Arab nation. Where do Arabs live? Arab countries

Christians in North America are often confused by the relationship between the religion of Islam and the ethnic identity of Muslims. This confusion has two forms. The first concerns the relationship between the religious Muslim and the Arab ethnic component. The second concerns the depth to which the religious Muslim identity has penetrated the ethnic identities of all Muslim groups of people.

If Christians are to understand their Muslim neighbors (locally and globally), love them as Christ commanded them, and effectively spread the gospel among them, then we need to be aware of how they understand themselves.

"Arab" and "Muslim"

The terms "Arab" and "Muslim" are not synonymous. Muslims are followers of the religion of Islam. Arabs are an ethnic-linguistic group of people, most of whom are Muslims religiously, but there are also many who do not practice Islam. Their roots are in the Arabian Peninsula, but in the 7th-8th centuries they broke into the world around them with impressive conquests that followed the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632 AD. For 100 years they moved west through North Africa and Spain, and reached the south of France. To the east, the Arabs conquered the Persian Empire and entered what is now Pakistan and Central Asia. They did it as followers of Islam, but also ethnically, linguistically and culturally - like Arabs. From the beginning, these Muslim Arabs lived as a ruling minority over much of their empire. Most of the people they conquered spoke other languages ​​(such as Aramaic, Coptic, Berber and Persian) and practiced other religions (Christianity in the west and Zoroastrianism in the east).

After some time, however, the dual processes of Islamization and Arabization began, which proceeded differently and unevenly in different regions. Egypt, North Africa, and the Aramaic-speaking Middle East became virtually completely Arabized linguistically and Muslim religiously. In places like Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Egypt, significant minorities held on to their historical Christian identities. Thus, today in each of these countries there are communities of people who are regarded ethnically and linguistically as Arabs, but are adherents of ancient Christian communities: the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt, the Maronite Catholic Church in Lebanon, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman catholic church in Palestine, the Eastern and Syriac Orthodox Churches in Syria, and the Chaldean Catholic and Assyrian Orthodox Churches in Iraq. These groups have been caught between two fires in the clashes that have engulfed these countries in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Chaoyue PAN - Coptic Good Friday Mass

The historical Christian population in the Middle East has drastically declined in the past few decades as Christians have been killed or forced to flee. For example, a significant proportion of the population of Palestine were historically Christians in the early 20th century, but Israel does not separate them from Palestinian Muslims, and many have left their homes. Similarly, the Assyrian and Chaldean believers in Iraq fled en masse from the regime of Saddam Hussein. But since the regime was overthrown, they have been targeted again, now by various Islamic groups, and many have had to flee. A significant percentage of the Arab population in the United States belongs to one of the ancient Eastern churches (hence they are not Muslim), and the patriarch of the Assyrian Orthodox Church currently lives in Chicago.

On the other hand, many other peoples under Islamic rule became Muslims but never became Arabs. In the Middle East itself, Persians (Iranians), Kurds and Turks are, for the most part, Muslims. But they do not regard themselves as Arabs and do not speak Arabic. Moreover, most of the world's Muslim population lives in countries where Arabic is not spoken: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, along with a few others.

The majority of Muslims in the world are not Arabs in linguistic and ethnic terms.

Arab center

And yet, the influence of the Arabs on these non-Arab Muslims is enormous. The Qur'an was written in Arabic and only the Qur'an in the original language is regarded by true Muslims. The prayers that Muslims read five times a day are read in Arabic, and it does not matter whether the person who prays understands this language or not. Hadiths and all authoritative documents of Islamic law were written in Arabic. Muslims South-East Asia who do not know Arabic still give their children Arabic names. It is true that most of the communities living in the neighborhood of the Arab world (Turks, Persians, Kurds and Berbers) experience something like a mixed love-hate feeling towards the Arabs, often expressing their superiority or hostility towards them. Until now, this influence is very strong, and the Muslim world is inseparably connected with the Arab world.

And here the second, widespread, but erroneous idea plays its role. Inhabitants North America tend to regard religious self-consciousness as private and personal. It is true that we still think in stereotypes: Poles and Italians are typical Catholics, residents of the southern states of the USA are Protestants. Jewish families will sometimes reject children who convert to Christianity. By and large, however, religion is seen as a choice, and the issue is kept out of the question. public opinion. A person may have no religious identity, and be American. In a large part of the Muslim world, however, it is considered right Opposite opinion. Islam is part of their ethnic identity. To be a Turk, a Persian, or a Malaysian, or a member of another Muslim group of people, is to be a Muslim. You can try to stop being a Turk or a Persian, but not an ex-Muslim in terms of Islam. As a Muslim, you are not even required to strictly follow all the precepts of your religion, but you cannot leave Islam.

Joining another religion means committing ethnic and cultural treason, it means cutting yourself off from the ties to your family and society that are the foundation of your identity. This is one of the toughest problems faced by Christians proclaiming the gospel to Muslims. Islam does not divide religion, culture and politics into different areas, but treats them as an indivisible whole. For this reason, evangelism and service to Muslims is seen as a political and cultural provocation, as well as a religious threat.

Our response

What should Christians do with this knowledge?

(1) Don't take every Arab you meet as a Muslim. They may be, but they may also be members of one of the ancient Near Eastern Christian churches.

(2) Don't mistake every Muslim you meet for an Arab. Most Muslims are not Arabs and they will appreciate that you know and understand the difference.

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(3) Understand that for many Muslims, Islam is a religion that they practice in a language they do not know. And their adherence to it is based more on ethnic identity, cultural practices and family ties than on theological understanding.

(4) Realize the price Muslims have to pay to follow Jesus. They not only face highly likely external persecution, they also face a sense of familial, cultural and ethnic betrayal from those closest to them, revolutionizing their understanding of their own identity. Jesus must be extolled as something of the highest value, at a price that is worth paying for it.

The first hoax is the origin of the Arabs. Today, the Arabs believe that they are the descendants of Abram (Ibrahim, Ibrahim, Abraham) through his eldest son Ismail (Ismael), which allows them to inscribe themselves in sacred history.

They claim that the Kaaba temple in Mecca was built by Adam, repaired by his son Seth, and rebuilt by Abram (Ibrahim). Prophet Muhammad even accused the Arabs of turning the place that was originally intended for a mosque into a pagan temple: by the time of the Prophet Muhammad, there were 360 ​​idols around the Kaaba in Mecca!

This story is very confusing. I didn't want to go back to the Bible. I hoped that in the future I would manage without her texts. But the heavily promoted materials of Islamist "researchers" require proof of the improbability of their hoaxes. And so we start with the biblical version of the story.

The flood brought the ark to Ararat. When the water began to recede and the dove did not return, Noah and his three sons came out of the ark: Ham, Shem and Japheth. “From them the nations spread over the earth after the flood.” The offspring of the children and grandchildren of Japheth settled the surrounding lands. The descendants of Ham settled the lands south to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Bible mentions the kingdoms of Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Haliya in the land of Shinar, as well as the tribes of the Philistines, Canaanites, Jebusites, Amorites: “And there were the limits of the Canaanites from Sidon to Gerar to Gaza, from here to Sodom, Gomorrah, Adme and Zeboim to Lasha” - this is the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean Sea and Sinai.

According to the Bible, Eber, a descendant of Shem, had two sons in the third generation: Joktan and Peleg. The descendants of Joktan and his 13 sons settled the areas "from Mesha to Sephar, the eastern mountain" (Genesis 10:30). Mesha is known as Mecca, and these spaces are the Arabian Peninsula (Arabian): from the Red Sea and Sinai in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east, from Syria and Iraq in the north to the Arabian Sea (Indian Ocean) in the south. A vast territory, more than two million square kilometers of desert, barren land almost waterless and devoid of vegetation. This land is designated by the word "Arab". At the dawn of history, this word was called the Arabian Peninsula and the peoples inhabiting it.

The branch of the descendants of Shem through Eber and Peleg leads us through 4 generations to Ur of the Chaldees to the house of Terah to his son Abram. Then it was in issue #8. Yes, Arabs and Jews have a common origin. But the ancestor of the Arabs is the son of Eber Joktan, and not Abram (Ibrahim, Abraham), as it was presented at the dawn of Islam by the Prophet and his followers. They have no evidence, especially since (according to the Bible) Abram was a Jew, not an Arab (!), a monotheist (not a pagan). Arab monotheism (Islam) appeared millennia later. The first-born of Abram - Ibrahim, born to the servant of Sarah, the Egyptian Hagar (Hajar, Keturah), also could not be an Arab or their progenitor. Since the pagan Arabs for 2.5 millennia BC. already lived in the Arabian Peninsula. He could not be a pagan like the son of Abraham, much less a Muslim, since Islam appeared thousands of years later.

The Arab classical anthroponymic model, which finally took shape in the late Middle Ages, became the basis for further development personal name systems in all Arab countries. At the same time, the spread of Islam and, at the same time, the Arab-Muslim personal name led to fundamental changes in the anthroponymic systems of many peoples of Asia and Africa. Without taking into account the influence of Arabic AM, it is unthinkable to study the systems of personal names of these peoples.

During his life, an Arab could have several names. The first name was given in infancy (at birth or circumcision), the name of the father was added to it; then he could receive a title corresponding to his social position, or nicknames that reflect his personal qualities or describe his appearance. He could be named after the name of the country (locality) where he was born or where he came from. The name of the religious sect to which he belonged could also be part of his name, as well as the name of the profession, position, title of dignitary, etc. If a person was known as a writer, then he could also have a pseudonym. In relation to one person, these names, nicknames, titles have never been used all together. Their numerous and changing combinations reflect only those names by which the person was known to his contemporaries and which have survived to this day. It is clear that the names built according to the most complete AM are found among rulers, nobility, scientists, writers, historical figures. Names that have come down to us ordinary people often consist of one or two elements.

All types of names are usually denoted by Arabic terms. Their number varies from four to eight among different researchers, depending on the subdivisions of nicknames and titles.

1. Alam (Ismalam)- the primary and integral component of the Arabic AM, a personal name in the narrow sense of the word. It was given to a child at birth or (to boys) at circumcision and was usually consumed among relatives and acquaintances. Alam could be simple, consisting of one element (Assad, Zaid, Muhammad, Ibrahim, Hassan), or complex, consisting of two elements. These are usually theophoric names with elements abd slave + Allah (or one of his 99 epithets). Epithets are often used ar-Rahman"merciful" and al-Rahim merciful. Other types of names with elements are sometimes used as alam abu, umm, ibn, -ad-din, -Allah and etc.

2. Cunha— (a) a tectonym derived from alam, which necessarily includes the elements abu father or umm mother, denoting the name after the son; for example, caliph Ali in addition to his numerous names, he also bore the names of his sons: Abu-l-Hasan and Abu-l-Hussein, i.e. father Hassan and father Hussain;(b) a special kind of nickname, used metaphorically and denoting the personal qualities of its bearer. In this case, the elements abu or umm are not translated as "father" and "mother", but are understood as "possessor" and in combination with common lexicon acquire their special anthroponymic meaning. A similar way of forming names was very popular among the Arabs: Abu Mashar owner of society (i.e. "sociable"), Abu l-Khair possessor of goodness (i.e. "good"), Abu-l-Farah possessor of joy (i.e. "joyful"). Similar nicknames could also be used in an ironic sense, for example Abu Hurairah the owner of a kitten (i.e. "cat owner").

Sometimes at birth both alam and kunya were given at once. In this case, the kunya expressed the desire that a son be born to a person with this name.

Kunya in some cases could be derived from a personal name (alam). Multiple names (Abu Bakr, Umm Kulthum) from the category of kunya they moved to the category of alam, retaining the element abu/umm.

The names of the kunya type sometimes include names of the father, brother, grandfather. However, based on the syntactic difference between names and elements abu/umm and ibn / bandage, they should be classified as nasab.

3. Nasab— a teknonym derived from alam, with the element ibn/bint or ibna son / daughter, denoting the name of the father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. in the genealogical series: A, son B, son C, son D, son D, etc. Attempts to trace one's ancestry sometimes led to excessive the length of the nasab name chain. So, the author of the well-known dictionary Ibn Khallikan had 12 nasab names: Abu-l-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Abu Bakr ibn Khallikan ibn Bawak ibn Shakal ibn al-Hussain ibn Malik ibn Jafar ibn Yahya ibn Khalid ibn Barmak nicknamed Shamsu-d-Din. The purpose of such a genealogical chain is to trace one's descent from famous family Barmakids. In practice, the use of names like nasab rarely went beyond the name of the grandfather, i.e. A, son of B, son of C.

4. Lakab- additional name, nickname, nickname, honorary title, exalting epithet. This type of names is the most complex in Arabic anthroponymy both in form and in semantic composition, as well as in syntactic use. Lakab-type names always carry a certain semantic load, often of a metaphorical and metonymic nature. These names are closely connected with the realities of medieval life,

with the ideas of the Arab-Muslim culture. Often the translation of a name like Lakab requires a detailed knowledge of the cultural and historical background. It should also be borne in mind that such names, as a rule, were given to a person after his death. Representatives of different social strata were characterized by different groups of names Lakab. For example, among rulers, military leaders, state dignitaries, titles with elements -din, -davla, -amir, al-muminin, -mulk, -islam, -milla. Lakab in the narrow sense of the nickname is known in all historical periods and in all social groups. Often this is a contemptuous nickname (distinguished by the term nabaz or storehouse); it may reflect some bodily defect or negative character trait (Tawil long, al-Kazzab"liar", etc.).

Sometimes naming by occupation or position is denoted by a special term mansab(for example, al-Hagib, an-Nahhas, ar-Rawiya), which, in our opinion, is a special case of names like lacab.

Honorary titles are sometimes combined by the term hitab. Usually these are names like lacab with the element ad-din (Nur-ad-Din, Shamsu-d-Din).

Many names of Lakab caliphs and emirs eventually passed into the category of alam and began to be used in all social groups, for example: al-Rashid, Rida, Zaki, Taki and formed by the type of marten Abu-l-Fath, Abu-Nasr, Abu-l-Fadl.

Close to names like lakab are the pseudonyms of poets and writers, united by the term tahallus(or mahlas). The names tahallus may have some connection with the personal qualities of the bearer, with the nature and style of his works, with the names of patrons, with the name of the place of residence, etc. Thus, the poet al-Bais was named after a verse that begins with a word of the same root, al-Mutanabbi by the nature of his political activity.

5. Nisba- a name denoting the ethnic, religious, political, social affiliation of a person, the place of his birth or residence, etc. Usually nisba has a morphological indicator of a relative adjective - suffix -i: Makki, Sharani, Iamani. As a rule, nisba is a one-syllable name, even if it is formed from compound name: Abu Bakr - Bakri, Ibn al-Zubayr - Zubayri, Fakhru-d-Din - Fakhri. One person could have several nisba at the same time, for example, a name in relation to a religious sect - Shii (Shiite) and in relation to the place of residence or origin - Basri(from the city of Basra). The reasons for choosing the name nisba could be very different. So, for example, nisba Badri worn by Muslims - participants in the Battle of Badr; a slave bought for 1000 coins was named Alfie (alf thousand). Names like nisba, like other types of Arabic names, are also included in the group of names lakab, and mansab, and tahallus.

There is a traditionally established order of the AM elements: 1) kunya, 2) alam, 3) nasab, 4) lakab, or nabaz, or mansab, 5) nisba or tahallus. Sometimes the hitab comes first, and the lakab and nisba may change places. Alam and nasab are almost always present in AM, while the remaining components may vary or be absent altogether.

Female names in the bulk are much simpler than male ones in terms of the number of elements. The absence of the names lakab and nisba and the more rare use of the names kunya and nasab greatly shorten their AM. Only especially noble and famous women in history had nicknames and titles. The most common female names are those worn by the wives and daughter of the prophet Muhammad (Khadija, Hind, Fatima etc.) Theophoric names are formed with the element Amat (Amat Allah, Amat al-Wahid). Nicknames were sometimes used with the name alam (Kurratu-l-ain, Shajaru-d-durr).

In terms of composition, Arabic anthroponyms are mostly of Semitic origin. Those names that are borrowed from the related Semitic languages ​​"got used" to the actual Arabic mass of personal names. The share of borrowed names is relatively small. There are several layers of borrowed anthroponyms and their elements: 1) Greek-Latin (Sukrat, Aflatun, Iklidis and etc.); 2) Iranian (morphemic elements -an, -vaikh, names Farhad, Husruf); 3) Turkish (morphemic elements - coals, - bash, names Arslan, Fog, Urkhan). There are also a number of borrowings from Berber, Indian and other languages.

A person could be known to his contemporaries and subsequent generations under any of the listed types of names. Alam was also used as a similar name of fame. (Muhammad) and nasab (ibn Batuta), and marten (Abu Nuwas), and nisba (at-Tabari) and others. It is impossible to clearly distinguish between the types of names of the classical Arabic language: they intersect, complement each other. The same name can belong to several types, depending on whether it is considered in terms of form, or semantics, or origin, or function.

In the majority, Arabic anthroponyms carry a certain semantic load, which may differ significantly from the meanings of those appellatives from which they are formed. The semantics of proper names is the relationship between the called (the bearer of the name) and the concept that is expressed by the base word in the minds of the callers. According to the scheme of V. A. Nikonov, the main semantic types of personal names of the Arabs are as follows.

I. Descriptive names (descriptives). These are names that state the signs of a newborn, various circumstances and conditions of his birth, contain information about the parents.

This also includes names given to an already adult person for some bodily defects or other signs.

1. Names associated with kinship: al-Walid child, Wuhai"little brother" Ubay"little father" Umaima"little mother".

2. Names given by individual characteristics, by physical defects: (a) vision - Ahwal oblique, Ahbas narrow-eyed, Ama, Darir, Kafif blind, Basir c good eyesight’, Amash blind-sighted; (b) hearing - Asamm, Atrash deaf; (c) body - Kabir big, Tawil long, Adkan"dark brown, Ahdab humpback, Araj lame.

3. Circumstances of birth: (a) time - the names of the months of the lunar calendar (Rajab, Safar, Ramadan; Juma Friday, Subhi morning); (b) place - Basra, Samarkand; this includes nisba names associated with place names: at-Tantawi, Makki.

4. Case names: Shabaka net, Katran resin, tar. Probably, some names from the names of animals and plants can also be attributed here.

5. Designation by parents: names like nasab.

6. Feelings of parents in relation to the child: joy, tenderness, love - Mahbub favorite, Khubba love, Wahb and mauhab gift.

II. Names-wishes (desideratives).

1. Wishes to the child: (a) long life - Yahya"he will live" Taglib you will prevail Amr life; this group includes the names of strong and durable plants - Talha acacia; (b) wishes for happiness - Said happy, Cad happiness, Taufik success, happiness; (c) wishes of strength and courage (to boys) - Assad, Osama lion, Nimr tiger, Nasr eagle, Saqr falcon; this includes names related to the war - Dhu-l-Fikar metaphorically "sword"; (d) wishes for power, nobility - al-Amir emir, as-Sayyid sir, ar-Rais chapter; this also includes names from the category of Lakab, former exalting titles; (e) wishes of beauty, tenderness (to girls) - Varda rose, Halima meek, Hassan beautiful; this includes the names of some planets, precious stones; (f) wishes for the best spiritual qualities - Afif virtuous, modest, fahmi smart, Fakhri proud, Kamil perfect, al-Fadl honor, dignity.

2. Deceptive (protective) names protecting from evil spirits, evil eye: (a) names negative qualities, repulsive names, disgusting - Cabija ugly, murra bitter; here you can include names by the names of reptiles, insects - al-Khanash snake, Shabbat"tarantula", etc.; (b) for cheating - iamut“he will die.”

3. Wishes of parents to themselves: yazid he will add

III. Names-dedications (memoratives)- memorable, linking the bearer of the name with another person, deity or idea denoted in his name.

1. Totem names. It is possible that totemic names go back Kalb dog (the plural form is also used Kilab), Dib wolf.

2. Names of a Religious Character: (a) Names of a Prophet Muhammad his relatives and closest associates - al-Abbas, Fatima, Ali, Omar, Hamza and etc.; (b) biblical names, which, due to their assimilation by Islam, carry a certain religious load, — Yakub, Ibrahim, Idris, Ismail, Suleiman, Iusuf and etc.; (c) theophoric names - Abdallah slave of Allah and other names formed according to the model abd + epithets of Allah; (d) names expressing the ideas of Islam; these are names with elements -ad-Din, -Allah al-Islam, -Sunnah and etc.; (e) names associated with the Qur'an - al-Kurani, Hafiz Knowing the Quran by heart. Individual letters found in the Qur'an gave rise to names Taha and Iasin.

3. Names in honor of famous historical figures or ancestors. As such, the nicknames of imams, military leaders, famous relatives were given.

The modern anthroponymic model adopted in Egypt (ARE) is close to the Arabic classical one and includes the personal name of a person, followed by the name of his father, then family name, for example: Kamal Muhammad Ibrahim, Hussein Kamil adDin, Muhammad Osman Jalal (Galal), Nura Ismail Hasanein, Zakiya Abd al-Aziz al-Sanu si, Mahmud Khattab al-Baguri (al-Bajuri). In this form, the name is recorded in the passport and in other official documents. Element ibn son, which in Arabic classical AM is present between the name of son and father, is omitted in modern Egyptian AM. However, in a number of cases, if necessary or desired, to honor someone (in a letter of honour, official diploma, etc.), the word ibn they restore, sometimes adding the name of the grandfather and even the great-grandfather. In everyday communication, it is customary to omit the name of the father as well, thus, a person is usually referred to by a personal name and surname, for example: Mahmoud Teymur, Muhammad Teymur, Ahmad Teymur, Suhair al-Kalamawi, Ibrahim al-Muwaylihi etc.

Egyptian women don't change their last names when they get married.

In the sphere of everyday communication, especially in Egyptian villages, instead of the word ibn son usually use the word abu father 1 . The well-known Egyptian scholar, folklorist and historian, Ahmad Amin, in his Dictionary of Egyptian Customs, Traditions and Expressions, indicates the possibility of such use.

In Egypt, an individual name is often replaced by another according to some well-known association, i.e., a name borrowed from biblical-Quranic stories or associated with historical events, for example, Ibrahima called Abu Khalil, because the Arabs have a biblical name Abraham(Arab. Ibrahim) joins the honorific Khalil Allah or al-Khalil(i.e. friend of God); Suleiman called Abu Dawud, because Suleiman- Arabic form of a biblical name Solomon, son David; Hassan called Abu Ali, because Hassan- son Ali, the fourth Arab caliph (who ruled in 656 - 661), etc. A similar phenomenon is also characteristic of other Arab countries.

Comparing the anthroponymy of Arabic literary language and the spoken language of Egypt, first of all, one should point out the phonetic variants of names, the existence of which is due to differences in the sound systems of these languages ​​and the regular alternation of phonemes. Accounting for phonetic differences is extremely important, since the Arabic script (consonant writing) does not convey local pronunciation features, and such differences must be taken into account when transliterating Egyptian names. They are as follows:

1) sound j in Egypt it is pronounced like G(lit. Jamal - eg. Gamal, lit. Majid- eg. Magid);

2) in names formed according to the type of participle of the I breed of the active voice of the feminine gender, a vowel falls out and with the second root consonant (lit. Fatima - eg. fatma, lit. Aisha- eg. Yesha);

3) in some names, especially those borrowed from the Hebrew language, in the second syllable at is replaced by and(lit. Yusuf- eg. Yusif);

4) sound to in the Egyptian dialect it is usually pronounced as a guttural explosion (lit. Farouk- eg. Faro);

5) sound l in some cases, especially in borrowings, it is pronounced as n(lit. Ismail- eg. Simain) 2 ;

6) sound m may in some cases be replaced by sound n(eg. Fatna- lit. Fatima).

Some features characterize the names of the Egyptian Copts (the Christian population of the country). In addition to names borrowed from the Old and New Testaments, among the Copts there are names associated with pharaonic and Hellenistic Egypt, or names that came from Europe. Copts have common names such as Michael, Hannah, Toma, Sesostris, Euclidos, Marie, Elizabeth, Louise, Joseph, George, Amalia, Julia, Victoria, Yvonne etc. Among the full names of Copts you can find the following: Sadiq Mikhail Antonius, Madeleine Ayyub Andreus etc.

AT spoken language In Egypt, diminutive forms of names are widely used with an emotional connotation of petting or neglect, used when referring to children or when addressing adults intimately, familiarly. Abbreviations are formed in various ways:

1) repetition of one of the consonants (often the initial) of the full name with the same vowel (Lulu- reduce from Layla, Susu- reduce from Suhair, Zuzu- reduce from Mazuza);

2) repetition of one of the consonants (often the initial) of the full name with different vowels (Nani- reduce from Naval, Zuza- reduce from Zaki);

3) the use of the last two consonants of a full name, consisting of three or more consonants, with vowels at and a (Duka- reduce from Madika, Suma- reduce from Umm Coolsum, Suna- reduce from Hasan);

4) the use of any two consonants of a full name, consisting of three or more consonants, with vowels at and a (Nusa- reduce from Nafisa);

5) repetition of a closed syllable formed by combining two consonants of the full name with a vowel a, and or at between them (Tamtam- reduce from Fatma, Simsim- reduce from Sami, Sunsun- reduce from Hasan);

6) the use of models faala and faali (Hamada - reduce from Muhammad, Fatani- reduce from Fatna);

7) using the model fula (Suma- reduce from Simain);

8) using the model faula (Fattum- reduce from Fatma, Halluma- reduce from Halima, Zannuba- reduce from Zeinab, Nauma- reduce from Naima);

9) using suppletive formations (Darsh and Abu Darsh- reduce from Mustafa, Watta- reduce from Fatma).

Many proper names have multiple diminutives, for example: Nawal - Nani and Lulu, Hassan - Suna and Sunsun, Fatma - Tamtam, Fattuma, Fatani and Batta. Some pet names refer to various full names: Suna- to Hassan and Husniyya, and also to others in which there are sounds With and n, Lulu - to Leila and Naval, Zuzu - to Mazuza and Zakiya, as well as to other female names containing the sound h, or generally replaces the word beloved. Diminutive names are formed according to the general rules for the formation of words by breed.

In Egyptian families, the custom is widespread, according to which children are given names derived from the same root as the name of the father (grandfather); for example, in a famous family Teimurov name father - Ahmad and sons were called Muhammad and Mahmoud i.e. all three names have a root hmd.

Among the names and nicknames common in Egypt, many are associated with the country's flora and fauna, for example: Gurab raven, Kutt cat, Far mouse, Barda rose, etc. Some of the names reflect individual details of everyday life, economic and family life, highlight ethnic characteristics, sometimes emphasize the physical shortcomings of people, etc., for example: gundi soldier, Gundiya soldier, Simsar broker, intermediary, Sitt ad-Dar lady of the house, Sitt al-Ahl Mistress of the Family, Hanim lady, Hannuma young lady, Umm al-Khair mother of goodness, al-Avar curve, al-Arag lame, Abu Sumra swarty, Haragi mighty, fertile land.

Ahmad Amin cites in his dictionary folk story, making fun of similar names and nicknames: In the village by name ae Zariba(i.e. cattle corral) near the city of Bilbisa there was a chelbvek named haji Ali al-Fahl(i.e. Haji Ali the Stallion). Once he was called as a witness in court in the city of Zakazik. When the judge asked about his name and village, he replied, "Ali the Stallion of the Cattle Corral." The judge laughed. And here is how Abd ar-Rahman al-Abnudi interprets the name of the hero of his poem: Haragi in the area of ​​the city of Kena is known. Residents of many villages call them their sons. This name did not fall from the sky. The lands that wait every year for the flood [of the Nile], the lands of basin irrigation, are called in our villages khirgan, plural] haraga. This is a muddy land, powerful and fertile, which is covered with very wide and deep cracks, disappearing every year with the flood of the Nile; during the dry season they reappear. The name of this land is taken as a name for their sons, so that they enter into life as strong as their native land, able to bear fruit and bring gifts.

The names of the Egyptians were also influenced by Turkish anthroponymy. For example, Teymur(tour. timur iron), Gulfidan(Persian-tur. rozan). Under Turkish influence, double names-phrases such as Muhammad-Ali, MunirFahmi, Samir-Husni, Nasma-Lutfi 3 . It can be noted that the usual for the European system, the arrangement of names in reference books - first the surname, then the name - when transferring Arabic double names often leads to inaccuracies. So, the name of the largest Egyptian poet Ahmad Shawki(1868 - 1932) is usually referred to in European dictionaries and encyclopedias as Shawki, Ahmad. In fact, as the anthroponymic code of al-Zirikli testifies, Ahmad Shawki is the double name of the poet. Such names in the anthroponymy of ARE are not uncommon.

The anthroponymic system of the Arabs of Algeria is characterized by a natural tendency to simplify AM, which inevitably leads to the use of one or two elements of the name and is aimed at reducing it. One of the reasons for this can be considered the influence of the French language, which was very strong in Algeria. For 130 years of colonial rule, French was the official language of Algeria. The French language played the same role after the country gained independence. The spoken Arabic language of Algeria lacks many concepts of science, technology, etc. The modern literary Arabic language, in which magazines and newspapers are published in Algeria, official speeches are made, is not a means of mass communication, since it is incomprehensible to more than half of the population. The proclamation of Arabic as the state language is of fundamental importance, it testifies to the desire of the Algerians to make their language a means of communication. In the meantime, the French language continues to serve the sphere of official business communication. In connection with the foregoing, it should be recalled about the influence of a fairly large Algerian emigration in Dakhli would stand at the end of the whole name: Muhammad ibn Ahmad ad-Dahli. In common parlance, the appeal will also sound in the French version - Monsieur Dakhli, sometimes in Arabic si Dahli, where is the polite form seyyid Mr is replaced by the North African abbreviation si. In the role of a surname, an individual name, a father's name, different elements can be used: alam, kunya, lakab (but not nisba).

The composition of names in Algeria is the usual Arabic-Muslim. But there are some differences that relate to the old Berber names common among the Berbers, for example: Hammu, Vetka, Dergal, and used in combination with Arabic names, for example: Ait Ahmad, Muhammad Hammu etc. However, the Arabs use only Arabic names. The influence of the Berber language affects the phonetic form of Arabic names, usually in the reduction of the first syllable, for example Rshid instead of Rashid, Brahim instead of Ibrahim, and sometimes the second syllable: Ashmi instead of Hashimi. Due to growth national identity along with the most common names in all Arab countries associated with Koranic plots, the names of the heroes of the struggle for independence, and first of all the name of the national hero, gained wide popularity. Abd al-Kader.

The Arabs of Iraq profess Islam of two main persuasions - Shiite and Sunni. Until recently, hostile relations persisted between adherents of these varieties of religion, and this was reflected in the anthroponymy of the Iraqis. The Shiites generally named their children after their direct descendants. Muhammad i.e. the sons of the daughter of the prophet - Fatma and caliph Ali - Hasan, Hussein, as well as Fatma, Ali. The names of Shiite saints, preachers, for example, are very popular among Shiites. Mahdi, Kazimi. Sometimes Shiites named their children after Sunni caliphs and prophets, for example Osman, Umar. The naming of these names is explained not by the worship of Sunni religious and statesmen, but by the fact that the child named by this name seemed to be completely alien to the Shiite community in order to deceive evil spirits hostile to this family, community, tribe.

With the establishment of Turkish domination in Iraq, which lasted about four centuries, Iraqi anthroponymy began to penetrate Turkish names. Semantically, morphologically and phonetically Turkish names, for example Sabri, Nouri, Shaker Husbak, Sidqi al-Zahavi, Rasij, Kamil Chadarchi, Fadyl al-Jamali etc., are different from Arabic. Borrowings from Turkish anthroponymy include names that include such morphemic elements as -chi (-ji), -bek (-bak), -basha. Quite often there are Arabic names in combination with a Turkish address. effendi Mr, educated person, for example: Abbas Effendi, Hamid Efendi.

Iraqi anthroponymy has been slightly influenced by Iranian and Kurdish. Common names like Shirin, Nasrin, Nargis, Sarkar, Jamshid, came from neighboring Iran and are most commonly found in Southern Iraq where there are many Persians. And the influence of Kurdish anthroponymy is stronger in the north of the country - the main area where the Iraqi Kurds live.

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century. the intensified penetration of Europeans into the Arab countries began; in particular, Iraq became a British mandated territory in 1920, and until 1945 the British retained their influence in this country, which also affected the anthroponymy of the Iraqis, though very slightly. European names are found only among the intelligentsia and senior officials: Edmond Sabri(writer), Lorna Dzawad(artist) John, Marie, Louis Khalil etc.

Modern Iraqi anthroponymy, in addition to the listed categories of names, also includes names associated with the names of real life phenomena. Most of these names performed and continue to perform ritual and ceremonial functions, reflect the nature of national identity, maintain a close connection with the history of the people, their way of life, worldview, and traditions. The motives for choosing names are very diverse, and most often such names do not lose their original etymological meaning, that is, they originate from common lexicon.

If something in the appearance of a newborn struck his relatives, then the name of the child can be chosen by the name of the corresponding feature, property, for example: Munir light (whiteness of the skin), Shukriya blonde, blonde, Jamila, Jamal beautiful, beautiful. But children were born not only with an unusual hair and skin color for a given people, endowed not only with positive physical qualities, but also with physical disabilities, congenital diseases, for example, Ahwal cross-eyed, Araj lame. Many names reflected the time of birth, the circumstances that accompanied the birth of the baby, for example: Ramadan, Safar, Rajab- months of the Arabic lunar calendar, Mutar"born in the rain" Juma Friday (holiday for Muslims), layla night, Shihab comet.

Often found in the names of animals that had Iraqis, especially young animals: Jahshun donkey, Sahloun“lamb”, Acad lion, Ziyab wolf. big group make up names associated with the profession, for example: Nakkash house dyer, Hadad blacksmith, Samak fisherman, fishmonger, Sabbagh dyer, Hakim healer, Jaridi newspaper salesman.

There are cases when a person, due to many circumstances, lost his original name given at birth, and acquired a nickname. So, for a pregnant woman abandoned by her husband, the name Hajjar abandoned or Mazlum offended. Nicknames include such names as Nadim drinker, Sameer interlocutor (night), swarthy, Madlul mind, Kanbar work 4 .

The 1958 revolution in Iraq brought new names associated with it: Saura revolution, Fatika liberation, Kefah fight, Fusion(female name) and Faiz(male name) victory. They entered the Iraqi names as full members of their anthroponymy.

Development of Soviet-Iraqi relations

A people is a group of people united by some specific characteristics, there are more than 300 of them on Earth. There are numerous, for example, Chinese, and there are also small ones, for example, Ginukh, whose representation does not even reach 450 people.

The Arab people are the second largest group of people in the world, with about 400 million people. Inhabit the states of the Middle East and North Africa, but also in recent times they actively emigrate to Europe due to wars and political conflicts. So what kind of people are they, what is their history, and are there countries where Arabs live?

Where did the Arab people come from?

The forerunners of the Arabs are the wild tribes of Africa and the Middle East. In general, the first mention of them was found in various Babylonian writings. More specific instructions are written in the Bible. It is in it that it is said that in the 14th century BC. e. in Transjordan, and then in Palestine, the first shepherd tribes from the Arabian oases appear. Of course it's enough controversial version, but in any case, scientists agree that it was in Arabia that this people originated, and from there the history of the Arabs began.

The vast majority of Arabs profess Islam (90%), and the rest are Christians. In the 7th century, the previously unknown merchant Muhammad began to preach new religion. After several years, the prophet created a community, and later a state - the Caliphate. This country began to rapidly expand its borders, and literally a hundred years later it stretched from Spain through North Africa and southwestern Asia to the borders of India. Due to the fact that the Caliphate had a vast territory, the state language was actively spreading on the lands subject to it, due to which the local population was transferred to the culture and customs of the Arabs.

The spread of Islam allowed the caliphates to establish close contact with Christians, Jews, etc., which contributed to the formation of one of the greatest civilizations in the world. During its existence, many great works of art were created, there was a rapid rise in science, including astronomy, medicine, geography and mathematics. But in the 10th century, the fall of the Caliphate (the state of the Arabs) began due to wars with the Mongols and Turks.

By the 16th century, Turkish subjects conquered the entire Arab world, and this continued until the 19th century, when the British and French already dominated North Africa. Only after the Second World War, all the people, except for the Palestinians, gained independence. They received freedom only by the end of the 20th century.

We will consider later where the Arabs live today, but for now it is worth dwelling on the linguistic and cultural characteristics of this people.

Language and culture

The Arabic language, the official language of all countries in which this group of people lives, belongs to the Afroasian family. About 250 million people speak it, and another 50 million people use it as a second language. The writing is based on the Arabic alphabet, which has changed slightly over its long history. The language is constantly changing. Arabic is now written from right to left and has no capital letters.

Along with the development of the people, culture also developed. It acquired its dawn during the period of the Caliphate. It is noteworthy that the Arabs based their culture on the basis of Roman, Egyptian, Chinese and others, and in general, this people made a big step in the development of human civilization. Studying the language and heritage will help to understand who the Arabs are, what are their values.

Science and literature

Arabic science developed on the basis of ancient Greek, for the most part on military affairs, since vast territories could not be captured and defended only with the help of human resources. At the same time, various schools open. Scientific centers are also emerging due to the development of natural sciences. Great strides have been made in the historical and geographical areas of research. Mathematics, medicine and astronomy received a great leap in development in the Caliphate.

The main literary work of the Arab world is the Koran. It is written in the form of prose and serves as the basis of the religion of Islam. However, even before the appearance of this religious book, great written masterpieces were created. Mostly Arabs composed poetry. The themes varied, such as self-praise, love, and depictions of nature. In the Caliphate, such world works were written that are popular to this day, these are: "A Thousand and One Nights", "Maqamat", "Messages of Forgiveness" and "The Book of the Miser".

Arabic architecture

Many art objects were created by the Arabs. At the initial stage, the influence of Roman and Byzantine traditions affected, but over time, their architecture acquires its own unique look. By the 10th century, a peculiar type of columned mosque was created with a rectangular courtyard in the center, surrounded by numerous halls, galleries with graceful arcades. This type includes the Amir Mosque in Cairo, where Arabs have lived for many hundreds of years.

From the 12th century, various letter and floral patterns began to gain popularity, with which buildings were decorated both outside and inside. Domes appear from the 13th century. In the 15th century, the decoration of buildings was based on the Moorish style, an example of this trend is the Alhambra castle in Granada. After the conquest of the Arab Caliphate by the Turks, architecture acquires Byzantine features which affected the Mohammed Mosque in Cairo.

The Status of Women and Religion in the Arab World

It is impossible to answer the question: who are the Arabs, if you do not study the position of women in their world. Until the middle of the 20th century, girls were at the lowest level in society. They did not have the right to vote, one might say, they were not considered people, but interestingly, the attitude towards mothers was always respectful. Now, especially in major cities attitudes towards women have changed. Now they can attend schools, higher educational institutions and even hold high political and government positions. Polygamy, which is allowed in Islam, is slowly disappearing. You rarely see a man with more than two wives these days.

With regards to religion, then, of course, mostly Arabs profess Islam, about 90 percent. Also a small part are adherents of Christianity, mostly Protestants and a small part of the Orthodox. In ancient times, this people, like most ancient tribes, worshiped the stars, the sun and the sky. They honored and paid tribute to the most famous and influential ancestors. Only in the 7th century, when Muhammad began to preach, did the Arabs actively begin to convert to Islam, and now they are commonly considered Muslims.

Arab countries

The world has enough a large number of states where the Arab people live. Countries in which the vast majority of the population is precisely this nationality can be considered their original ones. For them, the place of residence is mostly in Asian countries. The largest representation of Arabs in following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia. Of course, Arabs still live in Africa and European countries.

Arab emigration

Throughout history, this nationality has moved around the world, for the most part it is associated with the great civilization of the Caliphate. Right now goes where more active emigration of Arabs from Africa and the Middle East to Europe and America due to the unstable and threatening situation that has developed as a result of military and political conflicts. Currently, Arab immigrants are distributed in such territories: France, the USA, Germany, Italy, Austria, etc. About 10 thousand immigrants currently live in Russia, this is one of the smallest representations.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a well-known, influential and successful Arab state. This is a country in the Middle East, which is divided, in turn, into 7 emirates. The UAE is one of the most modern, advanced and wealthy countries in the world and is considered a leading oil exporter. It is thanks to this natural reserve that the Emirates are developing so quickly. Only in the 1970s, the country gained independence, and in such a short time it reached great heights. The most famous cities in the UAE are Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country, and Dubai.

Dubai Tourism

Now the United Arab Emirates attracts tourists from all over the world, but, of course, the center of attraction is Dubai.

This city has everything: any vacationer will be able to satisfy their desires, even lovers skiing there is a place here. The best beaches, shops and entertainment centers. The most famous object not only in Dubai, but throughout the UAE, is the Burj Khalifa. It is the tallest building in the world, reaching 830 meters in height. Inside this massive structure are retail space, offices, apartments, hotels and much more.

The largest water park in the world is also in Dubai. Thousands of different specimens of animals and fish live here. Entering the aquarium, you plunge into the world of a fairy tale, you feel like an inhabitant of the marine world.

In this city, everything is always the largest and largest. The largest and most beautiful artificial archipelago "Mir" is located here. The outlines of the island copy the contours of our planet. The view from the top is magnificent, so it's worth taking a helicopter tour.

Thus, the Arab world is a fascinating history, culture and modern look life. Everyone should get acquainted with the peculiarities of this people, go to the states where the Arabs live, for recreation and entertainment, because this is an amazing and unique phenomenon on planet Earth.

arabs arabs fuck
عرب (ârab)

Number and range

Total: approximately 350 million
Arab League: 339,510,535
Brazil Brazil: 17,000,000-15,000,000
Argentina Argentina: 3,300,000-1,300,000
France France: 2,000,000-1,500,000
Venezuela Venezuela: 1,600,000
Indonesia Indonesia: 87 227-5,000,000
Iran Iran: 2,000,000
Israel Israel: 1,414,000
US US: 1,400,345
Mexico Mexico: 1,066,825

Turkey Turkey:1,000,000

Spain Spain: 800,000
Australia Australia:375,000
Russia Russia:9583

• Moscow Moscow: 2358 (2010 census)
• St. Petersburg St. Petersburg: 929 (2010 census)
• Krasnodar Krai Krasnodar Krai: 530 (2010 census)
• Ryazan region Ryazan region: 410 (2010 census)
• Rostov region Rostov region: 408 (2010 census)
• Voronezh region Voronezh region: 390 (2010 census)
• Volgograd region Volgograd region: 299 (2010 census)
• Tatarstan Tatarstan: 271 (2010 census)
• Belgorod region Belgorod region: 127 (2010 census)
• Novgorod region Novgorod region: 114 (2010 census)

Language

Arabic, Modern South Arabian

Religion

Islam, Christianity.

Racial type

caucasoid

Included in

Arabs(Arabic عرب‎‎‎) - a group of peoples of the Semitic ethno-linguistic group, inhabiting the states of the Middle East and North Africa. Arabs speak Arabic and use the Arabic script. The number of Arabs is about 350 million people. More than 90% of Arabs profess Islam, part - Christianity.

• 1. History
• 2 Groups of Arabs
  • 2.1 Bedouins
  • 2.2 Villagers
  • 2.3 City dwellers
• 3 Language
• 4 Culture
• 5 Arab world
• 6 Locations
  • 6.1 Ethnic Arabs of Central Asia
• 7 Religion
• 8 Arab emigration
  • 8.1 Arab emigration history
• 9 Gallery
• 10 Notes
• 11 Literature
• 12 Links

Story

Clothing of Arab women, IV-VI centuries. Clothing of Arab men, IV-VI centuries.

The ancestors of the Arabs are the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. The history of the Arabs is closely connected with the history of the Semitic-speaking peoples in general. According to Mesopotamian historical evidence, the Arabs began to separate from other Semitic peoples no earlier than the 1st millennium BC. e. At that time, the Arabs of southern Arabia had already created prosperous cities and kingdoms (Saba and others), and the northern regions of the Arabian Peninsula were inhabited mainly by Bedouin nomads. From the 1st millennium BC. e. according to the 1st mill. e. on the territory of the northern Arabs there were such states as Palmyra (Tadmor), Nabatea, Lihyan, Hassan and Lahm. The connection between the northern and southern Arabs passed through trade routes through western Arabia (Hijaz). The inhabitants of this region spoke Arabic and considered their origin to either the son of the prophet Ibrahim - Ismail or the grandson of the prophet Nuh - Noktan. In the Meccan temple, the Kaaba, built for the first time, presumably by Ibrahim, pagan Arabs served idols.

By the V-VI centuries. the civilizations of the northern and southern Arabs fell into decay. At the beginning of the seventh century, the Meccan merchant Muhammad began to preach a new religion (Islam) and created his own community (Ummah). The state created by Muhammad (Caliphate) began to spread rapidly and in a hundred years began to stretch from Spain through North Africa and southwestern Asia to the borders of India. With the beginning of the Arab conquests, the ethnonym Arabs turns into the self-name of the Arabian tribes that made up the medieval Arab people. Although the Bedouin contributed to its initial spread of Islam, it was further developed mainly by literate urban people. The migration of the Arabians led to the introduction of non-Arabian converts to the Arabic language. Arabic became the main language in the territories from Morocco to Iraq, not only for Muslims, but also for Christians and Jews, who adopted Arabic as their main language. Gradually, the population of North Africa and the Middle East became Arabs in the broadest sense of the word.

The spread of Islam provided the Arabs with a network of useful contacts. Together with Christians, Jews, Persians, and others, they built one of the greatest civilizations known to the world. the period from the 8th to the 12th century, a large number of works of great Arabic literature were created in the form of poetry and prose, works of art, legal codes and philosophical treatises. The "golden age of Islam" saw great progress in science, especially in the fields of astronomy, medicine, geography, history and mathematics.

In the first centuries of its existence, the Arab Caliphate was politically united under the rule of the caliphs. By the middle of the 10th century, it began to fragment and fall under the onslaught of the crusaders, Mongols and Turks. 16th century The Ottoman Turks conquered the entire Arab world and divided it into provinces (wilaet). In the 19th century, the British and French actually established control over most of North Africa.

During the First World War, the British organized an anti-Turkish uprising in Arabia. Hoping to gain independence after the war, the Arabs helped the British conquer Syria and Palestine. In the first half of the 20th century, more and more insistent demands for independence and unification from the Arabs began to appear. The Europeans stimulated modernization, but at the same time they carried out the resettlement of the French in best lands Algeria and European Jews in Palestine.

After World War II all Arab peoples with the exception of the Palestinians, eventually gained full independence. The Algerians did so only after eight years of war with France from 1954 to 1962. Since 1991, various agreements have been put into effect between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) that outline measures for future Palestinian self-government.

Arab groups

Arabs are divided into three main groups: nomadic pastoralists (Bedouins), peasant farmers (fellahs), villagers and townspeople, city dwellers. In addition, there are a few small groups of Arabs (such as the Sudanese baggara pastoralists) who farm in the villages for several months and roam with their animals for the rest of the year. Arabs living in river deltas and in the coastal regions of the Red, Mediterranean and other seas are engaged in fishing.

Most of the Arabs are fellahic villagers who are engaged in arable farming, nomadic pastoralism and horticulture. The basis of the tribal organization is the lineage, which have a common ancestor in the male line. Several groups are united in a tribe led by a leader.

Bedouins

Main article: Bedouins

In the 2nd half of the 2nd millennium BC. e. the Arabian tribes began to develop the economic and cultural type of nomadic camel breeders (Bedouins). Most Bedouins live on the Arabian Peninsula, in the desert regions of Jordan, Syria, Iraq, as well as in Egypt and in the northern Sahara. The approximate number of Bedouins is from 4 to 5 million people. The image of the Bedouin is largely romanticized by Europeans and other Arabs, who believed that the "purest" Arabs kept the way of life of their ancestors unchanged. the reality of the same and the Bedouins were not bypassed by external influences and changes.

Society

The Bedouin lead a strictly tribal lifestyle. Bedouin tribes, consisting of several families (banu), can have from a few hundred to fifty thousand members. Each family of the tribe is subdivided into smaller subfamilies. A division of several families is called a "hamula". Marriages are carried out, if possible, inside the "hamula". The family is the smallest social unit in a Bedouin tribe.

Some groups may join or sprout from the tribe. Each tribe and part of it is headed by a senior sheikh in wisdom and experience. The position of sheikh can be inherited.

Economy

Bedouins lead a nomadic lifestyle. in winter time, "hamuls" constantly roam the desert in search of water and pastures for livestock. In summer, "hamuls" gather near tribal wells. Tribes and families often have to fight for land and water rights.

The Bedouin breed camels or sheep and goats. The camel breeders consider themselves the only true Arabs above the sheep breeders. Camels provide their owners with milk and meat for food and wool for cloth. Sheep farmers often maintain close relationships with the inhabitants of villages and cities.

Bedouin camel breeder

The Bedouins rarely use money and often enter into barter relations with the village and urban population. in exchange for skins, wool, meat and milk, the Bedouins take grain, dates, coffee, factory fabrics, metal utensils, tools, etc.

Bedouins live in quadrangular tents (tents), which consist of wide panels of knitted sheep's wool, sometimes of tarpaulin, laid on a frame of poles and poles. All their property easily fits on animals.

Men and women

Bedouin men lead the migration process and take care of the animals. They love to hunt and fight various animals. The Bedouins are often involved in tribal and internecine squabbles related to issues of property, honor, etc. The previously common cases of bloodshed associated with attacks on caravans and villages for the purpose of robbery or extortion have recently become rarer.

The pride of the Bedouin is the horse, used mainly for racing and light walks. The Arabian horse is poorly adapted to desert conditions and is never used for hard work. and serves mainly as an object of prestige.

Women do household chores, take care of children, weave material for tents and clothes. Sometimes they take care of sheep and goats. Women, as a rule, live in a separate part of the family tent (harem). They are carefully guarded against contact with strangers, and when strangers appear, they must go to their part of the tent.

Food and clothing Bedouin sheikh

The Bedouin mainly eat fresh camel milk or milk after special fermentation. In addition to milk, their diet includes dates, rice, wheat, barley, millet or corn cakes. Bedouin meat is rarely eaten, on the occasion of holidays and other special celebrations. Bedouins' favorite hot drinks are tea and coffee.

There is considerable variation in the clothing style of the Bedouins from different regions. The Bedouins of the Maghreb are characterized by men's outerwear (gellaba) and a robe (burnus) with a hood. Oriental Bedouins wear a long-skirted robe (galabya), over which a spacious robe (aba) is worn open in front. Men wear keffiyeh, fastened on the head with a corded ring (agalem). Bedouin women wear garments that resemble "galabea" or dresses with a distinct bodice, as well as loose bloomers and a variety of jackets or different types of "aba". A woman must have a headscarf on her head. Some Bedouin women may also wear a special face covering (haiq).

Religion

Most of the Bedouins are Sunni Muslims. There are Christians and Shia Muslims among them. unlike the inhabitants of villages and cities, the Bedouins are not so religious, but at the same time they regularly perform the five daily prayers prescribed by Islam. Because most Bedouins are illiterate, they cannot read the Qur'an on their own and have to rely on its oral transmission.

Villager

See also: Fellach Charles Gleyre, Three fellahs, 1835

About 70% of Arabs live in villages. Poverty is a big problem for them. Most of the villagers are farmers (fellah). The houses of the peasants belong to various variants of the Mediterranean type, built of adobe bricks, stone, mats, etc. There are fields, orchards and vineyards around the houses. Due to lack of water, villagers are forced to build irrigation canals.

Rural economy.

In the villages, cereals (wheat and sorghum) and vegetables are most commonly grown. The main food product is bread, cereals from various grains, dairy products, herbs, vegetables, etc. Depending on the region, the Arabs also grow: dates (in desert oases); citrus fruits (on the Lebanese coast); apricots, grapes, almonds, olives, etc. (in the foothills). In Egypt and some other regions, cotton is an important cash crop. Many Muslim Arabs observe the dietary requirements of Islam, fasting during the month of Ramadan, do not drink alcoholic beverages and do not eat pork.

Sometimes for irrigation purposes, Arab farmers divert the water from natural streams into a complex system of canals and sluices, diverting the water to eligible users. If earlier water wheels were used to raise water from one level to another, then in last years dams are built for these purposes.

Most of the farmers are tenants who give a significant part of their produce to the owners of the land. mountainous areas, there is a high proportion of independent land owners. Large landowners are usually townspeople and Bedouin sheikhs. The problem of land belonging to owners who do not live on it is solved by the governments of the Arab countries in various ways.

The villagers often maintain close relations with the Bedouins and with the townspeople. They exchange their products with them for goods or money. Some farmers have Bedouin roots and may have family ties to them. villagers are increasingly migrating to the cities in search of higher paying jobs. Some of them alternately move between the village and the city. One factor in the increasing desire of rural residents to live in the city is the active growth of schooling, which began in Arab villages in the 20th century.

rural society

Households in Arab villages most often consist of a married couple and their children. they may also include the sons' wives and their children. Close relatives and their families most often live nearby. Several families form a "hamula". Marriages can take place both within the "hamula" and within the village. Many Arab peasants are members of large tribal groups made up of residents from many different villages. Some tribes trace their origins to the Bedouins.

Most Arab farmers have a deeply developed sense of belonging to their village. in the event of an external threat, they usually help each other. However, in most activities that concern the community as a whole, there is little cooperation between them.

city ​​dwellers

Arab cities are administrative, commercial, industrial and religious centers. Some cities are in many ways similar to European metropolitan areas. In the 20th century, due to the influx of migrants from the villages, many Arab cities have grown and changed noticeably. However, in the older parts of the major cities and in some smaller towns one can see the traditional type of city life.

At present, the old Arab city is preserved in almost the same Sana'a (Yemen) and in a number of other small provincial centers. in large cities such as Aleppo (Syria) modernity prevails, in Cairo (Egypt) the old city is surrounded by a dominant new one, and in Beirut (Lebanon) traces of the old city are completely erased.

Traditional and modern city

The traditional Arab city is characterized by narrow streets and crowded houses. Shops and workshops are often located on the first floors. Shops and workshops united by specialization form bazaars (suk), where merchants and artisans demonstrate goods. You can buy a variety of confectionery and meat products from numerous food vendors in the bazaars.

There is no clear division of the city into commercial and residential areas. Arab cities are usually divided into quarters based on ethnicity, religion, or trade. The main public buildings are religious buildings (mosques, madrasas, etc.), less often - fortifications.

New Arab cities are built on the model of European ones. Arab cities are distinguished by the extent to which new forms have replaced the old ones. new residential areas you can see traditional small shops and coffee houses.

Urban social organization

The system of municipal government of the traditional city did not go far beyond the control of markets and the maintenance of the police. The townspeople cared more not about the city as a community, but about family and religion. Family life in the city did not differ in its image from the countryside.

In the 20th century, concern for families and religion is forced to compete with loyalty to the state. The education system that was built had a powerful impact on the middle and upper classes of the cities. These classes were interested in promoting the idea of ​​social equality between men and women and in relaxing the demands placed on them by family and religion.

The position of women.

In the 20th century, the position of Arab women in major urban centers changed significantly. In most Arab states, they have the right to vote, and schools and vocational schools are being built for them. Polygamy allowed in Islam, which used to be a rare occurrence, is becoming less common. Most Arab polygamists now have no more than two wives. cities, many Muslim women wear hijabs, which is a symbol of the fact that a woman needs to be protected from strangers.

Language

See also: Arabic language and Varieties of Arabic

Arabic belongs to the southern subgroup of the West Semitic group of the Afroasian family. Writing based on the Arabic alphabet. Literary Arabic, common among all Arabs, has dialect variants: Iraqi, Yemeni, etc. Modern spoken Arabic dialects fall into major groups(Arabian, Iraqi, Syro-Lebanese, Egyptian, etc.

culture

Ziryab plays the Uda for girls.

Arab architecture and their arts and crafts have had a great impact on world culture. The clothes of the southern Arabs are characterized by over-skirts (foot) and headbands. The Central Arabian Arabs are characterized by sleeveless cloaks (aba), long-sleeved shirts, and head scarves. The difference between men's and women's clothing often lies in the finish and the way they are worn. The Bedouins have henna tattoos and painting of various parts of the body (face, palms, feet, etc.). The clothes of modern Arabs combine Arabic, Iranian, Turkish and European elements.

The rich Arabic folklore became the source of classical Arabic poetry. Basic musical instruments - tambourine, drums, lute, rebab, etc.

Arab world

Member states of the Arab League Main article: Arab world

The term Arabs began to be used to refer to the Bedouin nomads of northern Arabia already in the 9th century. BC e. The Arab world includes countries in which the majority of the population are Arabs: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sudan and Tunisia. Nearly 130 million people live in the Arab world, 116 million of whom are Arabs.

Although early history Arab culture was connected with the Arabian Peninsula, the population of the Arab world has no common origin. For many centuries in the Middle East and North Africa there was an Arabization of many peoples, mainly through Islam. Arabs belong mainly to the Indo-Mediterranean race caucasian race. Negroid Arabs live south of the Sahara.

The Arab world also includes a number of non-Arab minorities, which include, for example, Berbers and Tuaregs, Iraqi Kurds, Jews, Armenians, Copts, etc.

Below is a list of countries that are usually included in the Arab world.

State	Territory (km²)	Population (pers.)	Capital
Algeria	2 382 741	33 769 668	Algeria
Bahrain	695	718 321	Manama
Djibouti	22 000	476 703	Djibouti
Egypt	997 739	81 713 520	Cairo
West Sahara	252 120	393 831	El Aaiun
Yemen	536 869	23 013 376	Sana'a
Jordan	97 740	6 173 579	Amman
Iraq	435 317	28 221 180	Baghdad
Qatar	11 437	824 789	Doha
Comoros	2 170	798 000	Moroni
Kuwait	17 818	2 596 799	El Kuwait
Lebanon	10 452	3 971 941	Beirut
Libya	1 775 500	6 173 579	Tripoli
Mauritania	1 030 700	3 364 940	Nouakchott
Morocco	458 730	34 343 220	Rabat
United Arab Emirates	77 700	4 621 399	Abu Dhabi
Oman	212 457	3 311 640	Muscat
Palestine	6 257	3 907 883	Ramallah
Saudi Arabia	1 960 582	28 146 656	Riyadh
Syria	185 180	19 747 586	Damascus
Somalia	637 657	9 800 000	Mogadishu
Sudan	1 866 068	30 894 000	Khartoum
Tunisia	163 610	10 383 577	Tunisia

Places of residence

The largest number of Arabs live in Asia and Africa.

In Africa: Mauritanians (Mauritania), Saharans (Western Sahara), Moroccans (Morocco), Algerians (Algeria), Tunisians (Tunisia), Libyans (Libya), Sudanese (Sudanese), Egyptians (Egypt), Shuva (Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Sudan).

In Asia: Palestinian Arabs (live in Palestine, refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and other countries), Israeli Arabs (Israel), Lebanese (Lebanon), Jordanians (Jordan), Syrians (Syria), Iraqis (Iraq), Ahwazi ( Iran), Kuwaitis (Kuwait), Bahrainis (Bahrain), Emiratis (UAE), Yemenis (Yemen), Qataris (Qatar), Omanis (Oman), Saudis (Saudi Arabia).

Arabs also live in Turkey (en:Arabs in Turkey), Uzbekistan, Afghanistan (Afghan Arabs), Indonesia (en:Arab Indonesians), India (en:Arab (Gujarat), Chaush) and Pakistan (en:Arabs in Pakistan, en :Iraqi biradri), Singapore (en:Arab Singaporean), the Philippines (en:Arab settlement in the Philippines) and other countries.

There are Arab emigrants in Western Europe, Northern and South America, West and South Africa, Australia, etc.

Ethnic Arabs of Central Asia

Main article: Arabs Central Asian See also: Arabs in Tajikistan

Central Asian Arabs are settled in small groups among Uzbeks, Tajiks and Turkmens, gradually being assimilated by them; the bulk live in the Bukhara and Samarkand regions of Uzbekistan. They speak the language of the country of residence, but the Tajikized Mesopotamian Arabic dialect has been partially preserved. They consider themselves descendants of the tribes resettled in Central Asia by Timur; linguistic and anthropological data indicate that they moved to the right bank of the Amu Darya from northern Afghanistan. The number is steadily declining: 21,793 people. in 1939, 8 thousand in 1959, about 4 thousand in 1970. In addition, they distinguish their generic origin hoja(Persian "master", "master").

In addition to the Arabs themselves, Islam was also spread by sedentary Turkic-speaking Muslims who converted to Islam before the nomadic Turks. In addition, persons from other Turkic tribes were attributed to the “Khoja” clan for their excellent knowledge of Islam, which indicates the origin of the “Khoja” not as a tribal formation, but rather as a mixed tribal and caste formation, which also had as one of its many ancestors Arabs. At the same time, along with the Khodja, there is the class Sayyid (Arabic “lord”, “master”). Representatives of this class trace their genealogy to Khazret Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. The Sayyids are descended from Husayn, the son of Ali ibn Abu Talib and the daughter of Muhammad Fatima.

Religion

Most Arabs practice Sunni Islam. Shia Arabs live mainly in Iran, Iraq, Syria (Druze and Nusayris), Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and other Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and in North Africa Ibadis live. Among the Christian Arabs are the Maronites and Orthodox of Lebanon, the Melkites of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and others.

Arab emigration

Arabs are among the most numerous peoples of the world, along with the Chinese, they are most common in such countries (as migrants): France, USA (see also Arab Americans), Spain, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Indonesia, UK, Sweden, Estonia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Georgia, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, New Zealand, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Italy and Finland. In these countries, the total number of Arabs exceeds 45 million people, a significant number of them are in France (6-8 million). The Arab community is growing rapidly in Japan, Finland, Korea, USA, Canada and Australia. There are 10,000 Arabs living in Russia, which is the smallest immigrant group of Arabs.

History of Arab emigration

Gallery

Arab family in Ramallah, 1905

Christian martyr St. Abo, patron of the city of Tbilisi

Imam Muhammad Abdo

Mosaic of a Ghassanid horse, 700 CE e.

Byzantine Arabesque, Ghassanides

Arabic calligraphy in Jerusalem

Notes

1. Iran Overview from British Home Office
2. Israel in Figures 2007, Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics, 2007.
3. U.S. Census Bureau: Population by Selected Ancestry Group and Region: 2005
4. WorldStatesmen.org - Mexico
5. Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Turkey: A Country Study. -Washington: G.P.O. for the Library of Congress, 1995.
6. (inaccessible link - history)
7. Kister M. J. Ķuāḍa // Encyclopaedia of Islam. Edited by: P. Bearman, Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel and W.P. Heinrichs. Brill, 2008. Brill Online. 10 April 2008. Original text (English)

   The name is an early one and can be traced in fragments of the old Arab poetry. The tribes recorded as Ķuḍā"ī were: Kalb , Djuhayna , Balī, Bahrā" , Khawlān , Mahra , Khushayn, Djarm, "Udhra , Balkayn , Tanūkh and Salīh.

8. Serge D. Elie Hadiboh: From Peripheral Village to Emerging City, Chroniques Yéménites: Original Lyrics

   In the middle, were the Arabs who originated from different parts of the mainland (e.g., prominent Mahrî tribes10, and individuals from Hadramawt, and Aden).” Footnote 10: “Their neighbors in the West scarcely regarded them as Arabs, though they themselves consider they are of the pure stock of Himyar.

9. Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov. S. I. Ozhegov, N. Yu. Shvedova. 1949-1992.
10. Arabs - an article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia - M .: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978.
11. Encyclopedia "Peoples of the World". - OLM A. - M, 2007. - S. 52. - 640 p. - ISBN 978-5-373-01057-3.
12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ethnolog.ru
13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Arabs in the encyclopedia "Round the World" p.5
14. 1 2 3 Arabs in the encyclopedia "Round the World" p.6
15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Arabs // Encyclopedia Around the World. page 1
16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Arabs in the encyclopedia "Round the World" p.2
17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Arabs in the encyclopedia "Round the World" p.3
18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Arabs in the encyclopedia "Round the World" p.4
19. The Saharan Arab Democratic Republic is recognized by 60 UN member states. It is not part of the Arab League and is not recognized by all of its members. Most of the territory of Western Sahara is under the control of Morocco.
20. The State of Palestine is recognized by 135 UN member states, including all Arab countries and all members of the Arab League.
21. 1 2 3 Soviet historical encyclopedia. M., 1973-1982. Art. "Arabs of Central Asia"
22. 1 2 Great Soviet Encyclopedia. 2nd ed., M., 1950. Vol. 2, p. 598
23. Toponyms of Ugam-Chatkal National Park
24. Arabs (English). LookLex Encyclopaedia. Retrieved February 19, 2011. Archived from the original on August 24, 2011.

Literature

• Belyaev E. A. Arabs, Islam and the Arab Caliphate in the Early Middle Ages. - M.: Nauka; Head. ed. eastern literature, 1966. - 279 p.
• Bodyansky V. L. Eastern Arabia: history, geography, population, economy. - M.: Nauka; Head. ed. eastern literature, 1986. - 338 p.
• Krymsky A.E. The history of the Arabs and Arabic secular and spiritual literature: 2 vols. - M., 1918.
• Pershits A.I. Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula. - State. publishing house of geographical literature, 1958. - 54 p.
• Piotrovsky M. B. South Arabia in the early Middle Ages: the formation of medieval society. - M.: Nauka; Main Editorial Board of Oriental Literature, 1985. - 223 p.
• Shagal V. E., Alpatov V. M. Arab world. - M.: IV RAN, 2001. - 287 p.
• Shumovsky T. A. Arabs and the sea. - M.: Nauka, 1964. - 190 p.

Links

• Arabs // Encyclopedia Around the World.
• Arabs. Etnolog.ru. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
• Arabinform - news from the Arab world

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diasporas	Egyptian Iraqi Lebanese Moroccan Palestinian Syrian
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Europe	Bulgaria United Kingdom Germany Greece Denmark (Lebanese, Iraqis) Spain (Lebanese, Moroccans) Italy (Moroccans, Egyptians) Cyprus Netherlands Norway France Sweden (Moroccans, Lebanese, Iraqis)
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Diplomacy	Arab Peace Initiative

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