1

Harb Tribe


Singular – Al-Ḥarbi (‫)اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬

ḤARB, which literally means “war”, is a large confederation of Sunni clans in the Arabian
peninsula. There is no official population count but there is estimated to be approximately four
million Ḥarb in Saudi Arabia. Ḥarb tribal lands (or dīra) extend from the Red Sea coast in Ḥijaz
(Western Part of Saudi Arabia) to the heart of Najd in the central region of Saudi Arabia, and
from Medina and Mecca in the north to Al Qunfudhah in the south.

The Ḥarb Family Tree

The origins of Ḥarb tribe came from the 2nd century of the Islamic calendar, when Qaḥtani
tribes emigrated from the south of Arabian Peninsula to Hijaz in the 8th century for water and
land space. As a result, this caused several tribal conflicts with the native and mostly ‘Adnani
tribes (Arabian tribes classify themselves as either ‘Adnani or Qahtani in origin) of Hijaz such as

Rev1
 2

Juhainah, Inazah, Muzianah, and Sulaim over land and water. After around three centuries in
the Hijaz, the Ḥarb tribe became a dominant tribe centered at Medina.

Harb

The traditional homeland (dīrah) of the Ḥarb

It is important to note that the Ḥarb like many other Arabian tribes is a federation of smaller
tribes and families. The Muzaynah of Saudi Arabia are considered to be from the Ḥarb, but it is
well known that they are a tribe in their own right, going back to the time of Muhammad.

In the revolt of the desert against the Turks in World War I, only part of the Ḥarb fought on the
side of Sherif Husein. Most of them stood against Abdulaziz Ibn Saud in 1924.

Many of the Ḥarb have migrated in recent decades to the major metropolitan centers of Saudi
Arabia, especially Jeddah and Dammam, in search of better education and employment, though
their largest numbers continue to be in the holy cities of Medina and Mecca. A large population
of Harb is also found in Qasim.

The Ḥarb have two main sections, Banu Salim and Masrooh:

 Masrooh

 Banu ‘Amr

Rev1
 3

 Banu ‘Ali
 Banu ‘Awf
 Banu As Safar
 Zubaid (Al-Zubaidi)
 Mukhallaf

 Banu Salim

Maymoon

 Al-Aḥamidah (Al-Aḥmadi)
 Arhelah (Al-Ruḥaili)
 Wild Muḥammad (Al-Muḥammadi)
 Subh "As-Subiih" (As-Subhi)
 As-Surahah (As-Suraihi)
 Al-Matalihah (Al-Matlahi)
 Banu Amri (Al-Amri As-Salimi)
 Al-Mahameed (Al-Mihmadi)
 Al-Quwad (Al-Qa'idi)
 Al-Hayadirah (Al-Haidari)
 Banu Yahya (Al-Yahyawi)
 Al-Mawari'ah (Al-Muwarra'i)
 Ar-Roothan (Ar-Ruwaithi)

Al-Marawwihah

 Muzaynah(al-Muzaini)
 Al-Dhawahrah (Al-Dhahiri)
 Al-Balajiyah (Al-Ballaji)
 Al-Hujalah (Al-Hujaili)
 Al-Hawazim (Al-Hazimi)
 Al-Hunaitat (Al-Hunaiti)
 Al-Hananoyah (Al-Hunaini)

Customs:

 The Ḥarbiya is known among many Saudis as the traditional kiss whereby the right
cheeks make contact once, and then the left cheeks make contact at least once or twice,
sometimes many more times. The Ḥarbiya is a standard Saudi greeting, however some
of the tribes often greet in other ways, such as a kiss on the nose (Gaḥtani tribe) or on
the right side only (Shammar tribe).
 The Ḥarb are famous for their various forms of traditional music and dancing, including
Khbaity (‫)ﺧﺑﯾت‬, Bedwany (‫)ﺑدواﻧﻲ‬, Ḥraby (‫)ﺣراﺑﻲ‬, Radeeh (‫ )ردﯾﺢ‬and Zeer (‫)زﯾر‬.

Rev1
 4

People to Know:
Abdullah bin Ḥamoud Al-Ḥarbi

 Member of the Shūra royal advisory council of Saudi Arabia.

Prayer Points:

 Though the Ḥarb tribe is known for its historic raids on caravan and pilgrimage routes,
we pray that they would become people of peace and trustworthiness, as they give
allegiance to the Prince of Peace.

 As the Ḥarb tribe well known for being a large federation of smaller tribes, pray that
God would bring them into his kingdom, and that he would use them to unite the local
church.

 Pray for the church of Medina and Mecca where the Ḥarb tribe continues to have
particular influence.

 As the Ḥarb are known for their many traditional dances, pray that they would dance
and rejoice in the Lord’s salvation with tamborines and drums, and that their women
would sing and trill (zaghareed) in the wedding procession of Christ.

Rev1
 5

Qasim and Ha'il Areas

Tamimi ‫اﻟﺗﻣﯾﻣﻲ‬
%2
Qahtani ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
'Utaibi ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬ %1 Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬
%4
Shammari
‫اﻟﺷﻣري‬
Mutairi
Rushaidi ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬ 'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬
%6
Rushaidi
Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬
‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬
'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬ %32 'Utaibi ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬
%9
Tamimi
‫اﻟﺗﻣﯾﻣﻲ‬
Qahtani
Mutairi ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬ ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
%14 Su'bai ‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬

Balwi ‫اﻟﺑﻠوي‬
Shammari ‫اﻟﺷﻣري‬
%32

Approximate distribution of tribes in Qasim and Ha’il Areas

Note that the Harb populations represented above are primarily in Qasim

Rev1
 6

Eastern Province (Al-Khobar, Dammam, Jubail, Khafji,

Nu'ariyah, Hofuf, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Hafr Al-Batin, etc)
Shammari
‫اﻟﺷﻣري‬
Shahrani Dosari
‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟدوﺳري‬
Qahtani
%1.4
Harthi ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
Malki ‫اﻟﺣﺎرﺛﻲ اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬ 'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬
%1.2 %1.0
Yami ‫اﻟﯾﺎﻣﻲ‬ Mutairi
%1.6 ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
Sahli Shamrani Harbi
‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬
Rushaidi
%1.0 %1.0 Ghamdi
‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬
%2.0 Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬
'Utaibi
'Ajmi ‫ اﻟﻌﺟﻣﻲ‬%1.6 ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬
%2.0 Shammari ‫اﻟﺷﻣري‬ Zahrani
%9.6 ‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬
Murri ‫اﻟﻣري‬ Khaldi
%2.8 ‫اﻟﺧﺎﻟدي‬
Hajri Su'bai
Dosari ‫اﻟدوﺳري‬ ‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬
‫اﻟﮭﺎﺟري‬ %9.4 Shahri
%2.9
‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬
Shahri ‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬ Hajri
%3.2 ‫اﻟﮭﺎﺟري‬
Qahtani ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬ Murri
Su'bai ‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬ %8.6 ‫اﻟﻣري‬
%3.6 'Ajmi ‫اﻟﻌﺟﻣﻲ‬
Khaldi ‫اﻟﺧﺎﻟدي‬
%4.2 'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬ Rushaidi
Zahrani ‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬ %8.2 ‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬
Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬
%4.7
Yami ‫اﻟﯾﺎﻣﻲ‬
'Utaibi ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬ Mutairi ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
%6.4 %8.0 Shahrani
Ghamdi ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬ ‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬
%6.9 Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬ Malki
%7.2 ‫اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬

Approximate distribution of tribes in the Eastern Province

Rev1
 7

Medina Area (Khaibar, Al-'Ula,

Mahd Al-Dhahab, Yanbu', Tabuk, Taima', etc) Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬

Balwi ‫اﻟﺑﻠوي‬
Harthi
‫اﻟﺣﺎرﺛﻲ‬ Jahini ‫اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬
%1 Shamrani ‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬
%1 'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬
Shahrani ‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬ 'Ațawi
Sharari %1
Malki ‫اﻟﺷراري‬ ‫اﻟﻌطوي‬
'Utaibi ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬ Mutairi
‫اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬ %1
%2 Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
%1 'Aseeri ‫اﻟﻌﺳﯾري‬
%1 Rushaidi
%1 ‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬
Ghamdi ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬ Qahtani
%2 Shahri
‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬
Shammari ‫ اﻟﺷﻣري‬%2 Huwaiti
%2 ‫اﻟﺣوﯾطﻲ‬
Zahrani
Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬ ‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬
Sahli ‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬ %14 Sahli ‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬
Zahrani %2
‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬ Ghamdi
%3 ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬
'Utaibi
Huwaiti
‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬
‫اﻟﺣوﯾطﻲ‬ Balwi ‫اﻟﺑﻠوي‬ Shammari
%3 %13 ‫اﻟﺷﻣري‬
Shahri Qahtani
‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬ ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
%3 Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬
Rushaidi ‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬
%6 Harthi
Jahini ‫اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬
‫اﻟﺣﺎرﺛﻲ‬
%13 Malki ‫اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬
Mutairi ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
Shamrani
%8
‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬
'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬ Sharari
'Ațawi ‫اﻟﻌطوي‬ %10 ‫اﻟﺷراري‬
%9 Shahrani
‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬

Approximate distribution of tribes in the Medina area

Rev1
 8

'Anizi Jeddah Area

0.8 ,‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬
Dosari ,‫اﻟدوﺳري‬
0.9 Balwi 0.8 ,‫اﻟﺑﻠوي‬ Ghamdi
'Aseeri ,‫اﻟﻌﺳﯾري‬ ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬
1.0 Zahrani
‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬
Sahli 1.0 ,‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬ Yami 0.6 ,‫اﻟﯾﺎﻣﻲ‬ Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬

Thaqafi 1.1 ,‫اﻟﺛﻘﻔﻲ‬ Shahri

‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬
Rushaidi 0.6 ,‫اﻟرﺷﯾدي‬ Mutairi
‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
Su'bai 1.1 ,‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬ Jahini ‫اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬
Shahrani 1.1 ,‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬
'Utaibi
Shamrani 3.7 ,‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬
Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬
Qahtani 4.8 ,‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬ Qahtani
‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
Ghamdi %23 ,‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬ Shamrani
‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬
Shahrani
‫اﻟﺷﮭراﻧﻲ‬
Garni 5.1 , ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬ Su'bai
‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬
'Utaibi 5.5 ,‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬ Thaqafi
‫اﻟﺛﻘﻔﻲ‬
Zahrani 17.5 ,‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬ Sahli ‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬

Jahini ,‫اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬ 'Aseeri

5.5 ‫اﻟﻌﺳﯾري‬
Dosari
Mutairi ‫اﻟدوﺳري‬
6.4 ,‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬ 'Anizi ‫اﻟﻌﻧزي‬

Balwi ‫اﻟﺑﻠوي‬
Shahri ‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬
7.4 , Yami ‫اﻟﯾﺎﻣﻲ‬
Harbi 10.6 ,‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬

Approximate distribution of tribes in the Jeddah area

Rev1
 9

Mecca Area
'Utaibi
Sahli 1.0 ,‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬
Zahrani
Su'bai 1.1 ,‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬ ‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬
Dosari 1.4 ,‫اﻟدوﺳري‬ Mutairi 1.0 ,‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬ Harbi ‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬
Jahini Shamrani Ghamdi
'Aseeri 0.7 ,‫اﻟﻌﺳﯾري‬
1.9 ,‫ اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬1.6 ,‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬ ‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬
Thaqafi Malki ‫اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬
Qahtani 1.6 ,‫اﻟﺛﻘﻔﻲ‬
2.5 ,‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬ Harthi
‫اﻟﺣﺎرﺛﻲ‬
Shahri ‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬ Garni ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬
2.7 ,
Shahri
Garni ‫اﻟﺷﮭري‬
, ‫اﻟﻘرﻧﻲ‬ 'Utaibi %19 , ‫اﻟﻌﺗﯾﺑﻲ‬ Qahtani
3.0 ‫اﻟﻘﺣطﺎﻧﻲ‬
Jahini ‫اﻟﺟﮭﻧﻲ‬

Thaqafi
‫اﻟﺛﻘﻔﻲ‬
Harthi 6.8 ,‫اﻟﺣﺎرﺛﻲ‬ Shamrani
‫اﻟﺷﻣراﻧﻲ‬
Zahrani 18.9 ,‫اﻟزھراﻧﻲ‬ Dosari
‫اﻟدوﺳري‬
Malki 7.4 ,‫اﻟﻣﺎﻟﻛﻲ‬ Su'bai
‫اﻟﺳﺑﯾﻌﻲ‬
Sahli ‫اﻟﺳﮭﻠﻲ‬

Mutairi
Ghamdi 10.4 ,‫اﻟﻐﺎﻣدي‬ ‫اﻟﻣطﯾري‬
'Aseeri
‫اﻟﻌﺳﯾري‬
Harbi 18.6 ,‫اﻟﺣرﺑﻲ‬

Approximate distribution of tribes in the Mecca area

Rev1