Kathiri

The Kathiri state was established in 1395 by Badr as-Sahab ibn al-Habrali Bu Tuwairik, who ruled until . The Kathiri conquered Ash-Shihr in the 1460s. The country inhabited by this tribe was formerly extensive, reaching from the Aulaqi districts on the west to the Maliri tribe on the east, and including the seaports of Mukalla and Shihr. Civil wars led to the interference of the Yafai, and much of the Kathiri territory came under the sway of the Kasadi and Qu'aiti. The Kathiris were eventually restricted to a small inland portion of Hadhramaut with their capital at Seiyun (Say'un), where the Seiyun Palace was located. At the end of 1883, Sultan Abdulla bin Salih, one of the Kathiri Shaikhs, visited the Resident at Aden. His principal object was to ascertain what attitude the British Government would maintain in the event of the Kathiri attacking the Qu'aiti with a view to repossessing themselves of the ports of Shihr and Mukalla. Abdulla bin Salih also visited Zanzibar with intent to intrigue with the ex-Naqib of Mukalla, from whom however, he failed to obtain any material assistance. The first prime minister in the history of East Timor, ''Mar'ī al-Kathīrī'', is a third generation descendant of immigrants from Kathiri, part of a significant migration of Hadhramis to Southeast Asia in the 19th and 20th centuries. This is reflected in his name 'Alkatiri'. The Indonesian human rights activist Munir Said Thalib is also a descendant of immigrants from the Kathiris. ==Demographics==

Social Stratification A system of social stratification defined Kathiri society. Membership in these groups was acquired at birth and dictated a person's marriage prospects, occupation, and political role. The structure is generally divided into four major categories: • Sada (Sayyids): At the top of the social hierarchy, they claim direct descent from Muhammad. Historically, they were an unarmed scholarly elite who held a monopoly on formal education and served as religious advisers and mediators in tribal disputes. • Mashayikh: Families of religious renown and scholars who, while not claiming Prophetic descent, held high social prestige based on religious scholarship and ancestral descent from holy men. • Qaba‘il (Tribesmen): Armed groups who claimed descent from Qahtan and held a monopoly on force. Their identity was tied to the ownership and defense of tribal land. • Masakin or Hadhar: Unarmed town-dwellers, merchants, and craftsmen who lacked a distinguished pedigree. This group included a diverse range of economic statuses, from wealthy trading families to manual laborers. Lower Social Strata and Labor Groups Beneath the primary tiers resided several groups categorized as "weak" (dhu‘afa’) because they did not bear arms: • Harthan: A cultivating class of farmers and sharecroppers. In some areas, the term fallah was used as a derogatory epithet for individuals of lower social status who were involved in agriculture. • Abid (Slaves): A distinct group of African origin. While socially stigmatized, many served in the hashiya (regular military forces) of the Sultanate and could rise to high administrative ranks as governors or magistrates. • Akhdam and Subiyan: Groups involved in menial tasks and ceremonial services (weddings, funerals, etc.). The Subiyan were often believed to be of Ethiopian origin and acted as permanent clients to specific tribal families. Religion The inhabitants were almost exclusively Sunni Muslims adhering to the Shafi'i school of law. Religious life was heavily influenced by Sufism, particularly the Ba 'Alawi tradition, which centered on the veneration of saints and ritual visits (ziyara) to tombs, such as that of the Prophet Hud in Qabr Hud. Language Arabic was the primary language; however, due to extensive migration, Malay was frequently the court language in Seiyun and the common tongue among the educated classes. == List of sultans ==