A wave of social media accounts in Saudi Arabia have been recently promoting and calling for the return of ancient Arabian, pre-Islamic deities as part of the kingdom’s national and cultural heritage, sparking outrage among religious Saudis and other Muslims as the ultraconservative kingdom pushes to modernize and replace its religious identity with a more nationalistic one.
Outrage as Saudi accounts promote ancient Arabian goddesses amid attempt to revive national heritage https://t.co/71luVcfRyW
— Edward Butler (@EPButler) December 13, 2023
One Saudi user on X (formerly Twitter) posted pictures of the ancient Arabian goddess ‘Al-Uzza,’ showing imitated rituals surrounding the statue and existing figures displayed in museums across Saudi Arabia.
“From [the] past to [the] future, al Uzza is always there.” As Saudi Arabians, the user wrote, citizens are “deeply connected with our past,” The user posted. “we’re as Saudi Arabians, deeply connected with our past. Doesn’t matter if we’re Muslims or not. It’s an Arabic history.”
The user also said that the “Saudi government gives so much importance for the ancient Arabian gods” because the deities and their statues were part of the peninsula’s history, further declaring that “our past is a part of our future.”
The user also mentioned the three main goddesses of the ancient pre-Islamic polytheistic pantheon – Al-Lat, Manat, and Al-Uzza – as “our ancient history” and symbols of female empowerment.
“Since ancient times, Arabs have sanctified the female entity. We should be proud of our history and abolish the stereotypical and distorted image of female infanticide.” the user said.
Claiming that in Arabian culture, women “were the ideal, integrated entity among the Arabs,” which allowed belief in goddesses to flourish, the user and its affiliated or friendly accounts even justified the pre-Islamic practice of burying one’s newborn or young daughters, explaining that “female infanticide was not due to shame, as some claim,” but rather to offer “girls as sacrifices” to the “feminine trinity.”
These users also blamed the Sahwa (Awakening) movement for Saudi Arabia’s former opposition to using the ancient Arabian pagan goddesses and related antiquities for tourism and national heritage, with one user saying that the movement’s influence “reached down to history.
Renaissance will begin in Saudi
— Philip (@philip_9876) December 14, 2023
It erased it and erased it from the memory of the Saudi person. It distorted the concept of history, civilization, heritage, antiquities, and identity. How many years ago, anyone who talked about antiquities seemed as if he was talking about something polytheistic or about bringing back the worship of idols to Saudi Arabia.”
Another user echoed these sentiments, adding that the rise of the movement was a “direct result of the [Muslim] Brotherhood and the Sahwa’s control over education and the media…They had complete control over our schools for more than 40 years, during which most Saudis were completely brainwashed!”
The Sahwa movement became prominent in Saudi Arabian society and government from 1960 to 1980, when leaders and scholars associated with the movement advocated for more reliance on fundamentalist Wahhabi principles, which led to significant restrictions on women’s rights, personal liberties, and religious freedom.
Same is happening in Egypt
— Wala (@wlaa_z) November 30, 2023
As part of an effort to modernize Saudi Arabia and overhaul the country’s system and identity, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman moved against the movement and began a series of reforms that lifted many of the restrictions in Saudi society, with the remaining figures and scholars connected to the Sahwa movement rounded up and arrested by authorities.
However, many religious users, including Saudis, expressed their outrage at the depiction and promotion of ancient Arabian deities by some Saudi accounts, claiming it was an attempt at reviving the polytheistic pantheon that Islam opposes.
They even dismissed these users as either “bot” accounts sponsored and supported by the Saudi government or being run by Zionists and Hindutva individuals abroad. However, these accusations are yet to be confirmed.
Haram!
— The Gentlemen (@TheGentlemen001) November 30, 2023
“A major component of secularizing Muslim countries is creating a nationalistic narrative that revolves around an ancient and long-lost forgotten religion that predates Islam.” Muslim American YouTuber and writer Daniel Haqiqatjou said on X, adding that to “secularize their country, the Saudi authorities are allowing the revival of the pagan idols that Islam destroyed.”
On the other hand, supporters of the Saudi government and the Crown Prince argue that it is simply about preserving the kingdom’s national heritage and history and that Saudis should take pride in all aspects of their past.
