'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎279] (294/1050)

'ASlR
279
2. Nomads. 5,000 men.
Chief Shaikh: Khudan Ibn Muhammad.
A1 'Umr
Bani Athla
A1 Husain
Ahl 'Aqabah Saqain
A1 Um Jhaini
A1 Umara
Khudan Ibn "Muhammad.
'Abdullah Dhaffar.
Nasir Ibn Sa'id.
Ghurm Ibn Dhafir.
Muhammad Ibn Shatir.
Shaikh Shubaili.
SHUMRAN—
The Shumran occupy a part of tho high upland country tlirough which runs the
Abha-Taif road and extend down the slopes of the hills to the Tihamah.
They are bounded on the west and north by the Ghamid, on the east by the Shahran'
and on the south by the Khath'am and Bal Qarn. They are divided into the Shumran -
ash-Sham, Shumran-at-Tihamah, and the nomads, each section Bumbering about 2 000
men. The northern Shumran and the nomads are under the Shaikhship of Hasan Ibn
Matar, a young man of 30, who has a good reputation for wisdom in tribal matters and
has made a name of for himself in war. Their chief centre is Al-Balus, the largest of
a number of villages near the Khath'am border, set in a rich and well-wooded valley.
The nomads, the Suhab, and A1 Mubarak wander down into the Tihamah in the winter
or stay round Al-Balus, and in the summer go up with the Bui Qarn and other nomads
to the Shahran country round Bishah for the date season.
They own many sheep and goats, but few camels.
The most important section of the Shumran-at-Tihamah is Al-'Ubus, under Shaikh
'Ishaq Ibn Muzallaf, whose chief village is Marwa'a. They have permanent vilWes in
which they live during winter, but in summer most of them lead a nomadic life, living in
straw-woven tents. The whole tribe unites in war, their chief enemies boma the
Ghamid. They are also usually at odds with their weaker neighbour the Khath'am
Their reputation as a fighting race is good, and they share with the Bui Qarn the custom
of purifying themselves and wearing the finest clothes before going into battle In
normal times, they are an hospitable and light-hearted race, ever ready to find an excuse
for relaxation. Marriage festivals are celebrated on a much larger scale than is usual
in 'Aslr. Their outside political leanings are -strongly in favour of the Idrisi
against the Sharif of Mecca and the Turks.
The tribe is decended from the Rijal-al-Hajar.
(a) Shumran-ash-Sham . Settled round Al-Balus. 2,000 men.
Chief Shaikh : Hasan Ibn Matar.
A1 Mahshaka » . .. .. Mashari Ibn ' Ali.
Bani Matar .. .. .. Mashabab Ibn Sa'id.
(b) Bedouins. 2,000 men, also under Hasan Ibn Matar.
As-Suhab .. ,, . • Nasir Ibn Fuzan.
A1 Mubarak .. .. . .. Sa'ud Ibn Mishrik.
(c) Shumran-al-Yemen. 2,000. Settled.
THUWWA(B ani)—
The Bani Thuwwa lie to the south of Muhail and are astride the main Abha-Muhai-
road between Butuh and the Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Sha'b-al-Asla, a distance of 10 miles, and the Abha
Athalif-Muhail road between Jabal Hoila and Huus Bani Thuwwa, a distance of 15 miles
The territory between these roads is theirs, and their boundary on the north approaches
within 5 miles of Muhail.
Their neighbours on the north are the A1 Musa and Ar-Raish, on the east Bui Asmar
on the south A1 Nahya and A1 Harith of the Rabi'ah-wa-Rufaidhah, and on the west the
Bahr Ibn Sukaina.
The tribe numbers some 2,000 men, of whom two-thirds are settled, the remainder
A1 'Ubus
'Ishaq Ibn Muzallaf.
nomad.