Saudi Arabia is one of the diverse countries of the world, which provides habitat for various kinds of tribes. The paper gives a brief classification about the different kinds of tribes present in Saudi Arabia. The tribal system in Saudi Arabia is complex and its intricate details are hard to find. Each tribe belongs to a specified geographic area where the people of the tribe control the water-holes and pastures . The people of other tribes can pass the area only with permission or arm force. On the death of the head of the family the sons divide into several small sections. The different characters that define the tribes are their form of livelihood, military power, religious outlook and orientation of leadership. The rulers of the House of Saud use religion as a binding force to keep these tribes far from the house of Saud. Qaseem is one of the popular tribes of Saudi Arabia that lives in smaller clans in rural areas throughout the country .
Qaseem is one of the ancient and most populous tribes of Saudi Arabia that lives in the area of Najd, which lies in the central part of the country. The Qaseem tribe lives in rural and town communities across the country. Al-Aidh is one of the famous families that belong to the Qaseem tribe. Shammar and Mutair are also a few other families that are a part of the Qaseem tribe . Several families of the country, which belong to the Qaseem tribe have grudge on the ruling family or the House of Saud . The leaders of nomad or bedouin tribes have strong political connections in the country. There are several merchant families in Saudi Arabia, which played an important role in terms of financial support in the past. Before making decisions on the national policies, the king and Al-Saud princes sought the suggestions of the tribal people. Each tribe of Saudi Arabia has its own cultural heritage, folk traditions and religious activities. The Qaseem tribe is popular for its religious leadership, presence of major business families and tribal dominance. It was due to the contribution of the Qaseem tribe that the emergence of governorates and provinces in the area of central Najd took place. The Qaseem tribe is also popular for its attitude of protection towards the other tribes .
Though Saudi Arabia urbanized remarkably over the past few decades, the tribal system still has strong and deep roots in the country. While some tribes are independent to each other, others are dependent on the institution of marriage. The people of Saudi Arabia feel that their tribal affiliation and identification as an important symbol of identity . The tribes play a major role in enhancing the identification of the Kingdom. In Saudi Arabia, it is difficult to evaluate the political and social organization of the tribes without knowing the details of the family structure. The impact of the central authority on the tribal groups through administrative programs affects the economy of Saudi Arabia. Thus, the tribes in Saudi Arabia are numerous in number and play a crucial role in the social and economic decisions of the country, which in turn helps to establish the name of Saudi Arabia in the global list of economy.
Works Cited
Khoury, Philip Shukry and Joseph Kostiner. Tribes and State Formation in the Middle East. University of California Press, 1990.
Wynbrandt, James. A Brief History of Saudi Arabia. Infobase Publishing, 2010.
