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The First: Having noticed the spread of his offspring, increase of his property and exalt of
his honour after Halil’s death, Qusai found himself more entitled to shoulder responsibility of
rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Sacred House than the tribes of Khuza‘a and
Bani Bakr. He also advocated that Quraish were the chiefs of Ishmael’s descendants.
Therefore he consulted some men from Quraish and Kinana concerning his desire to
evacuate Khuza‘a and Bani Bakr from Makkah. They took a liking to his opinion and
supported him.
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The Second: Khuza‘a claimed that Halil requested Qusai to hold custodianship of Al-Ka‘bah
and rulership over Makkah after his death.
The Third: Halil g ave the right of Al-Ka‘bah service to his daughter Hobba and appointed Abu
Ghabshan Al-Khuza‘i to function as her agent whereof. Upon Halil’s death, Qusai bought this
right for a leather bag of wine, which aroused dissatisfaction among the men of Khuza‘a a nd
they tried to keep the custodianship of the Sacred House away from Qusai. The latter,
however, with the help of Quraish and Kinana, managed to take over and even to expel
Khuza‘a completely from Makkah.

Whatever the truth might have been, the whole affair resulted in the deprivation of Sofa of
their privileges, previously mentioned, evacuation of Khuza‘a and Bakr from Makkah and
transfer of rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary to Qusai, after
fierce wars between Qusai and Khuza‘a inflicting heavy casualties on both sides,
reconciliation and then arbitration of Ya‘mur bin ‘Awf, from the tribe of Bakr, whose
judgement entailed eligibility of Qusai’s rulership over Makkah and custodianship of the
Sacred House, Qusai’s irresponsibility for Khuza‘a’s blood shed, and imposition of blood
money on Khuza‘a. Qusai’s reign over Makkah and the Sacred House began in 440 A.D. and
allowed him, and Quraish afterwards, absolute rulership over Makkah and undisputed

custodianship of the Sacred House to which Arabs from all over Arabia came to pay homage.
Qusai brought his kinspeople to Makkah and allocated it to them, allowing Quraish some dwellings
there. An-Nus’a, the families of Safwan, Adwan, Murra bin ‘Awf preserved the same rights they used
to enjoy before his arrival.
A significant achievement credited to Qusai was the establishment of An-Nadwa House (an assembly
house) on the northern side of Al-Ka‘bah Mosque, to serve as a meeting place for Quraish. This very
house had benefited Quraish a lot because it secured unity of opinions amongst them and cordial
solution to their problem.

The Sealed Nectar

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