquely carved striking image of a goddess. Because it

139
00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:03.240
<v Speaker 1>was found amid the rubble of the temple archaeologists believe

140
00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.440
<v Speaker 1>that the grand structure was dedicated to be the goddess.

141
00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.480
<v Speaker 1>Everything about the temple suggests that it was a place

142
00:11:11.879 --> 00:11:17.039
<v Speaker 1>of mysterious ritual with a cult surrounding Aluza. The rituals

143
00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:23.399
<v Speaker 1>would have involved burning incense enchanting. The sacred podium inside

144
00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:28.200
<v Speaker 1>was specifically designed so that the image of the goddess

145
00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:32.320
<v Speaker 1>could be kept hidden from sight until the moment of climax.

146
00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:37.080
<v Speaker 1>Doctor Kurbey said, in a very dramatic way, pulling the

147
00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:40.759
<v Speaker 1>curtains away, suddenly you come face to face with a

148
00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:46.440
<v Speaker 1>visual image of the goddess Aluza sitting atop the cultic podium.

149
00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:50.759
<v Speaker 1>Priestesses would have played an important part in the rituals,

150
00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:55.879
<v Speaker 1>As the narrator noted, Eluza's great status suggests that Nabtaean

151
00:11:55.960 --> 00:12:00.159
<v Speaker 1>women too were important in the society. Certainly, they had

152
00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.480
<v Speaker 1>far greater rights and freedoms than the women of Europe

153
00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:06.799
<v Speaker 1>or the Roman world. The Navitaeans did not leave many

154
00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:11.559
<v Speaker 1>written documents behind, but the records that do survive provide

155
00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:14.480
<v Speaker 1>amazing evidence of the power and status of women, and

156
00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:18.960
<v Speaker 1>the narrators said they hint at something astonishing. For a time,

157
00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:21.039
<v Speaker 1>women were in control here