The Sacrilegious War

The tribe of Quraysh belonged to the great branch of Kinānah; facing them stood the branch of Qays ʿAylān, which included tribes such as Hawāzin and Ghaṭafān. When a man of Kinānah killed a man of Hawāzin, the Hawāzin fell upon the Kinānah tribes, Quraysh among them. The Kinānah drew back into the Ḥaram of Mecca for safety, for whoever enters it is safe,

وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا

"And whoever enters it is safe" (Āl ʿImrān 3:97), but the Hawāzin, in their fury, pursued them and violated the sanctuary. So open war broke out; and because the sacredness of the Ḥaram had been broken, the height of evil, it was called the Wars of Fijār (from fujūr, sin). Both sides had done wrong, but the breaking of the Ḥaram was the worst of it.

The Prophet ﷺ was a youth of about fifteen at the time. He said, in an authentic report: "I witnessed the Wars of Fijār with my uncles, and I would gather the arrows that were shot and hand them back to them", to be loosed again at the enemy. And he said, "I do not regret having taken part." He did not himself bear a sword, but he aided his people; and it was noticed that on the days he was present, Quraysh prevailed. In the end Quraysh agreed to pay the blood-money, and the fighting ceased.