{{Short description|Indigenous Shia Muslim inhabitants of the Persian Gulf}} {{Confused|Bahrainis|text=Bahrainis (a term for all Bahraini Citizens) or Ajam of Bahrain}} {{For|the Bahraini lawyer, legal advisor and politician|Hussain Al Baharna}} {{Infobox ethnic group | group = Bahārna<br />''البحارنة'' | image = | caption = Bahārna during Muharram | regions = Indigenous to Eastern Arabia (Bahrain, Qatif, Al-Hasa), with notable presence in Kuwait, UAE, Zanzibar, Iraq (Najaf and Karbala), and Iran (Hormozgan province) | languages = Arabic (Bahrani Arabic, Bahraini Gulf Arabic) | religions = Shia Islam (Present)<br />Nestorian Christianity/Eastern Christianity (Pre-Islam) | related_groups = Khuzestani Arabs, Omani Arabs, Najdi Arabs, Dhofari Arabs, Shihuh, Habus, Kuwaiti Arabs, Emirati Arabs, Qatari Arabs }} The '''Bahārna''' ({{langx|ar|بُحارنة|Buharnah|4=}}; or {{Langx|ar|بَحارنه|Baharneh}}),<ref name="failaika">{{cite thesis |author=Zubaydah Ali M. Ashkanani |title=Middle-aged women in Kuwait: Victims of change |date=June 1988 |publisher=Durham University |url=https://core.ac.uk/reader/108872 |pages=309 |quote=The Social Composition of Failakans}}</ref> are an ethnoreligious group of Shia Muslim Arabs indigenous to the historical region of Bahrain.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Harrison |first=Paul Wilberforce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w7w2AAAAMAAJ&dq=Baharna+persian+or+arab&pg=PA229 |title=The Arab at Home |date=1924 |publisher=Thomas Y. Crowell Company |pages=229 |quote=Possibly as a result of this Persian occupation, the islands and the adjacent Arabian mainland are populated by a peculiar community known as the Baharina, which bears every evidence in temperament and otherwise of being a mixture of Arab and Persian blood.|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Schofield |first1=Richard N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oym8AAAAIAAJ&q=Baharna+Persians |title=Arabian Boundaries: Primary Documents |last2=Blake |first2=Gerald Henry |date=1988 |publisher=Archive Editions |isbn=978-1-85207-130-1 |pages=203 |language=en}}</ref> Regarded by some scholars as the original inhabitants of Eastern Arabia,<ref name="orig">{{cite web |last=Al-Rumaihi |first=Mohammed Ghanim |year=1973 |title=Social and political change in Bahrain since the First World War |url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7942/1/7942_4940.PDF?+UkUDh:CyT |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220817145042/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16669322.pdf |archive-date=17 Aug 2022 |work=Durham University |pages=46–47}}</ref> most Bahraini citizens are Baharna. They inhabited the region before the arrival of the Banu Utbah, from which the Bahraini royal family descends, in the 18th century.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Krieg |first=Andreas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiaKDgAAQBAJ&pg=PA62 |title=Socio-Political Order and Security in the Arab World: From Regime Security to Public Security |date=2017-03-27 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-52243-2 |pages=62 |language=en}}</ref>
Outside the modern country of Bahrain, Baharna populations are found throughout Eastern Arabia (Bahrain, Qatif, and al-Ahsa). There are also significant populations in Kuwait,<ref name="failaika" /> United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Iraq (specifically Najaf and Karbala), as well as Khorramshahr and Hormozgan province in Iran.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJLjAKH7-rIC&pg=PA135 | title=Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary| isbn=978-9004107632| last1=Holes| first1=Clive| year=2001| publisher=BRILL}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=الجزيري |first1=الوسط-محمود |title=البحرينيون في بندر لنجة: نزحوا بعاداتهم... فشيَّدوا المنامة في كل زقاق |url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/931724.html |access-date=25 March 2024 |work=صحيفة الوسط البحرينية |language=ar}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
==Origin== The origin of the Baharna is debated,<ref name="orig"/> and there are different theories regarding their origins. Several Western scholars believe that the Baharna originate from Bahrain's ancient pre-Islamic population which consisted of partially-Christianized Arabs,<ref name="maj"/><ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_--lK2ZGp8gC&pg=PA14 | title=A Popular Dictionary of Islam| isbn=9781135797737| last1=Netton| first1=Ian Richard| date=2006-03-09| publisher=Routledge}}</ref> Aramaic-speaking agriculturalists,<ref name="maj">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJLjAKH7-rIC&pg=PR24|title=Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary|first=Clive|last=Holes|year=2001|pages=XXIV–XXVI|quote=Thus the elements in the pre-Islamic ethno-linguistic situation in eastern Arabia appear to have been a mixed tribal population of partially Christianised Arabs of diverse origins who probably spoke different old Arabian vernaculars; a mobile Persian-speaking population, possibly of traders and administrators, with strong links to Persia, which they maintained close contact; a small sedentary, non-tribal community of Aramaic-speaking agriculturalists; a Persian clergy, who we know for certain, used Syriac as a language of liturgy and writing more generally, probably alongside Persian as a spoken language.|isbn=978-9004107632|publisher=BRILL }}</ref><ref name="om">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W8glrgh87kEC&pg=PA305|title=Tradition and Modernity in Arabic Language And Literature|first=J. R.|last=Smart|year=2013|isbn=9780700704118|publisher=Psychology Press }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Va6oSxzojzoC&pg=PA98|title=E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936, Volume 5|first= M. Th.|last=Houtsma|page=98|year=1993|isbn=978-9004097919|publisher=BRILL }}</ref> Persian Zoroastrians, and a small number of Jews.<ref name="orig"/> According to one historian, Arab settlements in Bahrain may have begun around 300 B.C., and control of the island was maintained by the Rab'iah tribe that eventually converted to Islam in 630 A.D.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/107/Bahrain-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151011031811/https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/107/Bahrain-HISTORY-BACKGROUND.html|url-status=dead|title=Bahrain – History Background|archivedate=October 11, 2015|website=education.stateuniversity.com}}</ref>
Local anecdotal evidence suggests that the Baharna's ancestry is diverse, as some word variants spoken in the dialects of the native people of the villages of Bani Jamra and A'ali are only used in places such as Yemen and Oman, indicating southern Arabian ancestry.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_eqzAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 Language Variation And Change In A Modernising Arab State: The Case Of Bahrain] Google Books</ref>
Most Baharna families and clans claim descent from the Rab’ia tribe. However, the direct relation is often contested. While some trace ancestry to the Abd al-Qays,<ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |date=2010-11-24 |title=Shia and the state in Bahrain: Integration and Tension |url=https://alternatifpolitika.com/site/dosyalar/arsiv/Kasim2010-OzelSayi/1.mansoor-al-jamri-shia-and-the-state-in-bahrain.pdf |journal=Alternative Politics |issue=Special Issue 1}}</ref>{{rp||page=5}} who were mostly Nestorian Christians (Church of the East) before the seventh century,<ref>Peter Hellyer. ''[http://www.adias-uae.com/publications/hellyer01b.pdf Nestorian Christianity in the Pre-Islamic UAE and Southeastern Arabia]'', Journal of Social Affairs, volume 18, number 72, winter 2011</ref><ref name=":05">{{Cite web |date=2024-07-21 |title=Archaeologists in Bahrain unearth Gulf's earliest Christian structure |url=https://arab.news/ntmcy |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Arab News |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |last=Radley |first=Dario |date=2024-07-14 |title=4th-century Christian building discovered in Bahrain, oldest in the Persian Gulf |url=https://archaeologymag.com/2024/07/christian-building-discovered-in-bahrain/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Archaeology News Online Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":23">{{Cite web |date=2024-07-15 |title=Lost early Christian community found as possible Bishop's palace unearthed |url=https://www.newsweek.com/lost-early-christian-community-found-bishop-palace-1925440 |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Newsweek |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":32">{{Cite web |title=Christians in Bahrain look back 1600 years {{!}} jmeca.org.uk |url=https://www.jmeca.org.uk/latest/news/christians-bahrain-look-back-1600-years |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=www.jmeca.org.uk}}</ref> others trace their ancestry to the Anizah tribe (a cousin tribe of the Abd Al-Qays). Some among them also claim ancestry to Bakr Bin Wail.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=5}} Furthermore, other families trace their heritage to the other influential tribal conglomeration of northern pre-Islamic Arabia, the Banu Mudar, through the Banu Tamim tribe who ruled Bahrain during the early Islamic era. Illustrating the tribal mosaic of the Baharna, many other clans trace their heritage to Al-Azd, from Yemen.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-06-06 |title=من هم البحارنة؟ – ســنــوات الــجــريــش |url=https://www.jasblog.com/wp/?p=668 |access-date=2024-01-25 |language=ar}}</ref>
The Bahrani Arabic dialect exhibits Akkadian, Aramaic and Syriac features.<ref name=":11">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_uhvUA428fcC&pg=PA269|title=Non-Arabic Semitic elements in the Arabic dialects of Eastern Arabia|first=Clive|last=Holes|pages=270–279|year=2002|isbn=9783447044912|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag }}</ref><ref name="per">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJLjAKH7-rIC&pg=PR29|title=Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary|first=Clive|last=Holes|year=2001|pages=XXIX–XXX|isbn=978-9004107632|publisher=BRILL }}</ref> The sedentary people of pre-Islamic Bahrain were Aramaic speakers and to some degree Middle Persian (Pahlavi) speakers, while Syriac functioned as a liturgical language.<ref name="om"/> The Bahrani dialect might have borrowed the Akkadian, Aramaic and Syriac features from Mesopotamian Arabic,<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bJLjAKH7-rIC&pg=PR27 Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary By Clive Holes]. Page XXIX</ref> with influences from an older Persian dialect.<ref name="Tajer3">{{cite book|last=Al-Tajer|first=Mahdi Abdulla|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNs9AAAAIAAJ&q=bahrain+village+persian+name&pg=PA134|title=Language & Linguistic Origins In Bahrain|publisher=Taylor & Francis|year=1982|isbn=9780710300249|pages=134, 135}}</ref>
According to Robert Bertram Serjeant, the Baharna may be the last of the "descendants of converts from the original population of Christians (Aramaeans), Jews and ancient Iranians (referred to by Arabs at the time as Majus) inhabiting the island and cultivated coastal provinces of Eastern Arabia at the time of the Arab conquest".<ref name="maj"/><ref>{{cite journal|title=Fisher-folk and fish-traps in al-Bahrain|journal = Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London|volume = 31|issue = 3|author=Robert Bertram Serjeant|author-link=Robert Bertram Serjeant|publisher=SOAS|page=488|year=1968|jstor = 614301}}</ref>
These claims are also supported by archaeological finds, as archaeologists uncovered Parthian (247 BC – 224 CE) related artefacts in Shah-khoura,<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Historical objects (artefacts) found in Shakhoura |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/x32961 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240929201252/https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/x32961 |archive-date=2024-09-29 |website=British Museum |postscript=: Objects related to the Parthian period have been found in Shahkhoura, in addition to the Greek (Tylos) period.}}</ref> and a Christian church in Samaheej (mid-4th and mid-8th centuries CE).<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Maddern |first1=Kerra |last2=Exeter |first2=University of |title=Archaeologists discover one of the earliest Christian buildings in Bahrain |url=https://phys.org/news/2024-07-archaeologists-earliest-christian-bahrain.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714021834/https://phys.org/news/2024-07-archaeologists-earliest-christian-bahrain.html |archive-date=2024-07-14 |access-date=2024-07-26 |website=phys.org |language=en}}</ref>
=== Genetics === {{See also|Demographics of Bahrain#Ancient DNA and genetic history}} thumb|Proportions of predicted Y-DNA haplogroups observed in the four governorates of Bahrain (Study of 2020) A 2024 genomic study sequenced whole genomes from four individuals who lived in Bahrain during the Tylos period (circa 300 BCE – 600 CE). The results revealed that ancient Bahrainis possessed a composite genetic profile, primarily derived from ancient populations of the Near East. Their ancestry was best modelled as a mixture of ancient Anatolian, Levantine, and Iranian/Caucasian sources, reflecting Bahrain's historical position as a crossroads of regional populations. Subtle genetic variation among the four individuals indicated internal diversity even before the Islamic era—one individual showed stronger Levantine affinities, while others were genetically closer to groups from Iran and the Caucasus. Comparisons with modern populations showed that these ancient Bahrainis shared closer genetic affinities with present-day peoples of Iraq and the Levant than with those of the central Arabian Peninsula.<ref name=":22">{{Cite journal |last1=Martiniano |first1=Rui |last2=Haber |first2=Marc |last3=Almarri |first3=Mohamed A. |last4=Mattiangeli |first4=Valeria |last5=Kuijpers |first5=Mirte C.M. |last6=Chamel |first6=Berenice |last7=Breslin |first7=Emily M. |last8=Littleton |first8=Judith |last9=Almahari |first9=Salman |last10=Aloraifi |first10=Fatima |last11=Bradley |first11=Daniel G. |last12=Lombard |first12=Pierre |last13=Durbin |first13=Richard |date=March 2024 |title=Ancient genomes illuminate Eastern Arabian population history and adaptation against malaria |journal=Cell Genomics |language=en |volume=4 |issue=3 |doi=10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100507 |issn=2666-979X |pmc=10943591 |article-number=100507 |pmid=38417441 }}</ref>
Complementing this, a Y-chromosome study of 562 Bahraini males found that haplogroup J2—often associated with populations of Iran, the Caucasus, and Mesopotamia—was the most prevalent lineage in Bahrain, accounting for 26.7% of all samples. This was followed by haplogroup J1 (22.9%), E1b1b (17.4%), and R1a (8.0%). Sub-regional analysis revealed that J2 was the dominant haplogroup in all governorates, with its highest concentration in the Northern Governorate (85 out of 254 samples). These results align with the genetic continuity observed between ancient and modern Bahrainis, especially among the Baharna and Ajam, whose Y-lineages show strong affinities to populations of the northern Arabian Gulf and southwestern Iran rather than the central Arabian Peninsula.<ref name=":04">{{Cite journal |last1=Al-Snan |first1=Noora R. |last2=Messaoudi |first2=Safia A. |last3=Khubrani |first3=Yahya M. |last4=Wetton |first4=Jon H. |last5=Jobling |first5=Mark A. |last6=Bakhiet |first6=Moiz |date=2020 |title=Geographical structuring and low diversity of paternal lineages in Bahrain shown by analysis of 27 Y-STRs |journal=Molecular Genetics and Genomics |volume=295 |issue=6 |pages=1315–1324 |doi=10.1007/s00438-020-01696-4 |issn=1617-4615 |pmc=7524810 |pmid=32588126}}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4|from this source=yes}}</ref>
=== Subgroups === {{See also|Khuzestani Arabs}} Some Baharna and Ajams likely intermixed, giving many Bahrainis claim to Iranian descent.<ref name="iranians_bhuae">{{Cite book |last=McCoy |first=Eric |url=https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/193398/azu_etd_10189_sip1_m.pdf |title=Iranians in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates: Migration, Minorities, and Identities in the Persian Gulf Arab States |publisher=The University of Arizona |year=2008 |isbn=9780549935070 |pages= |language=en |oclc=659750775 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203220923/https://repository.arizona.edu/bitstream/handle/10150/193398/azu_etd_10189_sip1_m.pdf |archive-date=2024-12-03 |url-status=bot: unknown |access-date=2024-12-05 }}</ref>{{rp||page=53}} Furthermore, a significant portion of the Baharna, along with many Emiratis, can trace part of their ancestry to Persian roots, often through a grandmother from two or three generations ago during the pre-oil era. This connection might position them as a distinct intermediate or mixed ethnic group.<ref name="iranians_bhuae" />{{rp||page=43}}
Some families seem to also show affinity to J2, including ''Al-Alawi,'' ''Al-Musawi'', ''Al-Qassab'' and others.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2008-08-17|title=اكتشف عائلتك ( عوائل مملكة البحرين )|url=https://www.alsh3er.com/vb/threads/13740/|access-date=2024-12-05|website=ملتقى الشعراء|language=ar-AR}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=FamilyTreeDNA - Bahrain|url=https://www.familytreedna.com/public/Bahrain?iframe=yresults&srsltid=AfmBOopyo9Xc4qO4AogvhIKgoEU52C5O2gUO5IfT11MCfIuIYG-iaKw6|access-date=2024-12-05|website=www.familytreedna.com}}</ref> This is also true of the general population in the northern and capital governates, both in ancient and present times.<ref name=":22" /><ref name=":04" /> Additionally, some subgroups of Baharna have had recurring migrations between Bahrain and Khouzestan,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":17">{{Cite web |last=DC |first=Arab Center Washington |title=From Neighbors to Foreigners: Iranians in Bahrain in the Early 20th Century |url=https://arabcenterdc.org/event/from-neighbors-to-foreigners-iranians-in-bahrain-in-the-early-20th-century/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914011551/https://arabcenterdc.org/event/from-neighbors-to-foreigners-iranians-in-bahrain-in-the-early-20th-century/ |archive-date=2024-09-14 |access-date=2024-09-14 |website=Arab Center Washington DC |language=en-US}}</ref> notably the ''Al-Qarooni/Karuni'' family,<ref name=":0" /> who have had to re-migrate after the Persian harassment campaign against the Arabs of ''Mohammerah'' intensified.<ref name=":0" /> They speak a variant of Mesopotamian Arabic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=إكتشف عائلتك"عوائل البحرين" |url=https://al7anoon.mam9.com/t2277-topic |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206182111/https://al7anoon.mam9.com/t2277-topic |archive-date=2024-12-06 |access-date=2024-12-06 |website=al7anoon.mam9.com |language=ar |quote=القاروني ( من العوائل العريقة في البحرين ويسكنون فريق بني و بيتهم القديم بالقرب من مسجد السدر ، وينتشر القارونيون في مختلف قرى البحرين بل ومنهم من هاجر إلى خارج البحرين أيام الهجمات على البحرين فمنهم من يعيش بالعراق بالمحمرة والبصرة والنجف وكربلاء وبغداد ومنهم من هاجر إلى إيران كأبناء المحدث والمفسر الكبير السيد هاشم القاروني والملقب بالتوبلاني والذي له مزار في قرية توبلي يسمونه مسجد السيد هاشم التوبلاني، وقد عاد جزء منهم إلى موطنه الأصلي البحرين بعد غياب طويل ولكن بلهجة عراقية أوبلكنة إيرانية |trans-quote=Al-Qaruni (one of the most prominent families in Bahrain, they live in the Bani Fariq and their old house is near Al-Sidr Mosque. The Qarounis are spread throughout the villages of Bahrain, and some of them even migrated outside of Bahrain during the attacks on Bahrain. Some of them live in Iraq in Al-Muhammarah, Basra, Najaf, Karbala and Baghdad, and some of them migrated to Iran, such as the sons of the great hadith scholar and interpreter, Sayyid Hashim Al-Qaruni, nicknamed Al-Tublani, who has a shrine in the village of Tubli called the Sayyid Hashim Al-Tublani Mosque. Some of them returned to their original homeland, Bahrain, after a long absence, but with an Iraqi dialect or an Iranian accent. }}</ref> Some of them are shown by some samples to have an affinity to the J2 Haplogroup (belonging to the J-BY44557 branch).<ref name=":7" />
==Etymology== The term ''Bahrani'' serves to distinguish the Bahrana from other Kuwaiti or Bahraini ethnic groups, such as the ethnic Bahraini-Iranians who fall under the term Ajam, as well as from the Sunni Arabs in Bahrain who are known as ''Al Arab'' ("Arabs"), such as Bani Utbah.<ref>Lorimer, John Gordon, ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia'', republished by Gregg International Publishers Limited Westemead. Farnborough, Hants., England and Irish University Press, Shannon, Irelend. Printed in Holland, 1970, Vol. II A, entries on "Bahrain" and "Baharna"</ref> In the United Arab Emirates, the Baharna make up 5% of Emiratis and are generally descended from Baharna coming around 100–200 years ago.<ref>John Gordon Lorimer. Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf. Vol. II. Geographical and Statistical. 1908. p.241–242</ref>
In Arabic, ''bahrayn'' is the dual form of ''bahr'' ("sea"), so ''al-Bahrayn'' means "the Two Seas". However, which two seas were originally intended remains in dispute.<ref name="EoI">''Encyclopedia of Islam,'' Vol. I. "Bahrayn", p. 941. E.J. Brill (Leiden), 1960.</ref> The term appears five times in the Qur'an, but does not refer to the modern island{{mdash}}originally known to the Arabs as "Awal".
Today, Bahrain's "two seas" are instead generally taken to be the bay east and west of the island,<ref>Room, Adrian. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=M1JIPAN-eJ4C&pg=PA45 Origins and Meanings of the Names for 6,600 Countries, Cities, Territories, Natural Features and Historic Sites]''. 2006. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2248-7}}.</ref> the seas north and south of the island,{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} or the salt and fresh water present above and below the ground.<ref name="Faroughy">Faroughy, Abbas. ''The Bahrein Islands (750–1951): A Contribution to the Study of Power Politics in the Persian Gulf.'' Verry, Fisher & Co. (New York), 1951.</ref> In addition to wells, there are places in the sea north of Bahrain where fresh water bubbles up in the middle of the salt water, noted by visitors since antiquity.<ref>Rice, Michael. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=kWRfe7AdVaYC The Archaeology of the Arabian Gulf, c. 5000–323 BC]''. Routledge, 1994. {{ISBN|0415032687}}.</ref>
An alternate theory offered by al-Ahsa was that the two seas were the Persian Gulf and a peaceful lake on the mainland Near Al-Ahsa, known as Al-Asfar Lake; still another provided by Ismail ibn Hammad al-Jawhari is that the more formal name ''Bahri'' (lit. "belonging to the sea") would have been misunderstood and so was opted against.<ref name="Faroughy"/>
== Language ==
=== Pre-Arabization === Prior to Arabic, it is likely that the ''Baharnah'' spoke Syriac Aramaic, preceded by Akkadian.<ref name=":11" /><ref name="per" />
=== Bahrani Arabic === {{Main|Bahrani Arabic}}
The '''Bahrani''' '''Arabic dialect,''' which is a bit different from Bahraini Gulf Dialect and other Gulf Arabic dialects, is one of the dialects of the Arabic language, spoken by the people of the Kingdom of Bahrain in rural areas, as well as by the inhabitants of Qatif Governorate in eastern Saudi Arabia.<ref name=":12">{{Cite journal |last=الباطني |first=بزة |date=2010-04-01 |title=من أغاني المهد في البحرين |url=https://folkculturebh.org/ar/?issue=9&page=article&id=114 |journal=مجلة الثقافة الشعبية |language=ar |issue=9}}</ref>
The Bahrani dialect is spoken in two forms: the '''traditional old form''' (known as ''Halayliyya'') and the '''modern form''' used today. Its vocabulary is divided into several sub-varieties, including:
* '''The general Bahrani dialect''', which is widespread in most villages and areas of Bahrain and is closely related to the Iraqi dialect.<ref name=":12" /> * '''The dialect of Sitra Island residents''' '''('''"{{Langx|ar|ستراوي|satrawi|label=none}}"''')''', used only in Sitra and its surroundings, differing slightly from the main Bahrani dialect.<ref name=":12" /> * '''The dialect of A’ali and Buri residents''', which is a middle form between the general dialect and that of Sitra, characterized by heavier pronunciation.<ref name=":12" /> * '''The dialect of Manama and Ras Rumman residents''', known for its calm tone and closest resemblance to the Qatif dialect.<ref name=":12" /> * '''The dialect of Diraz residents'''.<ref name=":12" />
'''Notes on the Bahrani dialect:'''
* The letter '''k (ك)''' is changed to '''sh (ش)''' in feminine words — a feature known as ''shanshana''. ** Example: ''Yā l-mas‘ada jātsh ḥamātsh'' (“Oh happy one, your mother-in-law came”). * The letter '''dh/the (ذ)''' is pronounced as '''d (د)'''. ** Example: ''hādhāk → hadāk'' (“that one”). * The letter '''ẓ (ظ)''' is pronounced as '''ḍ (ض)'''. ** Example: ''bi-ḥifẓ Allāh → bi-ḥfaḍ Allāh'' (“with God's protection”). * The letter '''qāf (ق)''' is pronounced as the Egyptian '''g (ج)''' '''/''' Persian '''g (گ)''' or the hard '''g''' sound (as in “go”). ** Example: ''qāl → jāl'' or ''gal'' (“he said”). * The letter '''qāf (ق)''' is also sometimes softened to '''j (ج)'''. ** Example: ''ṣadīq → ṣadīj'' (“friend”). * The letter '''th (ث)''' is changed to '''f (ف)'''. ** Example: ''thalātha → falāfa'' (“three”). * The addition of the '''-n (ن)''' sound to some words in the second-person form. ** Example: ''’inti → ’intīn'' (“you [feminine]”), ''’antum → ’intūn'' (“you [plural]”).<ref name=":12" />
Only Bahrani Arabic has a different pronoun for female "I" ({{Langx|ar|أنا|ana|links=|label=MSA}}), and like other gulf dialects it includes the “ga” (گ) and “ch” (چ) sounds, below are some examples of that: {| class="wikitable" |+ !Bahrani Arabic !Bahraini Gulf Arabic !English Translation |- |{{Langx|ar|هاده ويشو|hadah waysho|label=none}} |{{Langx|ar|هاذي شنو|hathy sheno|label=none}} |what is this? |- |{{Langx|ar|انه امبا فلاف سندويچات|anah omba falaf sandawichat|label=none}} |{{Langx|ar|آنه ابي ثلاث سندويچات|aneh aby thalath sandawechat|label=none}} |I want three sandwiches |- |{{Langx|ar|حگ ویه/ویش|hag wayh/waysh|label=none}} |{{Langx|ar|حگ شنو|hag shino|label=none}} |For what? |- |{{Langx|ar|اني تعبانه|ani ta'abanah|label=none}} (feminine) {{Langx|ar|انه تعبان|anah ta'aban|label=none}} (masculine) |{{Langx|ar|آنه تعبانه|āneh ta'abanah|label=none}} (feminine) {{Langx|ar|آنه تعبان|āneh ta'abān|label=none}} (feminine) |I am tired |} == Culture == {{See also|Culture of Bahrain}}
=== Traditional Crafts === {{See also|Bahraini art}} The Baharnah are known for their handcrafts and have been known so for many years,<ref name=":14" /> these crafts include:
* Weaving: Artisans use palm leaves to create mats (sofra), baskets, fans, and more, particularly in Karbabad and Jasra.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities - Kingdom of Bahrain {{!}} Crafts |url=https://www.culture.gov.bh/en/events/AnnualFestivalsandEvents/HeritageFestival/HeritageFestival2016/Crafts/ |access-date=2026-01-10 |website=www.culture.gov.bh}}</ref> * Pottery ({{Langx|ar|صناعة الفخار}}) : The village of Al-Ali is famous for its ceramics, alongside other pottery traditions found across the island.<ref name=":15" /> * Dhow Building or Ship building ({{Langx|ar|صناعة السُفُن}}):<ref name=":14" /> A highly respected art form, with shipyards in Manama and Muharraq known for building traditional wooden boats.<ref name=":15" /> * Metalwork: Artisans excel in copper and gold work, creating intricate jewelry and decorative items.<ref name=":15" /> * Embroidery & Textiles: Traditional textiles and embroidery are also significant crafts. <ref name=":15" />
=== Proverbs === The Baharnah have various local proverbs,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=أمثال بحرانية |trans-title=Bahrani proverbs |url=https://www.alnassrah.com/threads/42314-%25C3%25E3%25CB%25C7%25E1-%25C8%25CD%25D1%25C7%25E4%25ED%25C9 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202033925/https://www.alnassrah.com/threads/42314-%25C3%25E3%25CB%25C7%25E1-%25C8%25CD%25D1%25C7%25E4%25ED%25C9 |archive-date=2024-12-02 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=شبكة الناصرة الثقافية |language=ar}}</ref> for example: {| class="wikitable" !Bahrani Arabic !English Translation !Context |- |{{Langx|ar|حتى المتوت نعمة الله|hata el-matot nemat allah|label=none}}<ref name=":2" /> |Even the “matut” is a blessing from God |It highlights the idea of appreciating any blessing, especially in times of scarcity. The “matut” being the Anchovy fish used in the making of Maheyawa,<ref>{{Cite web |title=كونا : اللهجة الكويتية تزخر بمفردات أطلقت قديما على أنواع من الطعام لم تعد تتداول حاليا - الثقافة والفنون والآداب - 25/01/2018 |url=https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2685635&language=ar#:~:text=%D9%88%D8%A3%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%81%20%D8%A3%D9%86%20%D9%83%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A9%20(%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AA)%20%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA,%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%85%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%81%D9%81%20%D9%84%D8%BA%D8%B1%D8%B6%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%83%D9%84. |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=www.kuna.net.kw}}</ref> likely referencing the culture brought in by the Achums. |- |{{Langx|ar|يوم خلص الشي جت العجوز تمشي|youm khalas elshy jat al ajooz temshy|label=none}}<ref name=":2" /> |When the thing finished, the granny (old woman) came walking |It's often used to comment on someone's tardiness or ineffectiveness. |- |{{Langx|ar|مد رجولك على قد لحافك|med 'rjolok ala gad lehafuk|label=none}}<ref name=":2" /> |Stretch your legs only as far as your blanket allows. |This proverb advises living within one's means and not overreaching. It's a metaphor for being practical and understanding one's limits. |- |{{Langx|ar|البيت بيت أبونا والقوم حاربونا|el-bait bait abuna, wa el-qoom harabona|label=none}}<ref name=":2" /> |The house is our father's house, and the tribe/people fought us |Used to express feelings of injustice or frustration when one is deprived of something that they feel rightfully belongs to them. |}
=== Cuisine === These are some of the most common dishes among the Baharnah:
* Machboos ({{Langx|ar|مچبوس|machboos}}), which is generally common around the Gulf region. * Dried salted fish known as ({{Langx|ar|لِحلِه|Lehleh}}).<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=jK-3PdpgqVHxjsiH&v=0S9-vmYfNDg&feature=youtu.be |title=الحلاي: المهياوة من المتوت.. وحافظوا على المهنة من الاندثار |date=2023-10-06 |last=AlBilad News |access-date=2024-12-04 |via=YouTube}}</ref> * Ṣāfī ({{Langx|ar|صافي|safi}}), served with white rice or sweet rice (Muhammar), a very popular dish in Bahrain.<ref>{{Cite web |title=«الصافي» الصغير جدًا يغزو الأسواق والمتوسط والكبير في سبتمبر |url=https://www.alayam.com/alayam/first/1062766/News.html |access-date=2025-10-13 |website=Alayam.com |language=en}}</ref>
=== Clothes === thumb|The Bahraini '''thobe al-nashl''' is one of the traditional women's garments in Bahrain and the Persian Gulf, distinguished by its elegance and luxurious embroidery. * Thob-el-nashal ({{Langx|ar|ثوب النشل|}}): The "Nashl" dress, mainly popular in Eastern Arabia,<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title={ثُوْب النَّشِل}: من الأثواب الخليجية – زهرة الخليج |url=https://www.zahratalkhaleej.ae/Article/558150/{ثُوْب-النَّشِل}-من-الأثواب-الخليجية |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202160102/https://www.zahratalkhaleej.ae/amp/article/4025402/-%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%84---%D9%85%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%AC%D9%8A%D8%A9 |archive-date=2024-12-02 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=www.zahratalkhaleej.ae}}</ref> and especially in Bahrain,<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=ثوب النشل البحريني... قصصاً وأساطير |url=https://al3arabi.com/%D9%85%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%B5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%88%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241202155909/https://al3arabi.com/%D9%85%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%AB%D9%88%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B4%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A-%D9%82%D8%B5%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%8B-%D9%88%D8%A3%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B7%D9%8A%D8%B1 |archive-date=2024-12-02 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=Al3arabi |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=ثوب النشل كنزٌ من كنوز البحرين «العربي» تعود لزيارة أشهرَ وأقدمَ صانعي الأثواب الشعبية في الخليج! |url=https://alarabi.nccal.gov.kw/Home/Article/20485 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240105084256/https://alarabi.nccal.gov.kw/Home/Article/20485 |archive-date=2024-01-05 |access-date=2024-12-02 |website=alarabi.nccal.gov.kw}}</ref> became renowned along the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula as one of the traditional women's garments. Women wore it during major occasions and took pride in it in Gulf countries such as Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.<ref name=":4" /> It is said that the ''Nashl'' garment derives its name from the word ''manshal'', referring to the brightly colored fabric that covered the ''howdah''—the carriage used to transport the bride from one place to another.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> The ''Nashl'' dress can be beautifully colored in vibrant hues such as red, blue, purple, and green, but black stands out with its unique allure among all other colors. The ''Nashl'' dress is typically embroidered with a variety of golden patterns that enhance its brilliance and beauty. It is handcrafted by women and artisans from the villages of the region using needles and thread, after purchasing the special fabrics from traditional markets.<ref name=":4" /> Now this is mostly worn as a traditional Bahraini dress, although Bahrani women wore it before the 1979 revolution on special occasions.{{Citation needed|date=October 2025}}
== History == {{See also|History of Bahrain}}
=== Pre-Islam === In pre-Islamic times, the region of Bahrain was part of the Persian Empire.<ref name="Tajer32">{{cite book |last=Al-Tajer |first=Mahdi Abdulla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNs9AAAAIAAJ&q=bahrain+village+persian+name&pg=PA134 |title=Language & Linguistic Origins In Bahrain |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1982 |isbn=9780710300249 |pages=28, 29}}</ref> Its population included Christians, particularly tribal partially-Christianized Arabs,<ref name="maj2">{{cite book |last1=Holes |first1=Clive |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bJLjAKH7-rIC&pg=PR24 |title=Dialect, Culture, and Society in Eastern Arabia: Glossary |work=Clive Holes |publisher=BRILL |year=2001 |isbn=978-9004107632 |pages=XXIV–XXVI |quote=Thus the elements in the pre-Islamic ethno-linguistic situation in eastern Arabia appear to have been a mixed tribal population of partially Christianised Arabs of diverse origins who probably spoke different old Arabian vernaculars; a mobile Persian-speaking population, possibly of traders and administrators, with strong links to Persia, which they maintained close contact; a small sedentary, non-tribal community of Aramaic-speaking agriculturalists; a Persian clergy, who we know for certain, used Syriac as a language of liturgy and writing more generally, probably alongside Persian as a spoken language.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last1=Netton |first1=Ian Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_--lK2ZGp8gC&pg=PA14 |title=A Popular Dictionary of Islam |date=2006-03-09 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781135797737}}</ref><ref name="Usmani2">{{cite book |last1=Husain Syed |first1=Muzaffar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eACqCQAAQBAJ |title=A concise history of Islam |date=2011 |publisher=Vij Books India Pvt Ltd |others=Syed Saud Akhtar, Babuddin Usmani |isbn=9789382573470 |edition=unabridged |pages=421–3 |access-date=1 September 2015}}</ref> who were of diverse origins and spoke different old Arabian vernaculars,<ref name="maj2" /> a Persian clergy (Magians) who used Syriac as a language of liturgy and writing more generally,<ref name="Tajer32" /><ref name="maj2" /> a mobile Persian-speaking population,<ref name="maj2" /><ref name=":6">{{cite book |last1=Houtsma |first1=M. Th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Va6oSxzojzoC&pg=PA98 |title=E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913–1936, Volume 5 |work=M. Th. Houtsma |publisher=BRILL |year=1993 |isbn=978-9004097919 |page=98}}</ref><ref name="om2">{{cite book |last1=Smart |first1=J. R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W8glrgh87kEC&pg=PA305 |title=Tradition and Modernity in Arabic Language And Literature |work=J R Smart, J. R. Smart |publisher=Psychology Press |year=2013 |isbn=9780700704118}}</ref>{{NoteTag|likely spoke Middle "Pahlavi" Persian}} who were possibly predominately Zoroastrian,<ref name=":6" /> traders and administrators with strong ties to Persia, with whom which they maintained close contact with,<ref name="maj2" /> a small amount of Jews,<ref name="orig2">{{cite web |last=Al-Rumaihi |first=Mohammed Ghanim |year=1973 |title=Social and political change in Bahrain since the First World War |url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/7942/1/7942_4940.PDF?+UkUDh:CyT |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220817145042/https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/16669322.pdf |archive-date=17 August 2022 |work=Durham University |pages=46–47}}</ref><ref name="Tajer32" /> pagan Arabs,<ref name="Tajer32" /> and a sedentary, non-tribal community of Aramaic-speaking agriculturalists,<ref name=":6" /><ref name="maj2" /><ref name="om2" /> The major tribes of pre-Islamic Bahrain included Abd al-Qais, Tamīm, and Bakr ibn Wāil. The Persian governor was Al-Mundhir ibn Sāwa ibn Zayd Manāt ibn Tamīm,<ref name="Tajer32" /> who acted on behalf on the Persians.<ref name="Tajer32" />
=== Islam emerges (628–631 CE) === {{Empty section|date=November 2024}}
=== Rashidun Caliphate (632–661 CE) === {{Empty section|date=November 2024}}
=== Umayyad dynasty (661–750) === {{Empty section|date=March 2025}}
=== Abbassid dynasty (768 CE to 865 CE) === {{Empty section|date=November 2024}}
=== Sahib az-Zanj (865 CE to 884 CE) === {{Empty section|date=November 2024}}
=== The Carmathians ===
=== 10th to 13th century === After that, the Uyunids took control from the Qarmatians.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sharʻān |first=Nāyif ibn ʻAbd Allāh |url=https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/7771383 |title=Nuqūd al-dawlah al-ʻUyūnīyah fī bilād al-Baḥrayn |date=2002 |publisher=Markaz al-Malik Fayṣal lil-Buḥūth wa-al-Dirāsāt al-Islāmīyah |isbn=978-9960-726-91-5 |location=al-Riyāḍ}}</ref>
Bahrain was ruled by the Uyunid Emirate led by Banu Abd al-Qays tribe, from 1076 until it was overthrown by the Usfurids in 1238.<ref name=":1" />
During the 12th to 13th century (1253–1392), Eastern Arabia was ruled by the Usfurids.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Around this time, Bahrain became a hub for intellectuals for hundreds of years stretching from the early days of Islam in the 6th century to the 18th century. Philosophers of Bahrain were highly esteemed, such as the 13th century mystic, Sheikh Maitham Al Bahrani (died in 1299).{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
=== 14th–15th century === The Jarwanid dynasty ruled Eastern Arabian from 1310 to 1417.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
Simultaneously, the Jarwanid dynasty ruled locally until 1417, followed by the Jabrids rule between 1417 and 1424.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
=== 16th century === The Safavid dynasty controlled Bahrain (between 1501~1736),{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} perhaps serving more of a protectorate as the locals were already on the Shia faith.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
In 1521 a force led by António Correia captured Bahrain, defeating the Jabrid King, Muqrin ibn Zamil.<ref>Juan Cole, Sacred Space and Holy War, IB Tauris, 2007 p. 37</ref>
Later, local rules continued under Lahsa Eyalet (1560–1670),{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}} and continued after the fall of the Safavid Empire with Bani Khalid Emirate (1669–)...{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}
=== 16th century === The Safavid dynasty, which established Shia Islam as the state religion in Persia (modern-day Iran) in the 16th century, had a further influence on the Shia communities of Bahrain. Bahrain's close proximity to Persia, along with political and religious ties, made it easier for Shia Islam to further spread in the region. Persian influence, particularly in trade and religious exchanges, reinforced the practice of Twelver Shia Islam among the Baharnah.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}
The Baharna, being predominantly Shia, generally aligned with the Safavids.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} However, the region experienced ongoing political and sectarian tensions between the Safavids and their rivals, such as the Ottomans and various Sunni Arab tribes.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} During the later part of Safavid rule, some Baharna families left Bahrain and sought refuge in Khuzestan, particularly when political instability and conflicts with neighbouring Sunni tribes increased. This phase of migration happened in the 17th century.
After the Safavid Empire fell in the early 18th century, Bahrain became vulnerable to invasions and shifts in power. The Omani invasion of Bahrain in 1717 destabilized the region, causing internal strife and pressure on the Shia Baharna population.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} The uncertainty and insecurity in Bahrain led some Baharna to migrate to Khuzestan, where they found refuge among local Arab tribes, such as the Muhammarah. This migration was more sporadic but occurred during the early 18th century.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}
=== 17th century === {{Main article|Bani Utbah invasion of Bahrain}}
After the fall of the Safavid dynasty, Bahrain went through a period of anarchy, dismay, and self-rule in villages which made the country vulnerable to foreign invasions. Utub forces often attacked the island during this phase, which made the spiritual leader of Bahrain, Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abdullah Al Majed, use the Huwala to combat the Utubs' attacks. These attacks continued throughout the early 18th century until the Utubs launched a full-scale invasion of the island and established a government loyal to the Imam of Oman.<ref>{{cite web |title=ســنــوات الــجــريــش | date=17 February 2010 |url=http://www.jasblog.com/wp/?p=4452 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213012018/http://www.jasblog.com/wp/?p=4452 |archive-date=13 December 2014 |access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>
The Utubs were defeated and expelled by the Huwala forces loyal to Bahrain's spiritual leader who established a government headed by Sheikh Jabara Al-Holi (also known as Jubayr al-Holi). The Persian Afsharids led by former Safavid general Nader Shah invaded the island in 1737 and deposed Sheikh Jabara. Persian rule continued for 46 more years, with brief interruptions, until 1783, when the Al Khalifa family, who were Sunni Arabs from the Najd region (modern-day Saudi Arabia), took control of Bahrain after defeating Nader Shah.<ref>{{cite web |title=ســنــوات الــجــريــش |url=http://www.jasblog.com/wp/?p=2900 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322180751/http://www.jasblog.com/wp/?p=2900 |archive-date=22 March 2018 |access-date=12 December 2014}}</ref>
The rule of Bani Khalid Emirate ended officially in 1796...{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}
This shift in power led to increased sectarian tensions, as the predominantly Sunni Al Khalifa rulers imposed their authority over the Shia Baharna population. Many Baharna felt marginalized and oppressed under the new rule.
=== 18th century === According to historical and British archival sources, large-scale Bahrani migrations began in the mid-18th century, coinciding with internal conflicts, the decline of the agricultural economy, and regional instability following the rise of new powers in eastern Arabia. The 1732 Omani invasion of Bahrain was one of the earliest events that triggered the displacement of many Baharnah families toward nearby coastal regions, particularly al-Aḥsāʾ, Basra, and the Arab-speaking ports of southern Iran, such as Bushehr, Lengeh, and Khorramshahr (Muhammarah),<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |last=السبع |first=وسام |date=2015-01-19 |title=عن الهجرة البحرانية للكويت |url=https://www.alwasatnews.com/news/954168.html |access-date=2025-10-13 |website=صحيفة الوسط البحرينية |language=ar}}</ref> where they settled and integrated with local Arab tribes like Banu Kaab and Banu Kanaan.<ref name=":14" />
By the late 18th century, further groups of Baharnah had settled in Kuwait, where their skills as shipbuilders, carpenters, and merchants became highly valued during the port's commercial expansion. Danish explorer Carsten Niebuhr recorded the presence of Bahrani families on Failaka Island as early as 1765, noting that most inhabitants originated from Bahrain and worked in the pearl-diving trade.<ref name=":14" />
The Baharnah community traditionally consisted of three main occupational groups: '''farmers''', who tended Bahrain's date groves and migrated mainly to fertile areas like al-Aḥsāʾ and Basra; '''craftsmen''', many of whom moved to Kuwait and southern Iran; and '''merchants''', who maintained active trade routes linking Bahrain to ports across the Persian Gulf. Despite centuries of displacement, the Baharnah preserved their linguistic, cultural, and religious identity, forming one of the oldest continuous Shia communities in the Gulf region.<ref name=":14" />
=== 19th century === Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, successive waves of Baharnah continued to migrate across the northern Gulf, forming extended family networks that maintained strong ties to their homeland. Many prominent Kuwaiti and Gulf families trace their ancestry to Bahrani origins—among them families known for traditional crafts and trades such as '''al-Qallāf''', '''al-Khayyāṭ''', '''al-Ustād''', '''al-Fardan''', '''al-Metrouk''', '''al-Sammāk''', and '''al-Jazzāf'''—whose names still appear in both Bahrain and Kuwait today.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |last=السبع |first=وسام |date=2012-12-11 |title=آل قاروني... ذكريات الغربة الطويلة |url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/715556.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831141807/http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/715556.html |archive-date=2024-08-31 |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=صحيفة الوسط البحرينية |language=ar}}</ref>
Throughout the 19th century, Bahrain continued to experience internal conflicts, especially between the ruling Al Khalifa family and the Baharna population. Disputes over land, taxation, and sectarian discrimination pushed more Baharna to seek better conditions elsewhere.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} During this period, additional Baharna families migrated to Khuzestan, where they joined the earlier waves of migrants. By this time, they had established strong ties with local Arab tribes, including the House of Ghannam and the Al Hilalat.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}
=== 1920s reforms === {{Main|Bahrain administrative reforms of the 1920s}}
Before the British intervention in 1923, the Baharnah had staged an uprising in 1922 to protest against the mistreatment and discrimination they faced. Al-Tajir (1987) recounts the events leading to the uprising, noting that a delegation of Baharnah, accompanied by prominent Sunni figures, sought an audience with the ruler. During this meeting, the Baharnah presented eight demands, which included ending their ill-treatment, abolishing additional taxes imposed exclusively on them, and putting a stop to forced labor ("sukhra").<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=11}}
The delay in addressing these basic demands caused unrest, leading to broader instability as other groups in Bahrain clashed over various issues. In 1923, the British intervened, reorganizing the state's affairs. These reforms created both winners and losers, with the Shia Baharnah considered relative beneficiaries, as they were no longer subjected to official discrimination.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=11}}
However, certain influential factions within the ruling elite perceived themselves as having lost privileges and rejected the 1923 reforms. The adversarial response to these changes is evident in the actions of Sir Charles Belgrave, the British Advisor to Bahrain's Government from 1926 to 1957, who monitored these groups. Some members of the ruling family faced imprisonment or were barred from receiving funds from the Privy Purse.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=11-12}}
These groups and individuals, particularly those within the ruling family, harbored deep resentment toward the new administration and the policies introduced by Major Daly, the British Political Agent in 1923, and later upheld by Sir Charles Belgrave. With Britain's influence waning in Bahrain by the early 1960s, especially after Belgrave's departure in 1957, some of those opposed to the 1923 changes began reasserting their influence, which grew significantly in recent years.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=12}}
The introduction of modern education and the discovery of oil in 1932 catalyzed nationalist movements in the 1930s and 1950s, with the Baharnah Shia actively participating alongside other key groups in Bahrain's society.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=12}}
According to Al-Salman (forthcoming), a group of prominent Baharnah figures were at the forefront of Bahrain's national movement in the 1930s, advocating for political and judicial reforms. Following the discovery and commercial production of oil in 1932, eight notable Baharnah leaders collaborated with other segments of society to push for meaningful reforms, laying the groundwork for modern democracy in Bahrain.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=12}}
In December 1934, these eight dignitaries—Mansoor Al-Arrayedh, Mohsin Al-Tajir, Abd Ali Al-Ulaiwait, Abdul Rasool bin Rajab, Haj Abdul Aziz bin Hujair Al-Bori, Ahmed bin Naser, Hussain Al-Madhoob, and Haj Ali bin Abbas Al-Aali—submitted a petition to Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa. They reminded him that the Baharnah's support had been instrumental in stabilizing the country during his reign as crown prince and ruler. They called for key reforms, including the codification of legal provisions, proportional representation to ensure fair Baharnah representation in municipal and trade councils, and the establishment of schools for the Baharnah.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=12}}
Rush (1991) notes that the British Political Agent in Bahrain and the British Political Resident in Bushehr reported that these demands deeply unsettled the political establishment, particularly as the eight leaders had widespread support among the Baharnah population.<ref name=":9" />{{rp||page=12}}
The journey of return for some ''Baharnah'' to their homeland of Bahrain began in 1951, following the intensification of Persian harassment campaigns against the ethnic Arabs of Muhammarah. Some of them were politically active within the ranks of the Arab national movement, which aimed to restore Arab rule.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=السبع |first=وسام |date=2012-12-11 |title=آل قاروني... ذكريات الغربة الطويلة |url=http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/715556.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240831141807/http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/715556.html |archive-date=2024-08-31 |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=صحيفة الوسط البحرينية |language=ar }}</ref>
Over the centuries, the ''Baharnah'' people increasingly identified with the Shia community, in part due to the social and political dynamics of the region. Shia Islam was often seen as a unifying force against the Sunni rulers or dominant forces in the region, such as the various local ruling families or the Ottoman Empire. As Shia Islam became more integrated into the local identity of the Baharnah, it strengthened the community's sense of unity and distinctiveness within the broader Islamic world.
== Notable people == {{See also|List of Bahranis}} * Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja, Bahraini political activist. * Ramin Bahrani * Ayat Al-Qarmizi * Nabil Rajab * Mahdi Abu Deeb * Hassan Mushaima * Zainab Al-Khawaja, Bahraini political activist and daughter of Abdul Hadi Al-Khawaja. * Mohammed Haddad * Mohammed Sayed Adnan * Mohammed Al-Maskati * Hussain Al-Sabaa * Tariq Al-Farsani * Jassim Al-Huwaidi * Alaa Hubail, Bahraini footballer.
== Gallery == <gallery> File:Bahrain Parliament 1973, religious block.jpg|Bahrani Mullahs in the parliament during 1973 File:Ashura in Bahrain 55.JPG|Shia Bahranis stepping over Israel flag File:BahrainUprising.png|2011 Uprising was a majorly Bahrani protest, but not exclusively File:S. Yousif al-Mahafdha and Zainab al-Khawaja obsvering a protest in Jidhafs.JPG|S. Yousif al-Mahafdha and Zainab al-Khawaja obsvering a protest in Jidhafs File:Ashura in Bahrain 08.JPG|Bahrani man offering his blood for donation during Ashura File:Prayer vigil for hunger striker Ali Mushaima outside London's Bahrain embassy. (43477600605).jpg File:Mamdouh Abbas Al-Saleh, Bahrain TV - Apr 11, 2021.jpg|Mamdouh Abbas Al-Saleh </gallery>
==See also== * History of Bahrain '''Language and culture''' * Bahrani Arabic * Shia Islam in Saudi Arabia '''Geography''' * Bahrain (historical region) '''Bahrani People''' * List of Bahranis * Baharna in Kuwait
== Notes == <references group="note" />
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=35em}}
==External links== * [http://vob.org/index.php?show=news&action=article&id=21&lang=english The 1922 Bahrani uprising in Bahrain] * [https://www.scribd.com/doc/3729409 Rival Empires of Trade and Imami Shiism in Eastern Arabia, 1300–1800], Juan Cole, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 19, No. 2, (May 1987), pp. 177–203 * [http://www.familytreedna.com/public/easterncoast/default.aspx Eastern Coast of Arabian Peninsula for DNA test]
{{Demographics of Bahrain}} {{Bahrain topics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bahrani people}} Category:Baharna Category:Ancient peoples of the Near East Category:Arab ethnic groups Category:Ethnic groups in the Middle East Category:Ethnic groups in Bahrain Category:Ethnic groups in Oman Category:Ethnic groups in Kuwait Category:Shia communities Category:Ethnoreligious groups in Asia Category:Shia Muslim ethnoreligious groups Category:Ethnic groups in Saudi Arabia