Hudhayl
A Hijazi tribe of the mountains around Mecca and Ṭāʾif, famous for its poets.
- Region
- Between Mecca and Ṭāʾif
- Notable for
- Dīwān al-Hudhaliyyīn, a surviving tribal dīwān
Overview
Hudhayl held the rough country between Mecca and Ṭāʾif. Its standing in Arabic letters is unusual: the *Dīwān al-Hudhaliyyīn*, a collected body of the tribe's poetry, survives as one of the very few tribal dīwāns transmitted as a unit, which makes Hudhayl one of the best-attested tribes in the poetic record rather than only the genealogical one.
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
Why is Hudhayl significant in Arabic literature?
Because the Dīwān al-Hudhaliyyīn survives — one of very few tribal poetry collections transmitted as a single body.
Sources
- ابن حزم الأندلسي، جمهرة أنساب العرب، 456هـ — أنساب هذيل
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — في ذكر ديار هذيل
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources.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