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Banu Nahd

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Nahd (نهد)
Quda'i Arab Tribe
EthnicityArab
NisbaAl-Nahdi (النهدي)
LocationYemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Levant, India, Somaliland, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia & Indonesia
Parent tribeBanu Zayd bin Layth
BranchesNaheed, Kulayb, Ma'rouf & Al Yamani
ReligionIslam, previously Paganism

Banu Nahd (Arabic: بنو نهد) is an Arab tribe across the Arabian peninsula. They are the sons of Nahd bin Zayd bin Layth bin Soud bin Aslam bin Al-Hafi bin Quda’ah.[1] Banu Nahd is from the Quda'ah tribal confederation which for the most part has been historically regarded as Qahtanite from Himyar.[2]It has however been a matter of dispute as Quda'ah could be from Ma'ad bin 'Adnan.[3] With the help of modern DNA testing such as Haplogroups it is now being found that the Quda'ah tribes including Nahd fall under the Adnanite Subclade of J1 L222.2 which now tells us that that Nahd and the rest of the Quda'ah tribes are actually from Ma'ad bin 'Adnan and that the claim of being Qahtanite was fabricated.[4][5][6]

They have a symbol of 811 and also call themself "Nahd al 'Aasiyah" meaning Nahd, the disobediant.[1] There are 4 main branches of Banu Nahd, Naheed, Kulaib, Ma'rouf and Al Yamani which are further divided into various families.[7]

The Quda’i tribes (including Nahd) lived with other Ma’adite tribal groups during ancient times in the Tihama region along the Jeddah coast, even extending to Dhat 'Irq and Mecca until a war with Nizar bin Ma'ad broke out causing Quda'i tribes to disperse across Arabia after being defeated. Nahd would go on to live in the regions of Najran and Bisha before migrating across the Peninsula.[8]

Banu Nahd has been an Important tribe In Wadi Hadhramaut migrating to the region from their original homes in Najran and its environs during 1195 AD.[9] They went on to assert its control over Hadhramaut including both the interior and coast in 1224 AD during their revolt against the Ayyubid Governor of Hadhramaut, dismantling Ayyubid control over Hadhramaut. They would again take over Hadhramaut in 1238 AD after having dealt with other Hadhrami tribes like the Iqbal Kindi threatening their rule.[10][11]

When the Rasulids came to replace the Ayyubids and started taking over Hadhramaut the Nahd fought them and retained their control over some of Wadi Hadhramaut.[8]

Nahd has been a historical rival with the Kathiris who defeated the Nahd and took over the rest of Hadhramaut establishing the Kathiri Sultanate.[12] The Nahd also has been on bad terms with Se'iar north of them and Ja'ada south of them.[13][14]

In modern times, their current tribal leader Al-Hakam Saleh bin Ali bin Thabit declares support for a Unified Yemen under the PLC.[15] They also have an alliance with the tribe of Abidah, a major tribe in the province of Marib.[16]

They are often referred to being Bedouins.[14] In the Medieval times most of Banu Nahd were mixed with Banu Khath'am and Bajilah.[2] Banu Nahd are now mostly sedentary but they have preserved Bedouin laws and customs of Hadhramaut.[17][18] The tribe of Nahd are well built tribe and have a unique dual chieftainship rule.[19]

Location

[edit]
Nahd Highlighted in Yellow with some other Hadhrami Tribes

The Nahd originally lived in Najran, Bisha, Sharurah, Tathleeth, Sarat Abidah, Tareeb, Jash, Tabalah, Qarara , Dhu Baydan, Barda and Khadara, before their mass migration across Arabia their capital was at Hajirah south of Tathleeth between Hamdhah and Amoah, it was situated on a Gold mine.[8]

Banu Nahd today are now most notably in Wadi Hadhramaut where their capital, Qa'udah is situated.[20] Qaydun in Wadi Dawan where they control much of was also described as the center of the Nahd.[21]They also inhabit Hajarayn in the same Wadi.[14] Nahd claims a large area from Al Qatn to Sayhad.[17]

The Nahd have a presence in Wadi 'Amd until it ends at Huraidha,[13] Wadi Rakhiya near the border of Shabwah and Wadi Dahr in Eastern Shabwah.[22] They also inhabit Wadi al Ain and have a presence in the Shibam District.[23]

They are also in the Sarawat Mountains including Hejaz where they live in Wadi al Safra between Mecca and Medina and in the North of Hejaz in Wadi al Qura.[24][2]

The Nahd have also been across Najd being one of the first Quda'ah Tribes to settle there.[25] Further more they have a degree of presence in Khaleej, especially in UAE and are also found in Iraq and Oman.[26][27] Nahd is also found across the Levant.[25]

The Nahd have begun migrating to North Africa starting in the 11th century where they now inhabit close to the border of Algeria and Tunisia living around the city of El Kala in El Taref province.[28] Nahdi tribes have migrated across the Indian Ocean to Java, Indonesia.[29] Somaliland, India, and also Jeddah In Saudi Arabia.[19][30] Nahd also migrated to Andalusia, primarily residing in the Cordoban Province of Rayya which is in the south, nowadays being mostly in the Malaga Province.[25]

History

[edit]

Banu Nahd was a major and important tribe in the Najran Region (Which Included Bisha and Tabalah).[31] They grew in numbers that started to compete with the Major tribe of Madhhaj, they were in conflict with the Jarm tribe who were allies with Banu Zubayd from Maddhaj while Nahd was allied with Banu Al Harith, another Maddhaj Tribe.[32]

Some of the Nahd participated in the Himyarite war under Abu Karib Assad against the Lakhmids in 428 AD which involved the conquest of Wadi Masil southeast of Dawadimi, and penetrating deep into Al Hira, the Lakhmid Capital.[33]

The Nahd before Islam were polytheists. Prophet Muhammad sent a message to the Banu Nahd along with other tribes in Yemen to follow Islam, to which the Nahd agreed however not initially. The Nahd were described to be well equipped with weapons. Nahd agreed to join the religion with no war.[34][35]

After Islam, the Banu Nahd participated in the battle of al Qadisiyyah where they were led by a general named Qays bin Hidhyam bin Jurthumah.[36]During the times of the Umayyads, Qasour Bin Ma'alal who came from the tribe of Nahd was appointed as the Governor of Sistan.[25]

There has been a battle narrated Abu Muhammad al Hasan al Hamdani who lived from 890s-940s in his work of Al Iklil (Volume 2)stated the Madhhaj allied to Nahd and Khawlan were engaged in conflict against the tribe of Hawazin which instigated a large war between Quda'ah and the Qaysi tribes[37]

The Nahd, along with their allies of the time, Banu al Harith were attacked by the Yahya bin al Hussein of the Zaydis during 910 AD. They were in support of the Sulayhid Dynasty under King Ali al Sulayhi. In 1140 they would declare support for the Sulaymanids and would attack the Banu Yam tribe that has a huge presence over the province of Najran in 1154. They would begin mass migrating to Hadhramaut in 1195 (along with Banu al Harith and Banu Dhannah, their allies) due to multiple possible reasons like drought situations in the area, pressure from the Zaydi Imamate and interest into the agriculture of Wadi Hadhramaut.[9]

Nahd of Najran and Bisha to Wadi Hadhramaut

They would begin hostility since 1200s AD against the tribes of Wadi Hadhramaut. In 1207 AD they would siege the cities of Tarim, Shibam and Maryamah, destroying the Al Daghar, a tribe from Kinda which ruled Shibam in 1208 AD however in the same year Banu Sa'ad and some tribes of Kinda would retaliate and defeat Nahd. Omar bin Mahdi the appointed Ayyubid Governor of Hadhramaut would make his arrival in 1216 AD subjugating much of Hadhramaut under his rule.[38][39]

Nahd would begin their revolt against Omar Bin Mahdi in the 1220s. He was described as a tyrannical ruler and many of the tribes of Hadhramaut would dislike him. Nahd would kill Omar Bin Mahdi in 1224 AD at Shibam dismantling Ayyubid Control.The Al Yamani Sultanate, a dynasty with connections to Banu Nahd led by Omar bin Ma'soud would integrate the lands that were occupied by Nahd.[11][8]

In 1226-27 rain would flood much of Wadi Hadhramaut, weakening the rule of Nahd which allowed the Banu Sa’ad to take over Shibam in 1229, In the same year though Omar bin Ma’soud would take Al Hajrain and in 1230 he would take Henin and besiege the Iqbal (A tribe from Kinda) in their city of Al Shihr until they paid him to leave. He would purchase Shibam back  in 1231 AD and would attack and take over Wadi ‘Amd, then returning to Tarim.[12]

Iqbal would successfully take over Nahdi Possessions of Tarim and Shibam in 1236 AD, this was changed when in 1238 AD Nahd would counterattack and take over all of Hadhramaut again under Amer Bin Shammakh, a Nahdi. Following this, the Iqbal Family would be expelled.[40][11]

When the Rasulids came to Hadhramaut the same year Banu Nahd would initially make peace with them but would then break this treaty when a Rasulid army under Ibn Abi Zakri was obliterated.[38] Al Yamani would take back Tarim and Amer Bin Shammakh would take over Shibam also establishing a state in Western Hadhramaut centered at Al Soor which is West of Henin.[40][8]

In 1275 AD the ruler of Dhofar Salim al Habuzi invaded Hadhramaut sieging Tarim and taking over Seiyun. The Habuzis of Dhofar would retain their control over Wadi Hadhramaut until Al Malik al Muzaffar, the king of the Rasulids invaded Dhofar killing Salim al Habuzi and Habuzi rule was disestablished over Wadi Hadhramaut.[40]

Nahd and the Al Kathiri tribe which formed a Sultanate would fight across Hadhramaut. During this war the Al Yamani dynasty was abolished. In 1531-2 an army of 200 Nahdi Forces would leave their homelands in Wadi Hadhramaut and would besiege the city of Al Shihr, ruled by the Kathiri and would force the Inhabitants to temporarily evacuate. Kathiris would eventually subjugate Nahd going on to conquer Hadhramaut.[12][41]

In 1716 AD the Qasimids sent an incursion into Wadi al Ain consisting of 400 Men attacking the local Nahdi tribesmen. This attack would fail and all 400 troops were killed.[12]

Nahd and the Hadhrami tribes during the Qu'aiti and Kathiri reign

In Algeria and Tunisia, the Banu Nahd has had a long rivalry with the Khoumir, which is also an Arab. Nahd would pay light tributes to the Bey of Constantine. In 1772 Nahd, along with another tribe, Arid engaged in war against Banu Mazen in El Kala cutting the supply lines to the city until peace was established. General Guingret of the French would suppress the Nahd in the 1840s among others such as the Khoumirs and Beni Saleh pillaging their tribes.[28]

In 1881 February Nahd would launch an attack against the Khoumirs. In response, the Khoumirs would launch a counterattack of 400-500 men until the French halted them in late March same year.[42]

During 1888 Hadhramaut would be under the claim of Aden protectorate which was ruled by Britain.[43] Unlike most other tribes, Nahd was independent from both the Hadhrami Sultanates (Qu'aiti and Kathiri).[44]The Nahd in the 1920s had an army of about 3000-4000 led by their ruler at the time, Sheikh Ibn Minif. They were friendly with the Qu'aiti and had a bitter rivalry with the Sei'ar, a tribe north of Nahd.[14]

As the British sought peace in Hadhramaut(1930s-1940s), which was engaged in constant tribal warfare. There would be negotiations between the Nahd and Ja'ada which were the last biggest barrier to establishing peace among tribes in Hadhramaut, the signing between the two tribes went good and two warring subclans of the Nahd were later resolved. Nahd also signed a truce with the Se'iar at Henin.[45][13]

The Nahd supported the SAL (South Arabian League) during the Aden Emergency which was against the NLF (National Liberation Front). The South Arabian League was a nationalist organization formed in 1951 being one of the first modern political groups of South Yemen.[46] The SAL got a great amount of support from Saudi Arabia.[47]

What the Nahd support in the Modern Yemeni Civil War is rather divided between STC and the De Jure Yemeni Government. There has been some instances where some Nahdi tribes would rally in support for Aidarus al-Zoubaidi, the president of the STC,[48] but the current tribal leader, Al-Hakam Saleh bin Ali bin Thabit has declared support for the Yemeni Government under Rashad al Alimi.[15]

A flag for the Nahdi tribes in support of the STC

References

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  2. ^ a b c Khaldun, Ibn (1892). كتاب تاريخ اليمن [Book of History of Yemen] (in Arabic). pp. Page 177-178, 218.
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  43. ^ Smith, Nicholos W.S (2021). Colonial Chaos in the Southern Red Sea. Cambridge University Press. p. 19.
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  47. ^ Freiteg, Ulrike (2003). Indian Ocean Migrants and State Formation in Hadhramaut. Brill. pp. 469–524.
  48. ^ "بحضور رئيس تنفيذية انتقالي حضرموت.. أبناء قبائل نهد بوادي حضرموت يعقدون لقاءً تشاورياً حاشداً".
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