Banu Yam
Encyclopedia
Banu Yam are a large tribe native to Najran Province in Saudi Arabia
, and are the principal tribe of that area. They belong to the Qahtanite
branch of Arabian tribes, specifically the group known as Hamdan
, and are therefore native to southwestern Arabia.
Their traditional way of life was well suited to life in the Arabian Desert
and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands they once lived in. Most have now moved in to small villages and given up their once nomadic way of life. The tribe
of Yam was also the progenitor of two other important tribes: the Al Murrah
and the 'Ujman of eastern Saudi Arabia
and the Persian Gulf
coast.
The Yam are notable among the tribes of Saudi Arabia for the vast majority of its members traditionally follow the small Isma'ili branch of Shi'ite Islam
. Religious leadership is currently in the hands of the al-Makrami clan
, who joined Yam through alliance some time in the 17th century. Members of the tribe can be found throughout Saudi Arabia
due to migration
, particularly the areas around Jeddah
and Dammam
. Unlike some other tribes of southwestern Saudi Arabia
, Yam have traditionally had a large bedouin
section, due to the proximity of their territories to the formidable desert known as the Empty Quarter
.
They are also unlike some of their neighboring tribes in that they are recorded to have repeatedly raided the neighboring region of Najd
, reaching as far north as Dhruma near Riyadh
during the time of the First Saudi State
in 1775, and causing much panic.
http://assets.cambridge.org/97805216/43351/frontmatter/9780521643351_frontmatter.pdf
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and are the principal tribe of that area. They belong to the Qahtanite
Qahtanite
The terms Qahtanite and Qahtani refer to Semitic peoples either originating in, or claiming genealogical descent from the southern extent of the Arabian Peninsula, especially from Yemen....
branch of Arabian tribes, specifically the group known as Hamdan
Hamdan
Hamdan is a name of Arab origin. Among people named Hamdan include:*Al-Hamdan, famous Druze family*Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Yemeni Guantanamo detainee, driver and bodyguard of Osama bin Laden*Gibran Hamdan, quarterback for the Buffalo Bills...
, and are therefore native to southwestern Arabia.
Their traditional way of life was well suited to life in the Arabian Desert
Arabian Desert
The Arabian Desert is a vast desert wilderness stretching from Yemen to the Persian Gulf and Oman to Jordan and Iraq. It occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula, with an area of...
and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands they once lived in. Most have now moved in to small villages and given up their once nomadic way of life. The tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of Yam was also the progenitor of two other important tribes: the Al Murrah
Al Murrah
The Al Murrah is a tribe descended from the well-known Banu Yam tribe. Al Murrah are a tribe of camel-herding nomads, recently some of them have taken up permanent settlement near to traditional Oasis. They exist in many places all over the Arabian Peninsula, but intensively in southern and eastern...
and the 'Ujman of eastern Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
coast.
The Yam are notable among the tribes of Saudi Arabia for the vast majority of its members traditionally follow the small Isma'ili branch of Shi'ite Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Religious leadership is currently in the hands of the al-Makrami clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
, who joined Yam through alliance some time in the 17th century. Members of the tribe can be found throughout Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
due to migration
Human migration
Human migration is physical movement by humans from one area to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups. Historically this movement was nomadic, often causing significant conflict with the indigenous population and their displacement or cultural assimilation. Only a few nomadic...
, particularly the areas around Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
and Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
. Unlike some other tribes of southwestern Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Yam have traditionally had a large bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
section, due to the proximity of their territories to the formidable desert known as the Empty Quarter
Empty Quarter
The Rub' al Khali or Empty Quarter is one of the largest sand deserts in the world, encompassing most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, including most of Saudi Arabia and areas of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The desert covers some The Rub' al Khali or Empty Quarter...
.
They are also unlike some of their neighboring tribes in that they are recorded to have repeatedly raided the neighboring region of Najd
Najd
Najd or Nejd , literally Highland, is the central region of the Arabian Peninsula.-Boundaries :The Arabic word nejd literally means "upland" and was once applied to a variety of regions within the Arabian Peninsula...
, reaching as far north as Dhruma near Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
during the time of the First Saudi State
First Saudi State
The First Saudi State was established in the year 1744 when imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Prince Muhammad ibn Saud formed an alliance to establish a religious & political sovereignty determined to cleanse the Arabian Peninsula of heretical practices and deviations from orthodox Islam...
in 1775, and causing much panic.
See also
- Bani YasBani YasBani Yas is a tribe in the United Arab Emirates that had a coalition with many other tribes in the region. The tribal coalition which consists of tribes from Dubai to Khawr al Udayd southeast of Qatar, was called the Bani Yas Coalition. The tribe has been led by their rulers the Al Nahyan and their...
- Bani Hareth
- Banu ThaqifBanu ThaqifThe Thaqif was one of the tribes of Arabia during Muhammad's era. Thaqif was the main tribe of the town of Taif, in present-day Saudi Arabia, and descendants of the tribe still live in that city today and so many names in Arab countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Hatay...
- Al Saud
- Al MaktoumAl MaktoumAl Maktoum is the family name of the ruling dynasty of the emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Al Maktoum family is a branch of the Bani Yas tribe , a powerful bedouin clan from the interior...
- House of Al-FalasiHouse of Al-FalasiThe Al Maktoum family descends from the Al Bu Falasah section of the Bani Yas, a highly respected and authoritative tribal federation that has been the dominant power throughout most of what is now the United Arab Emirates....
Sources
http://books.google.com/books?id=31nuCZESLe0C&pg=PA193&lpg=PA193&dq=banu+yam+saudi&source=web&ots=tFo0JhwYDO&sig=UQF_XAZlALT8xBC3vIcRcP9DuOghttp://assets.cambridge.org/97805216/43351/frontmatter/9780521643351_frontmatter.pdf