George Sale, The Koran, commonly called the Alcoran of Mohammed, translated into English immediately from the original Arabic; with Explanatory Notes, taken from the most approved Commentators. To which is prefixed A Preliminary Discource (1734)

induced them to ascribe a divine power to those stars, and to think themselves indebted to them for their rains, a very great benefit and refreshment to their parched country: this superstition the Korân particularly takes notice of ¹.

The ancient Arabians and Indians, between which two nations. was a great conformity of religions, had seven celebrated temples, dedicated to the seven planets; one of which in particular, called Beit Ghomdân, was built in Sanaa the metropolis of Yaman, by Dahac, to the honour of al Zoharah or the planet Venus, and was demolished by the Khalîf Othman ²; by whose murder was fulfilled the prophetical inscription set, as is reported, over this temple, viz. Ghomdân, he who destroyeth thee, shall be slain ³. The temple of Mecca is also said to have been consecrated to Zohal, or Saturn ⁴.

Tho’ these deities were generally reverenced by the whole nation, yet each tribe chose some one as the more peculiar object of their worship.

Thus as to the stars and planets, the tribe of Hamyar chiefly worshipped the sun; Misam ⁵, al Debarân or the bull’s eye; Lakhm and Jodâm, al Moshtari or Jupiter; Tay, Sohail or Canopus; Kais, Sirius or the dog-star; and Asad, Otâred or Mercury ⁶. Among the worshippers of Sirius, one Abu Cabsha was very famous; some will have him to be the same with Wabeb, Mohammed’s grandfather by the mother, but others say he was of the tribe of Khozâah. This man used his utmost endeavours to persuade the Koreish to leave their images and worship this star; for which reason Mohammed, who endeavoured also to make them leave their images, was by them nicknamed the son of Abu Cabsha ⁷. The worship of this star is particularly hinted at in the Korân ⁸.

Of the angels or intelligences which they worshipped, the Korân ⁹, makes mention only of three, which were worshipped under female names ¹⁰; Allat, al Uzza, and Manah. These were by them called goddesses, and the daughter’s of God; an appellation they gave not only to the angels, but also to their images, which they either believed to be inspired with life by God, or else to become the tabernacles of the angels, and to be animated by them; and they gave them divine worship, because they imagined they interceded for them with God.