The Book of Idols

work by Hishām ibn al-Kalbī

Also known as: “Kitāb al-aṣnām”

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June 22, 2026

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Kitāb al-aṣnām, or The Book of Idols, is a significant work by the Arab scholar Hishām ibn al-Kalbī. Written in the 8th to 9th century CE, it details the gods worshipped by the pre-Islamic Arabs. The book draws upon oral traditions and includes excerpts from pre-Islamic poetry to supplement its discussions.12

Hishām ibn al-Kalbī was a scholar from Kūfah, Iraq, known for his extensive writings on early Arab customs, lineage, battles, and religion. His works are crucial for preserving information about Arabian antiquities and tribal lore that might otherwise have been lost. The Book of Idols is considered a valuable source for understanding Arabian religion before the advent of Islam.12

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Hishām ibn al-Kalbī
…Arabs; and Kitāb al-aṣnām (The Book of Idols), in which he discusses the gods of the pre-Islamic Arabs. The discussions in Kitāb al-aṣnām are supplemented by relevant excerpts from pre-Islamic poetry. His writings are of particular importance for having preserved valuable information on Arabian antiquities and tribal customs and…
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…Arabs; and Kitāb al-aṣnām (The Book of Idols), in which he discusses the gods of the pre-Islamic Arabs. The discussions in Kitāb al-aṣnām are supplemented by relevant excerpts from pre-Islamic poetry. His writings are of particular importance for having preserved valuable information on Arabian antiquities and tribal customs and…
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Arabian religion
Sources of modern knowledge
…Book of the Idols” (Kitāb al-aṣnām), by the Iraqi genealogist Ibn al-Kalbī (8th–9th century ce), and in “The Crown” (al-Iklīl), by the Yemeni encyclopaedist and geographer al-Hamdānī (9th–10th century ce), which describes the pre-Islamic antiquities of Yemen.
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…Book of the Idols” (Kitāb al-aṣnām), by the Iraqi genealogist Ibn al-Kalbī (8th–9th century ce), and in “The Crown” (al-Iklīl), by the Yemeni encyclopaedist and geographer al-Hamdānī (9th–10th century ce), which describes the pre-Islamic antiquities of Yemen.
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