for al-‘Uzzā stood in the valley of Nakhla, towards ‘Arafāt. Authentic reports establish that the people of Mecca worshipped al-‘Uzzā, just as mass-transmitted reports establish that al-Lāt belonged to the people of al-Tā’if. Manāt stood near Qudayd, and the people of Medina would enter the state of pilgrimage consecration for her, as is established in the two Sahīh collections from ‘Ā’isha, may Allah be pleased with her.

As for Ma‘mar ibn al-Muthannā’s statement that these three were stone idols inside the Kaaba, it is false by the agreement of those knowledgeable in this field. Rather, it was Hubal that stood inside the Kaaba, for whom Abū Sufyān chanted on the day of Uhud:

“Rise high, Hubal! Rise high, Hubal!”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Will you not answer him?”

They asked, “What should we say?”

He replied, “Say: ‘Allah is higher and more majestic.’”

This has already been mentioned. Isāf and Nā’ila stood on al-Safā and al-Marwa, and there were three hundred and sixty idols around the Kaaba.

These three names—al-Lāt, al-‘Uzzā and Manāt—are feminine. In any case, Umayya ibn Abī al-Salt said:

“Among us stands a House to which the Arabs make pilgrimage.”

Abū Sufyān agreed with him on this. This shows that journeying to those sites constitutes a pilgrimage, and pilgrimage is ritual worship. It is therefore a pilgrimage to somewhere other than the House of Allah and ritual worship devoted to other than Allah, just as supplication addressed to them is prayer to other than Allah.

Allah Most High has said:

“Say: ‘My Lord has indeed guided me to a straight path, an upright religion, the way of Abraham, who was devoted to Allah alone and was not one of the polytheists.’”

“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my ritual worship, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of all worlds.’”

“He has no partner. This I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.”

Thus Allah Most High commanded His Prophet