Fihr ibn Malik ( ar, فِهْر ٱبْن مَالِك, Fihr ibn Mālik, ), is counted among the direct ancestors of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
.
In the
lineage of Muhammad from Adnan, Fihr precedes Muhammad by eleven generations.
Meaning of name
Some writers stated that his name was also "Qarish" (''hard'', diminutive is "Quraysh"), which fits him being the progenitor of the
Quraysh
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qur ...
tribe. However most genealogists reject this version.
Ibn Ishaq's account
According to
Ibn Ishaq
Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq ibn Yasār ibn Khiyār (; according to some sources, ibn Khabbār, or Kūmān, or Kūtān, ar, محمد بن إسحاق بن يسار بن خيار, or simply ibn Isḥaq, , meaning "the son of Isaac"; died 767) was an 8 ...
, Fihr defended
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red ...
against the
Himyarite
The Himyarite Kingdom ( ar, مملكة حِمْيَر, Mamlakat Ḥimyar, he, ממלכת חִמְיָר), or Himyar ( ar, حِمْيَر, ''Ḥimyar'', / 𐩹𐩧𐩺𐩵𐩬) ( fl. 110 BCE–520s CE), historically referred to as the Homerit ...
King of
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
who wanted to transfer the
Kaaba
The Kaaba (, ), also spelled Ka'bah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah ( ar, ٱلْكَعْبَة ٱلْمُشَرَّفَة, lit=Honored Ka'bah, links=no, translit=al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah), is a building at the c ...
to Yemen.
Battle with Yemen
A sharp engagement followed in which
Himyar
The Himyarite Kingdom ( ar, مملكة حِمْيَر, Mamlakat Ḥimyar, he, ממלכת חִמְיָר), or Himyar ( ar, حِمْيَر, ''Ḥimyar'', / 𐩹𐩧𐩺𐩵𐩬) ( fl. 110 BCE–520s CE), historically referred to as the Homerit ...
were defeated, and Hassan Bin Kilal Bin Dhi Hadath al-Himyari was taken prisoner by Fihr for two years until he paid his ransom.
This story however was rejected by some Muslim scholars who argued that they have never heard of it and that
Khuza'a in charge of Kabaa at the time of Hassan Ibn Kilal not Quraysh.
He is the
common ancestor
Common descent is a concept in evolutionary biology applicable when one species is the ancestor of two or more species later in time. All living beings are in fact descendants of a unique ancestor commonly referred to as the last universal comm ...
of all the
ten promised paradise through his sons Al Harith and Ghalib as all of them belonged to the
Quraysh
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qur ...
Tribe.
Role
Fihr bin Malik led the people of Makkah to fight the armies of the
Himyarite kingdom
The Himyarite Kingdom ( ar, مملكة حِمْيَر, Mamlakat Ḥimyar, he, ממלכת חִמְיָר), or Himyar ( ar, حِمْيَر, ''Ḥimyar'', / 𐩹𐩧𐩺𐩵𐩬) ( fl. 110 BCE–520s CE), historically referred to as the Homerit ...
when they came to move
Kaaba
The Kaaba (, ), also spelled Ka'bah or Kabah, sometimes referred to as al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah ( ar, ٱلْكَعْبَة ٱلْمُشَرَّفَة, lit=Honored Ka'bah, links=no, translit=al-Kaʿbah al-Musharrafah), is a building at the c ...
to
Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
, and succeeded in defeating the army.
Fihr bin Malik mobilized a joint force consisting of
Quraish
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qu ...
,
Bani Kinanah
The Kinana ( ar, كِنَاَنَة, Kināna) were an Arab tribe based around Mecca in the Tihama coastal area and the Hejaz mountains. The Quraysh of Mecca, the tribe of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, was an offshoot of the Kinana. A number of mod ...
,
Bani Khuzaimah,
Bani Asad
Bani Asad ( ar, بني أسعد) is a sub-district located in Hazm al-'Udayn District, Ibb Governorate, Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on ...
,
Bani Judham
Bani may refer to:
Places Africa
*Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso
*Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso
* Bani, The Gambia
*Bani River, a tributary ...
, and several tribes
Mudhar.
King Himyar Hassan bin Abdu Kalal bin Mathub bin Dzu Hurath al-Himyari was captured, and after three years was released after paying a ransom.
Fihr bin Malik looked after the needs of the pilgrims (''
Hajjis'') who came to Mecca, and as a livelihood he traded with other Arab tribes.
Descendants
From the marriage of Fihr bin Malik with Layla bint Al-Harith bin Tamim bin Sa'ad bin Hudzail bin Mudrikah,
he had several children named Ghalib (who also had many descendants), Muharib, and Harith,
Asad, Awf, Jawn, and Dhi'b.
When Muhammad started the spread of Islam, the great tribes
Quraish
The Quraysh ( ar, قُرَيْشٌ) were a grouping of Arab clans that historically inhabited and controlled the city of Mecca and its Kaaba. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born into the Hashim clan of the tribe. Despite this, many of the Qu ...
(''Imarah Quraish'') descendants of Fihr bin Malik who at that time lived in Mecca and its surroundings, are:
Quraish al-Batha' (Quraish of the valley)
*
Bani Adi bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
*
Bani Taim
Bani may refer to:
Places Africa
*Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso
*Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso
* Bani, The Gambia
*Bani River, a tributary ...
the son of Murrah, the son of Kaab, the son of Luayy, the son of Ghalib, the son of Fihr
*
Bani Zuhrah
Bani may refer to:
Places Africa
*Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso
*Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso
* Bani, The Gambia
*Bani River, a tributary ...
the son of Kilab, the son of Murrah, the son of Kaab, the son of Luayy, the son of Ghalib, the son of Fihr.
*
Bani Sahm
Bani may refer to:
Places Africa
*Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso
*Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso
* Bani, The Gambia
*Bani River, a tributary ...
son of Amr, son of Hushaish, son of Kaab, son of Luayy, son of Ghalib, son of Fihr.
*
Bani Jumah bin Amr bin Hushaish bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
*
Bani Makhzum bin Yaqazhah bin Murrah bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
*
Ban Abdud-Dar bin Qushay bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
*
Bani Abdu Manaf bin Qushay bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
**
Bani Muttalib
Bani may refer to:
Places Africa
*Bani Department, a department in the Séno Province of Burkina Faso
*Bani, Bani, Séno, Burkina Faso
* Bani, Bourzanga, Bam, Burkina Faso
*Bani, Gnagna, Burkina Faso
* Bani, The Gambia
*Bani River, a tributary ...
bin Abdu Manaf
**
Ban Abdu Shams bin Abdu Manaf
**
Ban Hashim bin Abdu Manaf
**
Bani Nawfal bin Abdu Manaf
*
Bani Asad
Bani Asad ( ar, بني أسعد) is a sub-district located in Hazm al-'Udayn District, Ibb Governorate, Yemen
Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on ...
bin Abdul Uzza bin Qushay bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Kaab bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
Quraish az-Zawahir (Quraish fringe)
*
Bani Al-Harith bin Fihr
*
Bani Muharib bin Fihr
*
Ban Amir bin Luayy bin Ghalib bin Fihr
References
{{Adam to Muhammad
Ancestors of Muhammad
3rd-century Arabs
People from Mecca
Kinana