The Recovery of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib’s Rights

After the death of al-Muttalib, Nawfal ibn Abd Manaf seized the estate of his nephew Abd al-Muttalib. Abd al-Muttalib sought help from his maternal uncles, Banu al-Najjar. His uncle Abu Sa'd ibn Adi came with eighty riders until his right was restored. Two alliances followed: Nawfal with Banu Abd Shams against Banu Hashim, and Khuza'a with Banu Hashim. ^{1 2}

When al-Muttalib died, Nawfal leapt upon Abd al-Muttalib's estate and seized it from him. Abd al-Muttalib asked men of Quraysh to support him against his uncle, but they said: "We will not come between you and your uncle." ¹

Abd al-Muttalib wrote verses to his maternal uncles of Banu al-Najjar asking for help. His uncle Abu Sa'd ibn Adi set out with eighty riders and halted at al-Abtah in Mecca. Abd al-Muttalib met him and said: "Stop here, uncle!" He replied: "No, by God, not until I meet Nawfal." He then came and stood over Nawfal, who was sitting in the Hijr with the elders of Quraysh. He drew his sword and said: "By the Lord of this House, if you do not return my sister's son's estate to him, I will make this sword reach you." Nawfal said: "I have returned it to him." The elders of Quraysh were called to witness. Abu Sa'd then went down to Abd al-Muttalib, stayed with him three days, performed the umra, and returned to Medina. ¹

When this had happened, Nawfal allied with Banu Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf against Banu Hashim. ¹ When Khuza'a saw Banu al-Najjar's support of Abd al-Muttalib, they said: "We gave birth to him as you did, so we are more entitled to support him," because the mother of Abd Manaf was one of them. They entered Dar al-Nadwa and allied with Banu Hashim against Banu Abd Shams and Nawfal. This is the alliance which the author says became a cause of the conquest of Mecca, as will come. ^{1 2}

The book gives no date for the event. It took place after the death of al-Muttalib and before the digging of Zamzam. The source the author refers to is Mukhtasar Sirat al-Rasul by Shaykh Abdullah al-Najdi, pp. 41-42.