Mushrikites

The Mushrikites (Arabic: الْمُشْرِكِين, romanized: al-Mushrikīn or Arabic: الْمُشْرِكُون, romanized: al-Mushrikūn, singular Arabic: مُشْرِك, romanized: mushrik) were the Arab polytheists who committed shirk and opposed the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers, the Muslims, in the early 7th century. Their leaders were mostly from the Quraysh, but others also belonged to the Qays.

After Muhammad's declaration of prophethood, the Mushrikites harassed members of the nascent Muslim community and were led by Amr ibn Hisham ("Abu Jahl"). Following the increase of tensions between the Mushrik and the Muslims, Muhammad and his companions (ṣaḥāba) migrated to the neighboring city of Medina, where the Islamic prophet was offered sovereignty over the city. An Islamic state was formed in Medina, which received vehement opposition from the Mushrikites, and subsequently, both parties fought at the Battle of Badr in 624, resulting in a defeat.

Etymology

The word Mushrikites is the English term derived from the Arabic Mushrikūn, which itself is derived from shirk.^{[1]: 9:1–15} The term is sometimes translated as 'polytheists' as well. The Meccan polytheists who opposed Islam, were initially the ones to be referred to as the Mushrikites.^[2]