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Arab

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Table of contents
1 Definition
2 Traditional Genealogy:
3 The term "Arab" in history
4 External link

Definition

There are three factors which play varying degrees in determining whether someone is considered Arab or not:

The relative importance of these factors is estimated differently by different groups. Most people who consider themselves Arabs do so on the basis of the overlap of the political and linguistic definitions, but some members of groups which fulfill both criteria reject the identity on the basis of the genealogical definition. Not many people consider themselves Arab on the basis of the political definition without the linguistic one - thus, Kurds or Berbers usually identify themselves as non-Arab - but some do (for instance, some Berbers do consider themselves Arab.)

The genealogical definition was widely used in medieval times (Ibn Khaldun, for instance, does not use the word "Arab" to refer to "Arabized" peoples, but only to those of originally Arabian descent), but is usually no longer considered to be particularly significant.

Most, but not all, Arabs are Muslims. Most American Arabs (about two-thirds) are Christian Arabs, particularly from Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon.

Traditional Genealogy:

In Islamic and Jewish tradition, Arabs are a Semitic people who trace their ancestry from Ishmael, a son of the ancient patriarch Abraham and Hagar. Medieval Arab genealogists divided the Arabs into two groups: the "original Arabs" of South Arabia, descending from Qahtan (identified with the biblical Joktan) and the "Arabized Arabs" (musta`ribah) of North Arabia, descending from Adnan, supposed to be a son of Ishmael. See Qahtanite.

The term "Arab" in history

Arabs are first mentioned in writing in an Assyrian inscription of 853 BC, where Shalmaneser III lists a King Gindibu of matu arbaai (Arab land) as among the people he defeated at the Battle of Karkar.


See also: Semitic, Ababda, Pan-Arabism, Arab League, Palestinian, Bedouin, Arabic language, Arabic alphabet, Arabia, Arab World, Nabataeans, Lakhmids, Ghassanids

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Arab Social Science Research
A major program of the Arab Institute for Studies and Communication to promote electronic networking and publishing in the Arab region, to link Arab social science research centers. Includes a profile, virtual library, announcements and briefs on research centers.
http://www.assr.org

Arabesque
Weekly Arab society and culture guide edited by Saleh Badrah. Includes news, reviews and articles.
http://www.homepagez.com/arabesque/

Foundation for Middle East Peace
A nonprofit organization dedicated to informing Americans about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and assisting in a peaceful solution that brings security for both peoples. Includes a profile, photos, reports, articles, expert analyses, and maps.
http://www.fmep.org/

Arabian Culture and Customs
Descriptions of some of the customs followed in different social interactions in Arab nations.
http://www.traderscity.com/abcg/

Middle East Information Center
News, history, discussions and articles on the Middle East, with a focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
http://middleeastinfo.org

Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Covers all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. A list of patriarchs, schools, information on the catechetical center, archive of past newsletters. In English, French, and Arabic.
http://www.lpj.org/

Middle East GenWeb Project
Help for people doing genealogical research. Covers several countries.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdeastgw/



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