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 *''A Handbook of the Al-Sa'ud Ruling Family of Saudi Arabia.'' By Brian Lees MVO, OBE. London: Royal Genealogies, 1980. {{FSC|214926|item|disp=FS Catalog book 953.8 D5L}}; {{WorldCat|6604936|At various libraries (WorldlCat)}}
 ==Background==
-According to tradition, Arabs trace their lineage to two primary ancestors: Qahtan, progenitor of the "pure" Arabs, and Adnan, ancestor of the "Arabicized" Arabs. A biblical narrative suggests that both Qahtan and Adnan may have descended from Ishmael, Abraham's son. The rivalry between these two groups extended beyond Arabia with the Muslim conquests and persisted into the 20th century, notably in northern Yemen's conflict between Zaydi imams and other Arab factions.
+Tribes have traditionally played a critical role in the structure of Arab society and continue to be extremely important in Saudi Arabia. In pre-modern Saudi Arabia, tribes were the main social unit and governed all aspects of life. Although the country's rapid and extensive modernization since its founding in 1932 has altered the traditional nomadic lifestyle of many Saudis, tribal identities remain an important element of society.
-Southern Arabia is home to a darker-skinned population and lower-status groups like the Akhdām and Ṣibyān. In the north, the Ṣulubah, considered non-Arab, occupy a similar social position. Oman has a history of migration, with the Zuṭṭ, descendants of 9th-century Indian immigrants, and the Baloch, a more recent arrival, forming distinct groups. Border regions feature diverse ethnicities such as the Mahra, Ḥarāsīs, Qarā, and Shiḥūḥ, who speak South Arabic languages.
-Arabia has a long history of importing African slaves, a practice that persisted until the 1960s. Regions like Khaybar and parts of Tihāmah have significant black populations engaged in agriculture. Coastal areas have always attracted a diverse mix of people, including Africans, Asians, and others. The oil era brought an influx of skilled workers from countries like Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, while Yemenis sought employment in the oil-producing states.
+Some of the major tribes in Saudi Arabia are as follows: 'Anaza, Harb, 'Utaybah, Al-Murrah, Shammar, Mutayr, Qahtan, Ruwala, Dawasir, Manasir, Munjaha, Yam, Ghamid, Shah Ran, Al-Jahadilah, Juhaynah, Balt, Huwaytat, Bani Hajir, Bani Khalid, Quraysh, Al-Rashid, 'Ajman, and 'Awazim.<ref>Ragaei El Mallakh & Dorothea H. El Mallakh, ''Saudi Arabia'' (Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath and Company, 1982), 94. (7 October 2024) '''''Online at:''''' [https://ncusar.org/publications/Publications/1982-07-01-Saudi-Arabia.pdf Internet version (pdf)].</ref> Given that the Arabian Peninsula is the ancestral homeland of Arabs and the area from which Arabic and Islam spread throughout much of the Middle East and North Africa, many of these tribes extend beyond the borders of Saudi Arabia.
+Tradition holds that all Arab tribes trace their lineage to two primary ancestors: Qahtan, progenitor of the "pure" Arabs originating from modern Yemen, and Adnan, 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. While the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, sayyids and sharifs, held a higher social status, they sometimes exercised theocratic rule as spiritual leaders.
-A longstanding antagonism exists between settled peoples and nomadic Bedouin tribes. Even settled tribes often have nomadic branches. In Yemen, this conflict is evident between city dwellers and qabīlīs, tribes primarily settled in villages. Before World War I, Bedouin raids kept settled people in constant fear. They even attacked and plundered Hajj caravans unless paid off or forcibly restrained. Modern weapons and aircraft have significantly altered this dynamic, making it more difficult for tribesmen to hide in deserts or mountains. Tribes were historically at war or in armed truces with each other, requiring protection for entry into foreign territory. Ibn Saʿūd, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, established military and agricultural colonies called hijrah to encourage Bedouin sedentarization, a practice adopted by states like Jordan and Kuwait.
-Contrary to popular belief, Arabian tribes are not egalitarian. Some tribes possess a greater degree of sharaf or nobility than others. Tribes like the Hutaym and Sharārāt are considered inferior by noble tribes. Social standing in Arabia is primarily determined by tribal affiliation, with fathers often rejecting suitors from inferior tribes for their daughters.
+It is important to note that affiliation with a particular tribe does not necessarily entail direct kinship to that tribe, as individuals were sometimes adopted into a tribe. This was particularly true during the first centuries of Islam, at which point 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.
-Nomadic tribes in Arabia primarily herd camels, sheep, and goats. They migrate between pastures but participate in tribal markets to trade animals, wool, and ghee. Mountain peoples rely more on donkeys and raise cattle for agricultural and irrigation purposes, in addition to sheep and goats.<ref>"People of Arabia," ''Britannica'', https://www.britannica.com/place/Arabia-peninsula-Asia/People, accessed 5 September 2024.</ref>
 ==Information Recorded in the Records==
 ==Strategy==