Manaf (deity)


Manaf was a pre-Islamic Arabian deity, and currently a given name. Personal names incorporating the name Manaf such as "Abd Manaf" show that the deity was widespread among the tribes of Quraysh, Hudhayl, and Tamim.
Although famous scholar Al-Tabari calls Manaf "one of the greatest deities of Mecca," very little information is available on the subject. Some authors state that women, who normally touched his idol as a token of blessing, kept away from it during menstruation, but, according to Encyclopedia of Islam, a report from Ibn Al-Kalbi indicates that this practice was common to all idols.
Today, "Manaf" is a boy name infrequently given mostly in the Arab world. Despite being a boy's name, it can also be given to girls; while "Abd Manaf" has since become virtually unused.

Notable people named "Manaf"