Origins and early history The Banu Harith descend from the
Qahtanite people, one of the most prominent
Arab tribes originating from
Yemen. The earliest recorded ancestor of the Qahtanites is
Joktan, one of the two sons of
Eber. The Qahtanite people are divided into the two factions, the
Himyarite and
Kahlani tribes. The Banu Harith converted to
Judaism during pre-Islamic times. They wore a
jambiya on their belt and worked primarily in goldsmithing and repairing arms. The Banu Harith allied with
Banu Madh'hij in order to launch an attack on Najran and they were able to successfully conquer the city. Banu Harith lived peacefully beside
Banu Hamdan and they were the most powerful house which ruled Najran for many centuries. This was brought to an end during the Christian invasion. In 523, the Himyarite king
Dhu Nuwas (Dunaan), who had converted to Judaism, massacred the Christians there.
After the rise of Islam They were included in Point 31 of the
Constitution of Medina and honored as allies to the
Muslims, being as "one nation", but retaining their
Jewish religion. They were given the same rights as
Banu Awf and entered into mutual protection pacts with the Muslim tribes. Their descendants currently make up a very small component of the
Yemenite Jewish population which now mostly reside in
Israel today.
Notable people •
Harith bin Ka'b, also known as Arethas of Najran, a
warrior and the founder of the Banu Harith. • Dus ibn Milhan, a man who appealed to
Dhu Nuwas after two of his sons were brutally murdered by the Christians who had captured Najran. After hearing of his plight, Dhu Nuwas swore to avenge the deaths and to liberate Jews of Najran. • Thebith ben Chorath, a 12th-century
astrologist and
mathematician. == See also ==