Imagine a pilgrimage to Kaaba — for the Goddess
Since our knowledge about Mashriq region (here I write about the preference for this term instead of colonial term ‘Middle East’) is greatly conditioned by patriarchal and western narratives, very few might imagine that Kaaba — the cube-shaped building at the center of Islam’s most important mosque, the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has anything to do with the feminine.
And yet, Islam itself is greatly affected by pre-Islamic beliefs which centered around the goddess beliefs and their symbols, such as the moon. The moon is not only found on flags of many Islamic countries, but also Islamic celebrations are counted based on the moon phases. Moreover, many flags in the Islamic world also have white, red and black colors, which are believed to be the colors of the Triple Goddess — three forms of goddess or woman life cycle — the Maiden (crescent-white), the Mother (full moon-red) and the Crown (dark or waning moon-black).
The triple goddess is also well known in the pre-Islamic world, as the three most venerated goddesses in pre-Islamic times were al-Lat, al-Uzza and Manat. Back then the location of Kaaba is believed to have hosted a temple where these goddesses were worshiped. But even today Kaaba is not detached from its origins. Although most of the time it remains closed to public, yet interior photos show that the sacred trinity is still preserved through the three pillars — embodiment of the three Goddesses, as well as number of hanging pots/jars - the symbol of motherhood/womb, vessel or carrier of life (similar to the chalice). Photo of the interior below:
Moreover, the cube shape also has its roots in ancient goddess worships, such as the worship of goddess Kubaba/Cybele in Asia Minor (today Anatolia) in Neolithic times associated with the cube. In Taif area of Saudi Arabia in pre-Islamic times goddess al-Lat was also venerated in the form of a cubic granite rock. Worship of another Goddess/Queen Sheba in Mecca, is said to be displayed as a black stone. And so today not only Kaaba’s cube shape, but also the presence of Black Stone in Kaaba enshrined in a feminine symbol — the yoni (more on this here) are no coincidentally there to remind us about the feminine origins.
The deeper one studies Goddess manifestations in various locations nowadays, the clearer it becomes that patriarchal religions have been unable to erase the traces of ancient beliefs that value the life giving forces of the Great Mother. Even if subconsciously, people have transferred throughout generations their veneration for Her. And yet, to bring harmony to our lives nowadays, it is a good time to upgrade and bring all this ancient wisdom to the surface — the conscious level. And who knows, maybe a post-Islamic world could assist the rest of the world in this process?
