'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1268] (317/688)

MtJNTAFlK
replied that he was a Muntafik, it would probably mean that he belonged to the Sa'adun
family. On the other hand, if he were in Mecca or Damascus he would call himself a
Muntafik, a term which would identify him in any part of Arabia.
Territory. —To the Muntafik belong both banks of the Euphrates together with the
adjacent western desert from Durraji, between the towns of Samawahand Nasiriyah,
to the junction of the Euphrates and Tigris ; also the banks of the Shatt-al-Gharaf except
in its upper course, the right bank of the Tigris from 'Azair to Qurnah Village and the
whole western portion of the country, called JazTrah or Mesopotamia, included between
those three. Part of the right bank of the 8hatt-al-'Arab below Basrah was formerly
occupied by the Muntafik, but they wore at some period displaced by the Muhaisin;
some of them, however, are still found at Ma'amir above Fao and at Kut-al-Khal fah in
the Dawasir District. The Muntatik are adjoined by the DhafJr on the West, and by the
Khaza'il on the north-west; while the Bani Rabi'ah, A1 Bu Daraj and A1 Bu Muhammad
intervene between them and the Tigris bank from Kut-al-Amarah to 'Azair. It fellows
that the bulk of the tribe are under the government of Basrah and comparatively few
under that of Baghdad The chief towns in the Muntafik country are Su-qash-Shuyukh,
8hatrat-al-Muntafik and Nasirlyah, and the tribe also frequent the town of Samawah.
Divisi(jns.~~Ko estimate of the number of the Muntafik is possible and their sub
divisions are innumerable ; but they are sometimes classified under the throe heads of
Ajwad, Bani Sa id or Al Bu Sa'ad and Bani Malik ; of these the first aro predominant
in the Euphrates valley above Hammar, the second (sometimes treated as a distinct
tribe) are chiefly found upon the Tigris and Shatt-al-'Arab and have their centre about
Qurnah, while the third are now generally regarded as a separate tribe and have been so
dealt with in this Gazetteer. The Al Bu Sa'ad were actively hostile to us during the great
War. Zamil-al-Manna' is now titular head of the Ajwad Division.
The term Muntafik is properly applicable to the central core only of the great tribal
congeries of Which the territorial limits have been described above ; but in use it has
become extended to the whole. Some of the components of the tribe in the wider sense
occasionally separate themselves from the general body and this is considered to be the
position at present of the Bani Malik, and in a lesser degree of the Ajwad. Various
client tribes also, though not included under the name, are closely associated with the
Muntafik ; such were formerly the Bani Mansur and Ahl Jazair. Part of the once famous
Bani Khalid tribe is believed to have been absorbed in the Muntafik.
Mode of life. A large part of the Muntafik tribe is still Bedouin ; but the remainder
inhabit tents, reed-huts, villages and even towns, cultivate the land, grow dates, and breed
Bheep cattle, buffaloes and camels: many, however, even of those who belong to the
settled pastoral sections, rove the desert in spring with their flock and herds for the sake
of the grazing. The Muntafik women do not veil their faces.
Beligion and political position.-Ai\ the Muntafik tribesmen are Shi'ahs with the
exception of the small Sahaiyim section of the Al Humaid and it is remarkable that not
ordy are tho ruhng family, the Sa adun, Sunnis, but the Manna' family, who have been
Shaikhs of the Aj wad Division for the last 80 years, are also Suanis. The Sa'idun sub-
5()0 y ear9 a g 0 and claim to be Saiyids
of the family of the Shar.f of Mecca. In war they carry swords and lancet and thev
are well armed »,th nftes; a large propcrtion of their mounted men are camel-riders
agai "t them" 016 n< ' r0r ^ y With th0 ^ ^ Were o£t0,1 in reb<!lli<ra
The term Sa adun is often used to denote the descendants, not only of Sa'adun himself
but also of his two brothers, Muhammad and Rodhan. '
Of late years the most famous Sa 'adun Shaikh was Nasir \r-c- - u u
succeeded by his son Falih but after this there Was n^Sh^^^ ^ ^
Mansur and a brnfTipr nf TTsiiv. ol , onaikh till Sa adun, the son of
Mansur and a brother of Falih, became Shaikh ; 'Ajaimi is Sa 'adun 's second son.
The rightful heir, Falih's son, 'Abdullah, never acknowledrrprl Sn'ari- 'a ■ i ii,
Shaikhship and fought him and beat him. ng