al-Ansab lil-Sahari
- Author died
- 511 AH
- Editions
- al-Ansab lil-Sahari
al-Ansab (The Genealogies) is a classical genealogical and historical treatise written by the Ibadi scholar and historian Abu al-Mundhir Salama ibn Muslim al-Awtabi al-Sahari (d. 511 AH / 1117 CE) . The book documents Arab tribal genealogies, legendary histories, and tribal lineages, with notable attention to early historical narratives and Arabian tribes .
Scope and Structure
The work is organized genealogically, beginning with the descendants of Ma'add ibn 'Adnan and following with Ya'rub ibn Qahtan . Al-Sahari explains that he gave precedence to the lineage of 'Adnan over Qahtan because the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was among their descendants, although earlier genealogists had often prioritized Ya'rub on the basis that he was the first to speak Arabic following the confusion of tongues at Babel .
Beyond straightforward genealogical tables, the work includes extensive historical reports, narratives of pre-Islamic Arabia, and discussions of political upheavals . It covers themes such as the reasons behind the Abyssinian takeover of Yemen, rivalries among the Himyarite rulers, and cultural discussions, concluding with observations on desert life and livestock . In catalog traditions and historical manuscripts, the work is also referred to under the broader title al-'Awtabi fi al-Siyar wa-l-Ansab .
Method and Sources
In constructing his lineages, al-Sahari notes the divergence among classical authorities regarding the ancestry of the Arabs beyond 'Adnan and Qahtan . He cites traditional reports, including sayings attributed to Umar ibn al-Khattab and the Prophet ﷺ, cautioning against tracing lineages above 'Adnan due to excessive speculation .
He incorporates differing accounts transmitted by genealogists such as Hisham ibn Muhammad al-Kalbi, addressing debates over whether Qahtan descended from Ishmael or from 'Abir (identified with the Prophet Hud), endorsing the latter as the authoritative view among Arab genealogists . The text frequently substantiates genealogical claims with pre-Islamic and early Islamic poetry, such as verses attributed to Tubba' and Hassan ibn Thabit .
Reception
al-Ansab served as a foundational source for later Omani historians and genealogists documenting Arabian lineages. In his genealogical work Is'af al-A'yan fi Ansab Ahl 'Uman, the Omani scholar Salim ibn Humud al-Siyabi noted that while al-Sahari's history treated the lineages of the tribes of Oman, his coverage was not comprehensive of all or most of them, leaving room for later scholars to expand upon the tribal landscape of the region .
Answer updated