- Quraysh is also the name of a Surah in the Qur'an
The Qur’an is the central religious text of Islam...
.
Quraysh or
Quraish ( , meaning little shark. Other transliterations include "Quresh", "Quraysh", "Koreish" and "Coreish".
TurkishTurkish is spoken as a first language by over 63 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Cyprus, with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and other...
: Kureyş) was the dominant
tribeA tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists hold that...
of
MeccaMecca , sometimes spelled Makkah is the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion. The city is modern, cosmopolitan and whilst being closed to non-Muslims is nonetheless ethnically diverse.Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to Ishmael's descendants...
upon the appearance of the
religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
of
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
. It was the tribe to which the
IslamIslam Islam Islam ( al-’islām,
[There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the s is or , and whether the a is pronounced as in father, as in cat, or (when the stress is on the i) as in the a of sofa...]
ic
prophetIn religion, a prophet is a person who has been contacted by, or has encountered, the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other humans...
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
belonged, as well as the tribe that led the initial opposition to his message.
Lineage
According to popular legend, the Quraysh was a branch of the Kinana branch, which descended from the Khuzaimah, which has its genealogical root in
MudharMudhar or Mudar , is one of two major branches of the so-called "North arabian" tribes, the other branch being Rabi'ah....
patriarchy, descendant of
AdnanAdnan is the traditional ancestor of the Adnani Arabs of northern, central and western Arabia, as opposed to the Qahtani of Southern and south eastern Arabia who descend from Qahtan. Adnan is a descendant of Ishmael through his son Nebaioth...
.
The Quraysh remained completely disunited until
Qusai ibn KilabQusai ibn Kilab ibn Murrah was the great-grandfather of Shaiba ibn Hashim . He was fifth in the line of descent to Muhammad, and attained supreme power at Mecca. Qusai is amongst the ancestors of Sahaba and the progenitor of the Quraish .He was born into the famous Quraysh tribe...
managed to rally their ranks on honourable terms attaching major prominence to their status and importance. After the introduction of Islam, the Quraysh gained supremacy and produced the three dynasties of the Ummayad Caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate and the Fatimid Caliphate.
Early history
For several generations the Quraysh were spread about among other tribal groupings. About five generations before Muhammad the situation was changed by
Qusai ibn KilabQusai ibn Kilab ibn Murrah was the great-grandfather of Shaiba ibn Hashim . He was fifth in the line of descent to Muhammad, and attained supreme power at Mecca. Qusai is amongst the ancestors of Sahaba and the progenitor of the Quraish .He was born into the famous Quraysh tribe...
. By war and diplomacy he assembled an alliance that delivered to him the possession of the
MeccaMecca , sometimes spelled Makkah is the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion. The city is modern, cosmopolitan and whilst being closed to non-Muslims is nonetheless ethnically diverse.Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to Ishmael's descendants...
n Sanctuary (the
KaabaThe Kaaba is a cuboidal building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and is the most sacred site in Islam. The building predates Islam, and, according to Islamic tradition, the first building at the site was built by Abraham. The building has a mosque built around it, the Masjid al-Haram...
). He then gathered his fellow tribesmen to settle at Mecca, where he enjoyed such adulation from his kin that they adjudged him their
de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...
Queeng, a position that was enjoyed by no other descendant of his.
Arab lineages
According to traditional legends, Arab lineages allegedly originate from three groups:
- Perished Arabs (العرب البائدة): These are the ancients of whose history little is known. They include ‘Ad
Ad is the great-grandson of Shem, son of Noah who came from the northeast and was the progenitor of the Adites...
, ThamûdThe Thamud were a people of ancient Arabia who were known from the 1st millennium BC to near the time of Muhammad. Although they are thought to have originated in southern Arabia, Arabic tradition has them moving north to settle on the slopes of Mount Athlab near Mada'in Saleh...
, Tasam, Jadis, Imlaq and others.
- Pure Arabs (العرب العاربة): They allegedly originated from the progeny of Ya‘rub bin Yashjub bin Qahtan bin Hud
Hud is the name of a prophet of Islam, the prophet known in the Old Testament as Eber. The eleventh sura of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after him, though the narrative of Hud comprises only a small portion of the sura,...
so were also called Qahtanian Arabs.
- Arabized Arabs (العرب المستعربة): They allegedly originated from the progeny of Ishmael
Ishmael is a figure in the Torah, Bible, and Qur'an. Jews, Christians and Muslims believe Ishmael is Abraham's eldest son and first born. Ishmael is born of Sarai's handmaiden Hagar...
and were also called ‘Adnanite Arabs. The Quraysh are a branch of the "Arabized Arabs".
The Quraysh had become a prominent tribe in
MeccaMecca , sometimes spelled Makkah is the holiest meeting site of the Islamic religion. The city is modern, cosmopolitan and whilst being closed to non-Muslims is nonetheless ethnically diverse.Islamic tradition attributes the beginning of Mecca to Ishmael's descendants...
before the birth of
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
and essentially ruled the city. Before Muhammad's birth, the tribe had split into different clans, each with different responsibilities. There were some rivalries among the clans, but these became especially pronounced during Muhammad's lifetime. Some clan leaders did not appreciate Muhammad's claim of prophethood and tried to silence him by putting pressure on his uncle, Abu Talib. Many of the clans also began to persecute the followers of Muhammad, for example by
boycottA boycott is a form of consumer activism involving the act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons.-Etymology:...
ing them. This response led Muhammad to initially send some
Muslim:A Muslim , , is an adherent of the religion of Islam. The feminine form is Muslimah . Literally, the word means "one who submits ". Muslim is the participle of the same verb of which Islam is the infinitive. Muslims believe that there is only one God, translated in Arabic as Allah...
s to
EthiopiaEthiopia , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa. Ethiopia is bordered by Eritrea to the north, Sudan to the west, Kenya to the south, Somalia to the east and Djibouti to the northeast. Its size is 1,100,000 km² with an...
, and later would lead to his own emigration to
MedinaMedina is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province...
.
After Muhammad's
conquest of MeccaMecca was conquered by the Muslims in January 630 AD .. It is called Fatah-e-Mubeen, The Glorious Victory.-Background:...
in 630, he pardoned many of those who had oppressed him before, and peace among the different clans was maintained. After Muhammad's death, clan rivalries reignited, playing central roles in the conflicts over the
CaliphateThe term caliphate refers to the first form of government inspired by Islam. It was initially led by Muhammad's disciples as a continuation of the political authority the prophet established, known as the 'rashidun caliphates'. It represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah, and was the...
and contributing to the
Shi'aShia Islam , is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as or Shi'ites....
-
SunniSunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. It is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘ah or Ahl as-Sunnah for short...
divide.
Clans
Quraysh branched out into various sub-clans, who in turn branched out into yet further sub-clans. Roughly the division corresponded to the family lines of the current chieftain of that clan having sons.
- Banu Quraysh — Quraysh was divided into several sub-clans.
- Banu Abd-al-dar
Banu Abd-al-dar is an Arabic sub-clan of the Quraish tribe.-History:Their progenitor is Abd-al-Dar ibn Qusai ibn Kilab. Historically, this tribe carried the banner in war, and Muhammad continued that tradition. In battles between the Makkans and the Muslims, the banner was frequently carried on...
— sub-clan of Quraysh
- Banu Abd Manaf — sub-clan of Quraysh
-
-
- Banu Nawfal
Banu Nawfal is a notable Arabic sub-clan of the Quraish tribe. Its progenitor is Nawfal ibn Abd Manaf .Chief: Mut`im ibn ‘Adi...
— sub-clan of Banu Abd Manaf, clan of Mut`im ibn ‘Adi
- Banu Muttalib — sub-clan of Banu Abd Manaf
- Banu Hashim
Banū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraish tribe. Islam's last Prophet, Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to in English and the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or carry the family name...
— sub-clan of Banu Abd Manaf, clan of MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
and Ali' was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661...
.
- Banu Abd Shams
Banu Abd Shams refers to a clan within the Meccan Quraishi tribe. The clan takes its name from Abd Shams ibn Abd al-Manaf...
— sub-clan of Banu Abd Manaf, parent clan of Banu Umayyah.
-
- Banu Umayyah — sub-clan of Banu Abd Shams, clan of Abu Sufyan and Uthman ibn Affan
- Banu Makhzum
Banū Makhzūm was one of the wealthy clans of Quraysh, the Arab tribe of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.Famous individuals of the Banū Makhzūm include*Amr ibn Hishām better known as Abu Al-Hakam or Abu Jahl*Walid ibn al-Mughira...
— sub-clan of Quraysh, clan of Khalid ibn al-WalidKhālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayfu l-Lāhi l-Maslūl , was one of the most successful commanders in military history...
- Banu Zuhrah
Banu Zuhrah is a clan of the Quraish tribe.Akhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqifi and the Banu Zuhrah where with the Meccan as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr, but since he believed the caravan to be safe, he did not join Quraish on their way to a festival in badr...
— sub-clan of Quraysh, clan of Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas
- Banu Taim
Banu Taym or Banu Taim is a sub-clan to the Quraish tribe.They come from Taym ibn Murrah.-Shi'a view: writes:...
— sub-clan of Quraysh, clan of Abu BakrAbu Bakr As-Siddiq was Muhammad's father-in-law, closest companion and adviser, who succeeded to the Prophet's political and administrative functions, thereby initiating the office of the caliphate. He was also the first convert to Islam...
- Banu Adi
Banu Adi is a clan of the Quraish tribe.Banu Adi were with the Meccans as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr, they did not join Quraish further....
— sub-clan of Quraysh, clan of Umar ibn al-Khattab
- Banu Asad (Quraysh) — sub-clan of Quraysh, clan of Abd-Allah ibn al-Zubayr
Abd Allah al-Zubayr or Ibn Zubayr or Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr was an Arab sahabi whose father was Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, and whose mother was Asma bint Abi Bakr, daughter of the first Caliph Abu Bakr. He was the nephew of Aisha, Prophet Muhammad's third wife.-Biography:He was a member of the Bani...
and Khadijah
- Banu Jumah
The Banu Jumah is a clan of the Quraish tribe. They are notable for being allies to the polytheist Meccans and being in war with the Muslims.In the battle of the Camel a group of Banu Jumah was with A'ishah ....
— sub-clan of Quraysh
- Banu Sahm — sub-clan of Quraysh- Amr ibn al-As
Leaders of the Quraysh
The leaders of Quraysh, who formed Mecca's aristocracy upon the appearance of
MuhammadMuhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh , is the founder of the religion of Islam [ إِسْلامْ ] and is regarded by Muslims as a messenger and prophet of , the last and the greatest law-bearer in a series of Islamic prophets as taught by the...
, were referred to as the
Lords of Quraish (by conventional translation), Dominants of Quraish (by literal translation) (Arabic:
Sadat Quraysh).
A list of them include:
- Aaes ibn Waeel (Banu Saham)
- Abu Jahl (Banu Makhzum)
‘Amr ibn Hishām , better known as Abu Jahl, was one of the Meccan leaders, known for his hostility against the Muslims.-Family:...
- Abu Lahab (Banu Hashim)
Abu Lahab ibn 'Abdul Muttalib is among those named as enemies of Islam condemned by name in the Surah Al-Masadd.-Overview:His full name was Abd-al-Uzza ibn 'Abdul Muttalib and he was called Abu Lahab because his cheeks were always red or inflamed...
- Abu Sufyan ibn Harb (Banu Umayyah)
Sakhr ibn Harb , more commonly known as Abu Sufyan , was a leading man of the Quraish of Mecca. He was a staunch opponent of the Arabian prophet Muhammad before reverting to Islam later in his life. -Women and children:1...
- Akhnas ibn Shariq (Haleef Banu Aadi)
Akhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqifi or Abi al-Hakam ibn Akhnas ibn Sharif ath-Thaqafi was a contemporary to Muhammad and one of the leaders of Mecca .-Muhammad's visit to Ta'if — 619:...
- Aswad ibn Mutlib (Banu Asad)
- Hakeem ibn Huzaam (Banu Asad)
- Matum ibn Aadi (Banu Nawfal)
- Mughirah ibn Abd-Allah (Banu Makhzum)
Mughirah, Mughira or Muggeera was the father of Hisham ibn al-Mughirah and Walid ibn al-Mughira. He was from the Banu Makhzum tribe. He was one of the Leaders of Quraish. It is unclear whether he was related to Abu Hudhaifah ibn al-Mughirah....
- Nabeeha ibn Hujaj (Banu Jumahe)
- Nazar ibn Harris (Banu Abdudaar)
- Suhayl ibn Amr (Banu Aamir)
Suhayl ibn Amr was a prominent man among the Quraish, being known as the khatib or orator of the tribe. Clever and Articulate, Suhayl personal opinion carried a heavy weight among his tribe...
- Umayyah ibn Khalaf (Banu Jumahe)
- Uqba ibn Mueet (Banu Abdudaar)
- Utba ibn Rabi'ah (Banu Abdushams)
During the era of Muhammad, there were several persons who considered themselves as enemies of Islam. Utbah ibn rabiah was one of the prominent Leaders of Quraish....
Clans and the Caliphate
The split between the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam centers over the
succession to MuhammadThe Succession to Muhammad concerns the various aspects of successorship of Muhammad after his death, comprised of who might be considered as his successor to lead the Muslims, how that person should be elected, the conditions of legitimacy, and the role of successor...
. The Sunnis believe
Abu BakrAbu Bakr As-Siddiq was Muhammad's father-in-law, closest companion and adviser, who succeeded to the Prophet's political and administrative functions, thereby initiating the office of the caliphate. He was also the first convert to Islam...
was elected as Muhammad's successor while the Shi'a (literally "party [of
Ali' was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661...
]") believe Muhammad appointed Ali ibn Abi Talib as his successor.
Ali was a member of Muhammad's clan, the
Banu HashimBanū Hāshim was a clan in the Quraish tribe. Islam's last Prophet, Muhammad, was a member of this clan; his great-grandfather was Hashim, for whom the clan is named. Members of this clan are referred to in English and the Anglicised version of their name as Hashemites, or carry the family name...
. Abu Bakr, while a close companion of Muhammad, came from the
Banu TaimBanu Taym or Banu Taim is a sub-clan to the Quraish tribe.They come from Taym ibn Murrah.-Shi'a view: writes:...
clan.
The second
CaliphThe Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the leader of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transliterated version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
, Umar ibn al-Khattab, was from the
Banu AdiBanu Adi is a clan of the Quraish tribe.Banu Adi were with the Meccans as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr, they did not join Quraish further....
clan.
The third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan, was from the Banu Umayyah clan.
When Ali was made caliph after the death of Uthman, the
CaliphateThe term caliphate refers to the first form of government inspired by Islam. It was initially led by Muhammad's disciples as a continuation of the political authority the prophet established, known as the 'rashidun caliphates'. It represented the political unity of the Muslim Ummah, and was the...
was in the hands of the Banu Hashim, but he was almost immediately challenged by
MuawiyahMuawiyah I ; is the first Caliph in the Ummayad Dynasty. In Sunni Islam he is perceived as having two main parts to his life which are of major historical note...
, who was a member of the Umayyad clan. After Ali's assassination at the hands of the Kharajites, the Shi'a hoped his son Hasan would become Caliph, but he was forced to deferred to Muawiyah, who, in violation of the treaty signed with Hasan bin Ali, established the Umayyad line of Caliphs.
After the death of Muawiyah, his son
YazidYazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyati ibn Abī Sufyāni , commonly known as Yazid I, was the second Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate and ruled for three years from 680 CE until his death in 683 CE. The period of Yazid's rule was a great disaster for the Muslims and his rule is still remembered by many, especially...
became Caliph but was almost immediately challenged by Ali's younger son, Hussein, who would not swear allegiance to Yazid for a number of reasons, among which that the Caliphate was not supposed to be hereditary, and that Yazid was said to be corrupt. Yazid's forces were stronger than those of Hussein and Hussein was killed at the Battle of Karbela. This event would ultimately lead to a full schism between Shi'a Islam and Sunni Islam.
The fact that Muhammad's descendants through
Ali' was the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661...
would be persecuted by Umayyad Caliphs did not help the matter.
Related tribes
- Banu Hothail
Banu Hothail are an Adnanite tribe of western Saudi Arabia in Hijjaz . They are descended from Hothail, who was a grandson of Ilyas who was named after the prophet Elijah .- Ancestry :...
- Sulaim
- Tamim
- Bani Asad
- Thaqif
- Huwazin
- Banu Ghatafan
Banu Ghatafan are a massive ancient tribe north of Medinah and from them come the tribes of Banu Abs and Ashga and Banu Thibyaan. They were one of the Arab tribes that interacted with Muhammad. They are notable for allying themselves with the Banu Quraish in the Battle of the trench....