Allah as a lunar deity

The theory that Allah (God in Islam) originated as a lunar deity began in 1901 with the archaeologist Hugo Winckler. He associated Allah with a pre-Islamic Arabian deity, either Lah or Hubal, whom he identified as lunar in nature. However, opponents have rejected this theory due to its speculative character and lack of archaeological or textual evidence from pre-Islamic Arabia. Hubal, a deity worshipped at the Kaaba before Islam, is often mentioned in these claims. Some suggest that Hubal originated from the Levant or Mesopotamia. Historian Philip K. Hitti posits that Hubal's name may derive from an Aramaic term for "spirit".

In the 1990s, the idea was popularized in the United States by Christian apologists, especially Robert Morey, who argued in his works that "Allah" was originally a moon deity, citing the Islamic lunar calendar and crescent imagery. However, opponents argue this view misinterprets the symbolism and lacks historical support.

Academics continue to reject the theory as unsubstantiated. The claim has also been criticized for being offensive to Muslims and Arab Christians, who also use the term "Allah" for God.