The Forefathers of the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

Mawlana Abu Majid Muhammad Shahid Attari Madani

6. Sayyidunā Kilāb

His teknonym is Abū Zuhrah, and his name is Ḥakīm or ꜤUrwah, but because he would hunt a lot with dogs, he was famously known as Kilāb. Hind bint Surayr b. ThaꜤlabah al-Kinānī was his mother.[1] Just like his father and grandfather, he was highly respected amongst the Arabs, and he gave the names to the Islamic months that we are familiar with now.[2] He had two children called Qusai and Zuhrah, and the latter is the progenitor of the Banū Zuhrah. The lineage of Sayyidatunā Āminah’s رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا family can be traced back to him. Her lineage is Āminah bint Wahb b. ꜤAbd Manāf b. Zuhrah b. Kilāb.[3]

He was the first person to donate swords embellished with gold and silver as an endowment for the Kaaba. These swords were sent to him by his father-in-law, SaꜤd b. Sayl al-Azdī, who was the first person to plate swords with gold and silver.[4]

7. Sayyidunā Murrah

His teknonym is Abū Yaqaẓah, and his mother is Makhshiyyah bint Shaibān b. Muḥārib.[5] He had three sons: Kilāb, Yaqaẓah and Taym, and the latter is the progenitor of the Banū Taym, which is the clan of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr and Sayyidunā Ṭalḥah b. Ubaidullāh رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهُمَا. Yaqaẓah  is the progenitor of the Banū Makhzūm.[6]

8. Sayyidunā KaꜤb

Sayyidunā KaꜤb was a prominent leader of the Quraysh tribe. His mother is Mawiyyah bint KaꜤb b. al-Qayn QuḍāꜤī.[7] He would deliver sermons to his people on Fridays, which were full of beautiful advice and wisdom. He taught people to reflect on the creation of Allah, to prepare for the hereafter, and to treat people kindly. He mentioned how the final Prophet of Allah would arrive in Makkah, and he expressed his desire to be present at that time and believe in his message. He was the first person to say ammā baꜤd (اَمَّا بَعْد) in a sermon.

One day, as he was praying near the Kaaba, the enemies attacked and fired a rock from a catapult, which narrowly missed his head. Nevertheless, he continued praying and was later martyred on that day. There were 560 years between the day of his martyrdom and the beloved Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم declaration of prophethood. The Arabs held him in high esteem, such that they began their enumeration of dates from his martyrdom, which continued until the Year of the Elephant.[8] He had three sons: Murrah, ꜤAdiy and Huṣayṣ.[9]

9. Sayyidunā Luٰayy

His mother is Sayyidatunā ꜤAtikah bint Yakhlud b. Naḍr b. Kinānah.[10] He was brimming with knowledge, forbearance and wisdom since childhood, and this was evident from his speech, such that his words became proverbs.[11] He had seven sons: KaꜤb, ꜤĀmir, Sāmah, ꜤAwf, Ḥārith, SaꜤd and Khuzaymah.[12]

10. Sayyidunā Ghālib

His mother is Laylā bint Ḥārith b. Tamīm.[13] His teknonym is Abū Taym, and he had two sons called Luٰayy and Taym.

11. Sayyidunā Fihr

His mother is Jandalah bint ꜤĀmir b. Ḥārith al-Jurhumī.[14] He was the awe-inspiring chief of Makkah and of the tribes in the surrounding areas. During his era, Hassān b. ꜤAbd Kulāl al-Ḥimyarī attacked Makkah with his army. He stayed at a place called Nakhlah so that he could disassemble the bricks of the Kaaba that Sayyidunā Ibrāhīm and Sayyidunā IsmāꜤīl عَـلَيْـهِما الـسَّـلَام used to construct it. He planned on taking the bricks to Yemen in order to build a new Kaaba so that people perform the pilgrimage there. Under the leadership of Sayyidunā Fihr, the people of Quraysh and other tribes resoundingly defeated Hassān and his army. Hassān was imprisoned for three years until a ransom was paid, and then he died as he travelled back to Yemen.[15]

According to one opinion, Sayyidunā Fihr’s name was Quraysh, due to which his family is called Quraysh. Another reason is that Quraysh is derived from the word تقرش, which means to earn and acquire. These people were famous for their skill in business, which is why the family was known by the title of Quraysh.[16] Quraysh is the name of a powerful sea creature that consumes small and large animals, but no animal can eat it. The Quraysh were never defeated due to their courage and bravery, so they were called Quraysh in relation to this formidable sea creature.[17] He had four sons: Ghālib, Muḥārib, Ḥārith and Asad.[18]

12. Sayyidunā Mālik

Sayyidunā Mālik is amongst the great leaders of the Arabs. His teknonym is Abū al-Ḥārith. His mother is ꜤIkrisha bint ꜤAdwān Ḥārith b. ꜤAmr. She had one son named Fihr.[19]

13. Sayyidunā Nadr

His name is Qays, but due to the beauty of his face, he was known as Naḍr, which means beautiful and radiant. His mother is Barrah bint Murr b. Udd b. Ṭābikhah.[20] He was always eager to be kind and charitable to people. It is said that Quraysh was his name or title because Quraysh is derived from قرش, which means to inquire. Sayyidunā Naḍr would ask people and pilgrims about their needs, and fulfil them quickly. The Quraysh became famous for this hospitality and care towards travellers and the poor.[21]

ꜤAllāmah Aḥmad b. Muhammad al-Qastallānī رِحمه الـلّٰـهُ writes: “Fihr’s name was Quraysh, and the tribe of Quraysh is attributed to him. Those who came before him (Sayyidunā Mālik and Sayyidunā Naḍr) were called Kinānī, not Qurayshī, and this is the correct view.”[22]

He had three famous sons: Mālik, Yakhlud, and Ṣalt.