Al-Mahrah
A tribe of the far south whose language is not Arabic but a sister Semitic tongue.
- Region
- Far eastern Yemen toward Oman
- Language
- Mehri — a Modern South Arabian language, not Arabic
Overview
Al-Mahrah occupy the far east of Yemen toward Oman. What distinguishes them is linguistic: Mehri is not a dialect of Arabic but a separate Modern South Arabian language, descended alongside Arabic from an older Semitic stock rather than from it. That makes al-Mahrah a reminder that 'Arab' as a genealogical category and Arabic as a language do not map onto each other exactly — the genealogies reckon them among the Qaḥṭānī tribes all the same.
On lineage
Branch lists and affiliations here are given as reported by the classical genealogists, who themselves disagree. Nothing on this page establishes any living family's descent: a shared name may reflect descent, alliance (ḥilf) or clientage (walāʾ), and the sources usually say which only when they know.
Frequently asked questions
Do al-Mahrah speak Arabic?
Mehri is a separate Modern South Arabian language, not a dialect of Arabic — a sister tongue rather than a descendant.
Sources
- الحسن الهمداني، صفة جزيرة العرب، 334هـ — في ذكر المهرة
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources. It is not an authority on lineage. Where sources differ, we report the difference without taking a position. Corrections are welcome via our contact page.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-28