Thawr
A group reckoned among the Ribāb whose nisba, al-Thawrī, is better known than the tribe — and whose name is easily confused with a mountain and a common personal name.
- Grouping
- ʿAbd Manāt ibn Udd, within al-Ribāb, under Muḍar — as reported
- Nisba
- Al-Thawrī
- Diyār
- Najd; households later in Iraq
- Name
- Thawr — a bull
- Note
- Mount Thawr near Mecca is a place, unconnected to the tribe
- Scope
- Historical — no modern attribution
Overview
Thawr ibn ʿAbd Manāt ibn Udd is one of the groups the sources gather under al-Ribāb. Its diyār are given in Najd, and households of it are afterwards recorded in the garrison towns of Iraq. The nisba formed from it, al-Thawrī, is met more often than the tribal name itself: the biographical literature attaches it to a number of figures of the second century AH, and Sufyān al-Thawrī of Kufa is reported to belong to this Thawr. Two cautions belong on the name. It is the ordinary Arabic word for a bull, so it recurs as a personal name and indicates no relation wherever it appears; and Mount Thawr above Mecca, familiar from the sīra, is a place name with no connection to this tribe. This page describes a historical tribe and makes no statement about any modern family.
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
Does the nisba al-Thawrī always point to this tribe?
No. Thawr is a common personal name and a place name as well, so the nisba has more than one possible origin; the sources give the chain when they know it.
Sources
- ابن حزم الأندلسي، جمهرة أنساب العرب، 456هـ — في أنساب مضر وذكر الرباب
- ابن منظور، لسان العرب، 711هـ — مادة ثور
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — في ذكر جبل ثَوْر
This page is an educational, historical reference compiled from published sources.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