It's important to remember that what little we know of the Arab pantheon is a combination of reconstruction by historians based on surrounding cultures with better attested mythologies, and from what has been filtered through to us by Islamic, Christian, and Jewish writers. This page is far from comprehensive and stands as a very general digest. The deities of the pre-Abrahamic era will be treated separately from the robust assortment of angels, demons, heroes, and genies of other ages.
The Alihat
The gods of the Arabs were once said to number up to 360. While originally represented with simple carved stones such as in the case of the early Nabataeans, under Greco-Roman influence they would begin to depict their deities in more anthropomorphic forms like sculptures.
The pre-Abrahamic Arabs revered a supreme being known as Allah. He was a cognate deity with the Northwest Semitic "El" or "El Elyon" meaning "God most high". Much like most of the supreme gods of Sub-Saharan Africa, Allah was never given physical representation or regard as active in the world. Instead, more attention was paid to lesser divinities considered more immanent such as the Alihat and the Jinn.
Of the active divinities, Hubal was regarded as the most preeminent across Arabia, or at the very least in the Hejaz. He was represented as a man with a golden right hand. His exact attributes are largely unknown though we know one of his roles was divination.
The king of the gods among the Nabataeans and was the patron deity of the royal family. The Greco-Romans equated him with Zeus/Jupiter for his status within the pantheon and for his role as enforcer of divine justice.
Shams (Nuha in Northern Arabia) was the Arab goddess of the sun. She was the counterpart of the Mesopotamian Shamash or the Canaanite Shapash.
Attar was the Arab god of war, rain, and fertility. He was the direct counterpart of the Mesopotamian Innana/Ishtar and the Canaanite Astarte or Ashtart.
Manat was the goddess of fate, time, fortune, and destiny. She was the oldest of the trinity of Arab goddesses considered the daughters of Allah. People would invoke her to protect tombs from being disturbed.
Al-Lat was the middle daughter of Allah. She was a goddess of war as well as protection, mercy, fair weather, peace, and retribution against evildoers. Al-Lat was frequently depicted with a lion representing her consort as well as the fierce side of her nature.
Al-Uzza was the mighty goddess of protection and love. She was considered the rough equivalent of the Greco-Roman Aphrodite or Venus. She is the youngest of the three sisters.
The Jinn kings
The Arabs were influenced in both pre-Abrahamic times and post-Abrahamic times by the Mediterranean practice of Hermeticism which included astrology, theurgy, and alchemy. One outgrowth from this tradition in occultist circles was the idea of four Jinn kings who correspond to the four cardinal directions, and seven Jinn kings who correspond to the seven planets, seven days of the week, and seven Angels.
Al-Mudhib is the Golden One, and the Father of Silk Brocade. He is associated with Sundays, reigns over the Sun, and is a son of Iblis. He comes from the Jinn tribe called the Banu Danair al-Jan Jamlith. His famous son is Sa‘īd Ibn al-Maḏhab, his famous daughter is ‘A’elah bint al-Maḏhab.
- Alchemy: Al-Mudhib is a very skilled alchemist.
- The Almighty Dollar: Al-Mudhib owns multiple palaces which he switches over the course of the day as the sun travels. And his metal is gold. He dresses lavishly in gold clothing and jewelery.
- Divine Ranks: As powerful as Al-Mudhib is, the angel Ruqyail stands ready to keep him in check if he oversteps.
- The Exile: The Banu Danair al-Jan Jamlith were exiled from the legendary Jinn homeland on Mount Qaf long ago.
- Healer God: While not an actual god, Al-Mudhib has the power to heal and prolong lives.
- Long-Lived: Al-Mudhib was around during the age of King Suleiman.
- Overly Long Name: Abduallah bin Ba bin ‘Afeṣ bin Marzban bin Shahen al-Maḏhab.
- Playing with Fire: Although all Jinn are made from fire just as humans are made of earth, Al-Mudhib has a special association with fire.
- Power of the Sun: One of his domains.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Snakes. So much so that Al-Mudhib has the power to repel them, they fear him that much.
- Transmutation: Al-Mudhib has power over gold and can convert other metals to gold easily.
- Wreathed in Flames: It's his thing.
Al-Abyad is the White King ruling over Monday and the Moon. He is said to have tempted the famous ascetic Barṣīṣā into seducing and murdering a woman under his protection.
- The Corrupter: Al-Abyad loves worming his way into people's lives and giving them the extra goading they need to sin.
- Al-Abyad once impersonated the angel Jibril (Gabriel) and attempted to interrupt Mohammed's prayers. Jibril found out and flicked him all the way to India with one finger.
- The sage Barsisa was once asked by three men to look after their beautiful sister while they were away at war, fully trusting the celibate holy man. Bit by bit Al-Abyad convinced him to escalate interactions with her under the guise of kindness: delivering food to her house next door instead of leaving it in between each night, comforting her about the fate of her brothers, visiting her home, etc. Eventually Barsisa gave in to his lust and impregnated her. Al-Abyad convinced him to kill their newborn son to prevent a scandal. Then he convinced him to kill the girl as she would never forgive him killing her baby. The three brothers returned and were distraught to learn their sister died. Al-Abyad then visited them in their dreams and told them about the affair and the murders and the location of the bodies. Furious, the brothers prepared to crucify Barsisa. Al-Abyad then told Barsisa he would save him if he condemned Allah and worshipped Al-Abyad as the one true god. Desperate, Barsisa cursed Allah's name and renounced him. Al-Abyad vanished and the three brothers crucified him anyway.
- Divine Ranks: The angel Jibril is responsible for keeping Al-Abyad under control.
- Dream Weaver: He often plays his mindgames with people in their dreams.
- Intrigued by Humanity: Murrah Al-Abyad is fascinated by humans. And of all the Jinn kings is the most likely to interact with them.
- Silver Has Mystic Powers: Al-Abyad lives in a palace made of silver, which is his metal.
Al-Ahmar is the Red King ruling over Tuesday and Mars. Wielding his mighty sword, he is the master of the Qareens.
- Birds of a Feather: Maymun and Al-Ahmar are good friends as they both enjoy plague.
- Blood Knight: Al-Ahmar loves wars and all forms of conflict. He fought for the Angels against the Jinn and for Iblis against the humans. Not for any ideological reason, he just loves fighting that much. During the apocalypse he will join Iblis again but for now he fights for Allah's side.
- Blow You Away: Al-Ahmar is associated with harsh desert winds.
- His servant Suhil or Sughil takes the form of a destructive wind.
- Chaos Is Evil: Subverted. Al-Ahmar is dangerous but not necessarily malevolent.
- Divine Ranks: Samsama'il is in charge of Al-Ahmar.
- God of Chaos: Not a deity, but he fits the archetype. He is the most unpredictable of the Jinn kings and revels in chaotic environments. When he and his servants are nearby people will feel restless and agitated.
- Nigh-Invulnerability: If Al-Ahmar likes a person, they will only die of old age.
- Plaguemaster: Al-Ahmar causes plagues and outbreaks.
- Summon Bigger Fish: Al-Ahmar is sometimes summoned to exorcise lesser Jinn. He drags them out of the victim by the hair.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Zawba'ah and Al-Ahmar are on tense terms with each other, despite occasional cooperation. Al-Ahmar tends to destroy and Zawba'ah tends to mend.
- War God: Al-Ahmar is invoked to crush one's enemies and attain victory in battle. He offers protection from foes, scorpions, snakes, and poison.
Barqan is the Black King of Wednesday and reigns over Mercury. He is a great teacher of magic.
- Angel Unaware: Barqan loves this trope. He frequently tests people's virtue this way.
- The Arch Mage: Barqan is a tremendously gifted sorcerer. He knows all spells and has 99 secrets. When wizards want to magically open or lock any door, they invoke his name.
- Astrologer: Barqan is the greatest astrologer among the Jinn kings.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Barqan is a Jinn who loves wearing black and likes transforming into black haired people/animals. But he's still a pious believer who recognizes there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his messenger.
- God of Thunder: Barqan travels in the shape of lightning.
- Intrigued by Humanity: Even more so than Abyad. He owns castles of gold and carnelion with millions of Marid subjects, but prefers to hangout on earth disguised as a human.
- Nature Spirit: Barqan protects the wild beasts from excessive hunting by humans.
- Odd Friendship: Barqan is good friends with the prophet Al-Khidr and the prophet Idris.
- Real Men Love Jesus: Allah, more like. Barqan is a devout Muslim who attends the Gyarvi Sharif festival each year out of respect for the Sufi sage Abdul Qadir Gilani. He appears as a mysterious man in black.
- Ring of Power: Barqan owns a magic ring. The user is granted powers over weather, knowledge of all languages, and lots of magic charms.
- Zoroastrianism: Barqan was a Zoroastrian prior to his conversion to Islam.
Shamhurhish is the Purple King of Thursday and reigns over Jupitor. He is quite famous for his conversion to Islam. Some consider him to be the Qareen of the Prophet Mohammed (PABBUH) himself.
- The Almighty Dollar: Shamhurish is often sought out for wealth.
- Easy Evangelism: Shamhurish met Mohammed in person and converted from Christianity to Islam when he heard the Quran recited.
- Familiar: It is believed that Shamhurish gives people Jinn familiars to protect them and their families for generations.
- Intrigued by Humanity: Probably the Jinn king most interested in humans. He often leaves his domain to interact with humans.
- Magnetic Hero: Shamhurish is so well liked by humans and his fellow Jinn that he can get almost anything he wants from his network.
- Nice Guy: Shamhurish is very amicable towards humans.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Shamhurish is a Qadi or Islamic judge, and pretty fair. He treats both Jinn and humans equally in court. He likes settling conflicts between people.
- Time Abyss: Like all Jinn, while extremely long lived he is not immortal. A minority say he died in the early modern period, replaced by his son Mutawakkil who actually appeared in Arabian Nights under the name Dahnash.
Zawba'ah is the Green King of Friday and reigns over Venus. He frequently travels about as a whirlwind.
- The Beastmaster: Zawba'ah allegedly can teach people to become this.
- Easy Evangelism: Zawba'ah met Mohammed in person and converted to Islam.
- Guardian Entity: King Suleiman placed Zawba'ah in charge of protecting Yemen during the reign of the Queen of Sheba. He built magnificent fortresses and palaces in Aden.
- Jack of All Trades: Zawba'ah governs love, enchantment, beauty, prophecies, and diplomacy.
- Love Goddess: God more like, then again post-Abrahamic Jinn aren't gods at all. Either way, Zawba'ah is invoked by wizards to win romantic love.
- Magical Library: After the death of king Suleiman, Zawba'ah discovered an enormous treasury of grimoires and tomes of magical lore underneath the throne. Studying these texts helped make him a powerful archmage.
- Man of Wealth and Taste: Zawba'ah enjoys the finer things in life like exquisite silks and his palace of bronze & emerald.
- Mood-Swinger: Zawba'ah's many head rotate depending on his mood.
- The Older Immortal: He's been around since at least ancient Babylon.
Maymun is the winged Black King of Saturday and reigns over Saturn.
- The Almighty Dollar: Maymun is closely associated with wealth.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Maymun is one of the creepier Jinn kings, associated with darkness and gloom. His servants often take the shape of black birds or ride on them. But he does protect petitioners from evil when they ask.
- Floating Continent: Maymun lives in a black and gold palace in the clouds.
- Sleep Paralysis Creature: Maymun's top servant is the nightmare Jinn named Kabus. He likes to sit on people's chests and scare the shit out of them in their sleep.
