Banu Nahd

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
Nahd (نهد)
Ma'addite, Adnanite, Ishmaelites
EthnicityArab
NisbaAl-Nahdi (النهدي)
LocationYemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Levant, India, Somaliland, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Kenya & Indonesia
Parent tribeBanu Zayd bin Layth
BranchesNaheed, Kulayb, Ma'rouf & Al Yamani
ReligionIslam, previously Paganism

Banu Nahd (Arabic: بنو نهد) is an Arab tribe with a historical presence across the Arabian Peninsula. The tribe traces its lineage to Nahd bin Zayd of the Quda'a confederation,[1] traditionally regarded as either Ma'addite or Qahtanite from Himyar.[2] There is scholarly debate on this point, as pre-Islamic sources generally describe Quda'ah as descendants of Ma'ad ibn 'Adnan.[3]

Genetic studies of haplogroup J1 L222.2 suggest that tribes from Quda'ah, including Banu Nahd, are more closely aligned with the Adnanites, challenging earlier claims of Qahtanite origins that arose during the early Islamic period.[4][5][6]

The tribe, also known as Nahd al-ʿĀṣiyah (meaning "Nahd the disobedient"), is symbolized by the number 811. It is divided into four main branches—Naheed, Kulaib, Ma'rouf, and Al Yamani—which are further subdivided into several families.[7] Historically, the Quda'i tribes, including Banu Nahd, inhabited the Tihamah region near Jeddah and Mecca. After a conflict with Nizar, they dispersed throughout Arabia, with Nahd eventually settling in Najran and Bisha, before migrating further across the Arabian Peninsula.[8]

Banu Nahd became an influential tribe in Wadi Hadhramaut, having migrated there from Najran around 1195 CE. In 1224 CE they established control over Hadhramaut after revolting against the Ayyubid governor, contributing to the decline of Ayyubid authority in the region. In 1238 CE, Banu Nahd reasserted their dominance after conflicts with rival tribes, including the Iqbal branch of the Kinda.[9][10] Despite the rise of the Rasulid dynasty, the Nahd retained influence in parts of Wadi Hadhramaut through continued resistance.[8]

The Nahd were frequently in conflict with the Kathiri tribe, which eventually defeated them and established the Kathiri Sultanate in Hadhramaut.[11] They also had tense relations with the Sayar to the north and the Jaʿada to the south.[12][13]

In modern times, their leader Al-Hakam Saleh bin Ali bin Thabit has expressed support for a unified Yemen under the Presidential Leadership Council and has allied with the Abidah tribe.[14][15] Although largely sedentary today, Banu Nahd preserve many Bedouin traditions and continue to practice a distinctive dual chieftainship system.[13][16][17][18]

Location

[edit]
Banu Nahd highlighted in yellow with other Hadhrami tribes

The Nahd originally inhabited Najran, Bisha, Sharurah, Tathleeth, Sarat Abidah, Tareeb, Jash, Tabalah, Qarara, Dhu Baydan, Barda, and Khadara. Before their large-scale migration across Arabia, their capital was at Hajirah, south of Tathleeth between Hamdhah and Amoah. The settlement was located near a gold mine.[8]

Today, Banu Nahd are most prominently based in Wadi Hadhramaut, where their capital, Qaʿudah, is situated.[19] Qaydun in Wadi Dawan, described as one of their main centers, is also under their control.[20] They also inhabit Hajarayn in the same wadi.[13] Nahd territory extends from Al Qatn to the Sayhad Desert.[17]

The Nahd maintain a presence in Wadi 'Amd, reaching as far as Huraidha,[12] as well as in Wadi Rakhiya on the border of Shabwah and in Wadi Dahr in eastern Shabwah.[21] They also inhabit Wadi al-Ain and parts of the Shibam district.[22]

In the Sarawat Mountains, including the Hejaz, the Nahd reside in Wadi al-Safra between Mecca and Medina, as well as in northern Hejaz in Wadi al-Qura.[23][2]

The tribe also spread into Najd, being among the first Quda'ah groups to settle there.[24] They maintain a presence in the Persian Gulf, particularly in the United Arab Emirates, and are also found in Iraq and Oman.[25][26] Nahd communities are also present in the Levant.[24]

Beginning in the 11th century, groups from the tribe migrated to North Africa. They are recorded near the border of Algeria and Tunisia, particularly around the city of El Kala in El Taref Province.[27] Nahdi groups also migrated across the Indian Ocean to Java, Indonesia,[28] as well as to Somaliland, India, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.[16][29] Some also migrated to Al-Andalus, particularly to the Province of Rayya in the south of the Caliphate of Córdoba, corresponding to the modern Málaga Province.[24]

History

[edit]

Banu Nahd was a significant tribe in the Najran Region, which included Bisha and Tabalah.[30] Their numbers grew to the point where they rivaled the major tribe of Madhhaj. They were in conflict with the Jarm tribe, which was allied with Banu Zubayd from Madhhaj, while Nahd was allied with Banu al-Harith, another Madhhaj tribe.[31]

Some members of Nahd took part in the Himyarite war under Abu Karib Asad against the Lakhmids in 428 AD. This campaign included the conquest of Wadi Masil southeast of Dawadimi and extended into Al-Hira, the Lakhmid capital.[32]

Before the advent of Islam, the Nahd practiced polytheism. Prophet Muhammad sent a message to Banu Nahd, along with other Yemeni tribes, calling on them to embrace Islam. Initially hesitant, they eventually accepted Islam without armed conflict. Historical accounts describe them as being well-equipped with weapons.[33][34]

Following their conversion, the Banu Nahd participated in the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah under the command of Qays ibn Hidhyam ibn Jurthumah.[35] During the Umayyad Caliphate, Qasura ibn Ma‘alal from Nahd was appointed governor of Sistan.[24]

The historian Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Hamdani (c. 890s–940s), in his work Al-Iklil (Volume 2), recorded that Madhhaj, allied with Nahd and Khawlan, clashed with the Hawazin tribe, sparking a broader conflict between Quda'ah and the Qaysi tribes.[36]

In 910 AD, Nahd and their allies, Banu al-Harith, were attacked by Yahya bin al-Hussein, the founder of the Zaydi Imamate. Later, the Nahd supported the Sulayhid dynasty under King Ali al-Sulayhi. In 1140, they declared support for the Sulaymanids and fought against the Banu Yam in 1154. In 1195, they began migrating to Hadhramaut along with Banu al-Harith and Banu Dhannah. Historians attribute this to drought, pressure from the Zaydi Imamate, and interest in the agriculture of Wadi Hadhramaut.[37]

Nahd of Najran and Bisha migrating to Wadi Hadhramaut

From the 13th century onwards, the Nahd engaged in a series of conflicts in Hadhramaut, including sieges of Tarim, Shibam, and Maryamah. They fought against tribes such as Banu Sa'ad and Kinda, and at times clashed with the Ayyubids, the Rasulids, and later the Al Kathiri sultanate. Nahd influence in the region fluctuated between expansion and decline from the 1200s through the 1500s, until the Kathiris ultimately consolidated control.[38][39][11]

By the 18th century, Nahd tribes were also active in North Africa. In Algeria and Tunisia, they had longstanding rivalries with the Kroumirs. They occasionally paid tribute to the Beylik of Constantine, engaged in regional conflicts such as the 1772 war with Banu Mazen in El Kala, and later faced suppression by French forces in the 1840s.[27] In 1881, they fought against the Kroumirs again before being halted by the French.[40]

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the Aden Protectorate period, the Nahd maintained relative independence from the Hadhrami sultanates (Qu'aiti and Kathiri).[41] By the 1920s, they had an army of 3,000–4,000 men under Sheikh Ibn Minif, allied with the Qu'aiti and in rivalry with the Sei'ar tribe.[13]

During the 1930s–1940s, the British sought to end tribal warfare in Hadhramaut. Negotiations involving Nahd and Ja'ada resulted in agreements that reduced hostilities, including a truce with the Sei‘ar at Henin.[42]

During the Aden Emergency, Nahd supported the South Arabian League (SAL), a nationalist organization founded in 1951, which opposed the National Liberation Front (NLF). The SAL received support from Saudi Arabia.[43][44]

In the ongoing Yemeni civil war (2014–present), the Nahd have been divided in their support. Some factions have backed the Southern Transitional Council (STC) and its president Aidarus al-Zoubaidi,[45] while the current tribal leader, Al-Hakam Saleh bin Ali bin Thabit, has declared support for the internationally recognized government of Rashad al-Alimi.[14]

A flag of the Nahdi tribes in support of the STC

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "نهد (قبيلة)". Marefa.
  2. ^ a b Khaldun, Ibn (1892). كتاب تاريخ اليمن [Book of the History of Yemen] (in Arabic). pp. 177–178, 218.
  3. ^ Hosny, Mohammed (19 March 2024). "النهدي وش يرجع ؟ وما هو اصل تلك العائلة". Qabila.net.
  4. ^ Jaris, Ghaythan Bin. مع الهجري مابين السراة العالية وتعليقات التعليقات [With the Hijri between the High Sarāt and the Commentaries] (in Arabic). p. 231.
  5. ^ "L222.2". FamilyTreeDNA.
  6. ^ "Qada'a bin Ma'ad". FamilyTreeDNA.
  7. ^ Zuhayr, Bahaa' al-Deen. "من وين يرجوعن النهدي". Saudi Sah.
  8. ^ a b c Jiris, Ghaythan Bin. محافظة بيشة: دراسات، وإضافات، وتعليقات [Bisha Governorate: Studies, Additions, and Comments] (in Arabic). Antiques & Collectibles. pp. 42–272.
  9. ^ Karim, Muhammad Abdel (1985). قيام السلطنة القعيطية والتغلغل الإستعماري في حضرموت،1839 -1918 [The Establishment of the Qu'aiti Sultanate and Colonial Penetration in Hadhramaut, 1839–1918] (in Arabic). Dar Bin Rushd. p. 30.
  10. ^ Jafri, Muhammad Abdullah Hassan (1995). الأزمة اليمنية مظهر حديث لارث تاريخي قديم [Yemeni Crisis, a modern look for an ancient historical legacy] (in Arabic). Dar al Hilal Foundation. pp. 81–83.
  11. ^ a b Al-Bakri, Salah Abdel Qader (2019). تاريخ حضرموت السياسي [Political History of Hadhramaut] (in Arabic). شركة دار الوفاق الحديثة للنشر والتوزيع. pp. 110–120, 143.
  12. ^ a b Ingrams, Harold. Arabia and the Isles. pp. 299–326.
  13. ^ a b c d A Handbook of Arabia. H.M. Stationery Office. 1920. pp. 299, 543.
  14. ^ a b "مقادمة قبيلة نهد يلتقون محافظ حضرموت ويعلنون موقفهم من قرار وقف توريد الإيرادات". AdenGad.
  15. ^ Safir - Hadramout Road Project. World Bank Documents. p. 307.
  16. ^ a b Freitag, Ulrike (1997). Hadhrami Traders, Scholars and Statesmen in the Indian Ocean, 1750s–1960. Brill. pp. 149–151.
  17. ^ a b Toy, Barbara (30 September 2009). Travelling the Incense Route. I.B. Tauris. pp. 58–59.
  18. ^ Chatty, Dawn (2018). Nomadic Societies in the Middle East and North Africa. Brill. p. 249.
  19. ^ Stark, Freya (2001). The Southern Gates of Arabia. Modern Library. pp. 233–257.
  20. ^ Crone, Patricia (2016). The Quranic Pagans. Brill. p. 474.
  21. ^ Philby, Harry St. John Bridger (2001). بنات سبأ [Girls of Sheba] (in Arabic). مكتبة العبيكان. p. 182.
  22. ^ Yemen Political Marketplace Analysis 2. USAID. 2021. pp. 36–38.
  23. ^ Brill, E.J (1993). E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, Vol. 8. Brill. p. 988.
  24. ^ a b c d al Zirkli, Khair al Din. الأعلام - ج 8 : نافع بن ظريب - يوهنس [Al-A'lam - Part 8: Nafi' bin Dharib - Yohannes] (in Arabic). IslamKotob. p. 49.
  25. ^ al Badry, Kiro (18 March 2024). "من وين قبيلة نهد؟ قبائل نهد الحضرمية". mr7baska.
  26. ^ "شعراء قبيلة نهد يتغنون بأمجاد الإمارات". Al-Bayan. 2013.
  27. ^ a b Feraud, Charles (2018). Histoire des Villes de la Province de Constantine: La Calle [History of the Cities of the Province of Constantine: La Calle] (in French). Forgotten Books. pp. 33–72, 366.
  28. ^ Berg, Van Den. حضرموت والمستوطنات العربية في الأرخبيل الهندي [Hadhramaut and Arab Settlements in the Indian Archipelago] (in Arabic). عناوين. pp. 61, 114.
  29. ^ "قبيلة آل النهدي وش يرجعون، أفخاذ وبطون قبيلة النهدي". Madelim.org.
  30. ^ Scoville, Sheila (1979). Gazetter of Arabia. Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt. p. 519.
  31. ^ Jaris, Ghaythan Bin. نجران : دراسة تاريخية [Najran: A Historical Study] (in Arabic). p. 44.
  32. ^ Jabir, Hassan Muhammed (2021). من هم العرب [Who are the Arabs] (in Arabic). E-Kutub Ltd. p. 250.
  33. ^ Ahmad, Bashiruddin Mahmud (1988). Life of Muhammad. Islam International. p. 139.
  34. ^ Haymalaz, Harpci, Resit, Fatah (2013). Sultan of Hearts Vol 1. Tughra Books. p. 959.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ Al Tabari, Abu Ja'far Muḥammad ibn Jarir ibn Yazid (1992). The History of Al Tabari Vol. 12. State University of New York Press. p. 91.
  36. ^ Mahoney, Daniel. Genealogies as Means for Constructing Communities. Brill. p. 175.
  37. ^ Jiris, Ghaythan Bin. محافظة بيشة: دراسات، وإضافات، وتعليقات [Bisha Governorate: Studies, Additions, and Comments] (in Arabic). Antiques & Collectibles. pp. 42–272.
  38. ^ صالح, حامد (1968). تاريخ حضرموت [History of Hadhramaut]. University of Michigan. p. 233.
  39. ^ Muqhafi, Ibrahim. معجم البلدان والقبائل اليمنية [Dictionary of Yemeni Countries and Tribes] (in Arabic). IslamKotob. pp. 613, 807.
  40. ^ Touissant, Eric (April 23, 2019). The Debt System. Haymarket Books. pp. Chapter 7.
  41. ^ Philby, H. StJ. B (2016). The Land of Sheba. geographicalj. pp. 113–114.
  42. ^ Mikhail, Rodionov (1996). New Arabian Studies Volume 3. B. R. Pridham, G. Rex Smith, J. R. Smart. pp. 120–124.
  43. ^ Burrowes, Robert D (2010). Historical Dictionary of Yemen. Scarecrow Press. pp. 453–454.
  44. ^ Freiteg, Ulrike (2003). Indian Ocean Migrants and State Formation in Hadhramaut. Brill. pp. 469–524.
  45. ^ "بحضور رئيس تنفيذية انتقالي حضرموت.. أبناء قبائل نهد بوادي حضرموت يعقدون لقاءً تشاورياً حاشداً".