General description of Hubal
Hubal was a major deity worshipped in the Arabian Peninsula before the advent of Islam, mainly by the Quraysh tribes of Mecca. Considered a god of rain, fertility, and divination, he played a key role in the rituals of the Kaaba, where his idol stood until the rise of Islam. Made of red carnelian, the statue of Hubal was located inside the Kaaba, marking its importance in the city's religious life. Believers attributed powers to him to ensure prosperity, notably rain and crop protection. One of the rituals involving Hubal was the use of arrows for divination, allowing priests to answer questions posed by the tribes.
Table of Hubal's correspondences
| Stones | Carnelian, red jasper |
| Colors | Red, gold, copper |
| Plants | Cedar, wheat, incense |
| Signs | Lion, Sagittarius |
| Planet | Jupiter (symbol of prosperity and power) |
| Offerings | Wine, incense, sacrificed animals |
Symbols and appearances of Hubal
Hubal was represented by a human-shaped idol, often described as made of red carnelian with a golden replacement arm, indicating a particular symbolic importance. He was associated with the power of rain and fertility, essential themes in a desert region like Arabia. Among his symbols were divination arrows used in the sanctuaries of the Kaaba, which allowed worshippers to ask for answers about their future or destiny.
Genealogy of Hubal
There is no clear genealogy for Hubal in pre-Islamic Arabian mythology. However, some accounts describe him as having been imported into Arabia from the Moab region or by Nabataean tribes, making him a foreign god incorporated into the Arabian pantheon. Hubal has also sometimes been compared to Baal, a storm and fertility god in other Semitic pantheons..
