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This article's aim is to provide much needed data about the political, economic, social, and religious life of al-Tā'if, which is one of the three most prominent cities of al-Hidjāz, in the pre-Islamic period. Al-Tā'if has always yielded a strategically important place in al-Hidjāz due to its geographical location, agricultural production, commercial significance and it being located in the junction of important routes. Moreover, it also presented a gateway to al-Haramayn from the east. Even though al-Tā'if was dominated by hot desert climate and despite having severe winter conditions, it was appreciated by the notables of Mecca due to its pleasant weather in the summer, and since the historical period, this city has been a summer resort until the present day. There are various reports about when people first settled or who the first settlers were in al-Tā'if, which was an ancient and important settlement in the Hidjāz region. Although in the sources it is stated that people started settling in the city before Noah's flood, it is difficult to uncover the pre-Islamic history of this place. There are several reasons for this and the most significant reasons can be stated as follows: 1. The absence of any efficient excavations that may reveal the archeological remnants of the region; 2. The few number of reports regarding the ancient periods; 3. The fact that majority of these reports either contain exaggerated statements or some contradictions; 4. These reports are generally presented as pieces of religious rituals. In the reports the statements are remarkable that attribute sanctity to the city in reference to especially the archangel Gabriel and the Prophet Ibrāhīm. Probably through these statements, it is implied that the city had a religious background and was a holy place just like Mecca and Medina. On the other hand, the obscurity regarding the ancient history of the city will be largely eliminated once the analysis of Thamudic, Nabatian and Arabic inscriptions regarding the region is completed. It is well known that the ancestors of Thakīf tribe made great contributions to al-Tā'if developing into a city. It is reported that after they had settled in the city and exiled Banī Āmir, the city became cultivated as a result of their activities, especially in agriculture and husbandry among others. Vineyard and orchard production made one of the most fundamental income sources in al-Tā'if. Raisins, dates, and summer fruits were among the most popular agricultural products in al-Tā'if, which was renowned for its vineyards and orchards. It met the need of several cities, Mecca being the first of such cities. This agricultural significance of al-Tā'if attracted many Arab tribes and as a result they made many attempts to seize control over the city. However, these attempts failed due to the fortress that the people of the city had built during the early 6th century AD for just such outsider assaults. Besides the agriculture, the husbandry, and the handicrafts, trade was also developed in al-Tā'if. Even though they did not have trade caravans as large as those of the Meccans, they achieved success by becoming an important center and spread their commercial activities throughout the Arabian Peninsula due to the good relationships they established with the Byzantine and the Sassanid in Yemen, Syria and the Iraq regions. However, the commercial development of the city weakened because of the Thakīfians' being divided into two groups as Ahlāf and Mālik and the ensuing rivalry. Still, it can be argued that the social life in al-Tā'if was more stable and structured than Mecca and Medina mostly because of the settlement that started from ancient times and since the city had the power due to an independent economy. Similar to the other cities in Hidjāz region, slavery was widespread. However, the master-slave relationship was different in that the masters in al-Tā'if shared their knowledge and experiences with their slaves and contributed to their development in various branches of art. Similar to the general inclination of the people in the Arabian Peninsula, the people of al-Tā'if worshipped idols. In these terms, they regarded Mecca to be a rival and therefore turned al-Tā'if into the sacred residence of the deity al-Lāt as the counterpart of Ka'ba in Mecca, which historically has carried a significant religious importance in the Arabian Peninsula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]