What is the Fijar War?

The Fujar War was a conflict that took place between Quraish and Kinana on one side, and Qays Ailan and their allies on the other. It was named as such because of the desecration of sacred prohibitions that occurred during it.

The cause of it was that Nu'man ibn al-Mundhir sent a latima (a trade caravan) to Souk Okaz, and Urwah ibn Utbah granted it protection. Then Al-Barad ibn Qays from Banu Bakr ibn Abd Manat ibn Kinana treacherously killed him in the sacred month. Al-Barad then fled, and the news reached Qays Ailan, who then threatened Quraish.

Both sides prepared for war for a year, then they met. Victory at the beginning of the day was for Qays over Quraish and Kinana, but then victory turned at the end of the day to Quraish and Kinana. They inflicted heavy casualties on Qays, until Utbah ibn Rabi'ah called for peace. They then reconciled on the condition that Quraish pay the blood money for Qays's dead who exceeded their own dead.

The fighting occurred over four days: the Day of Shamta, the Day of Al-Ablaa (both near Okaz), the Day of Al-Sharib (the most significant), and the Day of Al-Harirah (near Nakhla).