O mankind! We have indeed created you from a male and a female from Adam and Eve and made you nations shu‘ūb is the plural of sha‘b which is the broadest category of lineage and tribes qabā’il which are smaller than nations and are followed by ‘amā’ir ‘tribal districts’ then butūn ‘tribal sub-districts’ then afkhādh ‘sub-tribes’ and finally fasā’il ‘clans’; for example Khuzayma is the sha‘b while Kināna is the qabīla Quraysh is the ‘imāra Qusayy is the batn Hāshim is the fakhdh and ‘Abbās is the fasīla that you may come to know one another ta‘ārafū one of the two tā’ letters of tata‘ārafū has been omitted that you may acquire knowledge of the customs of one another and not to boast to one another of whose is the more noble lineage for pride lies only in the extent to which you have fear of God. Truly the noblest of you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing among you. Truly God is Knower of you Aware of your inner thoughts.
