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 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...

. 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 tribe. However most genealogists reject this version.

Ibn Ishaq's account

According to Ibn Ishaq, 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 city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...

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 Homerite ...

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 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 Homerite ...

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 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 to

, 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 o ...

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

(''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 *

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