Quraysh
The tribe of Mecca and its sanctuary — the most fully documented tribe in Arab genealogy.
- Grouping
- Kināna, under Muḍar
- Seat
- Mecca
- Tier in the illustration
- ʿImāra
- Scope
- Historical — no modern attribution
Overview
Quraysh held Mecca and the guardianship of its sanctuary before Islam, and controlled the caravan trade that passed through it. Because the earliest Islamic historiography is closely concerned with Mecca, Quraysh is documented in far more detail than any other Arab tribe — its clans, its offices and its internal disputes are all recorded. The sources place it under Kināna, and at the *ʿimāra* level in the standard illustration of the tiers. This page describes a historical tribe and makes no statement about any modern family.
On lineage
Branch lists and affiliations here are given as reported by the classical genealogists, who themselves disagree. Nothing on this page establishes any living family's descent: a shared name may reflect descent, alliance (ḥilf) or clientage (walāʾ), and the sources usually say which only when they know.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Quraysh so well documented?
Because the earliest Islamic historiography is centred on Mecca, so its clans, offices and disputes were recorded in far more detail than other tribes.
Sources
- ابن حزم الأندلسي، جمهرة أنساب العرب، 456هـ — أنساب قريش
- القلقشندي، نهاية الأرب في معرفة أنساب العرب، 821هـ — باب قريش
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources. It is not an authority on lineage. Where sources differ, we report the difference without taking a position. Corrections are welcome via our contact page.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-28