Hubal (hubaal) was an important God of Mecca.
date over battle of Uhud varies as was in the lunar callender.
"In 624 at the battle called "Uhud", the war cry of the Qurayshites was, "O people of `Uzza, people of Hubal." By the end of that war, the victorious Abu Sufyan cried: "O Hubal be exalted, O Hubal be exalted." The Prophet answered him: "God is the highest and the most exalted." [thats a double meaning]
According to al-Azraqi the cult of Hubal was well organized inside the Ka`ba at Mecca. A custodian guarded the statue, received the offerings and sacrifices and conducted future-forecasting to pilgrims. The arrows of divination that were associated with the cult of Hubal are mentioned in a poem that was customarily recited upon approaching the statue:
"We have disagreed, so grant us solution. Three, O Hubal, explicit matters, Death, apology and marriage. Caring the sick and the healthy, If you do not say it then order the arrows."
As was the case with Allat at Ta'if, when a Meccan returned from travelling he would circumambulate the Ka`ba and pay a thanksgiving visit to Hubal before rejoining his family.
Most references attribute the origin of the statue of Hubal to "Ma'ab" in Syria but al-Azraqi alone claims that `Amr ibn Luhayy brought it from Hit in Iraq. He erected the statue by the well on the right side of the entrance of the Ka`ba. The well, about three yards deep, was thought to have been dug by the prophet Abraham to receive the offerings brought to the Ka`ba.
The life-size statue of Hubal was a sculpture in the round made of cornelian in the form of a standing man with the right hand broken off, which the Qurayshites restored by replacing it with a golden hand. In 610 when the Meccans rebuilt the Ka`ba, the statue of Hubal was removed and set beside the Ka`ba. After the rebuilding was completed, the statue was returned to its place.
We know that several mural paintings existed inside the Ka`ba. One of which represented Abraham depicted as an old man holding arrows. The connection between the cult of Hubal involving arrow divination and the narrative painting is not totally clear, but the original broken hand of the statue could likely have held arrows.
References to the events surrounding the destruction of the statue of Hubal are vague and general. In 630 A. D. the Prophet Mohammed reentered Mecca and destroyed the supposed 360 standing statues in and around the Ka`ba. It is reported that he did not enter the sanctuary until all images were removed and all paintings were erased except a narrative of the Madonna which he protected."
from link, other data too.
the important Goddess al Uzza, one of the top three, the mightest and favoured with Hubal by the powerful Meccan tribe Quraysh. arabian Venus-Aphrodite-Astarte. like venus she became senonomous with beauty.
"Al Uzza had a sanctuary of three trees at Nakhla, east of Mecca which was the most venerated among the Quraysh, Banu Kinana, the Khuza’a and the Mudar after the Ka’ba. In fact, the pilgrims, after circumambulating the Ka’ba, remained under taboo until they came to al Uzza and had gone around her. "
Uhud
"Narrated Al-Bara bin Azib: The Prophet appointed 'Abdullah bin Jubair as the commander of the infantry men (archers) who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud. He instructed them, "Stick to your place, and don't leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the infidels and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." Then the infidels were defeated. By Allah, I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs. So, the companions of 'Abdullah bin Jubair said, "The booty! O people, the booty ! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" 'Abdullah bin Jubair said, "Have you forgotten what Allah's Apostle said to you?" They replied, "By Allah! We will go to the people (i.e. the enemy) and collect our share from the war booty." But when they went to them, they were forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Apostle in their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophet and the infidels martyred seventy men from us. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophet and his companions had caused the 'Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed. Then Abu Sufyan asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophet ordered his companions not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of Abu Quhafa present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." 'Umar could not control himself and said (to Abu Sufyan), "You told a lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." Abu Sufyan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed" After that he started reciting cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high! (1) On that the Prophet said (to his companions), "Why don't you answer him back?" They said, "O Allah's Apostle What shall we say?" He said, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." (Then) Abu Sufyan said, "We have the (idol) Al Uzza, and you have no Uzza." The Prophet said (to his companions), "Why don't you answer him back?" They asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What shall we say?" He said, "Says Allah is our Helper and you have no helper."" Sahih Bukhari 4:52:276
and more of the battle of Uhud between the Moslems and the arabian pagans:
the nude dash uphill;
"So, when we faced the enemy, they took to their heel till I saw their women running towards the mountain, lifting up their clothes from their legs, revealing their leg-bangles. The Muslims started saying, "The booty, the booty!" 'Abdullah bin Jubair said, "The Prophet had taken a firm promise from me not to leave this place." But his companions refused (to stay). So when they refused (to stay there), (Allah) confused them so that they could not know where to go, and they suffered seventy casualties. Abu Sufyan ascended a high place and said, "Is Muhammad present amongst the people?"" Sahih Bukhari 5:59:375
"Hubal is the idol to which Abu Safyan6 said on the day of (the battle of) Uhud, "Tower up, O Hubal," that is, manifest you religious power," while the Prophet said, "Tower up, O Unique One."" (al-Azraqi 1858, 73)
"The Quraysh had several idols in and around the Ka'ba. The greatest of these was Hubal. It was made, as I was told, of red agate, in the form of a man with the right hand broken off. It came into the possession of the Quraysh in this condition, and they therefore made for it a hand of gold....It stood inside the Ka'ba, and in front of it were seven divinatory arrows."
(Ibn al-Kalbi, Book of Idols, pp. 28-29 = Ibn al-Kalbi 1952, pp. 23-24)
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