The tribe of Khuza‘ah was an influential Arab tribe that settled in the Hijaz and played a central role in the history of Mecca before the coming of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. According to the classical reports they took the rule of Mecca from the tribe of Jurhum, and with this a new era in the religious and political history of the city began.¹
Lineage and origin
Khuza‘ah is genealogically reckoned among the Qahtanite Arabs of South Arabia, descendants of ‘Amr ibn Luhayy ibn Qam‘ah ibn Ilyas, the man who according to tradition introduced idolatry into Mecca.²
Their tribal name “Khuza‘ah” (literally: “those who separated themselves”) refers to the fact that they once separated from the tribe of Azd during their migration out of Yemen after the collapse of the dam of Ma’rib, after which they journeyed northward and finally settled in the Hijaz, around Mecca.³
The conquest of Mecca from Jurhum
When the people of Jurhum became corrupt and unjust, Khuza‘ah resolved under the leadership of their chieftain ‘Amr ibn Luhayy to drive them out, and from the war that ensued Khuza‘ah emerged victorious, so that they took over the guardianship of the Ka’bah and the rule of Mecca.⁴
After their victory the tribe of Khuza‘ah became the keeper of the holy places, a position they held for many generations, and under their leadership the rites of the pilgrimage were organised and the rights of the pilgrims were safeguarded.
The period of ‘Amr ibn Luhayy and the introduction of idolatry
In the time of their most famous leader, ‘Amr ibn Luhayy al-Khuza‘i, Khuza‘ah reached the height of its power. He was the one who, according to Islamic tradition, saw idolatry during a journey to as-Sham (Syria / Palestine), was impressed by what he saw, and brought the first idol, Hubal, to Mecca.⁵
With this he introduced idolatry into Arabia and departed from the original monotheistic religion of Ibrahim عليه السلام and Isma’il عليه السلام, and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later named him in the reports as the one who had corrupted the religion of his people.⁶
Their role with the Quraysh and in early Islam
When the tribe of Quraysh settled in Mecca, descendants of Isma’il عليه السلام, they at first lived under the rule of Khuza‘ah, until Qusayy ibn Kilab (an ancestor of the Prophet ﷺ) obtained power over Mecca from Khuza‘ah, after a dispute that he managed to win with wisdom and strategy.⁷
From that moment the guardianship of the Ka’bah passed to Quraysh, yet the name of Khuza‘ah remained respected as the former keepers of the sanctuary.
In the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, Khuza‘ah once more played a role, for they were allies of the Prophet ﷺ during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and when the Quraysh broke this treaty by an attack on Khuza‘ah, this became the occasion for the Conquest of Mecca (Fath Makkah).⁸
Significance and legacy
The tribe of Khuza‘ah carries a twofold significance in history: on the one hand as the protector of Mecca after Jurhum, and on the other as the one who, through ‘Amr ibn Luhayy, introduced the worship of idols, a symbolic turning point from tawhid to shirk.
At the same time they were, in the days of the Prophet ﷺ, also supporters of Islam, so that their history mirrors the transition from idolatry to the restoration of monotheism.
¹ Al-Tabari, Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk, describes the transfer of power between Jurhum and Khuza‘ah.
² Ibn Hisham, al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah, records the genealogy of ‘Amr ibn Luhayy.
³ Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, discusses the migration of Khuza‘ah from Yemen.
⁴ Al-Baladhuri, Futuh al-Buldan, records the expulsion of Jurhum.
⁵ Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah and Ibn Kathir describe the journey of ‘Amr ibn Luhayy and the introduction of idolatry.
⁶ Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Anbiya, and Musnad Ahmad on the saying of the Prophet ﷺ concerning ‘Amr ibn Luhayy.
⁷ Ibn Hisham and Ibn Sa’d, on the struggle between Qusayy and Khuza‘ah.
⁸ Al-Waqidi, al-Maghazi, and Ibn Hisham describe the attack on Khuza‘ah as the occasion for the Conquest of Mecca.