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TheMushrikites (Arabic:الْمُشْرِكِين,romanized: al-Mushrikīn orArabic:الْمُشْرِكُون,romanized: al-Mushrikūn, singularArabic:مُشْرِك,romanized: mushrik) were the Arab polytheists who committedshirk and opposed the Islamic prophetMuhammad and his followers, theMuslims, in the early 7th century. Their leaders were mostly from theQuraysh, but others also belonged to theQays.
After Muhammad's declaration of prophethood, the Mushrikites harassed members of the nascent Muslim community and were led byAmr 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 ofMedina, 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 theBattle of Badr in 624, resulting in a defeat.
The word Mushrikites is the English term derived from the ArabicMushrikūn, which itself is derived fromshirk.[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]
