al-Khazraj

people

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 30, 2026

Quick Summary

The term "al-Khazraj" refers to one of the two major Arab tribes, along with al-Aws, that inhabited the oasis of Yathrib (later Medina) before the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad. These tribes were often in conflict with each other. When Muhammad migrated to Medina in 622 CE (the Hijrah), he played a role in reconciling the feuding al-Khazraj and al-Aws tribes. These Medinan tribes, who became known as the Ansar ("helpers"), were instrumental in supporting Muhammad and the early Muslim community, forming a significant portion of the Muslim army at the Battle of Badr.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Hijrah
…major Medinese tribes, the feuding al-Khazraj and al-Aws, whom Muhammad had been asked to reconcile when he was still a rising figure in Mecca. They came to be his devoted supporters, constituting three-fourths of the Muslim army at the Battle of Badr (624 ce). When no one of their number…
Read More
…major Medinese tribes, the feuding al-Khazraj and al-Aws, whom Muhammad had been asked to reconcile when he was still a rising figure in Mecca. They came to be his devoted supporters, constituting three-fourths of the Muslim army at the Battle of Badr (624 ce). When no one of their number…
Read More