Bedouins and the Desert

Jibrail Jabbur (1900-1991) was Professor of Arabic literature and Semitic Studies at the American University of Beirut. He was a renowned historian of Arabic literature, a leading figure in modern Arab education, and chair of the committee responsible for the modern Arabic translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. His many publications include editions of several medieval Arabic texts, a three-volume study of the early Arab poet 'Umar inb Abi Rabi'a, and numerous monographs on historical and cultural topics. His memoirs were published in Beirut only days before his death. Lawrence I. Conrad is Historian of Near Eastern Medicine at the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine in London and the author of numerous studies on medical history and medieval Arab history and historiography. Suhayl J. Jabbur , Jibrail Jabbur's son, is a neurophysiologist and Professor of Physiology at the American University of Beirut.

• List of IllustrationsList of TablesTranslator's NotePrefaceIntroductionThe Desert and Bedouin Life: a Personal PerspectiveBooks and Studies on Desert AffairsThe Meaning and Character of NomadismTypes of NomadismThe Ethnic and Social Significance of NomadismThe Economic Significance of NomadismThe Military and Political Significance of NomadismThe Pillars of Bedouin LifeThe First Pillar: The DesertI.  The  Desert HomelandDefining and Describing the DesertDeserts and Sand-Deserts of ArabiaII.  Trees and Plants of the DesertFruit-Bearing TreesNon-Fruit-Bearing TreesDesert Grasses and ShrubsFungal PlantsDesert FlowersIII.  Carnivorous  Desert  AnimalsThe LionThe WolfThe HyenaThe ShibThe BadgerThe Fox and JackalThe Qurayta (Wildcat)The PantherIV.  Herbivorous Desert AnimalsThe GazelleThe IbexThe Onager (Wild Ass)The Oryx, or "Wild Cow" (Wudayhi)The RoebuckThe Wild BoaThe PorcupineThe MarmotThe HedgehogThe JerboaThe RabbitV.  Desert BirdsThe Sand GrouseThe OstrichThe FalconAcquisition and Training of FalconsThe Eagle and VultureThe BustardThe FrancolinCranes and HeronsThe StorkOther BirdsVI.  Desert Reptiles and InsectsThe DhabbThe LocustVII.  Domesticated Animals in the DesertThe HorseThe  Origins of the HorseCharacteristics of the  HorseThe DonkeyThe Guard DogThe SalukiSheep, Goats, and CattleThe Second Pillar: The CamelVIII.  The CamelThe Origins and Habitats of the CamelDomestication and References in Ancient RecordsThe Camel as an Important Pillar of Bedouin LifeTypes of CamelsAttributes of the CamelThe Diet of the CamelIts Endurance and Strength on the MarchThoroughbredsTraits  of Thoroughbred CamelsBenefits of then CamelDisadvantages of the CamelThe Temperament of the  CamelThe Breeding  of She-CamelsStages in a Young Camel's LifeThe Third Pillar: The TentIX.  The Bedouin's TentThe Bedouin TentTent FabricThe  Bedouin CampThe Fourth Pillar: The Arab BedouinX.  The Arab Bedouin and His TribesWho is the Arab Bedouin?The Origin of the Arab BedouinBedouin  Solidarity and Pride in DescentSome of the Best-Known TribesThe 'Imarat (from Dana Bishr)The Sba'a (from Dana 'Ubayd ibn Bishr)The Fid'an (from Dana 'Ubayd ibn Bishr)Dana MuslimThe HsanaThe Rwala (from the al-Jlas branch of Muslim)The HadidiyinBanu KhalidThe Fawa'iraThe MawaliBanu SakhrShammarThe 'AqaydatThe Wild 'AliXI.  The Tribal OrderThe Family: the Foundation of the Tribal OrderDescent-Group SolidarityTribal Territories in the Tribal OrderThe Master of the HouseholdThe Mistress of the HouseholdMarriageBoys and GirlsBedouin JusticeThe Office of Shaykh among the BedouinsThe Search for Water and PasturageXII.  The Bedouin CharacterEndurance and PatienceCourage and CombatIndividualityGenerositySolicitude for Kin and ProtégésBedouin EloquenceLoyaltyCircumspectionThe Bedouin's Zeal for VengeanceMoralityHis Ability to Interpret Physical SignsXIII. Bedouin Appearance, Dress, and AdornmentBedouin  AppearanceBedouin Dress and AdornmentWomen's DressXIV.  Raiding and the Brother-RightRaidingThe ''Brother-Right"XV.  The Bedouins and the HuntGazelle-Hunting with the Trap MethodGazelle-Hunting without Recourse to DogsGazelle-Hunting with Dogs and FalconsGazelle-Hunting with the AutomobileGazelle-Hunting from a BlindHunting the IbexRabbit HuntingBustard HuntingHunting the Sand GrouseHunting the Ostrich and OryxXVI.  The Bedouins and ReligionThe Bedouin's Profession of IslamSacrifices  among the RwalaThe Markab, or Sacred LitterXVII.  Education and Cultural LifeEducation and InstructionThe Majalis as Centers of EducationCultural Life in the DesertLiterary Genres—the Bedouin QasidBedouin Folk-TalesThe Subject Matter of the  StoriesThe Aim of the StoryThe Bond between Story and QasidGenuine Historical EventsExamples of Such LoreOther Bedouin GenresXVIII.  Nomads of the Nomads: the SlaybA Curious TribeModern  Scholarship on the SlaybThe Views of al-BustaniObjections to the Views of al-KarmaliViews of Other ScholarsLater Europeans Who Wrote on the SlaybThe Emergence of the SlaybThe Donkeys of SlaybThe Slayb and HuntingThe Slayb and HandicraftsThe Slayb and Their Knowledge of the DesertPoetry and MusicThe Slaybi WomanSlayb Origins: a View in Critique of al-BustaniA Theory on Their OriginsThe Clans of SlaybChanges in Their Way of LifeXIX.  The History of the Bedouins in Northern ArabiaIn Ancient TimesIn Pre-Islamic TimesIn Early Islamic Times up to the 'Abbasid EraIn the Era of the Declining 'Abbasid CaliphateIn the Era of the Crusaders and MongolsIn the Mamluk PeriodIn Ottoman TimesXX.  The Transformation of Bedouin LifeAppendicesAppendix I. Egyptian Archival DocumentsAppendix II. British Foreign Office DocumentsAppendix III. Plants and Shrubs in Arab Desert LandsBibliography of Works CitedIndex

"I need scarcely say how important this book's subject is for anyone who wishes to understand the society and culture of the Arab peoples. There have been a number of important studies in European languages about aspects of this subject, and some valuable reports by western travelers, but in my opinion Jibrail Jabbur's book goes beyond them. It is based on a unique variety of sources: the works of Arab historians as well as European scholars and travelers; Arabic poems (of which Professor Jabbur had a remarkable knowledge), and his own personal observations during a long life which began on the edge of the Syrian desert." — Albert Hourani, author of A History of the Arab Peoples"This book is above all a mine of detailed information about many aspects of bedouin life and about the physical environment in which the bedouin live....The interplay of recent/ethnographic detail and information drawn from ancient Arabic poetry and other literary sources is remarkable....All in all, it is an invaluable compilation and synthesis of material on a rapidly vanishing way of life." — Fred Donner, The Oriental Institute, University of Chicago