Tribe

Banu Khuza'ah

خزاعة
Hejaz, Western Arabia · Polytheism (pre-Islamic); Islam (post-conversion)

The Banu Khuza'ah are an Azdite, Qahtanite tribe historically significant for ruling Mecca and the Hejaz region for approximately 500 years before the advent of Islam. They served as custodians of the Kaaba prior to the Quraysh and have a complex lineage debated between Qahtanite and Adnanite origins. The tribe's members are primarily located in and around Mecca, with diasporas across the Middle East including Iraq, Palestine, and Jordan. Notable for their early custodianship of Mecca, they played a crucial role in the region's pre-Islamic history.

Sources: Wikipedia and classical Islamic biographical literature compiled by automated researchers.