At a glance
- Era
- The Prophetic Era
- Region
- Arabia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
In time
In space
Map: Natural Earth, public domain · places and route from the graph
Summary
Khalid ibn al-Walid carried out the condition of Thaqif's peace and demolished al-Lat at al-Ta'if in Ramadan 9 AH. al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba struck its door with a heavy mallet (kurzun), and its jewellery and coverings were divided the same day 1.
The event
Thaqif stipulated in its peace that the Prophet himself would undertake the demolition of al-Lat, and that they would never demolish it with their own hands. He agreed 2. The Prophet sent men under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid 3. Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba stood up, took the mallet, and told his companions: "By God, I will make you laugh at Thaqif." He struck, then fell down rolling. The people of al-Ta'if were shaken and said: "May God curse al-Mughira; the goddess has killed him" 1. Al-Mughira sprang up and said: "May God shame you! She is only a thing of stones and clay." He struck the door and broke it, climbed to the top of its wall, and the men climbed up after him. It was torn down and levelled to the ground, until its foundations were dug out and its jewellery and coverings were brought out 1. Khalid returned to the Prophet with its jewellery and coverings. He divided them that same day, praising God for giving victory to His Prophet and honouring His religion 4.
For young visitors
Al-Lat had a house that the people of al-Ta'if revered. When they became Muslim, they asked that it not be torn down by their own hands. So the Prophet sent men who demolished it, and they distributed what was in it among the poor that same day.
Connections
- Had participant
- al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba· Abu Sufyan ibn Harb· Khalid ibn al-Walid
- Caused by
- The delegation of Thaqif
- Occurred at
- Ta'if
People and things also explored
The Battle of Hunayn· The siege of Ta'if· Thaqif· al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba· Muhammad· The delegation of Thaqif· The Battle of Uhud· The Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makka)
Sources
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.449
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.448
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.449; ibn-hisham-sira
- al-Raheeq al-Makhtum — Safi al-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri , p.449; zad-al-maad
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham
- Zad al-Ma'ad — Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya
- al-Sira al-Nabawiyya — Ibn Hisham, al-Saqqa edition (1355/1936)
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The demolition of al-Lat”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/demolition-of-al-lat/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-21.