What Do We Know About the Prophet's (PBUH) Hashemite Family Before His Mission?
ماذا نعرف عن أسرة الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم الهاشمية قبل بعثته؟
The great-grandfather of the Prophet, peace be upon him, Hashem ibn Abd Manaf, was the one who took charge of giving the pilgrims water (siqayah) and food (rifadah), and Hashem was of great honor and was the first to feed tharid (bread broken into broth) to the pilgrims in Mecca. His name was Amr, and he was called Hashem only because he crushed (hashama) the bread. He was the one who initiated the two trade trips of Quraish (winter and summer).
إن جد الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم هاشم بن عبد مناف، هو الذي تولى السقاية والرفادة، وهاشم كان ذا شرف كبير وهو أول من أطعم الثريد للحجاج بمكة، وكان اسمه عمرو فما سمي هاشم إلا لهشمه الخبز، وهو أول من سن الرحلتين لقريش، رحلة الشتاء والصيف.
1. Hashim ibn Abd Manaf and the Two Trade Journeys | هاشم بن عبد مناف وتأسيس رحلتي الشتاء والصيف
Hashim, whose name was Amr, was the Prophet's great-grandfather, as the Prophet's lineage shows. The scholar's answer credits him with starting the two journeys of Quraysh, which Ibn Kathir describes as their trade journeys to Yemen in winter and to Syria in summer (106:2).
لِإِيلَافِ قُرَيْشٍ إِيلَافِهِمْ رِحْلَةَ الشِّتَاءِ وَالصَّيْفِ (سورة قريش: 1-2)
هاشم واسمه عمرو هو الجد الأكبر للنبي ﷺ، وهو أول من سن لقريش رحلتي الشتاء والصيف، قال ابن كثير: "ما كانوا يألفونه من الرحلة في الشتاء إلى اليمن، وفي الصيف إلى الشام في المتاجر".
2. The Origins of the Name "Hashim" | سبب تسميته "هاشماً" لإطعامه الحجيج بمكة
His name was Amr; he was called Hashim (the one who crushes) because he crushed bread into broth (tharid) to feed people. Al-Baghawi (106:4) quotes the old verse about him: "Amr al-Ula crushed tharid for his people, when the men of Mecca were in a year of drought and lean," and credits him with the two journeys.
فَلْيَعْبُدُوا رَبَّ هَـٰذَا الْبَيْتِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ (سورة قريش: 3-4)
كان اسمه عمرا، وإنما سمي هاشما لهشمه الخبز وصنعه الثريد. وأورد البغوي البيت: "عمرو العلا هشم الثريد لقومه ورجال مكة مسنتون عجاف"، وفيه أنه سن الرحلتين لقومه.
3. Custodianship of Pilgrims (Siqayah and Rifadah) | تولي السقاية والرفادة وإكرام وفود الرحمن
The scholar's answer states that Hashim took charge of siqayah (water for the pilgrims) and rifadah (food for them). Later the siqayah was held by al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, whom the Prophet ﷺ allowed to spend the nights of Mina in Mecca for it (Sahih al-Bukhari 1634, Sahih Muslim 1315). Yet the Quran teaches that providing water for the pilgrims is not equal to faith in Allah and striving in His cause (At-Tawbah 9:19).
أَجَعَلْتُمْ سِقَايَةَ الْحَاجِّ وَعِمَارَةَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَجَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَوُونَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ (سورة التوبة: 19)
تولى هاشم السقاية والرفادة، ثم كانت السقاية بعدُ للعباس بن عبد المطلب، وقد استأذن النبيَّ ﷺ أن يبيت بمكة ليالي منى من أجل سقايته فأذن له (صحيح البخاري 1634، صحيح مسلم 1315). ومع ذلك بيّن القرآن أن سقاية الحاج لا تعدل الإيمان بالله والجهاد في سبيله (التوبة 9: 19).
4. Noble Distinction of Banu Hashim in Prophetic Hadith | الشرف والمكانة الرفيعة لبني هاشم في السنة
The Prophet ﷺ said that Allah "chose Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and chose me from Banu Hashim" (Sahih Muslim 2276). Yet when Allah revealed "And warn ˹all, starting with˺ your closest relatives" (26:214), he called the clans of Quraysh by name, among them Banu Hashim and Banu Abd al-Muttalib, telling each: "Save yourselves from the Fire," and he said, "I have no power to help you against Allah" (Sahih Muslim 204). A noble lineage does not take the place of faith.
وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ (سورة الشعراء: 214)
قال النبي ﷺ: "واصطفى من قريش بني هاشم، واصطفاني من بني هاشم" (صحيح مسلم 2276). ولما نزلت (وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِينَ) دعا قريشا فعم وخص، ومما قال: "يا بني هاشم أنقذوا أنفسكم من النار، يا بني عبد المطلب أنقذوا أنفسكم من النار... فإني لا أملك لكم من الله شيئا" (صحيح مسلم 204)، فشرف النسب لا يغني عن الإيمان.
5. Abu Talib's Protection | حماية عمه أبي طالب له
Ibn Kathir explains (93:6) that after the deaths of his parents and of his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib, his uncle Abu Talib took care of him and kept protecting and supporting him, holding back his people's harm after the mission began at forty, while Abu Talib himself remained on his people's religion.
أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَىٰ (سورة الضحى: 6)
قال ابن كثير في قوله تعالى (أَلَمْ يَجِدْكَ يَتِيمًا فَآوَىٰ): "فكفله عمه أبو طالب، ثم لم يزل يحوطه وينصره ويرفع من قدره ويوقره، ويكف عنه أذى قومه بعد أن ابتعثه الله على رأس أربعين سنة من عمره، هذا وأبو طالب على دين قومه من عبادة الأوثان".
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who was the founder of the Hashemite clan before Islam?
Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, the great-grandfather of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Why was he named "Hashim"?
His name was Amr; he was called Hashim because he crushed bread to make tharid, which he was the first to give the pilgrims in Mecca.
What major economic innovation did Hashim introduce for Quraysh?
He instituted the two annual trade journeys (Rihlat ash-Shita'i was-Sayf) to Yemen in winter and Syria in summer.
What responsibilities did Banu Hashim manage at the Kaaba?
They held the prestigious offices of Siqayah (providing water) and Rifadah (providing food and hospitality for pilgrims).