Al Ashraf Association of Lebanon(The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet)

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Al-Ashraf[1]

 

Praise is To Allah who created the people into nations and tribes.

May Allah raise the rank of Prophet Muhammad and his pure family members

and choicest companions and protect his nation from what he fears for them.

Thereafter, the merit of the pure family members of the

Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, is confirmed in the glorious Qur'an and

the honorable sayings of the Prophet. Allah, the Exalted, said:

ا} {إن6ما يريد+ الله ليذهب) عنك+م الرجس) أهل البيت! ويطه�ركم تطهير�

This Ayah means: {Allah Willed to remove all abomination from you, O

members of the Family and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing}

Moreover, it is reported in the sahih saying of the Prophet that the

Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam,

included Hasan and Husayn and Fatimah and ^Aliyy inside his wrap around

and recited the above stated Ayah. This doing of the Prophet reflect the

greatness of their merit. This is why, and also out of our love for the

honorable family members of the Prophet, we have established an

association that takes care of them and look after their affairs namely, The

Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf.

The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf was established

in Beirut in 1990 and it is a charitable, social and educational association.

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Goals:

This association aims at identifying the families of the Descendants of the

Prophet Al-Ashraf and verifying their lineage. Likewise, the association

endeavors to enhance the social and educational ties among them, to assist

the poor and needy among them and to encourage their youth to acquire

knowledge and know how and to do acts of benevolence.

The venues of accomplishing the goals:

The association strives to meet its goals through all legitimate

methodologies and venues and especially in the following:

·        Spreading awareness and direction among its members and

others in the domains of social, educational and the authentic and pure

religious contexts.

·        Enhancing the love and good ethics that were attributes of the

meritorious Descendants and family members of the

Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam.

·        Conducting social and educational researches and publicizing

their conclusions.

·        Encouraging scientific specialization among its members and

directing them to generally benefit the homeland.

·        Carrying out researches, studies and verifications aimed at

authenticating the lineage of the family members of the honorable

Descendants of the Prophet and differentiating them from imposters.

Also producing Pedigrees of these families authenticated, verified and

certified by the signatures of the misters specializing in the science of

lineage.

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·        Carrying out social, educational, and athletic activities that lead

to strengthening the ties of love and homogeneity among the

members of the families of the Descendants of the Prophet.

·        Participating in seminars, panels and conferences inside

Lebanon and abroad within the context of the science of Lineage.

The resources of the Association

The resources of the aforementioned association come from the following

avenues:

·        Membership and monthly fees that members pay alongside an

income through the certificates of lineage confirmation that the

association issues.

·        Aids and contributions of entities and monies given by various

individuals and/or charitable institutions.

Lastly, The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf is

delighted to cooperate with the charitable and social institutions and the

individuals who are interested in this domain for the purpose of establishing a

wide spread benefit and accomplishing its goals.

 

[1] Al-Ashraf is the plural form of Sharif who is a descendant of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam.

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Mentioning Some of the Terminology Used by the Genealogists

The people of this science used many terms; however, we will confine

ourselves to mentioning the most famous of them out of fear of a lengthy

presentation.

§        Sahih An-Nasab (Authentic genealogy): It means ones

genealogy has been confirmed with the genealogists and was checked

against the original copy and was unanimously stated by the

genealogists who are known for trustworthiness, Godfearingness and

truthfulness.

§        Maqbul An-Nasab (Accepted genealogy): It means ones

genealogy was confirmed with some genealogists and others have

rejected it and thus became accepted through the testimony of two

upright witnesses.

§        Mashhur An-Nasab (Famous genealogy): It refers to the one

who is famous for being a descendant of the Prophet but his

genealogy is unknown and as such the genealogists judge him as

famous.

§        Mardud An-Nasab (Rejected genealogy): It refers to the one

who claims to belong to a tribe when he is not and then the tribe

deprive him the association and as such the genealogists judge him as

one with a rejected genealogy.

§        Fulanun Daraja (Died without offspring): The genealogists

mean by this term that one died without having offspring.

§        ^Aqibahu Min Fulan or al-^Aqib Min Fulan (The offspring is

restricted to him):  The genealogists mean by this term that the

offspring is restricted or confined to him.

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§        Fulanun A^qaba Min Fulan (The offspring is not restricted to

him): The genealogists mean by this term that the offspring is not

restricted or confined to him but rather it is possible that he had

offspring from others.

§        Fulanun Awlad or Walada (The offspring is not restricted to

him): It has the same meaning as the previous one.

§        Fulanun Inqarada (Had offspring that perished): It means one

did have offspring but ceased to exist.

§        Fulanun Qu^dud or Qu^aydu Fulan (The youngest of the

offspring): The genealogists mean by this term that one is the

youngest of the offspring and also express it as being the closest of

men to the great grandfather.

§        Fulanun ^Ariq An-Nasab ( Profound genealogy): The

genealogists mean by this term that ones mother is a descendant of

the Prophet and likewise her mother is and the more included the

more profound the genealogy is.

§        If they mention daughters for a man and name them then the

genealogists mean by this term that one does not have other offspring

but the daughters, unless they say mata ^anhunna (one died and left

them behind) or Mi'nath ( usually gives birth to daughters) orMi'nath

Awratha.  Mi'nath conforms to the linguistic structure of Mif^al; one

would say a woman is Mi'nath meaning she usually gives birth to

females.

§        Huwa Lighayr Rashdah (Illegitimate offspring):   The

genealogists mean by this term that one was born from an invalid

marriage contract. Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Al-Bayhaqiyy and others

narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said:     " ومن

which means: << The one "ادعى ولد�ا من غير رشدة فال يرث وال يورث

who attributes to himself a son from an invalid marriage he does not

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inherit him and is not inherited by him.>> Ibn al-Athir said: Az-

Zuhriyy said in the chapter of Bagha: "The known speech of Arabs is to

say so and so is a son of zanyah or son of rashdah, and it was

said zinyah and rishdah and the fathahaccentuation is more eloquent."

§        Huwa Waladun Da^iyy or Min al-Ad^iya' (One who fraudulently

attaches his genealogy to another man):   The genealogists mean by

this term that one attaches his genealogy to a man when he is not of

his lineage but rather he is of the lineage of another man.

§        Ummuhu Ummu Walad (Ones mother is a slave woman): The

genealogists mean by this term that his mother is a slave woman.

Likewise when they say fatat or sabiyyah. If the woman is freed she

would be called mawlat or they might say ^Utaqatu fulan or dhatu

yamin.

§        La Baqiyyah lahu (No offspring reported in the texts or had

offspring who perished):  The genealogists mean by this term that the

texts do not document offspring for one or that he had offspring who

perished. If one has a few offspring they say about him muqill and if

plenty of offspring mukthir. If they say tadhayyalu they mean they

have a long stretch of offspring.

§        Fihi Hadith or lahu Hadith (Ones genealogy lacks credibility): 

The genealogists mean by this term that ones genealogy lacks

credibility.

§        Usqita (Dropped out): The genealogists mean by this term that

one was dropped out from the descendants of the Prophet due to

being unattached to them or to ill doings andAllah  knows best.

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The Attributes of the Genealogists

Many conditions need to be satisfied in the person who wants to work with

genealogy and here below we shall highlight the most important conditions.

1.     To be pious so that one would be protected against accepting

bribes in exchange of fabricating a lineage. Some chronologists and

genealogists have reported that some of those who worked in this

science used to accept bribes to fabricate the lineage.

2.     To be truthful so that one would not lie about the genealogy and

negate what is confirmed of it and confirm what is falsely attached to

it.

3.     To avoid vileness, abhorrent matters and the violators of the

practices of the people of his status so that one  would be credible in

the sight of the elite and the lay people in a manner that if he confirms

or negates a genealogy one would not be objected to.

4.     To be deep rooted in the knowledge of this science with, sound

comprehension, good retention, and vast general knowledge, and to be

knowledgeable about the laws of the religion and its judgments

especially what pertains to the judgments related to the honorable

descendants of the Prophet.

5.     To be characterized with deliberate patience and carefulness

without haste and negligence and would confirm the verification of the

lineage prior to announcing ones opinion.

6.     To have a strong self integrity so that the influential people do

not frighten him and order him to commit a wrong doing or prohibit

him from a truthful matter.

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They added to that one more desirable attribute that one should have a good handwriting because the pedigrees deserve to be written in good handwriting.

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The Manners of the Honorable Descendant of the Prophet

Authored by: Dr. Kamal al-Hut al-Husayniyy

As to the manners of the honorable descendant of the prophet they are

numerous, among which are:

1- To adhere to the Book of Allah, the exalted, and the Sunnah-

recommended matters of the Prophet, Sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. Also for

one to be diligent in performing obedience to his Lord, the exalted.

2- To preserve his honor bestowed upon him by Allah, the exalted, from

vileness, abject doings and suspicion.

3- To not earn money based in return for his lineage and to not violate the

bounds of others relying on his authority.

4- To be diligent in performing humility toward the slaves of Allah who are

believers and to fear Allah the glorified.

5- To be generous to the Muslims lesser than him in status and to not be

hostile to those similar to him in status.

6- To Give merit to the people of cognizance, knowledge and religiosity,

even if he was similar to them in knowledge or better.

7- To maintain companionship with the religious people and benefit from

them in acquiring the personal obligatory religious knowledge, and to keep

attending the circles of knowledge and the scholars.

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8- To leave out priding oneself by ones fore fathers while committing

violations of the religious laws or when ignorant and not pursuing to acquire

the important religious knowledge. Allah, the exalted said in Surah al-

Hujurat, Ayah 13:

إنا خلقناكم من ذكر وأنثى وجعلناكم شعوب�ا وقبائل لتعارفوا يا أيهاالناس{

}إن أكرمكم عند الله أتقاكم إن الله عليم خبير

The Ayah means: O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female,

and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Lo!

The noblest of you, in the judgment of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah

is All Knowing and All Wise.

9- To have polite manners and be watchful over his words especially when

angry and delivering a speech.

10- To be generous to his visitors, visit his brethrens, protect his relatives,

connect with his kin and assist his neighbors.

Generally speaking, one needs to display the manners of the generous and

meritorious masters among the honorable family members of the

Prophet, Sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam.

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Knowing about the levels of the lineages and their attachments

The genealogists said: The genealogy of the Arabs today goes back either to

^Adnan or Qahtan and within them the lineages of the Arabs are contained.

However, with the increased difference in the number of fathers and their

names beyond them, and the hardship of the branched methodologies and

difficult avenues that confronted the Arabs, seeking lineages beyond Qahtan

and ^Adnan was stopped and confined to the validity of what is beneath

them.

Al-Qalqashandi said in Nihayat al-Arb p/20: "The linguists counted the levels

of genealogy as six levels.

The first level ash-Sh^ab (People): ash-Sh^ab has a fathah on the shin; it

refers to the farthest genealogy such as ^Adnan. Al-Jawhariyy said: He is the

father of the tribes to whom their lineage attaches and the plural form is

shu^ub (peoples). Al-Mawardi said in al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah: it was named

Sha^b (people) because the tribes branch from it.

Abu-al-Huda as-Sayyadi, the elite of the honorable family members of the

Prophet in Aleppo, said in ar-Rawd al-Bassam p/:" The singular form of

shu^ub is sha^b with a fathah when attributed to the tribe and shi^b with a

kasrah when attributed to a generation. It gathers the tribes and they branch

out from it and it is similar to the head compared to the body."

Allah the Exalted said in surah al-Hujurat:

The Ayah means: O you people We have created you as males and females

and made of you peoples and tribes so you may get acquainted.

 

Al-Qalqashandi said: " The second Level: al-Qabilah (tribe); it divides the

sha^b (people) such as Rabi^ah and Mudar. Al-Mawardi said: It was called

Qabilah because in it the lineages meet. The plural form is Qaba'il (tribes)

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and perhaps it is also called Jamajim as per the words of al-Jawhari who said:

the jamajim of the Arabs are the Qaba'il (tribes) which gather the Butun

(moieties).

Abu-al-Huda said: The Qabilah (tribe) which is less than the sha^b (people)

is what gathers al-^Ama'ir (tribal subdivisions); it was called Qaba'il because

they face and meet one another and are equal in numbers and it is similar to

the chest compared to the body."

Al-Qalqashandi said: The third level: al-^Imarah with a kasrah on the ^ayn

(tribal subdivision); it refers to the suddivisions of the lineages of the Qabilah

(tribe) such as Quraysh and Kinanah and the plural form is ^imarat and

^amayir (tribal subdivisions)."

Abu-al-Huda said:" the singular form of al-^ama'ir (tribal subdivisions) is

^imarah (tribal subdivision) and it gathers the Butun (moieties) and it is less

than the Qaba'il (tribes) and it is similar to the arms compared to the body."

Al-Qalqashandi said: the fourth level is al-Batn (Moiety): in it the lineages of

the ^imarah (tribal subdivision) divide such as Bani ^Abd Manaf and

Bani Makhzum and the plural is Butun ( Moieties).

Abu-al-Huda said:" the singular form of Butun (Moieties) is Batn (Moiety) and

it gathers the Afkhadh (Sub Moieties)."

Al-Qalqashndi said: the fifth level is al-Fakhdh (Sub Moiety): in it the

lineages of the Batn (Moiety) divide such as Bani Hashim and Bani 'Umayyah

and the plural form is Afkhadh (Sub Moieties)."

Abu-al-Huda said: the Afkhadh (Sub Moieties) is a name for what branches

out from the Batn (Moiety)."

Al Qalqashandi said:" the sixth level the Fasilah with a dotless sad (Phratry);

in it the lineages of the Fakhdh (Sub Moiety) divide such as Bani al-^Abbas. I

said: this is how al-Mawardi structured it in al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah and

likewise did az-Zamakhshari when he interpreted the saying of Allah the

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Exalted {وجعلناكم شعوب�ا وقبائل} except he gave Khuzaymah as an example

of Sha^b (people) and Kinanah of Qabilah (tribe) and Quraysh of ^Imarah

(tribal subdivision) and Qusayy of Batn (Moiety) and Hashim of Fakhdh (Sub

Moiety) and al-^Abbas of Fasilah (Phratry). In general the Fakhdh (Sub

Moiety) gathers the Qaba'il (tribes) and the Batn (Moiety) gathers the

Afkhadh (Sub Moieties) and the ^Imar (tribal subdivisions) gather the Butun

(Moieties) and the Qabilah (tribe) gathers the ^Ama'ir (tribal subdivisions)

and the Sha^b (people) gathers the Qaba'il (tribes)."

Abu al-Huda said:" the singular form of Fasa'il (Phratries) is Fasilah

( Phratry); it refers to the family in the mans household and his special

people. Allah the Exalted said in surah al-Ma^arij

The ayah means: the criminal will wish on the Day of Judgment to be

ransomed from the torture with his children and wife and brother and his

Fasilah (Phrantry) that accommodate him.

The fasilah (Phrantry) is similar to the foot which is a limb that contains

several joints."

Al-Qalqashandi said: An-Nawawiyy said in the edit of at-Tanbih: some have

added al-^ashirah (clan) before the Fasilah (Phartry). Al-Jawhariyy said: The

^Ashirah (clan) of a man are his close Raht (Kindred). Abu ^Ubaydah related

from al-Kalbiyy who related from his father: Placing first the sha^b (people)

then the Qabilah (tribe) then the Fasilah (Phratry) then the ^Imarah (tribal

subdivision) then the Fakhdh (Sub Moiety). Hence he placed after the Qabilah

the Fasilah in place of the ^Imarah and the ^Imarah in place of the Fasilah

before the Fakhdh and he did not denounce that which disagrees with him.

It is clear that the first structure has a higher priority as if they have

organized it in line with the organization of the human body, so they

considered the sha^b similar to the top of the head and the Qaba'il similar to

the intertwined parts of the head to which the tear canals are attached. Al-

Jawhariyy mentioned that the Qaba'il (tribes) of the Arabs where named as

such after the intertwined parts of the head, and they considered the

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^Imarah comes after to serve as a basis  for the Sha^b and Qabilah as the

case of how the foundation serves the building and after the foundation

comes the ^Imarah which is similar to the neck and chest of a human being

and they considered the Fakhdh after the Batn because the thigh of a human

being comes after the abdomen and they considered the Fasilah after the

Fakhdh, because it is the lowest lineage that attaches to a man, similar to the

shank and foot since what is meant by the Fasilah is the closest ^Ashirah as

in the saying of Allah هcتي تؤويcيلته الcوفص which means the Fasilah that

accommodate him and what accommodates a man is his closest ^Ashirah.

Know that most what is talked about regarding the six levels are the Qabilah

and Batn and rarely is mentioned about ^Imarah, Fakhdh and Fasilah also it

is possible to express any of the six levels byHayy (community) either

generally as in saying a Hayy (community) of Arabs or specifically as in

saying a Hayy (community) of Bani so and so. This is where the saying of al-

Qalqashandi ends.

Abu-al-Huda said: the singular form of ^Asha'ir (clans) is ^ashirah (clan)

and they are those who attach to four fathers and was called as such to the

^Ishrah-association of a man as in the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surah

ash-Shu^ara', 214 {وأنذر عشيرتك األقربين} which means warn your closest clan,

hence the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam warned Quraysh and confined

it to ^Abd Manaf with whom his lineage attaches to the fourth grandfather,

so this is why the attachment is up to four, and they are similar to the shanks

compared to the body and are relied upon underneath the thighs."

Abu-al-Huda added the Raht (Kindred) and 'Usrah (family) and said:" they

are the Raht (kindred) of a man and his 'Usrah (family) and they are similar to

the foot. The Raht is less than ten and the "Usrah is more, Allah the Exalted

said in surah an-Naml: {دون في األرض والjjjط يفسjjjعة رهjjjة تسjjjان بالمدينjjjوك

which means: there were in the city nine constituting a Raht causing {يصلحون

mischief in the land and do not do good. Abu Talib said in his poem:

ائ!ل! تي * وأمسكت+ في أبواب!ه! بالو)ص) وأ)حضرت+ عند) الب)يت! رهطي وأسر)

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This means I brought to the blessed house my Raht (kindred) and 'Usrah

(family) and Held to the gates by the hinges. What he meant by his Raht  was

the sons of his father Abu Talib and they were less than ten and his "Usrah

among Bani ^Abd Manaf who joined him in supporting the Prophetsallallahu

^alayhi wa sallam.

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How is the Lineage Confirmed!

The Lineage is confirmed with the jurisprudents and genealogists by one of the following

three proofs:

Firstly: The lawful bed. This is due to the Hadith of the prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa

sallam:

ر+" ج) ر! الح) اش! وللع)اه! ر) " الولد+ للف!

This Hadith means: the legitimate offspring is a result of the lawful bed and the adulterer

earns loss and deprivation. ThisHadith was narrated by al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Ibn

Majah, Ahmad, al-Bayhaqiyy among others. The Hafidh Ibn Hajar when explaining

this Hadith said in Fath al-Bari 29/12: that is the adulterer will have loss and deprivation.

Al ^ahar (الع}ه}ر) with two fathas is adultery.

Secondly: The proof. That is for the religious proof to be established with them, which

entails the testimony of two Muslim sane and trustworthy men whose trustworthiness is

known by experience or recommendation, and at that moment their saying will be

employed.

The testimony of the two trustworthy ones, regarding this matter, entails three scenarios:

to testify that this offspring is the son of so and so, or to testify that the offspring was

born on the bed of so and so, or to testify that the offspring is known among the people to

be the son of so and so.

Thirdly: Admittance. That is for the husband to confess in the session of the court or

outside of it that so and so offspring is his son.

The famous and widespread news. Imam Abu Hanifah may Allah accept his deeds said:

the lineage, death and marriage are confirmed by famous and widespread news. Ibn

Qudamah al-Hanbali related in al-Mughni and al Sharh al Kabir 21/12 the consensus of

the people of knowledge on the validity of the testimony of famous and widespread news

to establish the lineage and the birth, and he said: "Ibn al-Mundhir said: 'I do not know

any of the people of knowledge who prohibited that.'"

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The meaning of famous is for the news to propagate from a group of people that the mind

does not accept that they normally would collaborate to fabricate a lie that so and so is

the son of so and so.

Fifthly: The genealogists added a matter to what we have already mentioned and that is to

see the handwriting of one of the considerable genealogists who is trustworthy and one

knows his handwriting and is able to certify it. So if the handwriting of the genealogists

testifies to the matter, then he applies it.

Sixthly: For the subject claiming a lineage to bring the names of his forefathers and

grandparents along with the historical proof which constitutes the testimony of the

famous scholars or trustworthy rulers about the validity of his lineage with their

signatures or seals affixed, so if they find it correct they would sign it and testify that it is

valid.

Seventhly: Al- Qiyafah. In some situations it is religiously considered even though it only

necessitates a probable conviction, and the details of that is mentioned in the books of

jurisprudence.

A benefit: The difference between al- Mushajjar and al-Mabsut is that al-Mushajjar is

started with the lower moiety and escalates one father at a time up to the upper moiety

and al-Mabsut is started with the upper moiety and deescalates one son at a time to the

lowest moiety.

In summary, the son has precedence over the father in al-Mushajjar, and in al-Mabsut it is

the opposite where the father has precedence over the son.

The reference: Jami^ ad-Durar al-Bahiyyah li-'ansab al-Qurashiyyin fi al-Bilad ash-

Shamiyyah authored by Dr. Kamal al-Hout al-Husayniyy, published in Beirut

1424H/2003G (First edition)

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An elucidation of matters required by the researcher of  genealogy

Al-Qalqashandi said in “Nihayat al-Arb p/29: they are ten matters:

First: al-Mawardi said: if the lineages are far apart then the tribes become peoples

and the tribal subdivisions become tribes. What he meant is that the moieties

become tribal subdivisions, the sub moieties become moieties, the phratries become

sub moieties, and whatever lineages occur after that become phratries.

Second: Al-Jawhari mentioned that the tribes are the offspring of the same father,

and Ibn Hazm said: all of the Arab tribes go back to the same father except three

tribes and they are Tanoukh, al^atq and Ghassan. Every tribe amongst them is

composed of several moieties and we shall, God willing, address each of the three

tribes in the proper context.

It could be that the same father is the father of several moieties and the father of a

tribe could have several children that in turn generate a tribe or several tribes and

those who belong to his lineages would be attributed to him, and some remain

without an offspring, or would have an offspring but would remain anonymous and

would be attributed to the other tribe.

Third: if the lineage contained two or more levels such as Hashim and Quraysh

and Mudar and ^Adnan then it would be possible for the one at the end of the

lineage to be linked to all of them, hence it would be possible for the sons of Hashim

to be linked to Hashim and to Quraysh and to Mudar and to ^Adnan, hence one

would say about one of them the Hashemite and also the Qurayshian, the Mudarian,

the ^Adnanian, Moreover, al-Jawharisaid: to be linked upward in lineage suffices one

from being linked downward in lineage. Hence, if you say about the one linked in

lineage to Kalb Ibn Wabrah the “kalbiyy”, and then you are not in need of linking him

to any other roots. Others have mentioned that it is permissible to link in lineage

between the upper and lower levels. Others saw giving precedence to the upper over

the lower such as saying about the lineage of ^Uthman Ibn ^Affan:” al-‘Umawiyy al-

^Uthmaniyy”, and some saw giving precedence to the lower over the upper and say

“ al-^Uthmaniyy al-“Umawiyy”.

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Fourth: The man may be associated with other than his tribe through alignment or

freedom from slavery and thus be linked to them and thus would be said about him:

“so and so is the ally of tribe so and so or their freed slave”, as it is said about al-

Bukhariyy: “al-Ja^fiyy is their freed slave”, and the like.

Fifth: If the man belonged to a tribe and entered in another tribe then it is

permissible for him to be linked to his first tribe or to the tribe that he entered or to

both, such as it would be said: “the Tamimi and thereafter the Wa’iliyy or the Wa’iliyy

and thereafter the Tamimiyy and what is similar.

Sixth: The tribe mostly is named after the father who gave birth to the tribe such

as Rabi^ah and Mudar and al-Aws and Al-Khazraj and the like; the tribe might be

named by other than that. Sometimes the title would be attributed to a tribe by

virtue of a certain reason such as when Ghassan landed a well called Ghassan so

they were named after it, as we shall mention, God willing, when we mention their

tribe under the G index.

Perhaps the title was given to one individual among them and they were given the

name. Also other than that was mentioned as we shall address, God willing, when

talking about the plural form with the addition of the alif and lam along with the

dotless ra’.

Seventh: The names of the tribes in the terminology used by the Arabs are of five

classes:

First: To name the tribe by the terminology of the father such as ^Ad and Thamud

and Madyan and their likes. This terminology is used in the Qur’an such as the saying

of Allah, the exalted, وإلى عاد، والى ثمود، وإلى مدين( wa ila ^Ad , wa ila Thamud , wa

ila Madyan),  wanting by that the sons of ^Ad , the sons of Thamud and the like.

Mostly this takes place in the peoples and prominent tribes especially in the former

times and contrary to the moieties and the sub moieties and the like.

Second: to name the tribe by the terminology of Bani (sons of) so it would be said:

Banu (the sons of) so and so. Mostly this occurs in the moieties and sub moieties and

the smaller tribes and especially in the latter times.

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Third: to name the tribe by a plural form containing the letters of alif and lam such

as al-Talibin and al-Ja^afirah and the like. Mostly it occurs among the latter people

and not others.

Fourth: to express the name of the tribe by Al so and so, such as Al al Fadl and Al

^Ali and what is similar to that. Mostly it takes place in the latter times especially

among the Arabs of the countries of Ash-sham at our times, and what is meant by

the Al is the Ahl (the family of). 

Fifth: to be expressed by the sons of so and so, and this can only be found in the

latter Arab sub moieties, and scarcely.

Eighth: Most of the names of the Arabs are copied from the bank of their

imagination of what they encounter among animals such as the Asad and Nimr (lion

and the Tiger), or plants such as Nabt and Handhalah (plant and colocynth), or

insects such as Hayyah and Hanash (snake and lacertine snake), or the parts of the

Earth such as Fihr and Sakhr (Soil and Rock) and the like.

Ninth; Mostly the Arabs call their sons by disliked names such as Kalb

and Handhalah and Dirar and Harb and the like (dog, colocynth, harmful, war, etc),

and they call their slaves with favorable names such as Falah, Najah, and the like

(prosperity and success etc…). What is meant by that is what was mentioned that it

was said to Abu al Qays al Kilabi: “why do you call your sons by the worst names

such as Kalb and Dhi’b (dog and wolf) and your slaves by favorable names such as

Marzuk and Rabah (sustained and triumphant)?” he said:  “we name our sons for the

sake of our enemies and we name our slaves for our own sake”, wanting by his

statement that the sons are prepared to confront the enemies so they chose the

most evil names for them, and the slaves are prepared for themselves so they chose

the best names for them—that is in their own opinion.

Tenth: If in the tribe there were two identical names such as al-Harith and al-Harith

and al-Khazraj and al-Khazraj and the like, and one of them is an offspring of the

other or was born after him, they expressed the father and the one born first by al-

akbar (the greater), and the son and the one born after by al-asghar (the smaller).

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This could also happen among two brothers if one of them was older than the other.

The words of al-Qalqashandi end here.

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A Statement issued by the Association of al-Ashraf in Beirut 9/26/2005

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Praise is to Allah and may Allah raise the rank of His Messenger and protect his

nation from what he feared for them and raise the ranks of his pure family members

and kind companions. Thereafter: for whom it may concern:

The work of al-Ashraf is a great deed and it is a science with which a few are

nowadays engaging. We advise you that the Association of al-Ashraf in Beirut is an

independent association that takes care of the matters of genealogy and the

honorable people of the lineage of the Prophet in Lebanon in particular and around

the world in general. The association does not have any branches outside Lebanon

and is not affiliated in any way with the association of the family members of the

Prophet in Jordan or the website called al-Judhur of the aforementioned association

which placed the name of the association of al-Ashraf on its site.

We mention this here for your knowledge.

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The Journal of the family members of the Prophet

This journal contains matters related to the family members of the Prophet, their

judgments, merits, biographies and heritage and other.

Its regular chapters are:

-         The creed of the family members of the Prophet.

-          The science of genealogy.

-         The biographies of the elites of the family members of the Prophet.

-          In the vastness of the fragrant life of the Prophet.

-          The biographies of the elite people of lineage to the Prophet

throughout the centuries.

-         The families of the people of lineage to the Prophet in the Islamic

countries.

-         The pedigrees of the lineages.

-         The heritage of the family members of the Prophet in print and

manuscript.

-         The graves of the family members of the Prophet.

-         Among the manners of the family members of the Prophet

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-         The activities and news of the societies of people of lineage to the

Prophet

This journal is issued under the supervision of the Association of al-Ashraf in

Lebanon by experts and researchers in the field of genealogy and other Islamic

sciences who are characterized with truthfulness and high credentials and

experiences. 

Expect it soon.

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