Banū Nahshal
A section of Dārim of Banū Tamīm, brother-line to Mujāshiʿ — and a name also borne as an ordinary personal name, so the nisba alone proves nothing.
- Reported under
- Dārim, of Ḥanẓala of Banū Tamīm
- Brother-line
- Mujāshiʿ ibn Dārim — as reported
- Note
- Nahshal is also an ordinary personal name — the nisba alone proves nothing
- Scope
- Historical — no modern attribution
Overview
Nahshal ibn Dārim and Mujāshiʿ ibn Dārim are brother-lines in the genealogists' arrangement, and they are the two sections most often named under Dārim, of Ḥanẓala of Banū Tamīm. The country given for them is the country given for Tamīm: Yāqūt places the tribe across Najd, about al-Ṣammān and the sands of al-Dahnāʾ, and after the conquests names of the section appear in the garrison towns. One caution belongs on this page in particular. Nahshal was also an ordinary personal name, so the nisba al-Nahshalī does not by itself establish an affiliation to this section — a nisba may come from descent (ṣarīḥ), from alliance (ḥilf) or from clientage (walāʾ), and the compilers state which only when they know it. This page describes a historical section of a historical tribe and makes no statement about any modern family.
The name
Al-nahshal in Lisān al-ʿArab is glossed several ways: the wolf, it is said; the falcon, it is said; and the aged man. The lexicographers give the possibilities and do not settle between them, which is itself worth recording. The root nahasha is to seize or tear with the teeth.
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 (ṣarīḥ), alliance (ḥilf) or clientage (walāʾ), and the sources usually say which only when they know.
Frequently asked questions
Does the nisba al-Nahshalī mean descent from Banū Nahshal?
Not by itself. Nahshal was also a common personal name, and a nisba may rest on descent, alliance or clientage — the classical compilers say which only when they know.
Sources
- ابن حزم الأندلسي، جمهرة أنساب العرب، 456هـ — في أنساب تميم
- ابن منظور، لسان العرب، 711هـ — مادة نهشل ومادة نهش
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — في ذكر الصمّان والدهناء
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources.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: 2026-09-07