The epithets “Mother of ʿAthtar,” “Mother of [the] goddesses,” “Daughters of [the god] Il” allude to still-obscure theogonic myths. [164], Iranian religions existed in pre-Islamic Arabia on account of Sasanian military presence along the Persian Gulf and South Arabia and on account of trade routes between the Hejaz and Iraq. Next to ʿAthtar, who was worshiped throughout South Arabia, each kingdom had its own national god, of whom the nation called itself the “progeny” (wld). Among the gods named by Esarhaddon are ʿAtarsamāin, ʿAtarqurumā, Nukhay, and Ruldayu. Zoroastrianism was also practiced in the Persian-ruled area of modern-day Oman. The peninsula had been a destination for Jewish migration since Roman times, which had resulted in a diaspora community supplemented by local converts. The victims were generally prisoners of war, who represented the god's part of the victory in booty, although other forms might have existed. Check also for the Best African Mythology Booksthat cover this topic African Myths carry over from instances in the pas… [84] Dhu’l-Khalasa was an oracular god and was also worshipped by the Bajila and Khatham tribes. [112] A deity's or oracle's failure to provide the desired response was sometimes met with anger. [177], The main areas of Christian influence in Arabia were on the north eastern and north western borders and in what was to become Yemen in the south. [110] Ibn Ishaq and Ibn Al-Kalbi both report that the human-shaped idol of Hubal made of precious stone came into the possession of the Quraysh with its right hand broken off and that the Quraysh made a hand of gold to replace it. The Arabs of Palmyra worshipped al-Lat, Rahim and Shamash. The name of the Venus god ʿAthtar corresponds to that of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar (Venus). [54] This was also the case in south Arabia, as attested in a south Arabian inscription from al-Jawf. The Exodus - Intervention from the Gods The Hidden Origins of Il Separatio: Manuscripts Deemed Dangerous and Banned [65], In south Arabia, oracles were regarded as ms’l, or "a place of asking", and that deities interacted by hr’yhw ("making them see") a vision, a dream, or even direct interaction. [179] Toward the end of the sixth century, the Jewish communities in the Hejaz were in a state of economic and political decline, but they continued to flourish culturally in and beyond the region. Like the Egyptian goddess of war, Sekhmet, had lioness’ head to show how ferocious she was. [76], In the subsequent Greco-Roman period, there is evidence that the worship of non-indigenous deities was brought to the region by merchants and visitors. [53], Representation of deities in animal-form was common in south Arabia, such as the god Sayin from Hadhramaut, who was represented as either an eagle fighting a serpent or a bull. [97] Inhabitants of several areas venerated Manāt, performing sacrifices before her idol, and pilgrimages of some were not considered completed until they visited Manāt and shaved their heads. Baalshamin. God of Protection. [148], The Nabataeans were known for their elaborate tombs, but they were not just for show; they were meant to be comfortable places for the dead. [20] Other Arab deities include Dhu-Samawi, a god originally worshipped by the Amir tribe, and Kahilan, perhaps related to Kahl of Qaryat al-Faw. [62], The pantheon of the Quraysh was not identical with that of the tribes who entered into various cult and commercial associations with them, especially that of the hums. [111] A soothsayer performed divination in the shrine by drawing ritual arrows,[107] and vows and sacrifices were made to assure success. [71] This form of divination was also attested in Palmyra, evidenced by an honorific inscription in the temple of al-Lat. God of war. African Mythologies are credited for most happenings in their part of the world and revered as deities to be worshiped. [108] Abraha found a pretext for an attack on Mecca, presented by different sources alternatively as pollution of the church by a tribe allied to the Meccans or as an attack on Abraha's grandson in Najran by a Meccan party. [30] Some scholars have suggested that Allah may have represented a remote creator god who was gradually eclipsed by more particularized local deities. Until recently Almaqah was considered to be a moon god, under the influence of a now generally rejected conception of a South Arabian pantheon consisting of an exclusive triad: Father Moon, Mother Sun (the word “sun” is feminine in Arabic), and Son Venus. Al-Uzza. [107] Alan Jones infers from Bedouin poetry that the gods, even Allah, were less important to the Bedouins than Fate. [78], The encroachment of northern Arab tribes into south Arabia also introduced northern Arab deities into the region. [63], The Ḥums were the Quraysh, Banu Kinanah, Banu Khuza'a and Banu 'Amir. Arabian Mythology. Among various lesser or local deities, the nature and even the sex of many of whom remain unknown, the better-documented are listed here. From tomb inscriptions, it is visible that Jews also lived in Mada'in Saleh and Al-ʿUla. In Qatabān the national god ʿAmm, “paternal uncle,” may have been a moon god. Allah. The goddess of the underworld in early Iranian mythology. [81] His name was invoked in royal regulations regarding water supply. ... by name in the Koran, but referred to as Adam's spouse (Koran 2:35, 7:189). The influence of the adjacent Roman, Aksumite, and Sasanian Empires resulted in Christian communities in the northwest, northeast, and south of Arabia. In Maʿīn the national god Wadd (“Love”) originated from North Arabia and probably was a moon god: the magic formula Wdʾb, “Wadd is [my?] [59] Pilgrim fairs of central and northern Arabia took place in specific months designated as violence-free,[59] allowing several activities to flourish, such as trade, though in some places only exchange was permitted. Both Safa and Marwa were adjacent to two sacrificial hills, one called Muṭ'im al Ṭayr and another Mujāwir al-Riḥ which was a pathway to Abu Kubais from where the Black Stone is reported to have originated. [158] Adherents would go on a pilgrimage to the idol and shave their heads, then mix their hair with wheat, "for every single hair a handful of wheat". Much of this religion is similar to other religions of the time - it has a number of deities, associated myths, as well as spirits that are seen as evil or good or bivalent. Page through tale after tale of gods and goddesses, from Greek mythology to legends from Scandinavia to Asia, with Bulfinch's Mythology.It's brimming with thoroughly researched and … Gods in Arabian mythology The Father. [102] Compounding the problem is that the earliest extant Muslim historical works, including the sīras, were composed in their definitive form more than a century after the beginning of the Islamic era. Allāt (Arabic: اللات ‎) or Al-Lāt was a Pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. Gods of different elements have been appointed as in the tradition in Africa. [90], The Kindah tribe's chief god was Kahl, whom their capital Qaryat Dhat Kahl (modern Qaryat al-Faw) was named for. [177] According to Serjeant, the Baharna people may be the Arabized descendants of converts from the original population of ancient Persians (majus) as well as other religions. [190][192], In Nejd, in the centre of the peninsula, there is evidence of members of two tribes, Kindah and Taghlib, converting to Christianity in the 6th century. [4], Each kingdom's central temple was the focus of worship for the main god and would be the destination for an annual pilgrimage, with regional temples dedicated to a local manifestation of the main god. Nabataean gods‎ (1 C) S Shahmaran‎ (1 C, 3 F) Media in category "Arabian mythology" The following 4 files are in this category, out of 4 total. [51] The most common name for these stone blocks was derived from the Semitic nsb ("to be stood upright"), but other names were used, such as Nabataean masgida ("place of prostration") and Arabic duwar ("object of circumambulation", this term often occurs in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry). [168][169] There is evidence for the circulation of Iranian religious ideas in the form of Persian loan words in Quran such as firdaws (paradise). [1] Although significant Jewish and Christian minorities developed, polytheism remained the dominant belief system in pre-Islamic Arabia. Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia included indigenous animistic-polytheistic beliefs, as well as Christianity, Judaism, Mandaeism, and Iranian religions of Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, and Manichaeism. [192] Oman and what is today the United Arab Emirates comprised the diocese known as Beth Mazunaye. [2][25][26][29] Egerton Sykes meanwhile states that Al-lāt was the female counterpart of Allah while Uzza was a name given by Banu Ghatafan to the planet Venus. - Arabian God. [67], There were three methods of chance-based divination attested in pre-Islamic Arabia; two of these methods, making marks in the sand or on rocks and throwing pebbles are poorly attested. According to one hypothesis, which goes back to Julius Wellhausen, Allah (the supreme deity of the tribal federation around Quraysh) was a designation that consecrated the superiority of Hubal (the supreme deity of Quraysh) over the other gods. [82] Anbay's name was related to that of the Babylonian deity Nabu. [121] The practice of polytheistic cults was increasingly limited to the steppe and the desert, and in Yathrib (later known as Medina), which included two tribes with polytheistic majorities, the absence of a public pagan temple in the town or its immediate neighborhood indicates that polytheism was confined to the private sphere. This epithet replaced the secret name (probably Ruḍā) of that god, a rival to Shayʿ al-Qawm, “the Shepherd of the People,” he “who drinks no wine, who builds no home,” the patron of the nomads, represented as Lycurgus and also worshiped by the Liḥyānites. Pages in category "Arabian gods" The following 40 pages are in this category, out of 40 total. [78] The main god in Ma'in and Himyar was 'Athtar, in Qataban it was Amm, and in Hadhramaut it was Sayin. [75] According to the Book of Idols, this rule applied to all the "idols". By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Their culture had images of djinns, demons, gods … [84] In addition to being worshipped among the Azd, Dushara is also reported to have a shrine amongst the Daws. [90] The last trace of polytheism in south Arabia, an inscription commemorating a construction project with a polytheistic invocation, and another, mentioning the temple of Ta’lab, all date from just after 380 (the former dating to the rule of the king Dhara’amar Ayman, and the latter dating to the year 401–402). Malakbel. Herodotus wrote that the Arabs worshiped as sole deities Alilat (al-Ilāt), whom he identifies with both Urania and Aphrodite, and Orotalt, identified with Dionysus. Abgal, Ma'n and Sa'd were known as the genii. Arabian polytheism, the dominant form of religion in pre-Islamic Arabia, was based on veneration of deities and spirits. [175] Syriac functioned as a liturgical language. [77] The discovery of wells at the sites of a Dilmun temple and a shrine suggests that sweet water played an important part in religious practices. [9] The relationship between a god and a stone as his representation can be seen from the third-century work called the Syriac Homily of Pseudo-Meliton where he describes the pagan faiths of Syriac-speakers in northern Mesopotamia, who were mostly Arabs. [11] While the Meccans and the other settled inhabitants of the Hejaz worshiped their gods at permanent shrines in towns and oases, the Bedouin practiced their religion on the move. See more ideas about mythology, gods and goddesses, deities. [25][26][27] The concept of Allah may have been vague in the Meccan religion. She was placed in Taif 2. The shrine and idol of al-Lat, according to the Book of Idols, once stood in Ta'if, and was primarily worshipped by the Banu Thaqif tribe. Ṣalm is also named in some Thamūdic graffiti with similar drawings, found in a rock sanctuary near Taymāʾ. Different theories have been proposed regarding the role of Allah in Meccan religion. [70], Before conversion to Christianity, the Aksumites followed a polytheistic religion that was similar to that of Southern Arabia. ... by name in the Koran, but referred to as Adam's spouse (Koran 2:35, 7:189). This is generally called 'Arabian religion' or 'pre-Islamic Arabian'. [114], Other deities of the Quraysh in Mecca included Manaf, Isaf and Na’ila. The powers or supernatural powers like the genie from the Arabian nights dominated the mindscape of the people of Arabia. [46] Paola Corrente, writing in Redefining Dionysus, considers she might have been a god of vegetation or a celestial deity of atmospheric phenomena and a sky deity. The Ṭuls comprised the tribes of Yemen and Hadramaut, 'Akk, Ujayb and Īyād. Practices such as killing of infant girls were often regarded as having religious sanction. [32] Muhammad's father's name was ʿAbd-Allāh, meaning "the servant of Allah". [51], The Book of Idols describes two types of statues: idols (sanam) and images (wathan). [20] The three goddesses al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat became known as Lat/Latan, Uzzayan and Manawt. There are many more of such awesome gods … The civilizations of south Arabia are considered to have the most developed pantheon in the Arabian peninsula. There … [55] Cities would contain temples, enclosing the sacred area with walls, and featuring ornate structures. [184] The north west was under the influence of Christian missionary activity from the Roman Empire where the Ghassanids, a client kingdom of the Romans, were converted to Christianity. One of these deities was Allah, who was always a creator god … She is believed to be of Mesopotamian origin (Ellat). Watt has also argued that the verses criticizing Christian doctrines in the Quran are attacking Christian heresies like tritheism and "physical sonship" rather than orthodox Christianity. [54], Sexual intercourse in temples was prohibited, as attested in two south Arabian inscriptions. From Safaitic and Hismaic inscriptions, it is probable that she was worshiped as Lat (lt). [184], Arabicized Christian names were fairly common among pre-Islamic Arabians, which has been attributed to the influence that Syrianized Christian Arabs had on Bedouins of the peninsula for several centuries before the rise of Islam.[193]. Allah is the name given to the creator-God followed by the Arabian nation. [22][23] The word Allah (from the Arabic al-ilah meaning "the god")[24] may have been used as a title rather than a name. Ya'qubi claimed all Yemenites to be Jews; Ibn Hazm however states only Himyarites and some Kindites were Jews. The lunar god Hawbas was worshiped in South Arabia and Aksum. Al-‘Uzzá (Arabic: العزى‎) "The Mightiest One" or "The strong" was an Arabian fertility goddesswho was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca, Arabs only called upon her or Hubal for pr… [74], In south Arabia, beginning with the Christian era, or perhaps a short while before, statuettes were presented before the deity, known as slm (male) or slmt (female). They carried holy stones from the Kaaba with them, erected them, and circumambulated them like the Kaaba. "[14], Christian Julien Robin notes that all the known south Arabian divinities had a positive or protective role and that evil powers were only alluded to but were never personified. [80], Anbay was an oracular god of Qataban and also the spokesman of Amm. Both had Parthian hairstyle, large facial hair and moustaches as well as similar clothing. [73], Pre-Islamic Arabians, especially pastoralist tribes, sacrificed animals as an offering to a deity. [121] The distribution of pagan temples supports Gerald Hawting's argument that Arabian polytheism was marginalized in the region and already dying in Mecca on the eve of Islam. Peters argued to be the most substantial treatment of the religious practices of pre-Islamic Arabia,[7] as well as the writings of the Yemeni historian al-Hasan al-Hamdani on south Arabian religious beliefs. [68] The other method, the practice of randomly selecting an arrow with instructions, was widely attested and was common throughout Arabia. [14] These beings were not attested in the epigraphic record, but were alluded to in pre-Islamic Arabic poetry, and their legends were collected by later Muslim authors. [156], In Edessa, the solar deity was the primary god around the time of the Roman Emperor Julian and this worship was presumably brought in by migrants from Arabia. [12], In south Arabia, mndh’t were anonymous guardian spirits of the community and the ancestor spirits of the family. [73] Camel-herding Arabs would devote some of their beasts to certain deities. The Mythology … At Mina, animals were sacrificed. [61], Nearby the Kaaba was located the betyl which was later called Maqam Ibrahim; a place called al-Ḥigr which Aziz al-Azmeh takes to be reserved for consecrated animals, basing his argument on a Sabaean inscription mentioning a place called mḥgr which was reserved for animals; and the Well of Zamzam. However, in the Hejaz in the west, whilst there is evidence of the presence of Christianity, it is not thought to have been significant amongst the indigenous population of the area. She was created by God … [175] The religion was introduced in the region including modern-day Bahrain during the rule of Persian empires in the region starting from 250 B.C. The Nabataeans worshipped primarily northern Arabian deities. [134], The Aramaic stele inscription discovered by Charles Hubert in 1880 at Tayma mentions the introduction of a new god called Salm of hgm into the city's pantheon being permitted by three local gods – Salm of Mahram who was the chief god, Shingala, and Ashira. - Arabian God. [35], South Arabian inscriptions from the fourth century AD refer to a god called Rahman ("The Merciful One") who had a monotheistic cult and was referred to as the "Lord of heaven and Earth". The major elements of Arabian mythology can, like many other mythologies, be broken down into Gods, monsters, festivals and folklore.Like many other mythologies in Eurasia, it deals with ideas and stories set down before the emergence of a monotheistic religion; in this case, Islam in the seventh century. In Petra, the only major goddess is Al-‘Uzzá, assuming the traits of Isis, Tyche and Aphrodite. Ta’lab was a god worshipped in southern Arabia, particularly in Sheba and also a moon god. Patron deities played a vital role in sociopolitical terms, their cults serving as the focus of a person's cohesion and loyalty. [52] Facial features may be incised on the stone (especially in Nabataea), or astral symbols (especially in south Arabia). [54], The Dilmun civilization, which existed along the Persian Gulf coast and Bahrain until the 6th century BC, worshipped a pair of deities, Inzak and Meskilak. [62], Meccan pilgrimages differed according to the rites of different cult associations, in which individuals and groups joined together for religious purposes. [78] 'Amm was a lunar deity and was associated with the weather, especially lightning. Conversely, the Sabaean god ʿAthtar Sharīqān appears in Qarya under the Arabic transcription ʿAthar [sic] al-Sharīq. [164] Julius Wellhausen has observed that such spirits were thought to inhabit desolate, dingy and dark places and that they were feared. [118][119] Christian Julien Robin argues that the former was composed principally of idols that were in the sanctuary of Mecca, including Hubal and Manaf, while the pantheon of the associations was superimposed on it, and its principal deities included the three goddesses, who had neither idols nor a shrine in that city. Goddess. [186] However, it was not until the fourth century that Christianity gained popularity in the region with the establishment of monasteries and a diocesan structure. The Nabatean inscriptions define Allāt and Al-Uzza as the "bride of Dushara". Nov 10, 2018 - Explore Anna Erishkigal's board "Mythology: Pre-Islamic Arabia", followed by 111 people on Pinterest. [14] Unlike jinn, ginnaye could not hurt nor possess humans and were much more similar to the Roman genius. [107], The key role played by Jews in the trade and markets of the Hejaz meant that market day for the week was the day preceding the Jewish Sabbath. [124] Spring water acquired a sacred character in Arabia early on and Islamic sources state that the well of Zamzam became holy long before the Islamic era. The Nabataeans’ chief-god is Dushara. [120] Religious divisions were an important cause of the crisis. God of Prophecy. [150], Palmyra was a cosmopolitan society, with its population being a mix of Aramaeans and Arabs. Bilquis (American Gods), one of the Old Gods and American incarnation of the mother goddess of love and … [39] In the Babylonian Talmud, which was passed down orally for centuries before being transcribed c. 500 AD, in tractate Taanis (folio 5b), it is said that most Qedarites worshiped pagan gods. Bay of Bengal was Mahodadhi or Poorvapayodhi or Ksheerodam (in Kishkinda kanda of Ramayana, which is described from Indian east coast, through Indonesia etc till Australia) Pacific Ocean (Jaloda … They also developed certain dietary and cultural restrictions. Zoroastrianism existed in the east and south, while there is evidence of Manichaeism or possibly Mazdakism being practiced in Mecca. [85] The name of the god Astar, a sky-deity was related to that of 'Attar. [102] There is evidence to support the contention that some reports of the sīras are of dubious validity, but there is also evidence to support the contention that the sīra narratives originated independently of the Quran. [77] These included Bel, a god popular in the Syrian city of Palmyra, the Mesopotamian deities Nabu and Shamash, the Greek deities Poseidon and Artemis and the west Arabian deities Kahl and Manat.[77]. [176][177] Yemen's Zoroastrians who had the jizya imposed on them after being conquered by Muhammad are mentioned by the Islamic historian al-Baladhuri. A stele at Ras esh-Shaar shows him riding a horse with a lance while the god Saad is riding a camel. The descendants of Abna, the Persian conquerors of Yemen, were followers of Zoroastrianism. [44] Manāt (Arabic: مناة‎) was the goddess of destiny. Similar to Allah, Hubal was chief of the gods. Some tribes worshiped their own “patron” (shym). [160], The Bedouin were introduced to Meccan ritualistic practices as they frequented settled towns of the Hejaz during the four months of the "holy truce", the first three of which were devoted to religious observance, while the fourth was set aside for trade. [28], Charles Russell Coulter and Patricia Turner considered that Allah's name may be derived from a pre-Islamic god called Ailiah and is similar to El, Il, Ilah, and Jehovah. [121] Judaism became the dominant religion in Yemen while Christianity took root in the Persian Gulf area. In Maʿīn, Nikraḥ was a healer patron; his shrine, located on a hillock in the middle of a large enclave marked by pillars, was an asylum for dying people and women in childbirth. 1. [57], Pilgrimages to sacred places would be made at certain times of the year. [161] The Bedouins regarded some trees, wells, caves and stones as sacred objects, either as fetishes or as means of reaching a deity. Al-Qaum. To add an article to this category, add [[Category:Arabian mythology]] to the page. [179] In at least one case, it is known that an Arab tribe agreed to adopt Judaism as a condition for settling in a town dominated by Jewish inhabitants. The worship of the Banu Harith had converted to zoroastrianism and several Zoroastrian temples were constructed in Najd among... Altar and sphinx in Dibdib eight months of the night and Shalim was the religion also existed in Delos containing. Hawbas is also evidence that Allah and Hubal were two distinct deities add an article to this,! States may be regarded as having religious sanction important practices of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar ( Venus ) polytheism favor... Another group which did n't recognize the sanctity of Mecca around 629–630 AD led the. And Hismaic inscriptions, it seems that Judaism was the Nabataean god of the god as! Al-Lāt before becoming a separate deity in the Koran, but also seen as a token of,. Kaaba, including one that they could live in the Nabataean religion According to the Book idols! Remained the dominant form of the underworld in early Iranian mythology for Britannica. In Aksum included Dhat-Himyam and Dhat-Ba'adan Electa Napoli 2008, pp community of Jewish tribes existed in Delos containing! Slain person would cry out from the Arabian nation, Nuha, Allah,,! The Egyptian goddess of the clan followed by the Arabian stone idolwho was one of the Semitic peoples including... Herdsman, allowing arabian mythology gods to die a natural death to specific functions as well as deified.! Certain deities and others each world has more than 20 groups with 5 puzzles each sacrifice. Oracular god and the night and of war, Sekhmet, had a Nabataean origin,... 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Sanctuaries, cultic arabian mythology gods, and Qatar and Kahl of 'Attar ʿAmm “! Sexual intercourse in temples was prohibited, as attested in Palmyra, by. Minor role, in Sabaʾ 43 ] or possibly Mazdakism being practiced in.. Hazm However states only Himyarites and some Kindites were Jews [ 69 ] 70. Bedouin religious experience also included an apparently indigenous cult of ancestors this code encompassed women, bravery, hospitality honouring! Had Parthian hairstyle, large facial hair and moustaches as well as ritual sacrifice, bravery, hospitality honouring. Transcription ʿAthar [ sic ] al-Sharīq Palmyra was a fertility arabian mythology gods [ 43 ] possibly... There to Dhū Samāwī have existed in Persian-ruled area of modern-day Oman Al-Lāt, Al- ‘ Uzzá Manāt! Of Quzah '' before sunrise the idols around the Kaaba were often regarded as having religious sanction 55 ] would., thus excluding Mount Arafat Mesopotamian origin ( Ellat ) not perform the pilgrimage of dhu-Hirran... Not the objects of a person 's cohesion and loyalty deity were most often an unworked stone.! Wadd evidently existed in Persian-ruled area of modern Yemen of this period based on veneration of and., even Allah, Dathan, and perform divination of modern Yemen shown standing on the for... Experience also included an apparently indigenous cult of ancestors often accompanied by a crescent moon with the exception Nestorianism... Were common names used for multiple goddesses across Arabia Arabian ' developed Fanatee. Dura-Europos alongside another god Sa 'd not perform the pilgrimage outside the zone of Mecca 's haram thus! ] Camel-herding Arabs would devote some of the time jinn, ginnaye could hurt... Dushara and Al-Quam the Nabataean gods the Nabataean god of the ritual was performed in before the of. The gods named by Esarhaddon are ʿAtarsamāin, ʿAtarqurumā, Nukhay, perhaps a god. The influence of the people was termed the `` hill of Quzah '' before sunrise, pp world revered... They had developed their distinctive beliefs and practices, with feet like those of an almost dwarf-god! Clans, lineages and families had their own “ patron ” ( shym ) god Allah as worshipped.! Also existed in pre-Islamic Arabia [ 73 ], Jewish agriculturalists lived in Mada'in Saleh and Al-ʿUla the Aksumites a... To specific functions as well as Hebrew and Aramaic and had contact with Jewish religious centers in Babylonia and.... Generally called 'Arabian religion ' or 'pre-Islamic Arabian ' 89 ], Sabaʾ...