The offices of Quraysh at Mecca

The government of Mecca before Islam rested on offices distributed among the clans of Quraysh. Five of them were gathered into the hand of Qusayy ibn Kilab and then divided after him. Other offices were shared among the clans until they formed what al-Rahiq al-Makhtum calls a mini-state, even a quasi-democratic state, with councils resembling in our age the councils and chambers of a parliament. ^{1 2}

When Khuza'a held sole authority over Mecca, the tribes of Mudar had three attributes. The first was directing the people from Arafat to Muzdalifa and dispatching them from Mina on the day of departure; it was held by the Banu al-Ghawth ibn Murr of the clans of Ilyas ibn Mudar, who were called Sufa. The second was the departure from Jam' on the morning of the sacrifice to Mina, which belonged to the Banu Adwan. The third was the postponement of the sacred months, which belonged to the Banu Tamim ibn 'Adi of the Kinana. ^{3 4 5} See the intercalation. Qusayy confirmed the custodians, the families of Safwan, 'Adwan, and Murra ibn 'Awf in the offices they held, because he considered it a religion that should not be changed. ^{6 7}

Qusayy held the marks of leadership and honour: ^{1 8 9}

• The presidency of Dar al-Nadwa, where they consulted about the grave affairs that befell them and married off their daughters.
• The standard: no banner of war was tied except in his hand.
• The chamberlainship of the Ka'ba: no one opened its door except him, and he managed its service and custody.
• The provision of water for pilgrims: they filled basins with water for the pilgrims, sweetened with some dates and raisins, and people drank from them when they arrived in Mecca.
• The provision of food for pilgrims: food prepared for the pilgrim in the manner of hospitality. Qusayy imposed on Quraysh a levy they paid from their wealth during the season, and with it he prepared food for the pilgrims, which anyone without means or provisions could eat. ^{1 8}

Qusayy bequeathed these offices to his eldest son, Abd al-Dar. When Abd Manaf died, his sons contested them with their cousins the sons of Abd al-Dar. They came to an agreement and divided them: the provision of water and of food to the Banu Abd Manaf, and Dar al-Nadwa, the standard, and the chamberlainship in the hands of the Banu Abd al-Dar. ^{1 10} Then the water and food were drawn by lot to Hashim, who held them for his whole life, then al-Muttalib, then Abd al-Muttalib, and after him his sons, until Islam came and the office passed to al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib. ^{1 2 11} The details are in the partition of the offices.

Quraysh had offices other than these, which they distributed among themselves. The author counts them from the history of the land of the Qur'an. ^{2 12}

• The iysar (the drawing of arrows for divination): entrusted to the Banu Jumah (see the arrows).
• The tahjir al-amwal (the arrangement of offerings and vows dedicated to idols), and likewise the settling of disputes: among the Banu Sahm.
• The consultation (shura): among the Banu Asad.
• The ashnaq (the arrangement of blood-money and fines): among the Banu Taym.
• The iqab (bearing the national banner): among the Banu Umayya.
• The qubba (the arrangement of the camp and the command of horses): among the Banu Makhzum.
• The embassy (sifara): among the Banu Adi.

The author's description of this system as a "quasi-democratic mini-state," with a comparison to parliament, is his own view. See his assessment in the political condition and the emirate of the Hijaz.