Authored by: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid (حفظ الله)
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that ‘Uzza was a female jinn who used to frequent three acacia trees in the valley of Nakhlah. When the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) conquered Makkah, he instructed Khalid bin Walid (رضي الله عنه) to go to the valley of Nakhlah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "You will find three acacia trees there. Cut down the first tree from its roots."
Khalid (رضي الله عنه) went to the specified location, uprooted the first tree, and returned. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "Did you see anything?" Khalid (رضي الله عنه) replied, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) then instructed him to go back and cut down the second tree as well. Khalid (رضي الله عنه) obeyed the command.
Upon his return, the Prophet (ﷺ) once again said, "Go and cut down the third tree as well." When Khalid (رضي الله عنه) reached the site, he saw a woman with disheveled hair, placing her hands on her shoulders, gnashing her teeth. Behind her stood Dubayyah al-Sulami, her guard. At this point, Khalid (رضي الله عنه) recited:
"يا عزيٰ كفرانك لا سبحانك، إني رأيت الله قد أهانك"
"O ‘Uzza! I reject you; there is no praise for you. Indeed, I have seen that Allah has humiliated you."
Then he struck her with his sword, splitting her head in two. Upon closer inspection, he realized she had turned to charcoal. Khalid (رضي الله عنه) then proceeded to cut down the tree and also killed Dubayyah, the guard. He returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “That was indeed ‘Uzza, and from now on, ‘Uzza will no longer exist for the Arabs.”
Ibn Abbas (رضي الله عنهما) narrated that ‘Uzza was a female jinn who used to frequent three acacia trees in the valley of Nakhlah. When the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) conquered Makkah, he instructed Khalid bin Walid (رضي الله عنه) to go to the valley of Nakhlah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "You will find three acacia trees there. Cut down the first tree from its roots."
Khalid (رضي الله عنه) went to the specified location, uprooted the first tree, and returned. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "Did you see anything?" Khalid (رضي الله عنه) replied, "No." The Prophet (ﷺ) then instructed him to go back and cut down the second tree as well. Khalid (رضي الله عنه) obeyed the command.
Upon his return, the Prophet (ﷺ) once again said, "Go and cut down the third tree as well." When Khalid (رضي الله عنه) reached the site, he saw a woman with disheveled hair, placing her hands on her shoulders, gnashing her teeth. Behind her stood Dubayyah al-Sulami, her guard. At this point, Khalid (رضي الله عنه) recited:
"يا عزيٰ كفرانك لا سبحانك، إني رأيت الله قد أهانك"
"O ‘Uzza! I reject you; there is no praise for you. Indeed, I have seen that Allah has humiliated you."
Then he struck her with his sword, splitting her head in two. Upon closer inspection, he realized she had turned to charcoal. Khalid (رضي الله عنه) then proceeded to cut down the tree and also killed Dubayyah, the guard. He returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “That was indeed ‘Uzza, and from now on, ‘Uzza will no longer exist for the Arabs.”
Verification of the Hadith:
The chain of narration for this account is weak (Isnad Da'if).- Sources:
- Majma' al-Zawa'id (7/6, Hadith No. 10255)
- Musnad Abu Ya'la (Hadith No. 902)
- Tafsir al-Nasai (567)
- Al-Durr al-Manthur (6/26)
- Tafsir Ibn Kathir (7/432)
- Tafsir al-Qurtubi (17/100)
- Tahdhib Tarikh Dimashq by Ibn Asakir (5/101)
- Al-Haythami mentioned that al-Tabarani narrated this hadith, but it includes the narrator Yahya ibn al-Munthir, who is considered weak.