Banu Thaqif
Encyclopedia
The Thaqif was one of the tribes of Arabia during Muhammad's era. Thaqif was the main tribe of the town of Taif, in present-day Saudi Arabia
, and descendants of the tribe (called Thagafis) still live in that city today and so many names in Arab
countries such as Syria
, Lebanon
, Egypt, Tunisia
, Morocco, Hatay Province
in Turkey
, Jordan
and Iraq
.
Allāt
.
went to the city named Ta'if and invited them to Islam, but they refused his message. The entire visit lasted one day.
al-Thaqifi and the Banu Zuhrah
where with the Mecca
n as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr
but since he believed the caravan to be safe, he did not join Quraish on their way to a festival in Badr. He together with Banu Zuhrah returned, so this two clans present in the battle
, they were subjected to the Siege of Taif. However, they held their position and did not succumb to the siege. One of their chieftains, Urwah ibn Mas'ud
, was absent in Yemen
during that siege.
and learned of the battle that had taken place at Tabuk, he hastened to Medina
. Urwah had met Muhammad before as an adversary, but he accepted Islam on this meeting. When he declared his intentions of returning to his city to preach, he was warned by Muhammad that they would fight him. Urwah, however, felt too sure of his position and influence with his people. He answered:
Upon his return, he was largely avoided by his tribesmen, apparently after concluding a consultation among themselves. The following morning, Urwah gave the call to prayer
from his roof. He was then surrounded and shot to death by citizens who had gathered bows and arrows. As his relatives panicked around him, it is related according to Muslim sources that his last words were:
He then asked to be buried together with those martyrs who were buried in that area.
. People involved were Abd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr
, Mugheera ibn Shu'ba, Abu Bakr
, Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-Aas, Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas
and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
.
to declare allegiance to the new order and to convert to the new faith.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and descendants of the tribe (called Thagafis) still live in that city today and so many names in Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
countries such as Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Egypt, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Morocco, Hatay Province
Hatay Province
Hatay Province is a province in southern Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast. It is bordered by Syria to the south and east and the Turkish provinces of Adana and Osmaniye to the north. The province is part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region that covers the provinces of...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
History
The tribe lived in the city of Taif and worshiped the pre-Islamic Arabian goddessGoddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
Allāt
Allāt
' or ' was a Pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. She is mentioned in the Qur'an , which indicates that pre-Islamic Arabs considered her as one of the daughters of Allah along with Manāt and al-‘Uzzá....
.
Muhammad's visit to Ta'if — 620
MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
went to the city named Ta'if and invited them to Islam, but they refused his message. The entire visit lasted one day.
Battle of Badr — 624
Akhnas ibn ShariqAkhnas ibn Shariq
Akhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqifi or Abi al-Hakam ibn Akhnas ibn Sharif ath-Thaqafi was a contemporary to Muhammad and one of the leaders of Mecca .-Muhammad's visit to Ta'if — 619:...
al-Thaqifi and the Banu Zuhrah
Banu Zuhrah
Banu Zuhrah is a clan of the Quraish tribe.Akhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqifi and the Banu Zuhrah where with the Meccan as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr, but since he believed the caravan to be safe, he did not join Quraish on their way to a festival in badr...
where with the Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
n as part of the escort that preceded the battle of Badr
Battle of Badr
The Battle of Badr , fought Saturday, March 13, 624 AD in the Hejaz region of western Arabia , was a key battle in the early days of Islam and a turning point in Muhammad's struggle with his opponents among the Quraish in Mecca...
but since he believed the caravan to be safe, he did not join Quraish on their way to a festival in Badr. He together with Banu Zuhrah returned, so this two clans present in the battle
Siege — 630
Before the battle of Tabuk and after the battle of HunaynBattle of Hunayn
The Battle of Hunain was fought between Muhammad and his followers against the Bedouin tribe of Hawazin and its subsection the Thaqif in 630 in a valley on one of the roads leading from Mecca to al-Ta'if. The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Muslims, who captured enormous spoils...
, they were subjected to the Siege of Taif. However, they held their position and did not succumb to the siege. One of their chieftains, Urwah ibn Mas'ud
Urwah ibn Mas'ud
Urwah ibn Mas'ud was a Thaqif'i chieftain of Taif who became a companion of Muhammad. He was one of the first people from his tribe to accept Islam, and he was killed by his fellow chieftains while preaching Islam in his home city....
, was absent in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
during that siege.
Urwah ibn Mas'ud
After Urwah returned from YemenYemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
and learned of the battle that had taken place at Tabuk, he hastened to Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
. Urwah had met Muhammad before as an adversary, but he accepted Islam on this meeting. When he declared his intentions of returning to his city to preach, he was warned by Muhammad that they would fight him. Urwah, however, felt too sure of his position and influence with his people. He answered:
- "O Prophet of God, my people love me more than they do their own eyes."
Upon his return, he was largely avoided by his tribesmen, apparently after concluding a consultation among themselves. The following morning, Urwah gave the call to prayer
Adhan
The adhān is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear"....
from his roof. He was then surrounded and shot to death by citizens who had gathered bows and arrows. As his relatives panicked around him, it is related according to Muslim sources that his last words were:
- "This is indeed an honor granted to me by God, the honor to die as a martyr in His cause. For my case is identical to that of all the other martyrs who gave up their lives at the gates of this city, while the Prophet of God, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, was laying siege to it."
He then asked to be buried together with those martyrs who were buried in that area.
Sending Chieftains
Eventually, most of the remaining chieftains went to Mecca to confront Muhammed, and became Muslims after some negotiation, resulting in the destruction of the religion of AllātAllāt
' or ' was a Pre-Islamic Arabian goddess who was one of the three chief goddesses of Mecca. She is mentioned in the Qur'an , which indicates that pre-Islamic Arabs considered her as one of the daughters of Allah along with Manāt and al-‘Uzzá....
. People involved were Abd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr
Abd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr
Abd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr of the Banu Thaqif tribe was one of the chieftains of the city of Ta'if, a city hostile to Islam. However, in 631 or 632, he was included in a delegation that resulted in his tribe accepting Islam.-External links:...
, Mugheera ibn Shu'ba, Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr was a senior companion and the father-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He ruled over the Rashidun Caliphate from 632-634 CE when he became the first Muslim Caliph following Muhammad's death...
, Khalid ibn Sa'id ibn al-Aas, Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas
Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas
Uthman ibn Abu-al-Aas of the Banu Thaqif tribe was in the beginning one of chieftains of the city of Ta'if, a city hostile to Islam. However in 631 or 632, he was included in a delegation that resulted in his tribe accepting Islam...
and Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
Abu Sufyan ibn Harb
Sakhr ibn Harb , more commonly known as Abu Sufyan was a leading man of the Quraish of Mecca. He was a staunch opponent of the Islamic prophet Muhammad before accepting Islam later in his life.-Opposition to Islam:...
.
Aftermath
With the dismantling of the popular cult of Allāt and the subsequent conversion of Al'Taw, the conversion of the Hijaz was complete. Muhammad's power expanded from the frontiers of Byzantium in the north to al Yaman and Hadramawt in the south. The territories of Southern Arabia were all being encouraged or forced to join the new religion and integrate themselves into a unified system of defense. It subsequently follows that delegations from all around the region proceeded to MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
to declare allegiance to the new order and to convert to the new faith.
Notable members
Notable members of the tribe include:- Abd-Ya-Layl ibn AmrAbd-Ya-Layl ibn AmrAbd-Ya-Layl ibn Amr of the Banu Thaqif tribe was one of the chieftains of the city of Ta'if, a city hostile to Islam. However, in 631 or 632, he was included in a delegation that resulted in his tribe accepting Islam.-External links:...
- Uthman ibn Abu-al-AasUthman ibn Abu-al-AasUthman ibn Abu-al-Aas of the Banu Thaqif tribe was in the beginning one of chieftains of the city of Ta'if, a city hostile to Islam. However in 631 or 632, he was included in a delegation that resulted in his tribe accepting Islam...
- Urwah ibn Mas'udUrwah ibn Mas'udUrwah ibn Mas'ud was a Thaqif'i chieftain of Taif who became a companion of Muhammad. He was one of the first people from his tribe to accept Islam, and he was killed by his fellow chieftains while preaching Islam in his home city....
- Mugheera ibn Shu'ba
- Nafi ibn al-HarithNafi ibn al-HarithNafi ibn al-Harith bin Kalada al-Thaqafi was an Arab physician of the Banu Thaqif and was recommended by prophet Muhammad and treated Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas, and when Abu Bakr was dying, he designated his illness as poisoning.Trained in Yemen ,, he is reported to have written a book named Dialog in...
- Dawud ibn Urwah ibn Masa'ud al-Thaqifi, whom married Habibah binte Ubayd-AllahHabibah binte Ubayd-AllahHabibah binte Ubayd-Allah is the daughter of Ubayd-Allah ibn Jahsh and Ramlah binte Abi-Sufyan.Habibahs father was the brother of Zaynab bint Jahsh, whom Muhammad married at some point, thus is Muhammad Habibahs aunts husband....
. - Akhnas ibn ShariqAkhnas ibn ShariqAkhnas ibn Shariq al-Thaqifi or Abi al-Hakam ibn Akhnas ibn Sharif ath-Thaqafi was a contemporary to Muhammad and one of the leaders of Mecca .-Muhammad's visit to Ta'if — 619:...
- Al-MukhtarAl-Mukhtaral-Mukhtār ibn Abī ‘Ubayd Allah al-Thaqafī was an early Islamic revolutionary who led an abortive rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphs after the death of Husayn ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala.-Life:...
- Al-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-ThaqafiAl-Hurr ibn Abd al-Rahman al-ThaqafiAl-Ḥurr ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Thaqafī was an early Umayyad governor who ruled the Muslim province of Al-Andalus from between 716 to 718. He was the third successor to Musa bin Nusair, the North African governor who had directed the conquest of Visigothic Spain several years earlier in 711...
moorish in Spain and France