Before
Prophethood
Makkah
and the Quraysh:
After
a long journey, Ibrahim alaihis salam approached Makkah, Which lies in the
valley between desolated mountains. As there was no water, crops would not grow
and human life could not be sustained there. Accompanied by his wife Hajerah
and his son Isma'il alaihis salam . Ibrahim alaihis salam was fleeing from the
cult of idol-worship which had spread throughout the world. He wanted to
establish a centre in which Allah alone would be worshipped and to which people
could be called. It would be a beacon of guidance and sanctuary of peace,
radiating true faith and righteousness.
Allah
accepted Ibrahim's(alaihis salam) intention and blessed the spot. After Ibrahim alaihis salam had
left the inhospitable territory, water flowed from a spring to provide his small family with the means to survive.
Hajerah and Isma‘il alaihis salam dwelt in this arid place other people. Allah
blessed the spring of Zamzam and, to this day, people continue to drink its water
and to take it with them to all corners of the globe.
While Isma‘il alaihis
salam was growing up, Ibrahim alaihis
salam visited his family. He wanted to sacrifice Isma‘il alaihis salam, who was
still only a child, in order to show that his love of Allah was greater than
his love for his son, just as Allah had commanded him to in a dream. Isma‘il alaihis
salam also agreed to Allah's command
that he should be sacrificed. But Allah saved
him and provided a ram from Paradise as a ransom
to be
sacrificed instead. Isma‘il's (alaihis salam) survival meant that he would be able to help
his father in calling people to
Allah and to
become the ancestor of the last Prophet of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam,
His exalted Messenger.
On a
later visit to Makkah, Ibrahim alaihis salam and his son together constructed the Ka‘bah,
the House of Allah. They prayed to Allah to accept the House and to bless their
action. They also beseeched Allah to allow them to live and die in Islam and
for Islam to continue after their death. They asked Allah to send a Prophet
from among their descendants to renew the call of his ancestor Ibrahim alaihis
salam and to complete what he had begun.
'When Ibrahim
and Isma‘il alaihumas salam raised the
foundations of
the House, praying;
"Our
Lord, accept this from us. You are the Hearing; the Knowing. Our Lord, and make
us surrender to You, and make of our descendants a nation that surrenders to
You. Show us our rites and turn to us; You are the One who turns, the Compassionate.
Our Lord and send among them a Messenger from among them who will recite to
them Your signs and teach them the Book
and the Wisdom and purify them. You are the Mighty, the Wise.",
(2:126-9)
Allah blessed
their descendants and the family multiplied in that barren valley. 'Adnan, a
descendant of Isma‘il (peace be upon him) had many children. Among 'Adnan's
descendants Fihr ibn Malik, in particular, was a distinguished chief of the
tribe. From Fihr's descendants Qusayy ibn Kilab emerged. He ruled Makkah and
held the keys to the Ka'bah. He inspired obedience, was the
guardian of the
waters of Zamzam and was responsible for feeding the pilgrims. He also presided
at the assemblies where the nobles of Makkah gathered for consultation and he
held the banner for war. He alone controlled the affairs of Makkah.
Among his sons, Abd Manaf was the most
illustrious, while his eldest son, Hashim became a great man of the people. He
provided food and water for the pilgrims coming to Makkah. He was the father of
Abdu'l-Muttalib, the Messenger of Allah's grandfather, who was also in charge
of feeding and giving water to the pilgrims. He was honoured and held in high
esteem by his people and his popularity outstripped that of his ancestors. His
people loved
him.
The
descendants of Fihr ibn Malik were called Quraysh. This name came to
predominate over all others and the tribe adopted it. All the Arabs recognized
the excellent lineage and nobility of the
Quraysh. Their eloquence, civility, gallantry and high mindedness were unanimously
accepted.
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