'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎813] (868/1050)

HEJAZ . 813
Manash, west of Madhik, near Fur'.
Jahm, between Mecca and Medina in Fur'.
The whole section numbers about 2,000 tents, say 16,000 souls. In conjunction with
the Zubeid, it is charged with the custody of the Hajj roads from Medina to Mecca;
but it closes these as frequently as it keeps them open.
(3) The Zubeid are fishermen and sailors along the coast from Jiddah to Yambo'.
Mostly settled in village, they are of a stock despised by purely nomadic Arabs. Their
paramount Sheikh, Hussein Ibn Mubeirik, lives at Rabugh. His territory extends from
Masturah in the north to Quliyah in the south. He is on excellent terms with the Emir
of Mecca and in constant communication with him.
This is the section of the Harb with which those who do not penetrate beyond the
littoral have most to do, and it is the only section which owns an accessible paramount
chief, whose word can be taken for the behaviour of the majority of his tribesmen. As
has been already said (page ) it is found not only within the above limits, but also south
of Lith {see Handbook to Asir). Its principal sub-tribes or clans are;—
Sahaf, 500 men ; in Jebel Gharan.
Usum, 80 men ; at Khalis.
Mugharihah, 50 men ; between Jiddah and Rabugh.
Sct'ayadah, 50 men ; between Jiddah and Rabugh.
Wiffiyan.
Jathathihah, in Kadoid.
J id? an, Thahaban to Jiddalu
Hamud.
Jerajirahf 80 men ; near Khalis,
Izarah, 80 men ; near Khalis.
Wildiyah, near Khalis.
Yahadhah, 100 men ; in Towal.
Vslan, 100 men ; from Rabugh to Thahaban.
Some authorities reckon to it also the notorious Auf with its three sub-clans, the
Suwaid, Lehabah, and Sahliyah, the most dreaded of all the Harb. The whole Zubeid
section in Hejaz numbers some 1,500 tents, or 12,000 souls.
7.—A teibah.
The Ateibah are the most powerful tribe in Central Arabia, strong in arms and great
camel-breeders. Among all the nomads they are second in importance only to the Ana-
zah. They occupy the eastern side of the Hejaz, with the volcanic harrahs between the
Hajj road and the Central Arabian steppes. But, as has already been said, they do
not come strictly within the province as defined for our present purpose, and of the two
great sections, the Roqah alone approaches our borders. Its clans, which sometimes
enter the Hejaz, such as the Helissah, Meraukhah, Kurzan, Sebbahah, Marashidah,
and Smarrah, are small in numbers and breed sheep only. Politically, however, not
only the Roqah section, but also the other and more purely Nejd section, the Berqah,
has to be borne in mind by any one dealing with Hejaz; since, to some extent, the
whole tribe owes fealty to the Emir of Mecca and comes at his call, more particularly
if he is at enmity with the Emir of Riadh, towards whom the Ateibah have long been
hositle.
8.—Ashraf.
The Ashraf in general are the descendants of Hassan, who was son of Ali and Fatima,
and through the latter grandson of the Prophet. There are said to be twenty-one
clans of this descent scattered over Arabia, of which fifteen live wholly or in part in
Hejaz or North-west Asir, and chiefly in and near Mecca. For the most part numeri
cally small, they derive importance from the consideration which their individual mem
bers enjoy throughout Arabia. The Emirs (Grand Sherifs) of Mecca have been derived
from one or another branch of the descendants of Abu Numej (who was of the Qatadah
stock) for so many centuries, that succession to this office is, in practice, as much con
fined by prescription to two or three only of these clans, as the Sultanate of Turkey is
to the House of Othman.
The mutual affinities, the interconnection, and the present condition of the Ashraf
clans, are not well known ; and many of them* are mere names to us. But something
can be said about the chief among them, who are of political or tribal importance.
(a) 'Abadilah is the ruling clan at present, being that to which the Emir (Grand
Sherif) and his house belong. It is descended from Sherif Abdullah, grandson of Moham-