Qahtan (tribe)


Not to be confused with the Qahtanite peoples
Qahtān to distinguish between the tribe and the Qahtanite peoples, is an Arab tribal confederation. Qahtan is composed of three main tribes: Sanhan, Junb, and Rufaida. Today, members of the tribe and its sub-tribes are based in Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The Madh'hiji Qahtan tribe is different from the Qahtanite peoples, because while all members of the Qahtan identify as Qahtanite through their ancestry to Qahtan son of Hud which the tribe is named after, not all Qahtanite tribes trace their ancestry back to the modern tribe known as Qahtan.
Qahtan's sheikhdom was unanimously agreed by Western historians to be in the hands of the 'Al Qarmalah' family of the Jahader clan in the 19th century, and as early as 1961, the paramount sheikh of Qahtan was reported to be 'Khalil ibn Nasir ibn Qarmalah'. However today, this subject of whether the Al Qarmalah family or the Ibn Dulaim family of the Sharif clan are the rightful sheikhs of Qahtan is highly controversial and has led to physical confrontations in high-profile tribal Qahtan congregations. Regardless, Abdullah ibn Fahad ibn Dulaim, sheikh of the Ibn Dulaim family, is recognized by the Saudi state as the appointed paramount sheikh of Qahtan and its allied tribe of Wadi'a.

History

Rule of Al Qarmalah

The Qahtan tribe enjoyed priority rights and control to southern Najd for a period generally agreed to have spanned 90 years, paying suzerainty only to Ibn Saud. Tribes who migrated to Najd during spring or winter to herd their cattle were required to pay taxation in order for them to be allowed to graze their livestock in the Qahtani diyar in Najd. Several historians have described Qahtan as "the most powerful" tribe or "nobody dared to challenge them" during this era.
The Jahader branch of the Sanhan sub-tribe of Qahtan migrated to southern Najd from their homelands in Asir Region during the late 18th century and early 19th century under the leadership of Athfar al-Amaaj, driving out the Mutair tribe from Najd after refusing to pay taxation to Mutair in exercising their rights to herding camels and cattle in Najd. After Qahtan's victory over Mutair, a previously unknown member of the Jahader known as Hadi ibn Qurmula visited Ibn Saud whom he convinced to grant him the sheikhdom of Qahtan. This began the 90 year rule of Al Qurmula over Najd, beginning with Hadi ibn Qurmula and culminating with his son Muhammad ibn Hadi ibn Qurmula..

Migration of Bani Hajer

Branches

The Qahtan tribe is subdivided into three major branches: Sanhan سنحان, Junb جنب and Rufaida رفيدة each major branch is divided into many clans, each clan is divided into various families.
رفيدة قحطان نسب القبيلة : نسب رفيدة هو رفيدة بن عامر بن عوف بن بكر بن عوف بن رفيدة الأكبر بن ثور بن كلب بن وبرة بن تغلب بن حلون بن عمران بن الحافي


Most Qahtanite tribes in Iraq do not belong to the Madh'hiji tribe of Qahtan. However, few tribes belonging to the aforementioned Madh'hiji tribe of Qahtan are present in Iraq, a prominent example being the Kobaisat tribal confederation. The Kobaisat migrated from Tathlith, modern southern Saudi Arabia in the 16th century and settled in Iraq. By the 18th century, many of the Kobaisat migrated to the growing pearl towns of northern Qatar and are a prominent tribe today in that country. The Kobaisat today in Iraq are a large tribal confederation that was also joined by non-Kobaisat tribes such as al-Buhaidar and al-Durai'at, and have formed their own town known as Kobaisa. It must be noted that the Kobaisat are entirely independent from Qahtan and the only aspect linking the two tribes together today is ancestry. Some well known members of the Kobaisat tribe are Iraqi religious scholar Mohammed Alkobaisi and Ahmed al-Kobaisi, the latter whom is most famous for participating in anti-Salafist debate shows.

Kuwait

In Kuwait, Qahtan and its sub-tribe Bani Hajir have formed a well known alliance in National Assembly elections, being a part of the tribal bloc. The Bani Hajir are among the largest tribal blocs to participate in the Kuwait National Assembly elections, consisting of 8150 voters in the 2016 election.

Qatar

Qahtan, specifically the Bani Hajer tribe, has taken a very prominent role in the Qatar peninsula ever since their migration to that country in the 18th century.
The Bani Hajers were infamous in the 19th century for their nomadic lifestyle, political and tribal alliances, and piratical activities in the Persian Gulf. In fact, the vast majority of Bani Hajer inhabited the Qatar peninsula until around 1900 when most of the tribe migrated west to modern day Saudi Arabia in Al-Ahsa and Jubail after a dispute with the ruling Qatari Al Thani family. As a result of their loyalty and military service to Al Saud, in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia, the Bani Hajers were awarded settlement rights in an area known today as "Jawf Bani Hajer". Branches of Qahtan such as al-Habab also have a presence in that country but their fame is not nearly as recognized as that of Bani Hajer. One prominent Hajri personality in Qatar is Mozah Al Mesned, the mother of the current Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who belongs to the Al Muhannada branch of the Bani Hajer.

Bahrain

Bahrain is a Gulf country that houses the tiniest number of Qahtanis compared to other Gulf countries, however, some members of the tribe have taken a relatively prominent role in the country. For example, the head of the Sunni Waqf Endowment Directorate is Rashid al-Hajri, a member of the Bani Hajer. Offshoot Hajri families such Almuhannada also take a public role such as former Member of Parliament Hamad Almuhannadi.

United Arab Emirates

Qahtan takes a noteworthy role in the United Arab Emirates, which however is not as large as Kuwait or Qatar. For example, a member of the Advisory Council to the Government of Sharjah is Abdulqader al-Hajri, a member of Bani Hajer. The Bani Hajer were also historically allied with the al-Manasir tribe, which sometimes may claim descent from Bani Hajer based on their historical alliance. Smaller families of Qahtan such as "al-Ehbabi" are also present in the country.

Notable members