Al-Fudoul Confederacy

at the conclusion of these wars, when peace was restored, people felt the need for forming confederacy at makkah for suppressing violence and injustice, and vindicating the rights of the weak and the destitute. representatives of banu hashim, banu al-muttalib, asad bin ‘abd al-‘uzza, zahrah bin kilab and taim bin murra were called to meet in the habitation of an honourable elderly man called ‘abdullah bin jada‘an at-taimy to enter into a confederacy that would provide for the above-mentioned items. the messenger of allâh [pbuh] shortly after he had been honoured with the ministry of prophethood, witnessed this league and commented on it, with very positive words: "i witnessed a confederacy in the house of ‘abdullah bin jada‘an. it was more appealing to me than herds of cattle. even now in the period of islam i would respond positively to attending such a meeting if i were invited." [ibn hisham 1/113,135]

in fact, the spirit of this confederacy and the course of deliberations therein marked a complete departure from the pre-islamic tribal-pride. the story that led to its convention says that a man from zubaid clan came as a merchant to makkah where he sold some commodities to al-‘as bin wail as-sahmy. the latter by hook or by crook tried to evade paying for the goods. the salesman sought help from the different clans in quraish but they paid no heed to his earnest pleas. he then resorted to a mountain top and began, at the top of his voice, to recite verses of complaint giving account of the injustices he sustained. az-zubair bin ‘abdul-muttalib heard of him and made inquiries into the matter. consequently, the parties to the aforesaid confederacy convened their meeting and managed to force az-zubaidy’s money out of al-‘as bin wa’il. [mukhtasar seerat-ur-rasool, p.30,31]