Quraysh

The Quraysh (Arabic: قُرَيْشٌ) was an Arab tribe that inhabited and controlled Mecca and its Kaaba. Comprising 10 main clans, it included the Hashim clan, into which the Islamic prophet Muhammad was born. By 600 CE, the Quraysh had become wealthy merchants, dominating trade between the Indian Ocean, East Africa, and the Mediterranean.^[1] They ran caravans to Gaza and Damascus in summer, and Yemen in winter. They also mined and pursued other enterprises on these routes. They were known for their hilm, which refers to 'steadiness' or 'absence of hotheadedness'. In practice, this meant that they placed business interests first and maintained a measure of unity despite their rivalries.^[2]

When Muhammad began spreading Islam in Mecca, the Quraysh initially showed little concern. However, opposition grew as he challenged the existence of gods other than Allah.^[3][4][5] As relations deteriorated, Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina (the Hijrah) after negotiating with Banu Aws and Khazraj to mediate their conflict.^[6][7] The Quraysh had prevented Muslims from performing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Unable to reach a peaceful resolution, Muhammad decided to confront the Quraysh through armed conflict, beginning with raids on Meccan caravans.^[8] This led to several major battles, including those at Badr, Uhud, and the Trench.^[9] After these conflicts and following changes in Medina's political landscape, including the expulsion of three major Jewish tribes, Muhammad reportedly shifted his focus from Quraysh caravans to northern tribes such as Banu Lahyan and Banu Mustaliq.^[10]

As Muhammad's position in Medina became more established, attitudes towards him in his hometown became more approving. The Treaty of al-Hudaybiya, establishing a ten-year truce with the Meccans, allowed Muhammad to to perform Umrah in Mecca the following year. During this pilgrimage, Muhammad reconciled with his family, the Hashim clan, which was symbolized by his marriage to Maymuna bint al-Harith. Several prominent Meccans, such as Khalid ibn al-Walid and Amr ibn al-As, recognized Muhammad's increasing influence in Arabia and converted to Islam.^[11]

At the end of 629 CE, a belligerent party within the Quraysh, against the advice of their chief Abu Sufyan, supported one of their client clans in a conflict against the Khuza'a, allies of Muhammad. This act was seen as a violation of the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya. As Muhammad advanced with his army to besiege Mecca, Abu Sufyan, along with others, including Muhammad's ally Khuza'i Budayl ibn Warqa, met with Muhammad to request amnesty for all Quraysh who did not resist. Thus Muhammad entered Mecca unopposed, and almost all of its inhabitants converted to Islam.^[12] Afterwards, leadership of the Muslim community traditionally passed to a member of the Quraysh, as was the case with the Rashidun, Umayyad, and Abbasid Caliphates, and purportedly the Fatimids.