Religion in pre-Islamic Arabia was a mix of polytheism , Christianity , Judaism and Iranian religions . Arab polytheism, the dominant form of religion in pre-Islamic Arabia was based on veneration of dieties and other rituals. Gods and goddesses, including Hubal and the goddesses Al-lat , Al-Uzza and manat were worshipped at local shrines, such as the Kaaba in Mecca . Some scholars postulate that Allah may have been one of the gods of the Meccan religion to whom the shrine was dedicated although it seems he had little relevance in the religion . Many of the physical descriptions of the pre-Islamic gods are traced to idols especially near the Kaaba, which is said to have contained up to 360 of them
Other religions were represented to varying, lesser degrees. The influence of the adjacent Roman , Axumite and Sassanian empires resulted in Christian communities in the northwest, northeast and south of Arabia. Christianity made a lesser impact, but secured some conversions, in the remainder of the peninsula. With the exception of Nestorianism in the northeast and the Persian Gulf , the dominant form of Christianity was Monophysitism . The peninsula had been subject to Jewish migration since Roman times, which had resulted in a diaspora community supplemented by local converts. Additionally, the influence of the Sasanian Empire resulted in Iranian religions being present in the peninsula . Zoroastrianism existed in the east and south whilst there is evidence of Manichaeism or possibly Mazdakism being practised in Mecca .
