Aws and Khazraj: Difference between revisions

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'''Aws''' (Arabic: {{iarabic|اوس}}) and '''Khazraj''' ((Arabic: {{iarabic|خزرج}}), are the two important [[Arab]] tribes from [[Yemen]], which settled in [[Medina]] long before [[Islam]]. After [[hijra]] (the emigration) they became named as [[Ansar]] (the helpers). The role of these two tribes is significant in the history of [[Islam]], especially in hijra and in battles.

Bloodline of Aws and Khazraj reaches to the great tribe of Azd in [[Yemen]]. Most of genealogists and historians of the first centuries of Islam had mentioned the lineage of the two tribes through Banu Mazin b. Azd.

The great ancestor of the two tribes, 'Amr b. 'Amir is known as Muzayqiyya; and Aws and Khazraj were the two sons of Haritha b. Tha'laba b. 'Amr b. 'Amir. Their bloodline reaches to the tribe Banu Quda'a through their mother, named Qayla bt. Kahil; so Aws and Khazraj also had named themselves as Banu Qayla.

==History of Residence in Yathrib==

The most common narration in old sources, shows that migration of an Azdite group from Yemen, was result of the destruction of the Ma'rab Dam because of a flood; but there's no agreement among current historians about their cause of migration and date of it. Some other narrations say that they migrated before the destruction of the Ma'rab Dam.

Most probably, after the formation of these states, migration of Azdite tribes, including Aws and Khazraj or their ancestors, to different parts of the Arabian Peninsula took speed. According to some authors, maybe migration of Aws and Khazraj happened later than other Azdite tribes, and probably in late 4th century CE. They chose [[Yathrib]], which was suitable for agriculture, for residence.

==Relation with Jews==

The dominance of Aws and Khazraj on [[Yathrib]], caused another event which has connections to the dependency of the city to the two client states of Ghassanids and Lakhmids. According to a narration, Jews were paying tribute to the representative of Sasanid empire, and ruling of Yathrib was given to Jews by them.

Anyway, according to some signs, Aws and Khazraj were feeling themselves closer to Ghassanids who were descendants of Azd like them. Although the representatives of Sasanid empire were ruling Yathrib until the middle of the 6th century –as some authors guessed- but from that time, with the entrance of Aws and Khazraj to Yathrib, the situation had changed in favor of Ghassanids, and there's some narrations available regarding this.

==Relation of Aws and Khazraj==

This competition, resulted in bloody wars between branches of the two tribes; every war has a special name in the [[age of ignorance]] but most of these narrations are mixed with myth.

In the last battle, named Bu'ath, which occurred in [[Yathrib]], after [[bi'tha]] of the [[Prophet (s)]], some Awsites went to [[Mecca]] to make alliance with [[Quraysh]] in order to gain victory over the opponent, but didn't see any interest. Then a connection established between some of them and the Prophet (s).

==After Accepting Islam==

With the [[Hijra|emigration]] of the [[Prophet (s)]] to [[Yathrib]], Aws and Khazraj accepted Islam and became named as [[Ansar]] (the Helpers), of which they were very proud. After all, their long time rivalry was breaking out in some occasions, as they had disagreement and pride about which one of them had pledged allegiance sooner in the [[al-'Aqaba allegiance]].

Also, there was a competition about their presence in other Islamic events. It looks like in the Islamic period, Khazrajites have the upper hand, as among the [[Twelve Naqibs]] 3 of them were from Aws and 9 were from Khazraj; also in the [[Battle of Badr]] Khazrajites were more than Awsites.

Some of great [[companions of the prophet (s)|Companions]] of the Prophet (s) were from the two tribes, and later each of the two tribes were proud of them. From Aws, [[Hanzala al-Ghasil al-Mala'ika]], [['Asim b. Thabit]], [[Sa'd b. Mu'adh]]; and from Khazraj, [[Zayd b. Thabit]], [[Mu'adh b. Jabal]], and [['Ubay b. Ka'b]] could be noted.

Amongst historians, Abu 'Ubayda Mu'ammar b. al-Muthanna, al-Waqidi (d. 207/822), and 'Allan al-Shu'ubi (d. late 2/7 century), have books about Aws and Khazraj, their genealogy, battles, and vices.

* [[Pledge of al-'Aqaba]]

== Notes ==