Amr ibn Luhay

Amr ibn Luhay (عمرو بن لُحَيّ) was a pre-Islamic tribal chief of the Banu Khuza'ah tribe. 'Amr gained an infamous reputation in Islamic tradition, as he was supposedly the first person to change the religion of the Arabs living in the Arabian Peninsula by introducing idolatry and polytheistic practices. He is believed to have lived around the 3rd to 4th centuries CE. Some modern historians believe it was not 'Amr who introduced idolatry, but rather, Hudhayl ibn Mudrikah.

Lineage
His full name is 'Amr ibn Luhay ibn Qam'ah ibn Khindif, as stated in Sahih al-Bukhari. He was said to have been descended from the Jurhum tribe. 'Amr was a Qahtanite as well. Other sources record his name as 'Amr ibn Amir al-Khuza'i or 'Amr ibn Rabi'ah (with Rabi'ah said to be an alternative name for Luhay).

Time period
Claude Addas believed that 'Amr lived around the 3rd century, citing Ibn al-Kalbi's story from the Kitab al-Asnam (Book of Idols). The Persian Muslim scholar and historian al-Shahrastani described in Al-Milal wa al-Nihal that 'Amr lived during the reign of Shapur II, hence placing 'Amr in the 4th century.

Introduction of idol worship into Arabia
Islamic tradition cites 'Amr ibn Luhay as being the first to introduce idolatry and polytheism into the Arabian Peninsula. Two versions of the traditional story exist. However, they both agree 'Amr was formerly a pious tribal chief known for his righteousness and generosity.

First version
'Amr ibn Luhay travelled afar to search for a cure to his disease, reaching as far as the Levant. He met a group of people (in some sources, they were remnants of the Amalekites) who were worshipping idols. 'Amr inquired more on their religion, and the people managed to convince him that their idols were powerful and could serve him. 'Amr requested them to send him an idol, and so they did. They sent him the idol Hubal, and 'Amr returned to Arabia where he successfully persuaded his people to worship Hubal.

Second version
The idols Wadd, Suwa', Yaghuth and Nasr had washed up on the shores of Jeddah. 'Amr discovered these idols and donated it to the chief of another tribe who built an altar and temple for these idols. Polytheism then spread to Arabia when 'Amr set up these idols in Mecca during the season of the Hajj pilgrimage. Everyone soon began to worship idols, forgetting the monotheism of their ancestor, Abraham. Another variation of this story is nearly identical except for the introduction of a Djinn companion who guides 'Amr into locating the washed up idols.

The fate of 'Amr in Islamic tradition
In Sahih al-Bukhari, it is narrated from Abu Huraira that Muhammad said: "I saw 'Amr ibn 'Amir Al-Khuza’i dragging his intestines in the Fire; he was the first one to release animals (for the idols)." Bukhari, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani classified this hadith as an authentic narration.