Jewish tribes of Arabia

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It is believed that Jews began migrating to the Arabian Peninsula in as early as the 6th century BCE, when the Babylonian conquest of Judah triggered a mass Jewish exodus from Judea in the Land of Israel. Over time and through successive exiles, the local Jewish tribes, who were concentrated in the Hejaz and partly in South Arabia, established themselves as one of the most prominent ethno-religious communities of pre-Islamic Arabia. Likewise, Judaism, which had been introduced as one of the few monotheistic religions in the region, stood as a deviation from the typical polytheistic practices of Arabian paganism. These Jewish tribes continued to have a presence in Arabia during the rise of Muhammad, who founded Islam in the 7th century CE. Muhammad's interaction with the Jewish community is documented to a considerable degree in Islamic literature, including in many ahadith . The Jewish tribes of the Hejaz are seen in Islam as having been the offspring of the Israelites/Hebrews. [1] Two of Muhammad's wives were Jewish: Safiyya bint Huyayy and Rayhanah bint Zayd, both of whom belonged to the Banu Nadir by birth, though Rayhanah's status as a wife is disputed.

Contents

List of Jewish tribes and clans

Some of the Jewish tribes of Arabia historically attested include:

History of Jewish immigration to Arabia

Judaism found its place in the Arabian Peninsula by immigration of Jews, which took place mainly during six periods:

South Arabia (Yemen)

The Sanaite Jews have a tradition that their ancestors settled in Yemen forty-two years before the destruction of the First Temple. One tradition, shared with northern Yemenite Jews, states that under the prophet Jeremiah some 75,000 Jews, including priests and Levites, traveled to Yemen. [9] The Banu Habban in southern Yemen have a tradition that they are the descendants of Judeans who settled in the area before the destruction of the Second Temple. These Judeans supposedly belonged to a brigade dispatched by King Herod to assist the Roman legions fighting in the region. [10]

Judaized Arabs and the Himyarite Kingdom

In about 400 CE, Himyarite King tubba Abu Karib As'ad Kamil (385-420 CE), [11] a convert to Judaism, led military expeditions into central Arabia and expanded his empire to encompass most of the Arabian Peninsula. [12] His army had marched north to battle the Aksumites who had been fighting for control of Yemen for a hundred years. The Aksumites were only expelled from the region when the newly-Jewish king rallied Jews together from all over Arabia with pagan allies. The relationship between the Himyarite Kings and the polytheistic Arab tribes strengthened when, under the royal permission of Tubba' Abu Karib As'ad, Qusai ibn Kilab (400–480 CE) reconstructed the Ka'aba from a state of decay, and had the Arab al-Kahinan (Cohanim) build their houses around it. [13] Qusai ibn Kilab was the great-great- grandfather of Shaiba ibn Hashim (Abdul-Mutallib). Shaiba ibn Hashim was fifth in the line of descent to Muhammad, and attained supreme power at Mecca. Qusai ibn Kilab is among the ancestors of Sahaba and the progenitor of the Banu Quraish. When Qusai came of age, a man from the tribe of Banu Khuza'a named Hulail (Hillel) was the trustee of the Kaaba, and the Na'sa (Nasi)—authorized to calculate the calendar. Qusai married his daughter and, according to Hulail's will, obtained Hulail's rights to the Ka'aba. Hulail, according to Arabian tradition was a member of the Banu Jurhum. Banu Jurhum was a sub-group of the Banu Qahtani from whom the Himyarites originally descend.

Around 455 CE, the last Himyarite King is born, Zur'ah Yusuf Ibn Tuban As'ad Abu Kaleb Dhu Nuwas or Dhu Nuwas. He died in 510. His zeal for Judaism brought about his fall. Having heard of the persecutions of Jews by Byzantine emperors, Dhu Nuwas retaliated by putting to death some Byzantine merchants who were traveling on business through Himyara. He didn't simply kill them with hanging—he burned them in large pits—earning him the title "King of the burning pit".

These killings destroyed the trade of Yemen with Europe and involved Dhu Nuwas in a war with the heathen King Aidug, whose commercial interests were injured by these killings. Dhu Nuwas was defeated, then he made war against the Christian city Najran in Yemen, which was a dependency of his kingdom. After its surrender, he offered the citizens the alternative of embracing Judaism, under coercion, or being put to death. As they refused to renounce their faith, he executed their chief, Harith ibn Kaleb, and three hundred and forty chosen men. [14]

Rise of Islam

The Jewish tribes played a significant role during the rise of Islam. Muhammad had many contacts with Jewish tribes, both urban and nomadic. The eating of pork has always been strongly prohibited in both religions. [15]

In the Constitution of Medina, Jews were given equality to Muslims in exchange for political loyalty [16] [17] and were allowed to practice their own culture and religion. A significant narrative symbolising the inter-faith harmony between early Muslims and Jews is that of the Rabbi Mukhayriq. The Rabbi was from Banu Nadir and fought alongside Muslims at the Battle of Uhud and bequeathed his entire wealth to Muhammad in the case of his death. He was subsequently called "the best of the Jews" by Muhammad. [18] [19] Later, as Muhammad encountered opposition from the Jews, Muslims began to adopt a more negative view on the Jews, seeing them as something of a fifth column. [ citation needed ] Early Muslim conquests resulted in the exile of the Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir, two of the main three Jewish tribes from Medina, and the mass execution of all male adults of the Banu Qurayza clan.

Some historians, like Guillaume, sees the attacks on the Banu Qaynuqa for their hostility against the Muslims and for mocking them. [20] [21] They left for modern-day Der'a in Syria. [22] In one account, the Banu Nadir tribe was evicted from Medina after they attempted to assassinate Muhammad. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Constitution of Medina, also known as the Umma Document, is a document dealing with tribal affairs during the Islamic prophet Muhammad's time in Medina and formed the basis of a multi-religious state under his leadership. Many tribal groups are mentioned, including the Banu Najjar and Quraysh, as well as many tribal institutions, like vengeance, blood money, ransom, alliance, and clientage. The Constitution of Medina has striking resemblances with Surah 5 (Al-Ma'idah) of the Quran.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Himyarite Kingdom</span> Former kingdom in ancient Yemen

The Himyarite Kingdom was a polity in the southern highlands of Yemen, as well as the name of the region which it claimed. Until 110 BCE, it was integrated into the Qatabanian kingdom, afterwards being recognized as an independent kingdom. According to classical sources, their capital was the ancient city of Zafar, relatively near the modern-day city of Sana'a. Himyarite power eventually shifted to Sana'a as the population increased in the fifth century. After the establishment of their kingdom, it was ruled by kings from dhū-Raydān tribe. The kingdom was named Raydān.

Dhū Nuwās, real name Yūsuf Asʾar Yathʾar, Yosef Nu'as, or Yūsuf ibn Sharhabil, also known as Masruq in Syriac, and Dounaas (Δουναας) in Medieval Greek, was a Jewish king of Himyar reigning between 522–530 AD who came to renown on account of his persecutions of peoples of other religions, notably Christians, living in his kingdom. He was also known as Zur'ah in the Arab traditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military career of Muhammad</span> Overview of Muhammads military career

The military career of Muhammad, the Islamic prophet, encompasses several expeditions and battles throughout the Hejaz region in the western Arabian Peninsula which took place in the final ten years of his life, from 622 to 632. His primary campaign was against his own tribe in Mecca, the Quraysh. Muhammad proclaimed prophethood around 610 and later migrated to Medina after being persecuted by the Quraysh in 622. After several battles against the Quraysh, Muhammad conquered Mecca in 629, ending his campaign against the tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banu Qurayza</span> 7th-century Jewish tribe within Arabia

The Banu Qurayza were a Jewish tribe which lived in northern Arabia, at the oasis of Yathrib. They were one of the three major Jewish tribes of the city, along with the Banu Qaynuqa and Banu Nadir. Jewish tribes reportedly arrived in Hijaz in the wake of the Jewish–Roman wars and introduced agriculture, putting them in a culturally, economically and politically dominant position. However, in the 5th century, the Banu Aws and the Banu Khazraj, two Arab tribes that had arrived from Yemen, gained dominance. When these two tribes became embroiled in conflict with each other, the Jewish tribes, now clients or allies of the Arabs, fought on different sides, the Qurayza siding with the Aws.

ʿAbbād ibn Bishr (c.597–632) was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. After the Hijrah of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca, 'Abbad and his clansmen were given the name of Ansar for their assistance in giving shelter to the Muslims who came to their town. His Kunya or Teknonymy were Abu al-Rabi'.

The Banu Nadir were a Jewish Arab tribe that lived in northern Arabia at the oasis of Medina until the 7th century. They were expelled by Muhammad after The Battle of Uhud against the Quraysh, which took place after attacks by the Muslims on their trade caravans and to seek revenge for Badr.

The Banu Qaynuqa was one of the three main Jewish tribes that originally lived in Medina before being expelled by the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. They were merchants and were known to be wealthy. They resided in the south-west part of the city and were previously allied with the Banu Khazraj.

There were several Arabian tribes that interacted with Muhammad.

The Banū Aws or simply Aws was one of the main Arab tribes of Medina. The other was Khazraj, and the two, constituted the Ansar after the Hijra.

The Banu Khazraj is a large Qahtanite Arab tribe. They were also in Medina during Muhammad's era, where they still exist. Banu Khazraj exists in multiple Arab countries including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Banu al-Harith</span> Arabian tribe

The Banu al-Harith is an Arabian tribe which once governed the cities of Najran, Taif, and Bisha, now located in southern Saudi Arabia.

The Ansar or Ansari are the local inhabitants of Medina who took the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers into their homes when they emigrated from Mecca during the hijra. They belonged to the tribes of Banu Khazraj and Banu Aus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Jews in Saudi Arabia</span>

Jewish history in the territory of modern Saudi Arabia begins in classical antiquity.

Abū Karib As’ad al-Kāmil, called "Abū Karīb", sometimes rendered as As'ad Abū Karīb, full name: Abu Karib As'ad ibn Hassān Maliki Karib Yuha'min, was king of the Himyarite Kingdom. He ruled Yemen from 390 CE until 420 CE, beginning as a coregency with his father Malkikarib Yuhamin followed by becoming sole ruler in 400. As'ad is cited in some sources as the first of several kings of the Arabian Peninsula to convert to Judaism, although contemporary historians have ascribed this transition to his father. He was traditionally regarded as the first one to cover the Kaaba with the kiswah.

The existence of a Christian community in the city of Najran in present-day southwestern Saudi Arabia is attested by several historical sources of the Arabian Peninsula, where it recorded as having been created in the 5th century AD or perhaps a century earlier. According to the Arab Muslim historian Ibn Ishaq, Najran was the first place where Christianity took root in South Arabia.

According to Islamic tradition, the invasion of Banu Qaynuqa, also known as the expedition against Banu Qaynuqa, occurred in AD 624. The Banu Qaynuqa were a Jewish tribe expelled by the Islamic prophet Muhammad for breaking the treaty known as the Constitution of Medina

Judaism has been practiced as a religion in the Arabian Peninsula since at least the first century BCE. It is also the first monotheistic religion of Arabia. Arabian Jews were linguistically diverse and would have varied in their practice of the religion. The presence of Jews is best attested in Northwestern and Southern Arabia. Judaism would briefly become politically relevant in the fourth century, when the rulers of the Kingdom of Himyar converted to Judaism.

The Kinda, or Kindah, were an Arab tribe from South Arabia.

The Dhu Yazan also known as Al-Yazanin were a prominent Arab tribal clan and elite ruling family of Yemen that were affiliated with the Sabaean Kingdom and later on, the Himyarite Kingdom. They were ultimately deprived from their elite status and ruling by the Sasanian Empire, which controlled Yemen from 570 CE until 678 CE. The Arabian genealogists and historians trace their lineage to a man named 'Amir ibn Aslam who was given the title Dhu Yazan and was a contemporary of the Himyarite ruler Abu Karib, although the Dhu Yazan clan has existed way back during the time of Dhamar Ali Yahbur.

References

  1. ↑ Gil, Moshe (1997). The origin of the Jews of Yathrib. BRILL. pp. 4–5. ISBN   9789004138827.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Norman A. Stillman, The Jews of Arab lands: a history and source book, p. 117
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, Constitutional Analysis of the Constitution of Madina (excerpt)
  4. ↑ FIVE MUSLIM LEADERS THAT SAVED JEWS, Miraj Islamic News Agency, archived from the original on 2015-04-02
  5. ↑ Moshe Gil, A history of Palestine, 634-1099, p. 19
  6. ↑ Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik (translator), Al-Qur'an, the Guidance for Mankind - English with Arabic Text (Hardcover) ISBN   0-911119-80-9
  7. ↑ Ibn Kathir, Trevor Le Gassick, The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyya, p. 227
  8. ↑ Joseph Adler (May/June 2000), The Jewish Kingdom of Himyar (Yemen): Its Rise and Fall, Midstream, Volume XXXXVI No. 4
  9. ↑ Shalom Seri and Naftali Ben-David (1991), A Journey to Yemen and Its Jews. Eeleh BeTamar publishing; p.43
  10. ↑ Ken Blady (2000), Jewish Communities in Exotic Places, Jason Aronson Inc., p.32
  11. ↑ Ibn Hisham, I, pp. 26-27
  12. ↑ A Traditional Mu'tazilite Qur'an Commentary: The Kashshaf of Jar Allah Al-zamakhshari (D538/1144) (Texts and Studies on the Qur'an)
  13. ↑ The History of al-Tabari Vol. 5, The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen, C. E. Bosworth—Translator, SUNY series in Near Eastern Studies
  14. ↑ Richard Gottheil and Isaac Broydé, Dhu Nuwas, Zur'ah Yusuf ibn Tuban As'ad abi Karib, Jewish Encyclopedia
  15. ↑ "Muhammad". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  16. ↑ Esposito, John. (1998), Islam: the Straight Path, extended edition. Oxford university press, p.17.
  17. ↑ Jacob Neusner, God's Rule: The Politics of World Religions, p. 153, Georgetown University Press, 2003, ISBN   0-87840-910-6
  18. ↑ Akram Ḍiyāʼ ʻUmarī (1991). Madīnan Society at the Time of the Prophet: Its characteristics and organization. IIIT. pp. 62–. ISBN   978-0-912463-36-0.
  19. ↑ Haggai Mazuz (3 July 2014). The Religious and Spiritual Life of the Jews of Medina. BRILL. pp. 16–. ISBN   978-90-04-26609-4.
  20. ↑ Alfred Guillaume (1955). The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah. Oxford University Press. p. 363. ISBN   0-19-636033-1.
  21. ↑ Stillman, Norman A. (5739-1979) The Jews of Arab Lands: A history and source book. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 112 ISBN   0-8276-0116-6
  22. ↑ Stillman, Norman A. (5739-1979) The Jews of Arab Lands: A history and source book. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society of America. p. 13 ISBN   0-8276-0116-6
  23. ↑ al-Halabi, Nur al-Din. Sirat-i-Halbiyyah. Vol. 2, part 10. Uttar Pradesh: Idarah Qasmiyyah Deoband. p. 34. Translated by Muhammad Aslam Qasmi.

Bibliography

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