The Nabataean Kingdom

Summary

The Nabataean kingdom was the government of the sons of Nabit ibn Isma'il in northern Hijaz, as presented in al-Raheeq al-Makhtum. Their civilisation flourished, and they formed a strong government to which the peoples on its edges submitted. They took Petra as their capital, and no one could oppose them until the Romans came and destroyed them ¹.

Their effect on Yemen's trade

In his account of Himyar, the author says that Yemen's trade largely failed, first because the Nabataeans extended their control over northern Hijaz, and then because the Romans dominated the sea trade routes ².

A dispute over the lineage of some tribes

The author reports the view of Sulayman al-Nadawi that the kings of the house of Ghassan and the Ansar of the Aws and Khazraj descend from the sons of Nabit ibn Isma'il and their remnants in those lands, not from Qahtan ¹ ³.

What is not covered here

al-Raheeq does not date the kingdom or name its kings. The academic history of the Nabataeans and their inscriptions has not yet been added.

For young visitors

The Nabataeans were a people who built the city of Petra, carved into the rock, in the north of the Arabian Peninsula. They had a strong kingdom before the Romans defeated them.

Ahl al-Harb (the people at war with the Muslims, their status and the rules that govern dealings with them)

Ahl al-harb are non-Muslims who have not entered a covenant of protection and enjoy neither the safe-conduct nor the treaty of the Muslims. They are distinguished from the protected people, the rebels, those with a treaty and those under safe-conduct; a protected person, a treaty-holder or a holder of safe-conduct becomes a combatant by joining the land of war or by breaking the covenant. Their blood and property are lawful to take where there is no covenant, and are protected where there is one. The Muslim may not betray them once they have granted him safe-conduct; the destruction of their property is allowed by agreement where it serves the Muslims, and the jurists differ where it serves no purpose. Gifts and alms to them are allowed by the majority, a will in favour of a named person is allowed by the Shafi'is and Hanbalis but not by the Hanafis and Malikis, and an endowment in their favour is void by agreement. Food and similar goods may be exported to them; arms may not be exported in war. A Muslim man may marry a Christian or Jewish woman of the land of war, as of the protected people.

At a glance

Summary

Their effect on Yemen's trade

A dispute over the lineage of some tribes

What is not covered here

People and things also explored

Sources

Ahl al-Harb (the people at war with the Muslims, their status and the rules that govern dealings with them)