water for pilgrims for the sons of ‘Abd Munaf; while An-Nadwa House, the flag and the doorkeeping of
Al-Ka‘bah were maintained for the sons of ‘Abd Ad-Dar. The sons of ‘Abd Munaf, however, cast the lot  for their charge, and consequently left the charge of food and water giving to Hashim bin ‘Abd Munaf,  upon whose death, the charge was taken over by a brother of his called Al-Muttalib bin ‘Abd Manaf  and  afterwards by ‘Abd Al-Muttalib bin Hashim, the Prophet’s grandfather, whose sons assumed this  position until the rise of Islam, during which ‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib was in charge.
Many other posts were distriamong people of Quraish for establishing the pillars of a new democratic  petite state with government offices and councils similar to those of today. Enlisted as follows are  some  of these posts.
1. Casting the lots for the idols was allocated to Bani Jumah.
2. Noting of offers and sacrifices, settlement of disputes and relevant issues were to lie in the hands  of Bani Sahm.
3. Consultation was to go to Bani Asad.
4. Organization of blood-money and fines was with Bani Tayim.
5. Bearing the national banner was with Bani Omaiyah.
6. The military institute, footmen and cavalry would be Bani Makhzum’s responsibility.
7. Bani ‘Adi would function as foreign mediators.
RULERSHIP IN PAN-ARABIA:
We have previously mentioned the Qahtanide and ‘Adnanide emigrations, and division of Arabia  between these two tribes. Those tribes dwelling near Heerah were subordinate to the Arabian king of
Heerah, while those dwelling in the Syrian semi-desert were under domain of the Arabian Ghassanide  king, a sort of dependency that was in reality formal rather than actual. However, those living in the  hinder deserts enjoyed full autonomy.
These tribes in fact had heads chosen by the whole tribe which was a demi-government based on  tribal  solidarity and collective interests in defence of land and property.
Heads of tribes enjoyed dictatorial privileges similar to those of kings, and were rendered full  obedience  and subordination in both war and peace. Rivalry among cousins for rulership, however, often drove  them to outdo one another in entertaining guests, affecting generosity, wisdom and chivalry for the  sole  purpose of outranking their rivals, and gaining fame among people especially poets who were the  official spokesmen at the time.
Heads of tribes and masters had special claims to spoils of war such as the quarter of the spoils,  whatever he chose for himself, or found on his way back or even the remaining indivisible spoils.
THE POLITICAL SITUATION:
The three Arab regions adjacent to foreigners suffered great weakness and inferiority. The people  there  were either masters or slaves, rulers or subordinates. Masters, especially the foreigners, had claim to  every advantage; slaves had nothing but responsibilities to shoulder. In other words, arbitrary  autocratic rulership brought about encroachment on the rights of subordinates, ignorance, oppression,  iniquity, injustice and hardship, and turning them into people groping in darkness and ignorance, viz.,  fertile land which rendered its fruits to the rulers and men of power to extravagantly dissipate on their  pleasures and enjoyments, whims and desires, tyranny and aggression. The tribes living near these  regions were fluctuating between Syria and Iraq, whereas those living inside Arabia were disunited  and  governed by tribal conflicts and racial and religious disputes.
They had neither a king to sustain their independence nor a supporter to seek advice from, or depend  upon, in hardships.
The rulers of Hijaz, however, were greatly esteemed and respected by the Arabs, and were considered  as rulers and servants of the religious centre. Rulership of Hijaz was, in fact, a mixture of secular and  official precedence as well as religious leadership. They ruled among the Arabs in the name of religious  leadership and always monopolized the custodianship of the Holy Sanctuary and its neighbourhood.
They looked after the interests of Al-Ka‘bah visitors and were in charge of putting Abraham’s code into  effect. They even had such offices and departments like those of the parliaments of today. However,  they were too weak to carry the heavy burden, as this evidently came to light during the Abyssinian
(Ethiopian) invasion.