Banu Ka'b

The Banu Kaʿb () Singular Kaabi (Arabic: الكعبي) are a nomadic Arab tribe which originated in the Najd region of the Arabian Peninsula, and inhabit Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Iran (Khuzestan). They often raided, then settled various areas of southern and central Ottoman Iraq, in cities such as Basra and Nasiriyah, and also across the border in modern-day Khuzestan province in Iran, particularly near the city of Al-Muhammarah. From the early 18th century onwards, the Banu Kaʿb of Iraq began converting from Sunni to Shia Islam. Other branches of the Bani Kaʿb settled in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Morocco. The Banu Ka'b of Oman, Qatar and the UAE practice Sunni Islam while the Banu Ka'b of Iraq practice Shia Islam.

In the mid-eighteenth century, the Banu Kaʿb had a strong navy, and sometimes attacked British ships, and fought either for or against the Ottoman Empire and Qajar Iran. In 1812, the Emirate of Muhammara emerged as an autonomous emirate under the Banu Kaʿb. The Banu Kaʿb had their tribal flag as a yellow or red flag with tribe and branch sayings.

They also had a skirmish with the naval force of the Sheikhdom of Kuwait from Riqqa. Sheikh Barakat of the Banu Kaʿb asked for the hand of a Kuwait sheikh's daughter in marriage and the sheikh refused; that infuriated Sheikh Barakat and caused him to attack Kuwait. However, his ships got stuck in the sand because of the shallow water. In this skirmish no one died however the Kuwaitis technically won because they salvaged what they could from Banu Kaʿb's stuck ships. Sheikh Barakat tried to muster more men to attack Kuwait but the people killed him for his incompetence and for his willingness to risk the lives of his tribesmen for something trivial.

Lineage

Kaab bin Rabi’ah bin Aamer bin Sa’sa’ah bin Mu’awiyah bin Bakr bin Hawazin bin Mansour bin Ikrimah bin Khasfa bin Qais Ailan bin Mudar bin Nizar bin Ma’ad bin Adnan.

Migration

There were several reasons that led to the migration of Banu Ka’b from Al-Aflaj in the sixth century AH, the most important of which are:

* the Islamic conquests around the world. The majority of Banu Ka’b were men of war, so they left and settled in the areas that God had blessed the Muslims with.

* The drought that struck the Najd region and forced many tribes to migrate.

The Banu Ka’b tribe migrated from the Najd region, and some of them went to Iraq (they are the ones who ruled Ahwaz, the land of the Arabs), and their last king was Khazal Al-Kaabi, who was betrayed by the Persian ruler in the year (1343 AH / 1925 AD), northern Morocco (Tunisia) and to the mountains of Oman. The tribe is present in the State of Qatar and Bahrain (and they are called Al-Kaaban), and their origins go back to Banu Ka’b who are present in the mountains of Oman.

Notable people

Among the tribe's members are:
* Al-Nābigha al-Jaʽdī, early Islamic poet and Companion of Muhammad
* Khazʽal Ibn Jabir, last rulers of the Emirate of Muhammara
* Ayoub el-Kaabi, Moroccan footballer
* Ahmed Al-Kaabi, Omani Footballer
* Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, Minister of Energy in Qatar
* Akram al-Kaabi, Iraqi militant leader

See also

* Sheikh Jabir al-Ka'bi
* Emirate of Muhammara
*Uqaylid dynasty
*Usfurids

References

Further reading

*
*

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaab
Tribes of Arabia
Tribes of Saudi Arabia
Tribes of Iraq
Tribes of the United Arab Emirates
Bedouin groups
Society of Iraq
Kaab, Bani
Society of the United Arab Emirates
History of Khuzestan province
Banu 'Amir
Tribes of Oman