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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
== | ===Tribes in Iran=== | ||
=== General Information about Tribes=== | |||
In the Middle East and North Africa, the term "tribe" refers to large collection of inter-related families that can trace their lineage back to a common ancestor; although, as is discussed in greater detail below, a shared ancestry is not always necessary for a family to join a tribe. It is typically used as a translation for the Arabic word "<big>قَبيلة</big>" (qabīlah), although in the Research Wiki "tribe" is also used for other Arabic terms. Tribes in the region can number in the hundreds to tens of thousands; some are relatively localized, while others are stretched or scattered over vast areas. Tribes are often divided into increasingly smaller kinship groups, including "<big>بَطْن</big>" (baṭn), "<big>فَخْذ</big>" (fakhth), and "<big>عَشيرة</big>" (ʿashīrah). The latter is translated in the Wiki as "clan". | |||
Tradition holds that all Arab tribes trace their lineage to two primary ancestors: Qahtan (<big>قحطان</big>), progenitor of the "pure" Arabs originating from modern Yemen, and Adnan (<big>عدنان</big>), ancestor of the "Arabicized" Arabs and a descendent of Abraham's son Ishmael.<ref name=":0">"People of Arabia," ''Britannica'', https://www.britannica.com/place/Arabia-peninsula-Asia/People, accessed 5 September 2024.</ref> | |||
Throughout Arabian history, free, arms-bearing tribesmen, whether nomadic or settled, dominated society. Sultans, emirs, and sheikhs were often drawn from these tribes and sought their support. The descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, who hold the titles of sayyids and sharifs, traditionally enjoyed a higher social status and sometimes exercised theocratic rule as spiritual leaders. | |||
It is important to note that affiliation with a particular tribe does not necessarily entail direct kinship to that tribe. In some cases, new tribes formed as the result of alliances between pre-existing tribal groups. Individual families may have occasionally become clients of a different tribe and eventually adopted as members. On an even smaller scale, individuals were sometimes adopted into a tribe. This was particularly true during the first centuries of Islam, when non-Arab converts to Islam were required to become clients, or "mawali" (Arabic مَوالٍ), of an Arab tribe.<ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Spread of Islam," ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spread_of_Islam, accessed 8 October 2024.</ref> Therefore, association with a tribe does not automatically imply descent or kinship relationship within a given lineage. | |||
==Information Recorded in the Records== | ==Information Recorded in the Records== | ||
*'''Books''' - There are numerous books written about Iraqi and, more broadly, Arab tribes. Both categories of books can be valuable to researchers, as many tribes found in Iraq are also found elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa. | |||
==Strategy== | ==Strategy== | ||
The published works above include information useful for tracing Iraqi tribal lineages. These works include lineages, tribal history, biographies of prominent individuals, poetry, or encyclopedic entries of tribes and their sub-divisions. | |||
Some of the resources listed above treat with specific tribes, while others look at groups of tribes. The scope of each resource affects the level of detail it contains on actual individuals and their families. While some books contain detailed genealogies with specific names from generation to generation, others treat with tribes generally, focusing more on their history and movement. The latter type of book can be especially useful for individuals who are unsure of where their ancestors lived, as these books can provide information on towns or regions where certain tribes can be found. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Iran]][[Category:Tribes and Clans]] | [[Category:Iran]][[Category:Tribes and Clans]] | ||