Qaḥṭān of ʿAsīr
The ʿAsīrī branch of Qaḥṭān, distinguished in the sources from the Najdī sections of the same name.
- Note
- The name covers sections in more than one region
- Region
- ʿAsīr
Overview
The name Qaḥṭān covers sections in more than one region, and the sources treat the ʿAsīr groups and the Najdī groups separately even though both carry it. The distinction matters for anyone tracing a family: an attribution to Qaḥṭān is not a location, and two families with the same nisba may be recorded hundreds of kilometres apart with no relation the sources can establish.
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).
Frequently asked questions
Are the Qaḥṭān of ʿAsīr and of Najd the same?
The sources treat them separately. A Qaḥṭānī attribution is not a location, and shared nisba is not by itself evidence of a shared line.
Sources
- الحسن الهمداني، صفة جزيرة العرب، 334هـ — في ذكر قحطان
- القلقشندي، نهاية الأرب في معرفة أنساب العرب، 821هـ — باب قحطان
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources.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