Maqil facts for kids

The Maqil (Arabic: المعقل) were an Arabian nomadic tribe. They were a group of people who moved around a lot, rather than staying in one place. In the 11th century, they traveled from Yemen to areas that are now the Sahara Desert and Morocco. They often settled near forests and oases, which are places with water in the desert.

Even though there were not many of them at first (less than 200 people), they later became involved in conflicts. They also brought changes to the culture of these regions, including a new language.

Who Were the Maqil?

The Maqil tribe had a long family history. They believed they were descendants of a famous family called Banu Hashim. This family included important figures like Jaafar ibn Abi Talib, who was the son of Abu Talib and brother of Ali ibn Abi Talib.

However, some experts on Arabian family trees, called genealogists, thought the Maqil were part of another large group called the Banu Hilal.

What Did Historians Say?

A famous historian named Ibn Khaldun studied the Maqil. He believed that both ideas about their origin were not quite right. He pointed out that the Banu Hashim family usually lived in cities and were not nomadic people who wandered in deserts. He also noted that the name Maqil was mostly found in Yemen.

Ibn Khaldun thought the Maqil were likely a nomadic Arab group from Yemen. Other historians, like Ibn al-Kalbi and Ibn Said, agreed with this idea. This means the Maqil probably came from Yemen and were a tribe that moved from place to place.

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