Before the emergence of Islam, Arabs worshipped a plurality of deities, including several prominent female figures. Among them, al-Lāt stands out as one of the oldest and most powerful. Mentioned in the Qur’an alongside al-ʿUzzā and Manāt [53:19–20], al-Lāt was the object of widespread worship, particularly in Ṭāʾif, southeast of Mecca, where an important circular sanctuary (dār) was protected by the Banū Ṯaqīf.
