Life event
Instructed by the Prophet ﷺ to build a mosque on the site where al-Lat had stood, after its treasures were taken to the Bayt al-Mal and distributed to the poor and needy.
~9 AH, shortly after the delegation of Thaqif · 9 AH
As part of Thaqif's agreement with the Prophet ﷺ, the tribe would not have to destroy their idol al-Lat, the second most prestigious idol of the pagan Arabs after Hubal, themselves. The Prophet ﷺ sent al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba RA, Thaqif's own nephew, together with Abu Sufyan ibn Harb RA, to carry it out. As the whole tribe gathered anxiously, women crying and elders wailing, Mughira first played a prank on them (striking the idol, crying out, and collapsing as if struck down, so that the crowd rejoiced thinking al-Lat had defended itself) before jumping back up and mocking them for believing it. The idol's caretaker warned that the earth would swallow anyone who reached its base, but Mughira pressed on and demolished al-Lat completely, down to the ground. The Prophet ﷺ then had Uthman ibn Abi al-As RA build a mosque on the site, and the treasures kept in the idol's sanctuary were taken to the Bayt al-Mal and distributed to the poor and needy.
This marked the end of paganism among the tribe of Thaqif, the last major tribe of the Hejaz to hold out against Islam. This account of Mughira's prank is not found in Ibn Ishaq's sira but appears in later seerah works such as al-Rawd al-Anf.
The Expedition of Tabuk·Chapter 12 of 15Al-Lat falls
See the whole storyThe Year of Delegations·Chapter 4 of 15Al-Lat falls
See the whole storyOther events recorded in 9 AH. Their order within the year is not established; use the storyline above for the sequence.
Instructed by the Prophet ﷺ to build a mosque on the site where al-Lat had stood, after its treasures were taken to the Bayt al-Mal and distributed to the poor and needy.
Do you want me to play a joke on them?
Asked of Abu Sufyan RA as the two of them prepared to destroy the idol al-Lat before the watching tribe of Thaqif.
Go ahead.
Al-Mughira struck the idol, cried out, and collapsed as if struck down; the watching crowd rejoiced, believing al-Lat had defended itself and killed him.
You fools! I did this to show you how foolish you are!
After striking the idol, crying out, and collapsing as if struck down (so the crowd first rejoiced, thinking al-Lat had defended itself) Mughira jumped back up and mocked them.
When you get to the base of the idol, you will see the earth will swallow you up.
Just to show you, I won't stop until I destroy it down to the ground.