The Banu Ghifar (Arabic: بنو غفار, romanized: Banū Ghifār) was an Arab tribe that belonged to the Banu Damra ibn Bakr, a branch of the large Kinana tribe in the Hejaz region of Arabia.[1][2] They were sometimes derided as brigands and robbers by other Arabs in the region.[3] The formerly-polytheistic tribe converted to Islam in the time of Muhammad, with Abu Dhar al-Ghifari being among the first of the Banu Ghifar to convert.[4][5] The Banu Ghifar had at least two sub-clans, the Banu al-Nar and Banu Huraq, who lived near the city of Medina.[6] The tribe joined the early Islamic conquests after their conversion, and some of them moved into Medina itself in later years.[1] A number of the Banu Ghifar supported the rebellion of Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya against the Abbasid caliphate.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Fück, J.W. (1991). "Banū G̲h̲ifār". In Bearman, P.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C.E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W.P. (eds.). Encyclopaedia of Islam. Vol. II (2nd ed.). Brill publishers. p. 1072.
  2. ^ a b Elad, Amikam (2015). The Rebellion of Muḥammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya in 145/762: Ṭālibīs and Early ʿAbbāsīs in Conflict. Brill. p. 351. ISBN 9789004296220.
  3. ^ "Sahih Bukhari". Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  4. ^ al-Tabari (1987). The History of al-Tabari Vol. 7: The Foundation of the Community: Muhammad At Al-Madina. Translated by M.V. McDonald. SUNY Press. p. 60. ISBN 9780887063442.
  5. ^ "Sahih Muslim". Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  6. ^ Ibn Ishaq. Life of Muhammad. Translated by Guillaume. p. 293.
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