Arabian Chronicles : Thamudic Ancient Arab

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

A remnant of Thamudic house, they dwelled in rock mountains around the area

The Thamudic people had began from a person who is known as Thamud bin Katir bin Iram. Their dwelling place is in the area called Hagar Wadi al-Qura. It is located in between Hejaz of Saudi Arabia and Syria today. Their houses were carved inside metal rocks.

The God had also sent them a noble prophet and messenger who is known as Saaleh a.s in the glorious Quran. Said al-Mas'udi : "Thamud had been in power in Hejaz to Syria and the sea of Ethiopia. Their houses were carved inside the rocks and pilgrimage caravans who passed through the area of Wadi al-Qura can see the remnants of their houses."

According to the narration of Ibnu Kalbi, he said that the tribe of Jadis and Tasmin among the branches of Thamudic Arabs came from the lineage of Iram bin Shem. The Tasmin was said as inhabited the area of Bahrain today. However, according to at-Tabari, both of the Jadis and Tasmin dwelled in Yamamah and not in Bahrain. It is due to that Yamamah is a fertile area and easier to establish settlements, build up houses and creating gardens. One of the king from Tasmin dynasty or the tribe of Tasmin was known as Amluq and he was so brutal and cruel.   

If we open up our Old Testament, we can also read a word which sounds like Amelechites. Amelechites referring to Amaliqah in Arabic. They came from the lineage of a person whose name is Amaliq bin Lawz. Amalechites were a kind of ancient Arab tribe. I had also heard a narration of elders that some followers of the noble prophet Moses a.s from the children of Israel was sent down to Arabian Peninsula to track these Amalechites and massacre them all as they were very cruel people.

The Amelechites according to at-Tabari had expanded widely. The major descendents were in Oman in the East of Amelechites. There were also Amelechites in Arabian Peninsula. Some Pharaohs who ruled ancient Egypt were also from Amelechites lineage. Kings of Cana'an were also Amelechites. The opinion which support the assumption that some Pharaohs of ancient Egypt came from al-Jarjany. Another branch of the sibling of Amaliq bin Lawz according to some narrations had expanded to ancient Persia. A branch of Thamudic Arab called the Hadhora had build up settlements in a place called Rass. They became adherents of Zoroaster. 

The map portraying the area where Thamudic Arabs had been which is marked with the cross, some of them had expanded as far as Azerbaijan and Georgia today. Both Azerbaijan and Georgia were under Persian lands.

Those Arabs in Hadramawt are not considered as ancient Arabs. They are considered as the 'Ariba Arabs because they survived until post-Christ era. Other under this category is the Jurhums and Jurhums were divided into the First Jurhum and the Second Jurhum. The First Jurhum falls under the category of ancient Arabs because none of them survived. The Second Jurhums are descents of this person, Jurhum bin Qahtan. The son of Qahtan whose name was Ya'arob began to rule Yemen in Southern Arabian Peninsula. He also appointed his sibling to be king in Hejaz.          

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Arabian Chronicles : 'Aad Ancient Arabs

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Rubb el-Khaly

We had already briefly talked about ancient Arabs or in Arabic it is known as Ba'ida Arabs. Ibnu Khaldun narrated that ancient Arabs like the 'Aad were originated from a person whose name is 'Aad bin 'Aws bin Iram bin Saam. They earlier lived in a place called Ahqaaf al-Ramal. This place is located in between Yemen and Oman, the way to go Hadramawt and Shihr.  

Al-Mas'oodi mentioned : "Shaddad later assumed the leadership after 'Aad. His descendents spread wide to Iraq, Syria and India."

Ibnu Sa'ad narrated in his narration that Shaddad clan had also overthrown the Coptics in Egypt. They had entered into Alexandria and established the city of Un. However, they were chased out by the Coptics who plead assistance from Sudanese and the Berbers. The Shaddads were still powerful in Yemen until they were subdued by this person whose name is Ya'arob bin Qahthan. Those Shaddads ran away to hills in Hadramawt and later, all of them become extinct.

Other branch of the 'Aad Arab tribe was the 'Obayl. They are the relatives of 'Aad bin 'Aws. Their descendents were all cousins. They lived in a place called Juhfah bordering the area of Mecca and Medina today. Another branch from 'Abd Juhkam bin Iram who lived in Taif also extincts.

There is also a mention about the pillars build by the Irams. It is mentioned in Surah al-Fajr verse 6-8. The God says in His revelation through the tongue of Muhammad s.a.w: "Don't you see (o Muhammad and people) what your Lord had done to the 'Aad? 6 The Irams who possessed pillars (and tall buildings) 7 Which no other cities being build as such in countries 8." This surah had also mentioned the Thamud. 

Other thing which had stricken me after reading this surah during my isolation period, when the God also talked about the peaceful self who will go to Him with His pleasure and being among His servants be in the paradise at the end of the surah. I also believed almost the same thing when I followed Buddhism where I tried to find a calm self through hidden offerings, meditations and musings but I just don't want to talk or speculate about the God because I didn't think there was One but only ourselves could bring good fate.   

Iram was also mentioned in a free circulated book written by Gary Miller called the Basis of Muslim Belief. Gary Miller was actually a Republican, haha. I also read this book when I was bored. He mentioned in the book...

"The Quran mentions about a city by the name of Iram. The city of Iram has been unknown to history, so unknown even to Muslim commentators, out of embarrassment or feeling apologetic for their religion, have commented on this mention of the city in the Qur'an as being perhaps figurative and not actually a city. In 1973, the excavation in Syria at the site of ancient city of Eblus uncovered the largest collection of cuneiform writings on clay tablets ever assembled. In fact, the library discovered in Eblus contains more clay tablets that are more than 4000 years old than all other tablets combined from all other sites. 

Interesting enough that we will find the details in the National Geographic of 1978 which confirms that in those tablets the city of Iram is mentioned. The people of Eblus used to do business with the people of Iram. So, in 1973, comes confirmation of the fact, after all, there really was an ancient city by that name, wherever it was. How did it finds its way into the Quran, we might want to ask? Those Muslims who may have offered their comments, trying to explain away this reference that they were uncomfortable with, were outsmarted by the author of the Quran. They were those who would attempt to outsmart the 'author' of the Quran. Primarily, their activity would involve trying to produce the evidence that the 'author' of the Quran had a primitive understanding of the world around us."  

The 'author' of the Quran is the God. It is not Muhammad s.a.w or companions who wrote the Quran. Most of all, Revelations are not something written but it came through metaphysical ways. We can't touch light but we can see in light. I wonder why Church Fathers had to be in pain trying to use all sorts of philosophical explanations to make people understand and now many of people which also includes Christians (especially Protestants) could not understand this.

The 'Aad were sent by the God a prophet and messenger whose name is known as prophet Hud a.s but they refused to listen to him because their inner eyes had been closed. These people are not Jews nor Hebrews but are related because of their forefather is the same which is Shem bin Noah. The 'Aad was destroyed by the God and it is mentioned in surah al-Haaqqah verses 4-8. Says the God : "The Thamud and 'Aad had mocked the Doomsday 4 The Thamud were destroyed with a hard sound of voice 5 The 'Aad were destroyed with cold whirlwind 6 The whirlwind had descended upon them for seven nights and eight day without stop thus you see the people dead everywhere like empty date tree trunks 7 Do you see any of them left? 8."

In 1900, there were White researchers who entered the area and conducting research. Before this, many people think that the mention about these people and their city as an ancient myth. The result is that, they founded ruins of a city in Rubb el-Khaly or Empty Quarter. It is now covering an area of countries such as Southern Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman. Excavations from 'Obar shows that there were tall pillars in the lost city. Just like what had been mention by the glorious Quran and I wish everyone passing by entertained with the humble post. Have a nice day : )

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!