The First: Leading pilgrims from ‘Arafat to Muzdalifah and then from Mina to the ‘Aqabah Stoning
Pillar. This was the authority of the family of Al-Ghawth bin Murra, one of the septs of Elias bin
Mudar, who were called ‘Sofa’. This privilege meant that the pilgrims were not allowed to throw
stones at Al‘Aqabah until one of the‘Sofa’men did that.When they had finished stoning and wanted to
leave the valley of Mina,‘Sofa’men stood on the two sides of Al-‘Aqabah andnobody
would pass that position until the men of ‘Sofa’ passed and cleared the way for the pilgrims.
When Sofa perished, the family of Sa‘d bin Zaid Manat from Tamim tribe took over.
The Second: Al-Ifadah (leaving for Mina after Muzdalifah) on sacrifice morning, and this was the
responsibility of the family of Adwan.
The Third: Deferment of the sacred months, and this was the responsibility of the family of
Tamim bin ‘Adi from Bani Kinana.
Khuza‘a’s reign in Makkah lasted for three hundred years, during which, the ‘Adnanides spread all over
Najd and the sides of Bahrain and Iraq, while small septs of Quraish remained on the sides of Makkah;
they were Haloul, Harum and some families of Kinana. They enjoyed no privileges in Makkah or in the
Sacred House until the appearance of Qusai bin Kilab, whose father is said to have died when he was
still a baby, and whose mother was subsequently married to Rabi‘a bin Haram, from the tribe of Bani
‘
Udhra. Rabi‘a took his wife and her baby to his homeland on the borders of Syria. When Qusai became
a young man, he returned to Makkah, which was ruled by Halil bin Habsha from Khuza‘a, who gave
Qusai his daughter, Hobba, as wife. After Halil’s death, a war between Khuza‘a and Quraish broke out
and resulted in Qusai’s taking hold of Makkah and the Sacred House.
l The First: Having noticed the spread of his offspring, increase of his property and exalt of his
honour after Halil’s death, Qusai found himself more entitled to shoulder responsibility of
rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Sacred House than the tribes of Khuza‘a and Bani
Bakr. He also advocated that Quraish were the chiefs of Ishmael’s descendants. Therefore he
consulted some men from Quraish and Kinana concerning his desire to evacuate Khuza‘a and
Bani Bakr from Makkah. They took a liking to his opinion and supported him.
The Second: Khuza‘a claimed that Halil requested Qusai to hold custodianship of Al-Ka‘bah and
rulership over Makkah after his death.
The Third: Halil gave the right of Al-Ka‘bah service to his daughter Hobba and appointed Abu
Ghabshan Al-Khuza‘i to function as her agent whereof. Upon Halil’s death, Qusai bought this right
for a leather bag of wine, which aroused dissatisfaction among the men of Khuza‘a and they tried
to keep the custodianship of the Sacred House away from Qusai. The latter, however, with the
help of Quraish and Kinana, managed to take over and even to expel Khuza‘a completely from
Makkah.
Whatever the truth might have been, the whole affair resulted in the deprivation of Sofa of their
privileges, previously mentioned, evacuation of Khuza‘a and Bakr from Makkah and transfer of
rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary to Qusai, after fierce wars
between Qusai and Khuza‘a inflicting heavy casualties on both sides, reconciliation and then
arbitration of Ya‘mur bin ‘Awf, from the tribe of Bakr, whose judgement entailed eligibility of
Qusai’s rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Sacred House, Qusai’s irresponsibility for
Khuza‘a’s blood shed, and imposition of blood money on Khuza‘a. Qusai’s reign over Makkah and
the Sacred House began in 440 A.D. and allowed him, and Quraish afterwards, absolute rulership
over Makkah and undisputed custodianship of the Sacred House to which Arabs from all over
Arabia came to pay homage.
Qusai brought his kinspeople to Makkah and allocated it to them, allowing Quraish some dwellings
there. An-Nus’a, the families of Safwan, Adwan, Murra bin ‘Awf preserved the same rights they used to
enjoy before his arrival.
A significant achievement credited to Qusai was the establishment of An-Nadwa House (an assembly
house) on the northern side of Al-Ka‘bah Mosque, to serve as a meeting place for Quraish. This very
house had benefited Quraish a lot because it secured unity of opinions amongst them and cordial
solution to their problem.
QUSAI HOWEVER ENJOYED THE FOLLONG PRIVILEGED OF LEADERSHIP AND HONOUR:
1.Presiding over An-Nadwa House meetings where consultations relating to serious issues were
conducted, and marriage contracts were announced.
2.The Standard: He monopolized in his hand issues relevant to war launching.
3.Doorkeeping of Al-Ka‘bah: He was the only one eligible to open its gate, and was responsible for
its service and protection.
4.Providing water for the Pilgrims: This means that he used to fill basins sweetened by dates and
raisins for the pilgrims to drink.
5.Feeding Pilgrims: This means making food for pilgrims who could not afford it. Qusai even
imposed on Quraish annual land tax, paid at the season of pilgrimage, for food.
It is noteworthy however that Qusai singled out ‘Abd Manaf, a son of his, for honour and prestige
though he was not his elder son (‘Abd Ad-Dar was), and entrusted him with such responsibilities as
chairing of An-Nadwa House, the standard, the doorkeeping of Al-Ka‘bah, providing water and food for
pilgrims. Due to the fact that Qusai’s deeds were regarded as unquestionable and his orders inviolable,
his death gave no rise to conflicts among his sons, but it later did among his grand children, for no
sooner than ‘Abd Munaf had died, his sons began to have rows with their cousins —sons of ‘Abd AdDar,
which would have given rise to dissension and fighting among the whole tribe of Quraish,had it not been for a peace treaty whereby posts were reallocated so as to preserve feeding and providing water for pilgrims for the sons of‘AbdMunaf;while An-Nadwa House,the flag and the doorkeeper of Al-Ka‘bah were maintained for the sons of ‘Abd Ad-Dar.The sons of‘Abd Munaf,however,cast the lot for their charge,and consequently the charge of food and water giving to Hashim bin‘Abd Munaf,upon whose death,the charge was taken over by a brother of his called Al-Muttalib bin‘Abd Manaf and afterwards by‘Abd Al-Muttalib bin Hashim,the Prophet’s grandfather,whose sons assumed this position until the rise of Islam,during which‘Abbas bin‘Abdul-Muttalib was incharge.
Many other posts were distriamong people of Quraish for establishing the pillars of a new democratic
petite state with government offices and councils similar to those of today. Enlisted as follows are some
of these posts.
1.Casting the lots for the idols was allocated to Bani Jumah.
2.Noting of offers and sacrifices, settlement of disputes and relevant issues were to lie in the hands
of Bani Sahm.
3.Consultation was to go to Bani Asad.
4.Organization of blood-money and fines was with Bani Tayim.
5.Bearing the national banner was with Bani Omaiyah.
6.The military institute, footmen and cavalry would be Bani Makhzum’s responsibility.
7.Bani ‘Adi would function as foreign mediators.
between these two tribes. Those tribes dwelling near Heerah were subordinate to the Arabian king of
Heerah, while those dwelling in the Syrian semi-desert were under domain of the Arabian Ghassanide
king, a sort of dependency that was in reality formal rather than actual. However, those living in the
hinder deserts enjoyed full autonomy.
These tribes in fact had heads chosen by the whole tribe which was a demi-government based on tribal
solidarity and collective interests in defence of land and property.
Heads of tribes enjoyed dictatorial privileges similar to those of kings, and were rendered full obedience
and subordination in both war and peace. Rivalry among cousins for rulership, however, often drove
them to outdo one another in entertaining guests, affecting generosity, wisdom and chivalry for the sole
purpose of outranking their rivals, and gaining fame among people especially poets who were the
official spokesmen at the time.
Heads of tribes and masters had special claims to spoils of war such as the quarter of the spoils,
whatever he chose for himself, or found on his way back or even the remaining indivisible spoils.
THE POLITICAL SITUATION:
The three Arab regions adjacent to foreigners suffered great weakness and inferiority. The people there
were either masters or slaves, rulers or subordinates. Masters, especially the foreigners, had claim to
every advantage; slaves had nothing but responsibilities to shoulder. In other words, arbitrary
autocratic rulership brought about encroachment on the rights of subordinates, ignorance, oppression,
iniquity, injustice and hardship, and turning them into people groping in darkness and ignorance, viz.,
fertile land which rendered its fruits to the rulers and men of power to extravagantly dissipate on their
pleasures and enjoyments, whims and desires, tyranny and aggression. The tribes living near these
regions were fluctuating between Syria and Iraq, whereas those living inside Arabia were disunited and
governed by tribal conflicts and racial and religious disputes.
They had neither a king to sustain their independence nor a supporter to seek advice from, or depend
upon, in hardships.
The rulers of Hijaz, however, were greatly esteemed and respected by the Arabs, and were considered
as rulers and servants of the religious centre. Rulership of Hijaz was, in fact, a mixture of secular and
official precedence as well as religious leadership. They ruled among the Arabs in the name of religious
leadership and always monopolized the custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary and its neighbourhood.
They looked after the interests of Al-Ka‘bah visitors and were in charge of putting Abraham’s code into
effect. They even had such offices and departments like those of the parliaments of today. However,
they were too weak to carry the heavy burden, as this evidently came to light during the Abyssinian
(Ethiopian) invasion.
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Pillar. This was the authority of the family of Al-Ghawth bin Murra, one of the septs of Elias bin
Mudar, who were called ‘Sofa’. This privilege meant that the pilgrims were not allowed to throw
stones at Al‘Aqabah until one of the‘Sofa’men did that.When they had finished stoning and wanted to
leave the valley of Mina,‘Sofa’men stood on the two sides of Al-‘Aqabah andnobody
would pass that position until the men of ‘Sofa’ passed and cleared the way for the pilgrims.
When Sofa perished, the family of Sa‘d bin Zaid Manat from Tamim tribe took over.
The Second: Al-Ifadah (leaving for Mina after Muzdalifah) on sacrifice morning, and this was the
responsibility of the family of Adwan.
The Third: Deferment of the sacred months, and this was the responsibility of the family of
Tamim bin ‘Adi from Bani Kinana.
Khuza‘a’s reign in Makkah lasted for three hundred years, during which, the ‘Adnanides spread all over
Najd and the sides of Bahrain and Iraq, while small septs of Quraish remained on the sides of Makkah;
they were Haloul, Harum and some families of Kinana. They enjoyed no privileges in Makkah or in the
Sacred House until the appearance of Qusai bin Kilab, whose father is said to have died when he was
still a baby, and whose mother was subsequently married to Rabi‘a bin Haram, from the tribe of Bani
‘
Udhra. Rabi‘a took his wife and her baby to his homeland on the borders of Syria. When Qusai became
a young man, he returned to Makkah, which was ruled by Halil bin Habsha from Khuza‘a, who gave
Qusai his daughter, Hobba, as wife. After Halil’s death, a war between Khuza‘a and Quraish broke out
and resulted in Qusai’s taking hold of Makkah and the Sacred House.
THE REASONS OF THIS WAR HAVE BEEN ILLUSTRATED IN THREE VERSIONS:
l The First: Having noticed the spread of his offspring, increase of his property and exalt of his
honour after Halil’s death, Qusai found himself more entitled to shoulder responsibility of
rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Sacred House than the tribes of Khuza‘a and Bani
Bakr. He also advocated that Quraish were the chiefs of Ishmael’s descendants. Therefore he
consulted some men from Quraish and Kinana concerning his desire to evacuate Khuza‘a and
Bani Bakr from Makkah. They took a liking to his opinion and supported him.
The Second: Khuza‘a claimed that Halil requested Qusai to hold custodianship of Al-Ka‘bah and
rulership over Makkah after his death.
The Third: Halil gave the right of Al-Ka‘bah service to his daughter Hobba and appointed Abu
Ghabshan Al-Khuza‘i to function as her agent whereof. Upon Halil’s death, Qusai bought this right
for a leather bag of wine, which aroused dissatisfaction among the men of Khuza‘a and they tried
to keep the custodianship of the Sacred House away from Qusai. The latter, however, with the
help of Quraish and Kinana, managed to take over and even to expel Khuza‘a completely from
Makkah.
Whatever the truth might have been, the whole affair resulted in the deprivation of Sofa of their
privileges, previously mentioned, evacuation of Khuza‘a and Bakr from Makkah and transfer of
rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary to Qusai, after fierce wars
between Qusai and Khuza‘a inflicting heavy casualties on both sides, reconciliation and then
arbitration of Ya‘mur bin ‘Awf, from the tribe of Bakr, whose judgement entailed eligibility of
Qusai’s rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Sacred House, Qusai’s irresponsibility for
Khuza‘a’s blood shed, and imposition of blood money on Khuza‘a. Qusai’s reign over Makkah and
the Sacred House began in 440 A.D. and allowed him, and Quraish afterwards, absolute rulership
over Makkah and undisputed custodianship of the Sacred House to which Arabs from all over
Arabia came to pay homage.
Qusai brought his kinspeople to Makkah and allocated it to them, allowing Quraish some dwellings
there. An-Nus’a, the families of Safwan, Adwan, Murra bin ‘Awf preserved the same rights they used to
enjoy before his arrival.
A significant achievement credited to Qusai was the establishment of An-Nadwa House (an assembly
house) on the northern side of Al-Ka‘bah Mosque, to serve as a meeting place for Quraish. This very
house had benefited Quraish a lot because it secured unity of opinions amongst them and cordial
solution to their problem.
QUSAI HOWEVER ENJOYED THE FOLLONG PRIVILEGED OF LEADERSHIP AND HONOUR:
1.Presiding over An-Nadwa House meetings where consultations relating to serious issues were
conducted, and marriage contracts were announced.
2.The Standard: He monopolized in his hand issues relevant to war launching.
3.Doorkeeping of Al-Ka‘bah: He was the only one eligible to open its gate, and was responsible for
its service and protection.
4.Providing water for the Pilgrims: This means that he used to fill basins sweetened by dates and
raisins for the pilgrims to drink.
5.Feeding Pilgrims: This means making food for pilgrims who could not afford it. Qusai even
imposed on Quraish annual land tax, paid at the season of pilgrimage, for food.
It is noteworthy however that Qusai singled out ‘Abd Manaf, a son of his, for honour and prestige
though he was not his elder son (‘Abd Ad-Dar was), and entrusted him with such responsibilities as
chairing of An-Nadwa House, the standard, the doorkeeping of Al-Ka‘bah, providing water and food for
pilgrims. Due to the fact that Qusai’s deeds were regarded as unquestionable and his orders inviolable,
his death gave no rise to conflicts among his sons, but it later did among his grand children, for no
sooner than ‘Abd Munaf had died, his sons began to have rows with their cousins —sons of ‘Abd AdDar,
which would have given rise to dissension and fighting among the whole tribe of Quraish,had it not been for a peace treaty whereby posts were reallocated so as to preserve feeding and providing water for pilgrims for the sons of‘AbdMunaf;while An-Nadwa House,the flag and the doorkeeper of Al-Ka‘bah were maintained for the sons of ‘Abd Ad-Dar.The sons of‘Abd Munaf,however,cast the lot for their charge,and consequently the charge of food and water giving to Hashim bin‘Abd Munaf,upon whose death,the charge was taken over by a brother of his called Al-Muttalib bin‘Abd Manaf and afterwards by‘Abd Al-Muttalib bin Hashim,the Prophet’s grandfather,whose sons assumed this position until the rise of Islam,during which‘Abbas bin‘Abdul-Muttalib was incharge.
Many other posts were distriamong people of Quraish for establishing the pillars of a new democratic
petite state with government offices and councils similar to those of today. Enlisted as follows are some
of these posts.
1.Casting the lots for the idols was allocated to Bani Jumah.
2.Noting of offers and sacrifices, settlement of disputes and relevant issues were to lie in the hands
of Bani Sahm.
3.Consultation was to go to Bani Asad.
4.Organization of blood-money and fines was with Bani Tayim.
5.Bearing the national banner was with Bani Omaiyah.
6.The military institute, footmen and cavalry would be Bani Makhzum’s responsibility.
7.Bani ‘Adi would function as foreign mediators.
RULERSHIP IN PAN-ARABIA:
We have previously mentioned the Qahtanide and ‘Adnanide emigrations, and division of Arabiabetween these two tribes. Those tribes dwelling near Heerah were subordinate to the Arabian king of
Heerah, while those dwelling in the Syrian semi-desert were under domain of the Arabian Ghassanide
king, a sort of dependency that was in reality formal rather than actual. However, those living in the
hinder deserts enjoyed full autonomy.
These tribes in fact had heads chosen by the whole tribe which was a demi-government based on tribal
solidarity and collective interests in defence of land and property.
Heads of tribes enjoyed dictatorial privileges similar to those of kings, and were rendered full obedience
and subordination in both war and peace. Rivalry among cousins for rulership, however, often drove
them to outdo one another in entertaining guests, affecting generosity, wisdom and chivalry for the sole
purpose of outranking their rivals, and gaining fame among people especially poets who were the
official spokesmen at the time.
Heads of tribes and masters had special claims to spoils of war such as the quarter of the spoils,
whatever he chose for himself, or found on his way back or even the remaining indivisible spoils.
THE POLITICAL SITUATION:
The three Arab regions adjacent to foreigners suffered great weakness and inferiority. The people there
were either masters or slaves, rulers or subordinates. Masters, especially the foreigners, had claim to
every advantage; slaves had nothing but responsibilities to shoulder. In other words, arbitrary
autocratic rulership brought about encroachment on the rights of subordinates, ignorance, oppression,
iniquity, injustice and hardship, and turning them into people groping in darkness and ignorance, viz.,
fertile land which rendered its fruits to the rulers and men of power to extravagantly dissipate on their
pleasures and enjoyments, whims and desires, tyranny and aggression. The tribes living near these
regions were fluctuating between Syria and Iraq, whereas those living inside Arabia were disunited and
governed by tribal conflicts and racial and religious disputes.
They had neither a king to sustain their independence nor a supporter to seek advice from, or depend
upon, in hardships.
The rulers of Hijaz, however, were greatly esteemed and respected by the Arabs, and were considered
as rulers and servants of the religious centre. Rulership of Hijaz was, in fact, a mixture of secular and
official precedence as well as religious leadership. They ruled among the Arabs in the name of religious
leadership and always monopolized the custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary and its neighbourhood.
They looked after the interests of Al-Ka‘bah visitors and were in charge of putting Abraham’s code into
effect. They even had such offices and departments like those of the parliaments of today. However,
they were too weak to carry the heavy burden, as this evidently came to light during the Abyssinian
(Ethiopian) invasion.
Previous Chapter
Index
Next Chapter
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