Bani Jurhum

Mecca was at this time a city of considerable importance and note among the townships of Arabia; both from its association and position. Situated in a low lying valley stretching north to south, bordered on the west by a range of hills, on the east by high granite rocks - the Kaaba in its centre., its regular and paved streets, its fortified houses, its public hall opening onto the platform of the temple, the city presented an unusual appearance of prosperity and strngth. The guardianship of the Kaaba, orignially an appanage of the children of Ishmael had in consequence of the babylonian attack passed into the hands of the Jurhumites. The combination of the secular and religious power enabled the chiefs of the Bani Jurhum to assume the title of Malik or King.

Adnan

Adnan, one of the descendenrs of Ishmael who flourished about the first century befor Christ, had, like his ancestor, married the daughter of the Jurhumite chief, and established himself at Mecca, and his son Ma'add became the real progenietor of the Ishmaelites inhabitting Hijaz and Najd.

Bani Khuza

In the early part of the third century, the Jurhumites were overwhelmed by the irruption of the Kahtanite tribe, called the Bani Khuza'a, who, issuing from Yemen, possessed themselves of Mecca and the southerm parts of Hijaz. In the meantime, the race of Ishmael, which had suffered so terribly at the hands of Babylonian King, was gradually regaining its former strength.

The Koreish

Fihr, Surnamed Koreish, a descendent of Ma'add, who flourished in the third century, was the ancestor of the tribe which gave to arabia her Prophet and Legilator.

The word Koreish is derived from word Karash, to trade, as Fihr and his descendents were addicted to commerce.

Kossay

Kossay was the fifth in descent from Fihr, and was born about 398 a.c.

The Khuzaites remained in possession of the temple, and of all the pre-eminenceit conferred on them, for more than two centuries.

Upon the death of Holayl, the last of the Khuzaite chief, Kossay, a descendant of Fihr, who had married Holayl's daughter, drove the Khuzaites out of Mecca, and possessed himself of the entire power, both secular and religious, in the city, and thus became the virtual ruler of Hijaz. We now arrive on absolutelyhistorical grounds.

The Koraish moving in the Kaaba premises

Until Kossay's time, the different Koraishite families had lived dispersed in separate quarters, at considerable distances from the Kaaba, and the extreme sanctity they attached to the temple had prevented their erecting any habitation in its neighbourhood. Perceiving the dangers to which the national pantheon was exposed from its unprotected condition, he induced the Koraish to settle in its vicinity, leavinga sufficient space free on the four sides of the temple for the tawaf (circumambulation). The families, to whom the lands were allotted, dwelt in strongly fortified quarters.

Kossay administration upon Mecca

Kossay appears to have made himself the master of Mecca about the middle of the fifth century of the Christian era, and he at once set himself to the task of placing the administration of the city upon an organised basis.

Kossay built for himself a palace, the door of which opened on the platform of the temple. This palace was called the Dar un Nadwa, "The council hall" ,where, under the presidency of Kossay, public affairs were discussed and transacted. To this hall, no man under the age of forty, unless a descendant of Kossay, could gain admission. Here also were performed all civil functions. At the Dar un-Nadwa, the Koraishites, when about to engage in a war, received from the hands of Kossay the standard, Liwa. Kossay himself attached to the end of a lance a piece of white stuff, and handed it, or sent it by one of his sons, to the Koraishite chiefs. This ceremony, called the Akd ul-liwa, continued in vogue from the time of its inauguration by Kossay until the very end of the Arab empire.

Another of Kossay's institutions endured much longer. By representing to the Koraish the necessity of providing food for the poor pilgrims who annually visited Mecca, and by impressing on them the duties of hospitality, Kossay succeeded in making them submit to the payment of an annual poor-tax, called the Rifada, which he applied in feeding the poorer pilgrims during the Ayyam ul-Mina -the day of the sacrificialfeast, and the two following days which they passed at Mina. This usage continued after the establishment of Islam, and was the origin of the distribution of food which was made at Mina. each year during the pilgrimage, in the name of the Caliphs and the Sultans,their successors.

With these dignities, Kossay also held the administration of the water suppliedby the wells in Mecca and its neighbourhood "Sikaya", and the custodyof the keys of the Kaaba "Hijaba", with the ministration to the worshipof the gods.

Kossay thus united in his own person all the principal religious, civil, and political functions. He was king, magistrate, and chief pontiff. His power, which was almost royal, threw great lustre on the tribe of Koraish, of whom he was the acknowledged chief, and from his time the Koraish acquired a marked preponderance among the other descendants of Ishmael.

The Death of the King of Meca

Kossay died at an advanced age, about the year 480 a. c. He had in his lifetime designatedhis eldest son Abd ud-Dar as his successor, and after his death the son succeeded quietly,and without dispute,to the high positionof the father.

The offices and institutions established by Kossay ibn Kilab played a critical role in shaping the governance and organization of Mecca during his time. They helped maintain order, resolve disputes, and oversee the religious and social aspects of the city, including the important role of custodianship of the Kaaba, which continued to be a central institution in Mecca even after the advent of Islam.

1. The Hijaba - the guardianship of the keys of the Kaaba, a sacred office of considerable rank.


2. The Sikaya - the intendance of the sacred wells of Zamzam, and of all the water destined for the use of the pilgrims.


3. The Diyat - the civil and criminal magistracy


4. The Sifarath - The person to whom this office belonged was the plenipotentiary of the State, authorised to discuss and settle the differences which arose between the Koraish and the other Arab tribes, as also with strangers.


5. The Liwa - the custody of the standard under which the nation marched againstits enemies. The guardian of this standard was the general-in-chief of all the forces of the State.


6. The Rifada - the administration of the poor tax. Formed with the aims of the nation, it was employed to provide food for the poor pilgrims, whether travellers or residents, whom the State regarded as the guests of God.


7. The Nadwa - the presidency of the national assembly. The holder of this office was the first councillor of the State, and under his advice all public acts were transacted.


8. The Kha'immeh - the guardianship of the council chamber. This function, which conferred upon the incumbent the right of convoking the assembly.


9. Khazina - the administration of the public finances


10. The Azlam - the guardianship of the divining arrows by which the judgment of the gods and goddesses was obtained.

The death of Kossay ibn Kilab marked a significant moment in the history of the Quraysh tribe and the city of Mecca. His achievements, including the reconstruction of the Kaaba and the establishment of a tribal leadership structure, had a lasting impact on the religious and political dynamics of pre-Islamic Arabia.

Abd us-Shams,

Ka'ab

Murrah

Qusai

Abd Manaf

Hashim

Abdul-Muttalib

Abdullah