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Afro-Arabs are
Arabs The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, No ...
of full or partial Black African descent. These include populations within mainly the Sudanese,
Emiratis The Emiratis ( ar, الإماراتيون) are the native Arab citizen population of the United Arab Emirates. Their largest concentration is in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where there are about approximately 1.5 million Emiratis. Formerly ...
,
Yemenis Yemenis or Yemenites ( ar, يمنيون) are the nationals of Yemen. Social hierarchy There is a system of social stratification in Yemen that was officially abolished at the creation of the Republic of Yemen in 1962 but, in practice, this syst ...
,
Saudis Saudis ( ar, سعوديون, Suʿūdiyyūn) are people identified with the country of Saudi Arabia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. The Saudis are composed mainly of Arabs and primarily speak a regional dialect ...
,
Omanis Omanis ( ar, الشعب العماني) are the nationals of Sultanate of Oman, located in the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Omanis have inhabited the territory that is now Oman. In the eighteenth century, an alliance of traders a ...
, Sahrawis,
Mauritanians This article is about the demographic features of the population of Mauritania ( ar, التركيبة السكانية في موريتانيا), including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, r ...
, Algerians, Egyptians and Moroccans, with considerably long established communities in Arab states such as
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East J ...
, Iraq, Syria and Jordan.


Overview

South Arabia South Arabia () is a historical region that consists of the southern region of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, mainly centered in what is now the Republic of Yemen, yet it has also historically included Najran, Jizan, Al-Bahah, and 'A ...
and Africa have been in contact commencing with the obsidian exchange networks of the 7th millennium BC. These networks were strengthened by the rise of Egyptian dynasties of the 4th millennium BC. Scientists have indicated the likely existence of settlements in
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plat ...
from the people of the Horn of Africa as early as 3rd and 2nd millennia BC. The Afro-Arab Tihama culture, which originated in Africa, began in the 2nd millennium BC. This cultural complex is found in Africa in countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan, as well as in neighbouring Yemen and the Saudi coastal plains. In the 1st millennium BC, Southern Arabs gained control of the Red Sea trade routes and established the first kingdom in Yemen, Saba, at around 800 BC. As a result of Saba's influence, modern-day Ethiopia was gradually incorporated into the area of Arabian influence. In 600 BC, the formation of the Ethio-Sabean state of Daamat on the Tigrean plateau arose. “The archaeological evidence suggests that this is likely to have been the result of small-scale colonization by several Arabian groups (including Sabeans) and acculturation of the indigenous population.” After several centuries of isolation, the
Kingdom of Aksum The Kingdom of Aksum ( gez, መንግሥተ አክሱም, ), also known as the Kingdom of Axum or the Aksumite Empire, was a kingdom centered in Northeast Africa and South Arabia from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages. Based primarily in wha ...
arose in 100 AD. This kingdom existed for 800 years and occupied southern Arabia for part of this period. Utilitarian Aksumite pottery has been found in large quantities in deposits from the 5th and 6th centuries in the Yemen Hadhramaut, suggesting that there may have been substantial immigration during that period. Southern Arabia was a client state of the Aksumite kingdom throughout the 6th century. Himyarite inscriptions document an invasion of Mecca by an ambitious Aksumite general named Abraha (Tigrinya: አብርሃ) in the year 570 AD. An early incident in post-Islamic Afro-Arab relations, known as the First Hijrah, (Arabic: الهجرة إلى الحبشة, al-hijra ʾilā al-habaša), was an episode in the early history of Islam, where the first companions of the Prophet Muhammad (the Sahabah) fled from the persecution of the ruling Quraysh tribe of Mecca. They sought refuge in the Christian Kingdom of Aksum, in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea (formerly referred to as Abyssinia, an ancient name whose origin is debated), In 613 or 615 AD, the Aksumite monarch who received them is referred to as Ashama ibn Abjar or the Negus (Arabic: نجاشي, najāšī). Modern historians have alternatively identified him with King Armah and Ella Tsaham. Some of the companions later returned to Mecca and made the hijra to Medina with Muhammad, while others remained in Abyssinia until they came to Medina in 628. The mosque they established is called the Mosque of the Companions (Arabic: مَسْجِد ٱلصَّحَابَة, romanized: Masjid aṣ-Ṣaḥābah) in the city of Massawa, modern-day Eritrea. Dating to the early 7th century AD, it is believed to be the first mosque on the African continent. Many companions settled there after Islam became established in the Arabian peninsula and the descendants of these companions still reside in the region. By around the 1st millennium AD,
Bantu Bantu may refer to: *Bantu languages, constitute the largest sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages *Bantu peoples, over 400 peoples of Africa speaking a Bantu language * Bantu knots, a type of African hairstyle * Black Association for Nationa ...
fishermen established trading towns on what is now called the Swahili Coast, which between the tenth and twelfth century became Arabized. The
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
conquered these trading centers after the discovery of the Cape Road. From the 1700s to the early 1800s, Muslim forces of the Omani empire re-seized these market towns, especially on the islands of Pemba and Zanzibar. In these territories, Arabs from Yemen and
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
settled alongside the local "African" populations, thereby spreading Islam and establishing Afro-Arab communities. The Niger-Congo
Swahili language Swahili, also known by its local name , is the native language of the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent litoral islands). It is a Bantu language, though Swahili ...
and culture largely evolved through these contacts between Arabs and the native
Bantu Bantu may refer to: *Bantu languages, constitute the largest sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages *Bantu peoples, over 400 peoples of Africa speaking a Bantu language * Bantu knots, a type of African hairstyle * Black Association for Nationa ...
population. Afro-Arab communities were similarly founded in the
Nile Valley The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest ...
, as Arabs intermarried with indigenous tribes of Sudan. However, many other Afro-Arabs in
the Sudans The Sudans (also known as the two Sudans or just Sudan) is a region in Northeast Africa comprising the sovereign countries of Sudan and South Sudan. Until 2011, the region was united under a state known as the Republic of the Sudan. Geography ...
are said to have little biological connection to Arab peoples, but were instead essentially of Nilotic origins, albeit influenced by the old Arabic civilization in language and culture. Similarly, in North Africa, Arabs had close connections to the native Africans; however, racial discrimination still plays a major role on segregating Afro-Arabs from mainstream Arab population, as in Tunisia,
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
, Libya and Morocco. In the
Arab states of the Persian Gulf The Arab states of the Persian Gulf refers to a group of Arab states which border the Persian Gulf. There are seven member states of the Arab League in the region: Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. ...
, descendants of people from the Swahili Coast perform traditional Liwa and
Fann at-Tanbura Fann aṭ-Ṭanbūra ( ar, فن الطنبورة) is a traditional music and dance genre in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, especially Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman. Musically, the '' tanbūra'' instrument plays a central role, along with several dr ...
music and dance, and the mizmar is also played by Afro-Arabs in the Tihamah and Hejaz. The ancestors of these people were originally brought to the Persian Gulf as slaves. Today, they are fully recognised citizens of the Persian Gulf states, despite the fact that they do not have any Arab ancestry. In addition, Stambali of Tunisia and
Gnawa music Gnawa music (Ar. ) is a body of Moroccan religious songs and rhythms. Its well-preserved heritage combines ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing. The music is performed at ''lila'', communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer ...
of Morocco are both ritual music and dances that in part trace their origins to West African musical styles.


Notable Afro-Arabs

*
Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud (born 2 March 1949) is a retired Saudi Arabian diplomat, military officer, and government official who served as Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States from 1983 to 2005. He is a member of the House of Saud. From ...
, Saudi politician and member of the Saudi royal family * Omar al-Bashir, Sudanese politician *
Etab Tarouf Abdulkhair Adam Muhammad al-Talal Hawsawi ( ar, طروف عبد الخير آدم محمد الطلال هوساوي), known professionally as Etab, ( ar, عتاب, translit= ; December 30, 1947 – August 19, 2007) was a Saudi Arabian sin ...
, Saudi Arabian singer *
Anwar Sadat Muhammad Anwar el-Sadat, (25 December 1918 – 6 October 1981) was an Egyptian politician and military officer who served as the third president of Egypt, from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 ...
, Egyptian politician * Ather El Tahir, Sudanese footballer * Mohamed Al-Deayea, Saudi footballer * Shikabala, Egyption footballer * Ahmed Umar, Sudanese LGBT activist


See also

*
Afro-Saudis Afro-Saudis are Saudi people of Black African heritage. Afro-Saudis are the largest Afro-Arab group. They are spread all around the country but are mostly found in the major cities of Saudi Arabia. Afro-Saudis speak Arabic and adhere to Islam. ...
*
Afro-Palestinians Afro-Palestinians are Palestinians of Black African heritage. A minority of Afro-Palestinians which number around 350-450 reside in an African enclave around the Bab al-Majlis, in the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem.Jonarah Baker'The African-Pale ...
*
Afro-Jordanians Afro-Jordanians are Jordanians of Black African heritage. Afro-Jordanians speak Arabic and mostly adhere to Islam. Most Afro-Jordanians are concentrated in the Southwest parts of Jordan.http://www.africanviews.org/index.php?option=com_content&v ...
*
Al-Akhdam The Al-Muhamashīn ( ar, المهمشين, link=yes), "the marginalized ones"); previously called The ''Al-Akhdām'', ''Akhdām'' or ''Achdām'' ( ar, الأخدام) ("the servants", singular Khadem, meaning "servant" in Arabic, are an Arabic-spea ...
*
Afro-Iraqis Afro-Iraqis are Iraqi people of African Zanj heritage. Historically, their population has concentrated in the southern port city of Basra, as Basra was the capital of the slave trade in Iraq. Afro-Iraqis speak Arabic and mostly adhere to Islam. S ...
*
Afro-Syrians Afro-Syrians are Syrian people of Black African heritage. They almost entirely live in Southwestern Daraa and the bordering Golan Heights with only a handful living in other parts of Syria and other parts of the world. Outside of Daraa, their ex ...
*
Afro-Iranians Afro-Iranians ( fa, ایرانیان آفریقایی‌تبار) are Iranian people of African Zanj heritage. Most Afro-Iranians are concentrated in the coastal provinces of Persian Gulf such as Hormozagan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Bushehr an ...
*
Arab slave trade History of slavery in the Muslim world refers to various periods in which a slave trade has been carried out under the auspices of Arab peoples or Arab countries. Examples include: * Trans-Saharan slave trade * Indian Ocean slave trade * Barbary ...
*
Black Guard The Black Guard or ''‘Abid al-Bukhari'' ( ar, عبيد البخاري, lit=Slaves of al-Būkhārī; also known as ''‘Abīd al-Dīwān'' "slaves of the diwan", ''Jaysh al-‘Abīd'' "the slave army", and ''‘Abid al-Sultan'' "the sultan’s ...
*
Gnawa The Gnawa (or Gnaoua, Ghanawa, Ghanawi, Gnawi'; Arabic: ڭناوة) are an ethnic group inhabiting Morocco. The name Gnawa probably originated in the indigenous language of North Africa and the Sahara Desert. The phonology of this term accordi ...
*
Haratin Haratin (), also referred to as Haratine, Harratin (singular: Hartani), are an ethnic group found in western Sahel and southwestern Maghreb. The Haratin are mostly found in modern Mauritania (where they form a plurality), Morocco, Western Saha ...
*
Shirazi people The Shirazi people, also known as Mbwera, are a Bantu ethnic group inhabiting the Swahili coast and the nearby Indian ocean islands. They are particularly concentrated on the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Comoros.Swahili people The Swahili people ( sw, WaSwahili) comprise mainly Bantu, Afro-Arab and Comorian ethnic groups inhabiting the Swahili coast, an area encompassing the Zanzibar archipelago and mainland Tanzania's seaboard, littoral Kenya, northern Mozambique, ...
* Zanj


Citations


References

* * * *


External links


Arab Slave Trade
Afo-Arab relations and the Arab Slave Trade
"Black Africans in (Arab) West Asia"
- a cite
ColorQ.org
essay * Prof. Helmi Sharawy

paper extracted from the book ''The Dialogue between the Arab culture and other cultures,
Arab League The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...
, Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), Tunis, 1999.
Resolution on Afro-arab Co-operation
of The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, 23, February 23–28, 1987.
African Union/league of Arab States Inter-secretariat Consultative Meeting On Afro-arab Cooperation
Addis Ababa: 10–12 May 2005. * Maho M. Sebiane, « Le statut socio-économique de la pratique musicale aux Émirats arabes unis : la tradition du leiwah à Dubai », Chroniques yéménites, 14, 200


Afro-Arabian origins of the Early Yemenites and their Conquest and Settlement of Spain
{{Immigration from Africa Arab groups Multiracial affairs Arab world-related lists Ethnic groups in the Middle East