Qahtanite
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qahtanite (Arabic: قحطان; transliterated: Qahtan) (English: Joktan) refers to 'al Arab al Aribah' or the aboriginal Arabs the who inhabited Yemen.
Between the 7th and the 14th century, the Arabs had forged an empire that extended their rule from Spain and southern France in the west, to western China in the east. During that time, Arabs, including Qahtanite tribes, spread over these lands and mixed with their native populations while keeping their identity clear. It is not unlikely to find Arabs of Qahtanite descent as far away as Morocco or Iran and many can trace their lineage to a very accurate level. Among the most famous examples of Qahtanite Arabs is the social scholar Ibn Khaldun who was born in Tunisia to a family that immigrated from Islamic Spain (Al-Andalus).
The name derives from Qahtan, the forefather of this southern Arab tribe. He is said to have been the first person to speak Arabic (as a son of Hud). His brother, Adnan, is said to be the forefather of the northern Arabs.
 |
This Yemen-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
