The Arabs worshiped idols during the Jahiliyya period because

During the Jahiliyya period, the Arabs worshiped idols because they believed that the idols had the power to intercede on their behalf with the higher powers or deities. They thought that by worshiping these idols, they could gain favors, blessings, and protection from them. They did not necessarily deny the existence of a higher power or God, but they believed that the idols were intermediaries or representatives of that higher power. The idea of intercession through idols was a common practice in the polytheistic religions of that time. Although there were Prophets and revealed Books during this period, the Arabs who worshipped idols did not accept their teachings and continued to follow their own customs and beliefs.