Page 41 - History of The Quranic Text | Kalamullah.Com

EARLY HISTORY OF ISLAM: A BRIEF LOOK 21

facilities, and so the following institutions were set up in Makkah (some of
them by Qusayy himselfj:35 Nadioa (city council), Mashura (advice council),
Qiyiida (leadership), Sadiina (administration of the sanctuary), lfijiiba (gate-
keeper of the Ka'ba), Siqiiya (supplying water to the pilgrims), 'Imdratul-bait
(ensuring that the sanctity of the Ka'ba was not violated), gada(those who
permitted the first departure in a ceremony), [jiiza, Nasi' (the institution of
adjusting the calendar), Qybba (pitching a tent to collect donations for some
public emergency), A'inna (reins of the horse), Rcfiida(tax for feeding the
poor pilgrims), Amwiilmul;ajjara (offerings to the Sanctuary), Aysiir, Ashndq
(assessing the value of pecuniary liabilities), Hukiima, Sifirah(ambassador-
ship),'Uqdb (standard-bearer), liwii (banner) and lfulwiin-un-nafr (mobilisation
J
gratuity).

v. From Qu~ayy to Muhammad ~

These sundry duties became the responsibilityof Qu~ayy's sons.Descendants
of 'Abdul-Dar for example retained the custody of the Ka'ba, the council-
36
hall and the right of mounting the banner on its staff in case of war. 'Abd-
Manaf managed the foreign relations "with the Roman authorities, and the
Ghassanide prince. Hashim [son of 'Abd-Manaf] himself concluded a treaty,
and he is said to have received from the Emperor a rescriph authorizing the
Quraish to travelthrough Syriain security?" Hashim and hispartymaintained
the office of providing food and water to the pilgrims; his wealth allowed
him to entertain pilgrims with princely magnificence."
While trading in Madinah, Hashim met and became enamoured of a
Khazarite noblewoman, Salma bint 'Amr. He married her and returned
with her to Makkah, but with the onset of pregnancy she chose to journey
back to Madinah and there gave birth to a son, Shaiba. Hashim died in
Gaza on one of his trade journeys,39 entrusting his brother Muttalib to take
care of his son'? who was still with his mother. Travelling to Madinah for
this purpose, Muttalib found himself embroiled in a fight with Hashim's
widow over the custody of young Shaiba, which he eventually won. With

35 The City State if Mecca, pp. 261-276.
36 William Muir, The 4ft if Mahomet, 3rd edition, Smith, Elder, & Co., London,
1894,p.xcvi.
3i ibid, p. xcvii.
38 ibid, p. xcvi.
39 Ibn Hisham, Sira, vol. 1-2, p. 137.
40 ibid, vol. 1-2, p. 137.