Sin lugar a dudas, la biografía del Profeta Muhammad ﷺ representa de manera manifiesta una encarnación exhaustiva del sublime Mensaje Divino que comunicó para librar al género humano del pantano de la oscuridad y el politeísmo hacia el paraíso de la luz y el monoteísmo. Una imagen, auténtica y completa, de este Mensaje solo puede alcanzarse, por tanto, mediante el estudio cuidadoso y el análisis profundo de los antecedentes y las cuestiones de dicha biografía. En vista de ello, se presenta aquí un capítulo completo sobre la naturaleza y el desarrollo de las tribus árabes anteriores al Islam, así como sobre el entorno circunstancial que envolvió la misión del Profeta ﷺ.

Beyond a shadow of doubt, the biography of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) manifestedly represents an exhaustive embodiment of the sublime Divine Message that he communicated in order to deliver the human race from the swamp of darkness and polytheism to the paradise of light and monotheism. An image, authentic as well as comprehensive, of this Message is therefore only attainable through careful study and profound analysis of both backgrounds and issues of such a biography. In view of this, a whole chapter is here introduced about the nature and development of Arab tribes prior to Islam as well as the circumstantial environment that enwrapped the Prophet’s mission.

Lingüísticamente, la palabra «árabe» significa desiertos y tierras baldías casi carentes de agua y sin árboles. Desde el amanecer de la historia, la península arábiga y su pueblo han sido llamados de este modo. La península arábiga está delimitada al oeste por el mar Rojo y el Sinaí, al este por el golfo Arábigo, al sur por el mar Arábigo, que es una extensión del océano Índico, y al norte por la antigua Siria y parte de Iraq. La superficie se calcula entre un millón y un millón doscientas cincuenta mil millas cuadradas.

Linguistically, the word “Arab” means deserts and waste barren land well-nigh waterless and treeless. Ever since the dawn of history, the Arabian Peninsula and its people have been called as such. The Arabian Peninsula is enclosed in the west by the Red Sea and Sinai, in the east by the Arabian Gulf, in the south by the Arabian Sea, which is an extension of the Indian Ocean, and in the north by old Syria and part of Iraq. The area is estimated between a million and a million and a quarter square miles.

Gracias a su posición geográfica, la península siempre ha mantenido una gran importancia. En cuanto a su entorno interior, está compuesta en su mayor parte por desiertos y lugares arenosos, lo que la ha hecho inaccesible a los extranjeros y a los invasores, y ha permitido a su pueblo disfrutar de plena libertad e independencia a lo largo de los siglos, a pesar de la presencia de dos grandes imperios vecinos.

Thanks to its geographical position, the peninsula has always maintained great importance.. Considering its internal setting, it is mostly deserts and sandy places, which has rendered it inaccessible to foreigners and invaders, and allowed its people complete liberty and independence through the ages, despite the presence of two neighbouring great empires.

Su entorno externo, por otra parte, lo convirtió en el centro del mundo antiguo y le proporcionó vínculos marítimos y terrestres con la mayoría de las naciones de la época. Gracias a esta posición estratégica, la Península Arábiga se había convertido en el centro del comercio, la cultura, la religión y el arte.

Its external setting, on the other hand, caused it to be the centre of the old world and provided it with sea and land links with most nations at the time. Thanks to this strategic position the Arabian Peninsula had become the centre for trade, culture, religion and art.

Los parentescos árabes se han dividido, según su linaje, en tres grupos. Árabes perecederos: los antiguos árabes, de cuya historia se sabe poco, y entre los que se encontraban ʿĀd, Thamūd, Tasam, Jadis, Emlaq y otros.

Arab kinfolks have been divided according to lineage into three groups: Perishing Arabs: The ancient Arabs, of whose history little is known, and of whom were ‘Ad, Thamûd, Tasam, Jadis, Emlaq, and others.

Árabes puros: Son los que descienden de Ya‘rub bin Yashjub bin Qahtan. También se les llamaba árabes qahtanitas.

Pure Arabs: Who originated from the progeny of Ya‘rub bin Yashjub bin Qahtan. They were also called Qahtanian Arabs.

Árabes arabizados: Descendientes de Ismael. También se les llamaba árabes 'Adnaníes. Los árabes puros, el pueblo de Qahtán, vivían originalmente en Yemen y comprendían muchas tribus, dos de las cuales eran muy famosas:

Arabized Arabs: Who originated from the progeny of Ishmael. They were also called ‘Adnanian Arabs. The pure Arabs – the people of Qahtan – originally lived in Yemen and comprised many tribes, two of which were very famous:

1. Himyar: el más famoso de cuyos clanes eran Zaid Al-Jamhur, Quda‘a y Sakasic.

1. Himyar: The most famous of whose septs were Zaid Al-Jamhur, Quda‘a and Sakasic.

2. Kahlán: Entre cuyas ramas más famosas se encuentran Hamdán, Anmar, Tai’, Mudhhij, Kinda, Lakhm, Judham, Azd, Aws, Jazray y los descendientes de Jafna, los reyes de la antigua Siria.

2. Kahlan: The most famous of whose septs were Hamdan, Anmar, Tai’, Mudhhij, Kinda, Lakhm, Judham, Azd, Aws, Khazraj and the descendants of Jafna — the kings of old Syria.

Las tribus de Kahlan emigraron desde Yemen para establecerse en distintas partes de la Península Arábiga antes de la Gran Inundación (la rotura de la presa de Ma'rib), debido al fracaso del comercio bajo la presión y el dominio romanos sobre las rutas comerciales marítimas y terrestres, tras la ocupación romana de Egipto y Siria. Naturalmente, la competencia entre Kahlan y Himyar llevó a la evacuación de los primeros y al asentamiento de los segundos en Yemen.

Kahlan septs emigrated from Yemen to dwell in the different parts of the Arabian Peninsula prior to the Great Flood (Sail Al-‘Arim of Ma’rib Dam), due to the failure of trade under the Roman pressure and domain on both sea and land trade routes following Roman occupation of Egypt and Syria. Naturally enough, the competition between Kahlan and Himyar led to the evacuation of the first and the settlement of the second in Yemen.

1. Azd: quienes, bajo el liderazgo de ‘Imran bin ‘Amr Muzaiqbâ’, anduvieron errantes por el Yemen, enviaron exploradores y finalmente se dirigieron hacia el norte. Los detalles de su emigración pueden resumirse así:

1. Azd: Who, under the leadership of ‘Imran bin ‘Amr Muzaiqbâ’, wandered in Yemen, sent pioneers and finally headed northwards. Details of their emigration can be summed up as follows:

2. Tha‘labah bin ‘Amr dejó su tribu, Al-Azd, rumbo al Hiyaz, y se estableció entre Tha‘labiyah y Dhi Qar.

2. Tha‘labah bin ‘Amr left his tribe Al-Azd for Hijaz and dwelt between Tha‘labiyah and Dhi Qar.

Cuando recobró sus fuerzas, se dirigió a Medina, donde se quedó. De su descendencia son Aws y Jazray, hijos de Harizah bin Za'labah. Harizah bin 'Amr, conocido como Juza'a, anduvo con su gente por el Hiyaz hasta llegar a Mar Az-Zahran. Más tarde conquistaron el Haram y se establecieron en La Meca, después de expulsar a sus habitantes, la tribu de Yurhum.

When he gained strength, he headed for Madinah where he stayed. Of his seed are Aws and Khazraj, sons of Haritha bin Tha‘labah. Haritha bin ‘Amr, known as Khuza‘a, wandered with his folks in Hijaz until they came to Mar Az-Zahran. Later, they conquered the Haram, and settled in Makkah after having driven away its people, the tribe of Jurhum.

‘Imran bin ‘Amr y su familia fueron a ‘Omán, donde establecieron la tribu de Azd, cuyos descendientes poblaron Tihama y fueron conocidos como Azd-de-Shanu'a.

‘Imran bin ‘Amr and his folks went to ‘Oman where they established the tribe of Azd whose children inhabited Tihama and were known as Azd-of-Shanu’a.

Jafna bin ‘Amr y su familia se dirigieron a Siria, donde se asentó e inició el reino de Ghassán, que recibió su nombre de un manantial de agua, en el Hiyaz, donde se detuvieron en su camino hacia Siria.

Jafna bin ‘Amr and his family, headed for Syria where he settled and initiated the kingdom of Ghassan who was so named after a spring of water, in Hijaz, where they stopped on their way to Syria.

2. Lakhm y Judham: De ellos era Nasr bin Rabi‘a, padre de Manadhira, reyes de Hira.

2. Lakhm and Judham: Of whom was Nasr bin Rabi‘a, father of Manadhira, Kings of Heerah.

3. Banu Tai’: que también emigraron hacia el norte para asentarse junto a las llamadas montañas Aja y Salma, las cuales en consecuencia recibieron el nombre de montañas de Tai’.

3. Banu Tai’: Who also emigrated northwards to settle by the so- called Aja and Salma Mountains which were consequently named as Tai’ Mountains.

Los árabes arabizados descienden, por línea ancestral, de su bisabuelo Abraham (la paz sea con él), procedente de una ciudad llamada "Ar", cerca de Kufa, en la orilla occidental del Éufrates, en Iraq. Las excavaciones sacaron a la luz numerosos detalles de la ciudad, de la familia de Abraham y de las religiones y circunstancias sociales predominantes.

The Arabized Arabs go back in ancestry to their great grandfather Abraham (Peace be upon him) from a town called “Ar” near Kufa on the west bank of the Euphrates in Iraq. Excavations brought to light great details of the town, Abraham’s family, and the prevalent religions and social circumstances.

Se sabe que Abraham (la paz sea con él) salió de Ur hacia Harán y luego hacia Palestina, la cual hizo sede de su mensaje. Recorrió toda la región. Cuando fue a Egipto, el faraón intentó hacer daño a su esposa Sara, pero Alá la salvó y la perversa maquinación del faraón se volvió contra él. Así, el faraón llegó a comprender su fuerte apego a Alá y, en reconocimiento a su gracia, puso a su hija Agar al servicio de Sara; pero Sara entregó a Agar a Abraham como esposa.

It is known that Abrahaml (Peace be upon him) eft Ar for Harran and then for Palestine, which he made headquarters for his Message. He wandered all over the area. When he went to Egypt, the Pharaoh tried to do evil to his wife Sarah, but Allâh saved her and the Pharaoh’s wicked scheme recoiled on him. He thus came to realize her strong attachment to Allâh, and, in acknowledgment of her grace, the Pharaoh rendered his daughter Hagar at Sarah’s service, but Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife.

Ibrahim regresó a Palestina, donde Hayar dio a luz a Ismael. Sara se llenó de celos hacia Hayar hasta tal punto que obligó a Ibrahim a enviar a Hayar y a su bebé lejos, a un valle sin plantas, en una pequeña colina de Hiyaz, junto a la Casa Sagrada, expuesto al embate de las inundaciones que llegaban por la derecha y por la izquierda. Él eligió para ellos un lugar bajo un árbol alto, por encima de Zamzam, cerca de la parte superior de la Mezquita en La Meca, donde no había ni personas ni agua, y regresó a Palestina dejando a su esposa y a su bebé una bolsa de cuero con algunos dátiles y una vasija de agua. No mucho tiempo después, se quedaron sin comida ni agua, pero gracias al favor de Alá brotó agua que los sustentó durante algún tiempo. Toda la historia del manantial de Zamzam es ya conocida por todos.

Abraham returned to Palestine where Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. Sarah became so jealous of Hagar that she forced Abraham to send Hagar and her baby away to a plantless valley on a small hill in Hijaz, by the Sacred House, exposed to the wearing of floods coming right and left. He chose for them a place under a lofty tree above Zamzam near the upper side of the Mosque in Makkah where neither people nor water was available, and went back to Palestine leaving with his wife and baby a leather case with some dates and a pot of water. Not before long, they ran out of both food and water, but thanks to Allâh’s favour water gushed forth to sustain them for sometime. The whole story of Zamzam spring is already known to everybody.

• l «Entonces, cuando ambos se hubieron sometido (a la Voluntad de Allāh) y él lo hubo tendido boca abajo sobre su frente (o sobre un lado de su frente, para degollarlo), Le llamamos: "¡Oh Abraham! Has cumplido la visión (el sueño)." Ciertamente, así recompensamos a los Muhsinūn (quienes hacen el bien, que realizan buenas obras totalmente por el bien de Allāh, sin ostentación ni para obtener alabanza o fama, etc., y las hacen de acuerdo con las órdenes de Allāh). Ciertamente, esa fue una prueba evidente, y lo rescatamos con un gran sacrificio (es decir, un carnero)» [37:103-107].

• l “Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allâh), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering); and We called out to him: “O Abraham! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)!” Verily! Thus do we reward the Muhsinûn (good-doers, who perform good deeds totally for Allâh’s sake only, without any show off or to gain praise or fame, etc. and do them in accordance to Allâh’s Orders). Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial — and We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram)” [37:103- 107].

It is mentioned in the Genesis that Ishmael was thirteen years older than his brother Ishaq. The sequence of the story of the sacrifice of Ishmael shows that it really happened before Ishaq's birth, and that Allâh's Promise to give Abraham another son, Ishaq, came after narration of the whole story. This story spoke of one journey – at least – before Ishmael became a young man. Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, reported the other three journeys; a summary of which goes as follows: When Ishmael became a young man, he learned Arabic at the hand of the tribe of Jurhum, who loved him with great admiration and gave him one of their women as a wife, soon after his mother died. Having wanted to see his wife and son again, Abraham came to Makkah, Ishmael's marriage, but he didn't find him at home. He asked Ishmael's wife about her husband and how they were doing. She complained of poverty, so he asked her to tell Ishmael to change his doorstep. Ishmael understood the message, divorced his wife and got married to the daughter of Mudad bin 'Amr, chief of the tribe of Jurhum.

It is mentioned in the Genesis that Ishmael was thirteen years older than his brother Ishaq. The sequence of the story of the sacrifice of Ishmael shows that it really happened before Ishaq’s birth, and that Allâh’s Promise to give Abraham another son, Ishaq, came after narration of the whole story. This story spoke of one journey – at least – before Ishmael became a young man. Al-Bukhari, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas, reported the other three journeys; a summary of which goes as follows: When Ishmael became a young man, he learned Arabic at the hand of the tribe of Jurhum, who loved him with great admiration and gave him one of their women as a wife, soon after his mother died. Having wanted to see his wife and son again, Abraham came to Makkah, Ishmael’s marriage, but he didn’t find him at home. He asked Ishmael’s wife about her husband and how they were doing. She complained of poverty, so he asked her to tell Ishmael to change his doorstep. Ishmael understood the message, divorced his wife and got married to the daughter of Mudad bin ‘Amr, chief of the tribe of Jurhum.

Las tribus de Mudar se dividieron en dos grandes ramas: Qais ‘Ailan bin Mudar y las subtribus de Elias bin Mudar. De Qais ‘Ailan descendían los Banu Saleem, los Banu Hawazin y los Banu Ghatafan, de los cuales descendieron ‘Abs, Zubyan, Ashja‘ y Ghani bin A‘sur. De Elias bin Mudar descendían Tamim bin Murra, Hudhail bin Mudrika, los Banu Asad bin Khuzaimah y las subtribus de Kinana bin Khuzaimah, de quienes provenían los Quraish, los descendientes de Fahr bin Malik bin An-Nadr bin Kinana.

Mudar tribes branched out into two great divisions: Qais ‘Ailan bin Mudar and septs of Elias bin Mudar. Of Qais ‘Ailan were the Banu Saleem, Banu Hawazin, and Banu Ghatafan of whom descended ‘Abs, Zubyan, Ashja‘ and Ghani bin A‘sur. Of Elias bin Mudar were Tamim bin Murra, Hudhail bin Mudrika, Banu Asad bin Khuzaimah and septs of Kinana bin Khuzaimah, of whom came Quraish, the descendants of Fahr bin Malik bin An-Nadr bin Kinana.

Quraish se dividió en diversas tribus, las más famosas de las cuales fueron Jumah, Sahm, ‘Adi, Majzum, Tayim, Zahra y las tres ramas de Qusai bin Kilab: ‘Abdud-Dar bin Qusai, Asad bin ‘Abdul ‘Uzza bin Qusai y ‘Abd Manaf bin Qusai.

Quraish branched out into various tribes, the most famous of whom were Jumah, Sahm, ‘Adi, Makhzum, Tayim, Zahra and the three septs of Qusai bin Kilab: ‘Abdud-Dar bin Qusai, Asad bin ‘Abdul ‘Uzza bin Qusai and ‘Abd Manaf bin Qusai.

‘Abd Manaf se ramificó en cuatro tribus: ‘Abd Shams, Nawfal, Muttalib y Hashim. Sin embargo, es de la familia de Hashim de donde Allâh escogió al Profeta Muhammad ﷺ, hijo de ‘Abdullah, hijo de ‘Abdul-Muttalib, hijo de Hashim.

‘Abd Manaf branched out into four tribes: ‘Abd Shams, Nawfal, Muttalib and Hashim. It is, however, from the family of Hashim that Allâh selected Prophet Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib bin Hashim (Peace be upon him).

El Profeta Muhámmad ﷺ dijo:

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

• «Alá escogió a Ismael de entre los hijos de Abraham, a Kinana de entre los hijos de Ismael, a Quraish de entre los hijos de Kinana, a Hashim de entre los hijos de Quraish, y me escogió a mí de entre los hijos de Hashim».

• l “Allâh selected Ishmael from the sons of Abraham, Kinana from the sons of Ishmael, Quraish from the sons of Kinana, Hashim from the sons of Quraish and He selected me from the sons of Hashim”.

Al-‘Abbās bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib citó al Mensajero de Allāh ﷺ diciendo:

Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib quoted the Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) as saying: