Qais

Qais (Arabic: قيس‎), also spelled Qays or Kais, were an Arab tribe branched from the Mudhar Adnani groups.

Main branches of Qais

The main branches of the Qais tribes are the Banu Sulaym, Hawazin and the Banu Ghatafan. These three main groups remained in the Eastern Hejaz until the 7th century. They first fought the Ansari and Qurayshi Muslims, but converted to Islam after their defeat in the Battle of Hunayn. The Qaysis branched into more subgroups during the Umayyad Caliphate.

Qais-Kalbid rivalry

The rivalry between Qais and the Banu Kalb, which was extended to the "North Arab" (Qais-led) versus "South Arab" or "Yemeni" (Kalb-led) tribal supergroups, became firmly established after the Battle of Marj Rahit (684).

Battles between the Azdi Muslim Ansar and the Qais, then pagan tribes of Arabia will continue until the 18th century in battles fought between them regardless of religious affiliations in Tunisia, Sicily, Syria, Lebanon and Spain.

Qais and Islam

In the pre-Islamic times Qais tribes were known to be a notorious threat to caravans passing Nejd or Hijaz. Quresh paid them an annual third of its date harvest to help eliminate the Muslims in Yathrib.