Bedouin

(noun)

a predominantly desert-dwelling Arabian ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans.

Related Terms

Examples of Bedouin in the following topics:

  • The Nomadic Tribes of Arabia

    • The nomadic pastoralist Bedouin tribes inhabited the Arabian Peninsula before the rise of Islam around 700 CE.
    • Warfare between tribes was common among the Bedouin, and warfare was given a high honor.
    • The Bedouin tribes in pre-Islamic Arabia were nomadic-pastoralists.
    • According to tradition, the Saudi Bedouin are descendants of two groups.
    • While most modern Bedouins have abandoned their nomadic and tribal traditions for modern urban lifestyles, they retain traditional Bedouin culture with traditional music, poetry, dances, and other cultural practices.

  • Culture and Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia

    • Before the rise of Islam, most Bedouin tribes practiced polytheism, most often in the form of animism.
    • Like later cultures in the region, the Bedouin tribes placed heavy importance on poetry and oral tradition as a means of communication.
    • Before the rise of the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, most Bedouin tribes practiced polytheism in the form of animism and idolatry.

  • Sao

    • If true, the newcomers may have been Arab Bedouin or Sayfuwa raiders coming from the east, who moved into the region in the 14th century CE.

  • Ancient Africa

    • The Banu Hilal and Banu Ma'qil were a collection of Arab Bedouin tribes from the Arabian Peninsula who migrated westwards via Egypt between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries.

  • Early Life of Muhammad

    • According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was sent to live with a Bedouin family in the desert, as desert life was considered healthier for infants.

  • Women in Pre-Islamic Arabia

    • In other places, such as the city of Mecca, and in the nomadic Bedouin tribes, tribal law determined women's rights.

  • Arabian Cities

    • The Meccans signed treaties with both the Byzantines and the Bedouins to negotiate safe passages for caravans and give them water and pasture rights.

  • Flight from Mecca to Medina

    • The ruling tribes of Mecca perceived Muhammad as a danger that might cause tensions similar to the rivalry of Judaism and Bedouin Polytheism in Yathrib.

  • Societal Development

    • ., Bedouin nomads), though these may be temporary pauses due to economic niches that will likely disappear over time.