{{Short description|Arabian tribe}} [[File:Pre_Islamic_Arabian_Tribes_(Harold_Dixon).svg|thumb|387x387px|Map of the Arabian Peninsula in 600 AD, showing the various Arab tribes and their areas of settlement. The Lakhmids (yellow) formed an Arab monarchy as clients of the Sasanian Empire, while the Ghassanids (red) formed an Arab monarchy as clients of the Roman Empire A map published by the British academic Harold Dixon during World War I, showing the presence of the Arab tribes in West Asia, 1914]] The '''Banu al-Harith''' ({{langx|ar|بَنُو الْحَارِث}} <small>''{{Transliteration|ar|Banū al-Ḥārith}}''</small> or {{langx|ar|بَنُو الْحُرَيْث}} <small>''{{Transliteration|ar|Banū al-Ḥurayth}}''</small>) is an Arabian tribe which once governed the cities of Najran, Taif, and Al-Harith Governorate, its capital is the city of Al-Khubah, which is located on the outskirts of Najran, but is part of the Jizan region and Bisha, now located in southern Saudi Arabia.
==History==
===Origins and early history=== The Banu Harith descend from the Qahtanite people, one of the most prominent Arab tribes originating from Yemen.<ref name="DL">{{cite book |author=De Lacy O'Leary |authorlink=De Lacy O'Leary|title=Arabia Before Muhammad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y3M7lHusi4UC&pg=PA18|year=2001 |page=18|publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=9780415244664}}</ref> The earliest recorded ancestor of the Qahtanites is Joktan, one of the two sons of Eber. The Qahtanite people are divided into the two factions, the Himyarite and Kahlani tribes.<ref name=DL/> The Kahlani tribe can be further broken into smaller sub-groups which include the Banu Harith which was established by Harith bin Ka'b.<ref name=DL/><ref name="yaman 1">{{cite book|author1=ʻUmāra Ibn-ʻAlī al-Yamanī |author2=Ibn Khaldun |author3=Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Janadi |author4=Henry Cassels Kay |title=Yaman, its early mediæval history|date=2005|publisher=Martino Publ.|location=Mansfield Centre, Conn.|isbn=9781578985340|page=217}} Originally published: London : Edward Arnold, 1892</ref> The Banu Harith converted to Judaism during pre-Islamic times.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.islamproject.org/muhammad/muhammad_09_PrimarySourceDocuments.htm |title=Islamproject.org |access-date=2013-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029183742/http://www.islamproject.org/muhammad/muhammad_09_PrimarySourceDocuments.htm |archive-date=2013-10-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.islamic-study.org/prophet_of_islam_and_the_jews.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192357/http://www.islamic-study.org/prophet_of_islam_and_the_jews.htm|url-status=dead|title=Islamicstudy.org|archive-date=29 October 2013}}</ref><ref name="Liberal Islam">Charles Kurzman, ''Liberal Islam'', p. 172</ref><ref name="The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book">Norman Stillman, ''The Jews of Arab Lands: A History and Source Book'', p. 117</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Lecker |first=Michael |year=1995 |title=Judaism among Kinda and the Ridda of Kinda }}</ref> They wore a jambiya on their belt and worked primarily in goldsmithing and repairing arms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/najr-x0101-n|title=Najrān|website=www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org|accessdate=4 August 2023}}</ref>
The Banu Harith allied with Banu Madh'hij in order to launch an attack on Najran and they were able to successfully conquer the city.<ref name="yaman 2">{{cite book|author1=ʻUmāra Ibn-ʻAlī al-Yamanī |author2=Ibn Khaldun |author3=Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Janadi |author4=Henry Cassels Kay |title=Yaman, its early mediæval history|date=2005|publisher=Martino Publ.|location=Mansfield Centre, Conn.|isbn=9781578985340|page=183}} Originally published: London : Edward Arnold, 1892</ref> Banu Harith lived peacefully beside Banu Hamdan and they were the most powerful house which ruled Najran for many centuries. This was brought to an end during the Christian invasion.<ref name="yaman 2"/> After the Christian conquest of Najran, a sub-clan of the tribe emigrated to the Dhank region of Oman while another emigrated south and founded the district of Bani Al Harith in Sanaa.<ref>{{cite book |author=Samuel Barrett Miles |authorlink=Samuel Barrett Miles|title=The Countries and Tribes of the Persian Gulf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dbsOoPpZiSEC&q=The+Countries+and+Tribes+of+the+Persian+Gulf&pg=PA418 |year=1919|isbn=9781873938560}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author1=Mitsuo Nakamura |author2=Sharon Siddique |author3=Omar Farouk Bajunid |title=Islam and Civil Society in Southeast Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kgS67haX69gC&q=Islam+and+Civil+Society+in+Southeast+Asia|year=2001|publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies |isbn=9789812301116 }}</ref>
In 523, the Himyarite king Dhu Nuwas (Dunaan), who had converted to Judaism, massacred the Christians there{{where|date=August 2023}}.<ref>[https://dbs.bh.org.il/place/najran Najran Jews] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114220822/https://dbs.bh.org.il/place/najran |date=2019-11-14 }} at Beit Hatfutsot websites.</ref>
===After the rise of Islam=== They were included in Point 31 of the Constitution of Medina and honored as allies to the Muslims, being as "one nation", but retaining their Jewish religion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerlouismartinez.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Constitution-of-Medina.pdf|title=Ibn Ishaq's Record of the Constitution of Medina|website=rogerlouismartinez.com|access-date=4 August 2023|archive-date=25 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230125214643/https://www.rogerlouismartinez.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Constitution-of-Medina.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.balagh.net/english/ahl_bayt/the_message/27.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524053521/http://www.balagh.net/english/ahl_bayt/the_message/27.htm|url-status=dead|title=www.balagh.net|archive-date=24 May 2012}}</ref> They were given the same rights as Banu Awf and entered into mutual protection pacts with the Muslim tribes.<ref name="Liberal Islam"/>
The small remnants of Banu Harith continued to live semi-autonomously in the border city of Najran until the 1930s. As a result of the Saudi–Yemeni War the Saudis had conquered Najran in 1934. Persecution increased and the governor, Amir Turki bin Mahdi, allowed the Najrani Jews a single day to either evacuate or to convert to Islam. The Banu Harith fled south to Sanaa and Aden.<ref>Gilbert, Martin, "In Ishmael's House", 2000, (p. 5)</ref><ref>Ahroni, Reuben "Jewish emigration from the Yemen, 1951-98", 2001 (p. 27)</ref><ref>Shulewitz, Malka Hillel "The Forgotten Millions", 2000 (p.86)</ref> Their descendants currently make up a very small component of the Yemenite Jewish population which now mostly reside in Israel today.<ref name="Stillman">Norman A. Stillman, ''The Jews of Arab lands: A history and source book'', p. 117</ref><ref>Moshe Gil, "The Origins of the Jews of Yathrib," J.S.A.I. 4 (1984)</ref>
===Notable people=== {{See also|Al-Harthi}} *Harith bin Ka'b, also known as Arethas of Najran, a warrior and the founder of the Banu Harith. *Dus ibn Milhan, a man who appealed to Dhu Nuwas after two of his sons were brutally murdered by the Christians who had captured Najran. After hearing of his plight, Dhu Nuwas swore to avenge the deaths and to liberate Jews of Najran.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131005072328/http://wbm.org.il/var/2077/548375-%D7%97%D7%92%D7%99%20%D7%9E%D7%96%D7%95%D7%96%20-%20%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%9E%D7%9C%D7%9B%D7%94%20%D7%94%D7%99%D7%94%D7%95%D7%93%D7%99%D7%AA%20%D7%91%D7%AA%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%9F_E.doc The last Himyarite king ]</ref> *Thebith ben Chorath, a 12th-century astrologist and mathematician.<ref>{{cite book |title=Catalogue of the Harleian Manuscripts in the British Museum |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PaRJAAAAcAAJ|year=1808}}</ref>
== See also == * Chorath * Bani Al Harith District, a Mikhlaf that was founded by a sub-clan of Banu al-Harith
== References == {{reflist}} {{Arabian Peninsula Jewish tribes}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harith}} Category:Jewish tribes of Arabia Category:Jewish Saudi Arabian history Category:Muhammad and Judaism Category:Qahtanites Category:Tribes of Arabia Category:Tribes of Saudi Arabia Category:Yemeni tribes