Al Ashraf Association of Lebanon

Al Ashraf Association of Lebanon(The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet) Page 1 of 25 Al-Ashraf[1] Praise is To Allah who created the people into nations and tribes. May Allah raise the rank of Prophet Muhammad and his pure family members and choicest companions and protect his nation from what he fears for them. Thereafter, the merit of the pure family members of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, is confirmed in the glorious Qur'an and the honorable sayings of the Prophet. Allah, the Exalted, said: ُ {‫}إنما يريدُ الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس أهل البيت ويطهركم تطهيرا‬ ّ ِ َ ّ َ ً This Ayah means: {Allah Willed to remove all abomination from you, O members of the Family and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing} Moreover, it is reported in the sahih saying of the Prophet that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, included Hasan and Husayn and Fatimah and ^Aliyy inside his wrap around and recited the above stated Ayah. This doing of the Prophet reflect the greatness of their merit. This is why, and also out of our love for the honorable family members of the Prophet, we have established an association that takes care of them and look after their affairs namely, The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf. The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf was established in Beirut in 1990 and it is a charitable, social and educational association. Page 2 of 25 Goals: This association aims at identifying the families of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf and verifying their lineage. Likewise, the association endeavors to enhance the social and educational ties among them, to assist the poor and needy among them and to encourage their youth to acquire knowledge and know how and to do acts of benevolence. The venues of accomplishing the goals: The association strives to meet its goals through all legitimate methodologies and venues and especially in the following: · Spreading awareness and direction among its members and others in the domains of social, educational and the authentic and pure religious contexts. · Enhancing the love and good ethics that were attributes of the Descendants and family members of the meritorious Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. · Conducting social and educational researches and publicizing their conclusions. · Encouraging scientific specialization among its members and directing them to generally benefit the homeland. · Carrying out researches, studies and verifications aimed at authenticating the lineage of the family members of the honorable Descendants of the Prophet and differentiating them from imposters. Also producing Pedigrees of these families authenticated, verified and certified by the signatures of the misters specializing in the science of lineage. Page 3 of 25 · Carrying out social, educational, and athletic activities that lead to strengthening the ties of love and homogeneity among the members of the families of the Descendants of the Prophet. · Participating in seminars, panels and conferences inside Lebanon and abroad within the context of the science of Lineage. The resources of the Association The resources of the aforementioned association come from the following avenues: · Membership and monthly fees that members pay alongside an income through the certificates of lineage confirmation that the association issues. · Aids and contributions of entities and monies given by various individuals and/or charitable institutions. Lastly, The Association of the Descendants of the Prophet Al-Ashraf is delighted to cooperate with the charitable and social institutions and the individuals who are interested in this domain for the purpose of establishing a wide spread benefit and accomplishing its goals. Al-Ashraf is the plural form of Sharif who is a descendant of the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. [1] Page 4 of 25 Mentioning Some of the Terminology Used by the Genealogists The people of this science used many terms; however, we will confine ourselves to mentioning the most famous of them out of fear of a lengthy presentation. § Sahih An-Nasab (Authentic genealogy): It means ones genealogy has been confirmed with the genealogists and was checked against the original copy and was unanimously stated by the genealogists who are known for trustworthiness, Godfearingness and truthfulness. § Maqbul An-Nasab (Accepted genealogy): It means ones genealogy was confirmed with some genealogists and others have rejected it and thus became accepted through the testimony of two upright witnesses. § Mashhur An-Nasab (Famous genealogy): It refers to the one who is famous for being a descendant of the Prophet but his genealogy is unknown and as such the genealogists judge him as famous. § Mardud An-Nasab (Rejected genealogy): It refers to the one who claims to belong to a tribe when he is not and then the tribe deprive him the association and as such the genealogists judge him as one with a rejected genealogy. § Fulanun Daraja (Died without offspring): The genealogists mean by this term that one died without having offspring. § ^Aqibahu Min Fulan or al-^Aqib Min Fulan (The offspring is restricted to him): The genealogists mean by this term that the offspring is restricted or confined to him. Page 5 of 25 § Fulanun A^qaba Min Fulan (The offspring is not restricted to him): The genealogists mean by this term that the offspring is not restricted or confined to him but rather it is possible that he had offspring from others. § Fulanun Awlad or Walada (The offspring is not restricted to him): It has the same meaning as the previous one. § Fulanun Inqarada (Had offspring that perished): It means one did have offspring but ceased to exist. § Fulanun Qu^dud or Qu^aydu Fulan (The youngest of the offspring): The genealogists mean by this term that one is the youngest of the offspring and also express it as being the closest of men to the great grandfather. § Fulanun ^Ariq An-Nasab ( Profound genealogy): The genealogists mean by this term that ones mother is a descendant of the Prophet and likewise her mother is and the more included the more profound the genealogy is. § If they mention daughters for a man and name them then the genealogists mean by this term that one does not have other offspring but the daughters, unless they say mata ^anhunna (one died and left them behind) or Mi'nath ( usually gives birth to daughters) orMi'nath Awratha. Mi'nath conforms to the linguistic structure of Mif^al; one would say a woman is Mi'nath meaning she usually gives birth to females. § Huwa Lighayr Rashdah (Illegitimate offspring): The genealogists mean by this term that one was born from an invalid marriage contract. Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Al-Bayhaqiyy and others narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam, said: "‫ومن‬ ‫ "ادعى ولدا من غير رشدة فل يرث ول يورث‬which means: << The one who attributes ً to himself a son from an invalid marriage he does not inherit him and Page 6 of 25 is not inherited by him.>> Ibn al-Athir said: Az-Zuhriyy said in the chapter of Bagha: "The known speech of Arabs is to say so and so is a son of zanyah or son of rashdah, and it was said zinyah and rishdah and the fathahaccentuation is more eloquent." § Huwa Waladun Da^iyy or Min al-Ad^iya' (One who The fraudulently attaches his genealogy to another man): genealogists mean by this term that one attaches his genealogy to a man when he is not of his lineage but rather he is of the lineage of another man. § Ummuhu Ummu Walad (Ones mother is a slave woman): The genealogists mean by this term that his mother is a slave woman. Likewise when they say fatat or sabiyyah. If the woman is freed she would be called mawlat or they might say ^Utaqatu fulan or dhatu yamin. § La Baqiyyah lahu (No offspring reported in the texts or had offspring who perished): The genealogists mean by this term that the texts do not document offspring for one or that he had offspring who perished. If one has a few offspring they say about him muqill and if plenty of offspring mukthir. If they say tadhayyalu they mean they have a long stretch of offspring. § Fihi Hadith or lahu Hadith (Ones genealogy lacks credibility): The genealogists mean by this term that ones genealogy lacks credibility. § Usqita (Dropped out): The genealogists mean by this term that one was dropped out from the descendants of the Prophet due to being unattached to them or to ill doings andAllah knows best. Page 7 of 25 The Attributes of the Genealogists Many conditions need to be satisfied in the person who wants to work with genealogy and here below we shall highlight the most important conditions. 1. To be pious so that one would be protected against accepting bribes in exchange of fabricating a lineage. Some chronologists and genealogists have reported that some of those who worked in this science used to accept bribes to fabricate the lineage. 2. to it. 3. To avoid vileness, abhorrent matters and the violators of the To be truthful so that one would not lie about the genealogy and negate what is confirmed of it and confirm what is falsely attached practices of the people of his status so that one would be credible in the sight of the elite and the lay people in a manner that if he confirms or negates a genealogy one would not be objected to. 4. To be deep rooted in the knowledge of this science with, sound comprehension, good retention, and vast general knowledge, and to be knowledgeable about the laws of the religion and its judgments especially what pertains to the judgments related to the honorable descendants of the Prophet. 5. To be characterized with deliberate patience and carefulness without haste and negligence and would confirm the verification of the lineage prior to announcing ones opinion. 6. To have a strong self integrity so that the influential people do not frighten him and order him to commit a wrong doing or prohibit him from a truthful matter. Page 8 of 25 They added to that one more desirable attribute that one should have a good handwriting because the pedigrees deserve to be written in good handwriting. Page 9 of 25 The Manners of the Honorable Descendant of the Prophet Authored by: Dr. Kamal al-Hut al-Husayniyy As to the manners of the honorable descendant of the prophet they are numerous, among which are: 1- To adhere to the Book of Allah, the exalted, and the Sunnahrecommended matters of the Prophet, Sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. Also for one to be diligent in performing obedience to his Lord, the exalted. 2- To preserve his honor bestowed upon him by Allah, the exalted, from vileness, abject doings and suspicion. 3- To not earn money based in return for his lineage and to not violate the bounds of others relying on his authority. 4- To be diligent in performing humility toward the slaves of Allah who are believers and to fear Allah the glorified. 5- To be generous to the Muslims lesser than him in status and to not be hostile to those similar to him in status. 6- To Give merit to the people of cognizance, knowledge and religiosity, even if he was similar to them in knowledge or better. 7- To maintain companionship with the religious people and benefit from them in acquiring the personal obligatory religious knowledge, and to keep attending the circles of knowledge and the scholars. Page 10 of 25 8- To leave out priding oneself by ones fore fathers while committing violations of the religious laws or when ignorant and not pursuing to acquire the important religious knowledge. Allah, the exalted said in Surah alHujurat, Ayah 13: ‫}يا أيهاالناس إنا خلقناكم من ذكر وأنثى وجعلناكم شعوبا وقبائل لتعارفوا إن أكرمكم عند ال أتقاكم إن ال عليم‬ ً {‫خبير‬ The Ayah means: O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Lo! The noblest of you, in the judgment of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is All Knowing and All Wise. 9- To have polite manners and be watchful over his words especially when angry and delivering a speech. 10- To be generous to his visitors, visit his brethrens, protect his relatives, connect with his kin and assist his neighbors. Generally speaking, one needs to display the manners of the generous and meritorious masters among the honorable family members of the Prophet, Sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. Page 11 of 25 Knowing about the levels of the lineages and their attachments The genealogists said: The genealogy of the Arabs today goes back either to ^Adnan or Qahtan and within them the lineages of the Arabs are contained. However, with the increased difference in the number of fathers and their names beyond them, and the hardship of the branched methodologies and difficult avenues that confronted the Arabs, seeking lineages beyond Qahtan and ^Adnan was stopped and confined to the validity of what is beneath them. Al-Qalqashandi said in Nihayat al-Arb p/20: "The linguists counted the levels of genealogy as six levels. The first level ash-Sh^ab (People): ash-Sh^ab has a fathah on the shin; it refers to the farthest genealogy such as ^Adnan. Al-Jawhariyy said: He is the father of the tribes to whom their lineage attaches and the plural form is shu^ub (peoples). Al-Mawardi said in al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah: it was named Sha^b (people) because the tribes branch from it. Abu-al-Huda as-Sayyadi, the elite of the honorable family members of the Prophet in Aleppo, said in ar-Rawd al-Bassam p/:" The singular form of shu^ub is sha^b with a fathah when attributed to the tribe and shi^b with a kasrah when attributed to a generation. It gathers the tribes and they branch out from it and it is similar to the head compared to the body." Allah the Exalted said in surah al-Hujurat: The Ayah means: O you people We have created you as males and females and made of you peoples and tribes so you may get acquainted. Al-Qalqashandi said: " The second Level: al-Qabilah (tribe); it divides the sha^b (people) such as Rabi^ah and Mudar. Al-Mawardi said: It was called Qabilah because in it the lineages meet. The plural form is Qaba'il (tribes) Page 12 of 25 and perhaps it is also called Jamajim as per the words of al-Jawhari who said: the jamajim of the Arabs are the Qaba'il (tribes) which gather the Butun (moieties). Abu-al-Huda said: The Qabilah (tribe) which is less than the sha^b (people) is what gathers al-^Ama'ir (tribal subdivisions); it was called Qaba'il because they face and meet one another and are equal in numbers and it is similar to the chest compared to the body." Al-Qalqashandi said: The third level: al-^Imarah with a kasrah on the ^ayn (tribal subdivision); it refers to the suddivisions of the lineages of the Qabilah (tribe) such as Quraysh and Kinanah and the plural form is ^imarat and ^amayir (tribal subdivisions)." Abu-al-Huda said:" the singular form of al-^ama'ir (tribal subdivisions) is ^imarah (tribal subdivision) and it gathers the Butun (moieties) and it is less than the Qaba'il (tribes) and it is similar to the arms compared to the body." Al-Qalqashandi said: the fourth level is al-Batn (Moiety): in it the lineages of the ^imarah (tribal subdivision) divide such as Bani ^Abd Manaf and Bani Makhzum and the plural is Butun ( Moieties). Abu-al-Huda said:" the singular form of Butun (Moieties) is Batn (Moiety) and it gathers the Afkhadh (Sub Moieties)." Al-Qalqashndi said: the fifth level is al-Fakhdh (Sub Moiety): in it the lineages of the Batn (Moiety) divide such as Bani Hashim and Bani 'Umayyah and the plural form is Afkhadh (Sub Moieties)." Abu-al-Huda said: the Afkhadh (Sub Moieties) is a name for what branches out from the Batn (Moiety)." Al Qalqashandi said:" the sixth level the Fasilah with a dotless sad (Phratry); in it the lineages of the Fakhdh (Sub Moiety) divide such as Bani al-^Abbas. I said: this is how al-Mawardi structured it in al-Ahkam asSultaniyyah and likewise did az-Zamakhshari when he interpreted the saying Page 13 of 25 of Allah the Exalted {‫ }وجعلنبباكم شببعوبا وقبببائل‬except he gave Khuzaymah as an ً example of Sha^b (people) and Kinanah of Qabilah (tribe) and Quraysh of ^Imarah (tribal subdivision) and Qusayy of Batn (Moiety) and Hashim of Fakhdh (Sub Moiety) and al-^Abbas of Fasilah (Phratry). In general the Fakhdh (Sub Moiety) gathers the Qaba'il (tribes) and the Batn (Moiety) gathers the Afkhadh (Sub Moieties) and the ^Imar (tribal subdivisions) gather the Butun (Moieties) and the Qabilah (tribe) gathers the ^Ama'ir (tribal subdivisions) and the Sha^b (people) gathers the Qaba'il (tribes)." Abu al-Huda said:" the singular form of Fasa'il (Phratries) is Fasilah ( Phratry); it refers to the family in the mans household and his special people. Allah the Exalted said in surah al-Ma^arij The ayah means: the criminal will wish on the Day of Judgment to be ransomed from the torture with his children and wife and brother and his Fasilah (Phrantry) that accommodate him. The fasilah (Phrantry) is similar to the foot which is a limb that contains several joints." Al-Qalqashandi said: An-Nawawiyy said in the edit of at-Tanbih: some have added al-^ashirah (clan) before the Fasilah (Phartry). Al-Jawhariyy said: The ^Ashirah (clan) of a man are his close Raht (Kindred). Abu ^Ubaydah related from al-Kalbiyy who related from his father: Placing first the sha^b (people) then the Qabilah (tribe) then the Fasilah (Phratry) then the ^Imarah (tribal subdivision) then the Fakhdh (Sub Moiety). Hence he placed after the Qabilah the Fasilah in place of the ^Imarah and the ^Imarah in place of the Fasilah before the Fakhdh and he did not denounce that which disagrees with him. It is clear that the first structure has a higher priority as if they have organized it in line with the organization of the human body, so they considered the sha^b similar to the top of the head and the Qaba'il similar to the intertwined parts of the head to which the tear canals are attached. AlJawhariyy mentioned that the Qaba'il (tribes) of the Arabs where named as Page 14 of 25 such after the intertwined parts of the head, and they considered the ^Imarah comes after to serve as a basis for the Sha^b and Qabilah as the case of how the foundation serves the building and after the foundation comes the ^Imarah which is similar to the neck and chest of a human being and they considered the Fakhdh after the Batn because the thigh of a human being comes after the abdomen and they considered the Fasilah after the Fakhdh, because it is the lowest lineage that attaches to a man, similar to the shank and foot since what is meant by the Fasilah is the closest ^Ashirah as in the saying of Allah ‫ وفصبببيلته البببتي تبببؤويه‬which means the Fasilah that accommodate him and what accommodates a man is his closest ^Ashirah. Know that most what is talked about regarding the six levels are the Qabilah and Batn and rarely is mentioned about ^Imarah, Fakhdh and Fasilah also it is possible to express any of the six levels byHayy (community) either generally as in saying a Hayy (community) of Arabs or specifically as in saying a Hayy (community) of Bani so and so. This is where the saying of al-Qalqashandi ends. Abu-al-Huda said: the singular form of ^Asha'ir (clans) is ^ashirah (clan) and they are those who attach to four fathers and was called as such to the ^Ishrah-association of a man as in the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surah ash-Shu^ara', 214 {‫ }وأنييذر عشيييرتك القربييين‬which means warn your closest clan, hence the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam warned Quraysh and confined it to ^Abd Manaf with whom his lineage attaches to the fourth grandfather, so this is why the attachment is up to four, and they are similar to the shanks compared to the body and are relied upon underneath the thighs." Abu-al-Huda added the Raht (Kindred) and 'Usrah (family) and said:" they are the Raht (kindred) of a man and his 'Usrah (family) and they are similar to the foot. The Raht is less than ten and the "Usrah is more, Allah the Exalted said in surah an-Naml: {‫ }وكان بالمدينة تسعة رهط يفسدون في الرض ول يصلحون‬which means: there were in the city nine constituting a Raht causing mischief in the land and do not do good. Abu Talib said in his poem: ِِ َ َ ِِ ‫وأحضرت عند البيت رهطي وأسرتي * وأمسكت في أبوابه بالوصائل‬ ُ َ ِ َ َ ُ َ Page 15 of 25 This means I brought to the blessed house my Raht (kindred) and 'Usrah (family) and Held to the gates by the hinges. What he meant by his Raht was the sons of his father Abu Talib and they were less than ten and his "Usrah among Bani ^Abd Manaf who joined him in supporting the Prophetsallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam. Page 16 of 25 How is the Lineage Confirmed! The Lineage is confirmed with the jurisprudents and genealogists by one of the following three proofs: Firstly: The lawful bed. This is due to the Hadith of the prophet, sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam: " ‫"الولد للفراش وللعاهر الحجر‬ َُ َ ِِ َ ِ َِ ُ This Hadith means: the legitimate offspring is a result of the lawful bed and the adulterer earns loss and deprivation. ThisHadith was narrated by al-Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Ahmad, al-Bayhaqiyy among others. The Hafidh Ibn Hajar when explaining this Hadith said in Fath al-Bari 29/12: that is the adulterer will have loss and deprivation. Al ^ahar (‫ )العهر‬with two fathas is adultery. ََ Secondly: The proof. That is for the religious proof to be established with them, which entails the testimony of two Muslim sane and trustworthy men whose trustworthiness is known by experience or recommendation, and at that moment their saying will be employed. The testimony of the two trustworthy ones, regarding this matter, entails three scenarios: to testify that this offspring is the son of so and so, or to testify that the offspring was born on the bed of so and so, or to testify that the offspring is known among the people to be the son of so and so. Thirdly: Admittance. That is for the husband to confess in the session of the court or outside of it that so and so offspring is his son. The famous and widespread news. Imam Abu Hanifah may Allah accept his deeds said: the lineage, death and marriage are confirmed by famous and widespread news. Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali related in al-Mughni and al Sharh al Kabir 21/12 the consensus of the people of knowledge on the validity of the testimony of famous and widespread news to establish the lineage and the birth, and he said: "Ibn al-Mundhir said: 'I do not know any of the people of knowledge who prohibited that.'" Page 17 of 25 The meaning of famous is for the news to propagate from a group of people that the mind does not accept that they normally would collaborate to fabricate a lie that so and so is the son of so and so. Fifthly: The genealogists added a matter to what we have already mentioned and that is to see the handwriting of one of the considerable genealogists who is trustworthy and one knows his handwriting and is able to certify it. So if the handwriting of the genealogists testifies to the matter, then he applies it. Sixthly: For the subject claiming a lineage to bring the names of his forefathers and grandparents along with the historical proof which constitutes the testimony of the famous scholars or trustworthy rulers about the validity of his lineage with their signatures or seals affixed, so if they find it correct they would sign it and testify that it is valid. Seventhly: Al- Qiyafah. In some situations it is religiously considered even though it only necessitates a probable conviction, and the details of that is mentioned in the books of jurisprudence. A benefit: The difference between al- Mushajjar and al-Mabsut is that al-Mushajjar is started with the lower moiety and escalates one father at a time up to the upper moiety and al-Mabsut is started with the upper moiety and deescalates one son at a time to the lowest moiety. In summary, the son has precedence over the father in al-Mushajjar, and in al-Mabsut it is the opposite where the father has precedence over the son. The reference: Jami^ ad-Durar al-Bahiyyah li-'ansab al-Qurashiyyin fi al-Bilad ashShamiyyah authored by Dr. Kamal al-Hout al-Husayniyy, published in Beirut 1424H/2003G (First edition) Page 18 of 25 An elucidation of matters required by the researcher of genealogy Al-Qalqashandi said in “Nihayat al-Arb p/29: they are ten matters: First: al-Mawardi said: if the lineages are far apart then the tribes become peoples and the tribal subdivisions become tribes. What he meant is that the moieties become tribal subdivisions, the sub moieties become moieties, the phratries become sub moieties, and whatever lineages occur after that become phratries. Second: Al-Jawhari mentioned that the tribes are the offspring of the same father, and Ibn Hazm said: all of the Arab tribes go back to the same father except three tribes and they are Tanoukh, al^atq and Ghassan. Every tribe amongst them is composed of several moieties and we shall, God willing, address each of the three tribes in the proper context. It could be that the same father is the father of several moieties and the father of a tribe could have several children that in turn generate a tribe or several tribes and those who belong to his lineages would be attributed to him, and some remain without an offspring, or would have an offspring but would remain anonymous and would be attributed to the other tribe. Third: if the lineage contained two or more levels such as Hashim and Quraysh and Mudar and ^Adnan then it would be possible for the one at the end of the lineage to be linked to all of them, hence it would be possible for the sons of Hashim to be linked to Hashim and to Quraysh and to Mudar and to ^Adnan, hence one would say about one of them the Hashemite and also the Qurayshian, the Mudarian, the ^Adnanian, Moreover, al-Jawharisaid: to be linked upward in lineage suffices one from being linked downward in lineage. Hence, if you say about the one linked in lineage to Kalb Ibn Wabrah the “kalbiyy”, and then you are not in need of linking him to any other roots. Others have mentioned that it is permissible to link in lineage between the upper and lower levels. Others saw giving precedence to the upper over the lower such as saying about the lineage of ^Uthman Ibn ^Affan:” al-‘Umawiyy al^Uthmaniyy”, and some saw giving precedence to the lower over the upper and say “ al-^Uthmaniyy al-“Umawiyy”. Page 19 of 25 Fourth: The man may be associated with other than his tribe through alignment or freedom from slavery and thus be linked to them and thus would be said about him: “so and so is the ally of tribe so and so or their freed slave”, as it is said about al-Bukhariyy: “al-Ja^fiyy is their freed slave”, and the like. Fifth: If the man belonged to a tribe and entered in another tribe then it is permissible for him to be linked to his first tribe or to the tribe that he entered or to both, such as it would be said: “the Tamimi and thereafter the Wa’iliyy or the Wa’iliyy and thereafter the Tamimiyy and what is similar. Sixth: The tribe mostly is named after the father who gave birth to the tribe such as Rabi^ah and Mudar and al-Aws and Al-Khazraj and the like; the tribe might be named by other than that. Sometimes the title would be attributed to a tribe by virtue of a certain reason such as when Ghassan landed a well called Ghassan so they were named after it, as we shall mention, God willing, when we mention their tribe under the G index. Perhaps the title was given to one individual among them and they were given the name. Also other than that was mentioned as we shall address, God willing, when talking about the plural form with the addition of the alif and lam along with the dotless ra’. Seventh: The names of the tribes in the terminology used by the Arabs are of five classes: First: To name the tribe by the terminology of the father such as ^Ad and Thamud and Madyan and their likes. This terminology is used in the Qur’an such as the saying of Allah, the exalted, ‫ (وإلى عاد، والى ثمود، وإلى مدين‬wa ila ^Ad , wa ila Thamud , wa ila Madyan), wanting by that the sons of ^Ad , the sons of Thamud and the like. Mostly this takes place in the peoples and prominent tribes especially in the former times and contrary to the moieties and the sub moieties and the like. Second: to name the tribe by the terminology of Bani (sons of) so it would be said: Banu (the sons of) so and so. Mostly this occurs in the moieties and sub moieties and the smaller tribes and especially in the latter times. Page 20 of 25 Third: to name the tribe by a plural form containing the letters of alif and lam such as al-Talibin and al-Ja^afirah and the like. Mostly it occurs among the latter people and not others. Fourth: to express the name of the tribe by Al so and so, such as Al al Fadl and Al ^Ali and what is similar to that. Mostly it takes place in the latter times especially among the Arabs of the countries of Ash-sham at our times, and what is meant by the Al is the Ahl (the family of). Fifth: to be expressed by the sons of so and so, and this can only be found in the latter Arab sub moieties, and scarcely. Eighth: Most of the names of the Arabs are copied from the bank of their imagination of what they encounter among animals such as the Asad and Nimr (lion and the Tiger), or plants such as Nabt and Handhalah (plant and colocynth), or insects such as Hayyah and Hanash (snake and lacertine snake), or the parts of the Earth such as Fihr and Sakhr (Soil and Rock) and the like. Ninth; Mostly the Arabs call their sons by disliked names such as Kalb and Handhalah and Dirar and Harb and the like (dog, colocynth, harmful, war, etc), and they call their slaves with favorable names such as Falah, Najah, and the like (prosperity and success etc…). What is meant by that is what was mentioned that it was said to Abu al Qays al Kilabi: “why do you call your sons by the worst names such as Kalb and Dhi’b (dog and wolf) and your slaves by favorable names such as Marzuk and Rabah (sustained and triumphant)?” he said: “we name our sons for the sake of our enemies and we name our slaves for our own sake”, wanting by his statement that the sons are prepared to confront the enemies so they chose the most evil names for them, and the slaves are prepared for themselves so they chose the best names for them—that is in their own opinion. Tenth: If in the tribe there were two identical names such as al-Harith and al-Harith and al-Khazraj and al-Khazraj and the like, and one of them is an offspring of the other or was born after him, they expressed the father and the one born first by alakbar (the greater), and the son and the one born after by al-asghar (the smaller). Page 21 of 25 This could also happen among two brothers if one of them was older than the other. The words of al-Qalqashandi end here. Page 22 of 25 A Statement issued by the Association of al-Ashraf in Beirut 9/26/2005 ‫بسم ال الرحمن الرحيم‬ Praise is to Allah and may Allah raise the rank of His Messenger and protect his nation from what he feared for them and raise the ranks of his pure family members and kind companions. Thereafter: for whom it may concern: The work of al-Ashraf is a great deed and it is a science with which a few are nowadays engaging. We advise you that the Association of al-Ashraf in Beirut is an independent association that takes care of the matters of genealogy and the honorable people of the lineage of the Prophet in Lebanon in particular and around the world in general. The association does not have any branches outside Lebanon and is not affiliated in any way with the association of the family members of the Prophet in Jordan or the website called al-Judhur of the aforementioned association which placed the name of the association of al-Ashraf on its site. We mention this here for your knowledge. Page 23 of 25 The Journal of the family members of the Prophet This journal contains matters related to the family members of the Prophet, their .judgments, merits, biographies and heritage and other :Its regular chapters are - The creed of the family members of the Prophet. - The science of genealogy. - The biographies of the elites of the family members of the Prophet. - In the vastness of the fragrant life of the Prophet. - The biographies of the elite people of lineage to the Prophet throughout the centuries. - The families of the people of lineage to the Prophet in the Islamic countries. - The pedigrees of the lineages. - The heritage of the family members of the Prophet in print and manuscript. - The graves of the family members of the Prophet. - Among the manners of the family members of the Prophet Page 24 of 25 Prophet The activities and news of the societies of people of lineage to the This journal is issued under the supervision of the Association of al-Ashraf in Lebanon by experts and researchers in the field of genealogy and other Islamic sciences who are characterized with truthfulness and high credentials and experiences. Expect it soon. Page 25 of 25