History
The two sides had even got so far as agreeing to go outside the sanctuary of the sacred area in order to battle it out, when a compromise was at last reached, feeling rose so high that the women of the clan of 'Abd Manaf brought a bowl of rich perfume with nutmeg powder and placed it beside the Ka'aba; and Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf and his brothers and all their allies dipped their hands in it and swore a solemn oath of allegiance that they would never abandon one another, rubbing their scented hands over the stone of the Ka'aba in confirmation of their pact. Thus it was that this group of clans were known as the "Hilf al-Mutayyabun" or "Alliance of the Scented Ones". Their rivals the allies of Abd ad-Dar likewise swore an oath of union, and also organised themselves into a pact and became known as the "Hilf al-Ahlaf" or "Alliance of the Confederates".
Neither side wanted a full scale conflict and a compromise was achieved whereby The Confederates retained normal privileges in control of the charity tax and the food and drink for pilgrims, whereas real power resided with the Scented Ones who had the keys to the Ka'aba and the running of the House of Assembly. Therefore the sons of 'Abd Manaf should have the rights of levying the tax and providing for the pilgrims with food and drink, whereas the sons of Abd ad-Dar should retain the keys of the Ka'aba and their rights, and that their house should continue to be the House of Assembly. Hashim's brothers agreed that he should have the responsibility of providing for the pilgrims. Their descendants in the clans named after them tended to keep this old alliance.
Read more about this topic: Abd Manaf Ibn Qusai
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