It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I did not witness any alliance except the alliance of Quraysh, the Alliance of the Mutayyabin, and I would not love to have red camels in exchange for it and to have broken it." And the Mutayyabun are Hashim, Umayyah, Zuhrah and Makhzum.
The Shaykh said: I do not know whether this explanation is the statement of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) or of someone below him. The Shaykh said: It has reached me that it was called "Hilf al-Mutayyabin" (the Alliance of the Perfumed Ones) because on the day they made the alliance they dipped their hands in perfume and swore their oaths, and that happened when a dispute arose between Banu Abd Manaf and Banu Abd al-Dar over the duties in their hands: the siqayah (giving water to the pilgrims), the hijabah (custodianship of the Ka'bah), the rifadah (feeding the pilgrims), the banner and the Nadwah (council house). Banu Asad bin Abd al-Uzza, with a group of the tribes of Quraysh, followed Banu Abd Manaf, and because of that they had honour and merit among Banu Abd Manaf. Muhammad bin Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on him) named them, saying: The Mutayyabun from the tribes of Quraysh were: Banu Abd Manaf, (namely) Hashim, al-Muttalib, Abd Shams and Nawfal; Banu Zuhrah; Banu Asad bin Abd al-Uzza; Banu Taym; and Banu al-Harith bin Fihr: five tribes. Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Some said that it was the Hilf al-Fudul (the Alliance of Virtue).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب قسم الفيء والغنيمة / 13079