Banu Khuza'a

Banu Khuza'a is an Arabian tribe.

Origin

Khuza'a known as Haritha Amr bin Muzaqiba. Lead a branch of the Azd Qahtani tribes wandered with his tribe in Hijaz until they came to Mar al-Zahran. Later, they conquered the Haram, and settled in Mecca after having driven away its people, the tribe of Jurhum, They were later replaced by their Adnani allied tribe of Quraish.

History

At an unknown date, the Banu Khuza'a managed to wrest over the Mecca valley and its well from the Banu Jarham, a tribe said to be related to the Biblical Amalekites. Their chief, Amr ibn Lahi al-Khuza'i brought an idol named Hobal from Syria to the sanctuary called the Kaaba, treating the safety of Hobal as the means of continuing his rule. Hobal had the figure of an old man with a long beard and was made of carnelian. Its right hand had been amputated but the Quraish provided it with a hand made of gold.

In the 5th century CE, the Banu Khuza'a lost their authority over the Kaaba to the allied tribe of the Quraish led by Qusai ibn Kilab, who had married a woman from the Khuza'a and succeeded his father-in-law.

The Khuza'a remained allies of the Quraish and in 570, the Year of the Elephant, took part in the battle against Abraha.

In 630 the Khuza'a were attacked by the Banu Bakr, allies of the Quraish. Since the Khuza'a had recently formed an alliance with Muhammad, this attacked constituted a breach of the Treaty of Hudaybiyya of 628, that had brough about a truce between the Muslims and the Quraish and forbade hostilities between the two groups and their respective allies. This led to the conquest of Mecca by the Muslim armies, which occurred without a battle.

The Banu Mustaliq was a branch of Banu Khuza'a. They occupied the territory of Qadid on the Red Sea shore between Jeddah and Rabigh.

Members

*Umm Anmaar

See also

*tribes of Arabia

external source

*http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/companion/04_abu_bakr.htm