When one thinks of Arabian mythology (mythology here being used in the terms of a set of beliefs, such as a religion), there come several images to mind; that being flying carpets, genies out of bottles, and Islam. Yes, Islam. While it’s easy to think that Islam has replaced ancient Arabian mythology, in many ways it has simply stepped in and taken a higher platform in the list of genies, monsters, and overriding beliefs. The following represents a very general overview of Arabian mythology.

Ancient Gods

Before Islam and Christianity, Arabian mythology believed in the supreme God Hubal, chief of the gods. Hubal was considered the greatest of the gods and idols (over 350 of them) found at the Kaaba (a cube-shaped building located in Mecca and the holiest site in Islam - see, ancient mythology isn’t completely gone).

Hubal is next followed by the three chief goddesses: Allat (who actually appears in the Quran), Al-Uzza (an Arabian fertility goddess), and Manat (the goddess of fate). Other gods included Wadd (god of love and friendship), Amm (a weather god), and Al-Qaum (god of war). And while each of these (and numerous other gods) were worshiped in ancient times, their worship has been supplanted (though not entirely done away with) by the worship of Allah.

Jinns (or Djinns)

The most obvious symbol of Arabian mythology is the Jinn or genie.  Jinns are supernatural beings of varying degrees of power. They possess free will (that is, they can choose to be good or evil) and come in two flavors. There are the Marids, usually described as the most powerful type of Jinn. These are the type of genie with the ability to grant wishes to humans. However, granting these wishes is not free. The mortal either has to do battle with the Jinn, imprison or release from prison the Jinn, perform some sort of ritual, or manage to flatter the Jinn. The tale of Aladdin (or Ala al-Din) is generally thought to involve a Marid. 

The other type of Jinn is the Ifrit. These are not as powerful as Marids, but they are supernaturally strong and very cunning. This class of Jinns lives in underground or hidden societies (usually among ancient ruins) and runs very much like ancient Arabian societies, following tribal lines, having rulers, tribes, and clans. They are impervious to normal weapons, but can be killed by magic. They can be good or evil as well, but are almost always evil. Jinns still appear in modern Arab society, but can be controlled by invoking the name of Allah, Mohammed, or King Solomon (thus indicating the supremacy of Islam over ancient beliefs).

Other Creatures

Ancient Arab mythology also contains angels and demons, as well as a few other types of notable creatures. There is the Nasnas, a creature supposedly the offspring of a demon and a human who is, literally, half a human being (half a head and half a body, “complete” with one arm and one leg).

There are ghouls, desert-dwelling demons who can change their appearance (preferring the form of the hyena), and are associated with grave robbing, drinking blood, eating the dead, and luring unwary travelers out into the desert where they will pounce on them and devour them.

There is the famous Roc (also spelled Rukh), an enormous bird large enough to carry off elephants (and which appears in one of the famous tales of the Arabian Nights as told by Sinbad the sailor).

And there is the Sandwalker, a creature in the form of a giant crab (or scorpion) said to be the size of a horse that steals and eats camels.

Arabian mythology is both lengthy and complex, relying on ancient beliefs that are ingrained in Arab culture so much that even today many of the beliefs are still held onto. Like Greek mythology, it is an interesting collection of gods and heroes, good deeds and bad, that it well worth learning about and reading.