Hadhramaut حضرموت | |
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.jpg) Seiyun Palace, one of the world's largest mud-brick structures  The Minaret ofal-Muhdhar Mosque .jpg) Mukalla, capital city ofHadhramaut | |
 Map of Hadhramaut in theArabian Peninsula | |
| Coordinates:16°N49°E / 16°N 49°E /16; 49 | |
| Countries |
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| Notable cities | |
| Governorates | |
| Highest elevation | 2,070 m (6,790 ft) |
| Demonym | Hadharem |
Hadhramaut[note 1] (Arabic:حَضْرَمَوْت,romanized: Ḥaḍramawtpronunciationⓘ;Hadrami Arabic:حَضْرَمُوت,romanized: Ḥaḍramūtpronunciationⓘ) is a geographic region in thesouthern part of theArabian Peninsula which includes theYemenigovernorates of Hadhramaut,Shabwah andMahrah,Dhofar in southwesternOman, andSharurah in theNajran Province ofSaudi Arabia, and sometimes theAden,Abyan andLahij governorates of Yemen at a more stretched historical definition. The region's people are known as theHadharem. They formerly spokeHadramautic, anold South Arabian language, but they now predominantly speak theHadhrami dialect ofArabic.
Though the origins of the name are unknown, the name Hadhramaut is traditionally explained as acompound word meaning "death has come" or "court of death," derived either from theArabicḥaḍara ("he came") plusmawt ("death"), a folk nickname for Amer bin Qahtan, the region's legendary first settler, or from theBiblical Hebrewḥaṣar ("court" or "dwelling") plusmāweṯ ("death") as seen inHazarmaveth. The name is of ancient origin and is reflected in the name of the modern-day Yemeni governorate ofHadhramaut.
The boundaries of Hadhramaut stretches from theEmpty Quarter desert in the north down through itsWadi Hadhramaut and itscoastal plain on theArabian Sea, historically spanning from modern-dayAden in the west acrossDhofar to the east but today spans Yemen's Shabwah from the west and Oman's Dhofar to the east. The region once comprised theQu'aiti andKathiri sultanates whose lands now form the Hadhramaut governorate, with tribal Hadhrami towns clustered aroundoasis wells in thewadis, where they farmwheat,millet,dates,coconuts andcoffee, whileBedouin herders graze flocks on theplateau. Physically, the region divides intoInner Hadhramaut,centered on the main wadi and its tributaries, andCoastal Hadhramaut, a narrow plain backed by the steepJowlescarpment rising to about 1,370 m; to the north the highland plateau (Haḍbat Ḥaḍramawt) slopes down sharply into the Empty Quarter, creating a transition from lush valley to arid desert.
The origins of the nameḤaḍramawt is disputed, and numerous debated hypotheses regarding its meaning exist. The most popularfolk etymology is that the word comes from a nickname ofAmer bin Qahtan, who is thought to be the first person to dwell in the region, meaning "death has come", from the words in Arabic:حَضَر,romanized: ḥaḍara,lit. 'he came' and Arabic:مَوْت,romanized: mawt,lit. 'death'.[2][3] Another theory is that it is a variant of the name of Islamic prophetHud[a] who was sent to this region or his last words "Ludara al-mawt," meaning "death has come."[4]
The name Ḥaḍramawt has also been found within BiblicalHazarmaveth.[note 2] The name means "court of death" and is composed of two parts:Hebrew:חֲצַרְ,romanized: ḥaṣar,lit. 'dwelling; court' and Hebrew:מָוֶתmāweṯ "death".[7] There, Hud was the descendant ofʿĀd, son ofJoktan,[b] the purported ancestor and progenitor of theSouth Arabian kingdoms. According to tradition, the family of ʿĀd was the first to settle in the region, and when the sons of ʿĀd had died, Amer bin Qahtan, nicknamed "Hadhramaut", came to power.[4]
Though the origins of the name are unknown, there are several scholarly proposals.Kamal Salibi says that thediphthong "-aw" is an incorrect vocalisation, noting that "-ūt" is a frequent ending for place names in the Ḥaḍramawt; given that "Ḥaḍramūt" is the colloquial pronunciation of the name, and also its ancient pronunciation, the correct reading of the name would thus be "place ofḥḍrm". Salibi proposes, then, that the name means "the green place", which is appropriate given itswell-irrigatedwadis, giving a lushness that contrasts with the surrounding high desertplateau.[8]
Variations of the name are attested to as early as the middle of the1st millennium BC. The namesḥḍrmt (𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩩) andḥḍrmwt (𐩢𐩳𐩧𐩣𐩥𐩩) are found in texts of the Old South Arabian languages (Ḥaḍramitic,Minaic,Qatabanic andSabaic), though the second form is not found in any known Ḥaḍramitic inscriptions.[9] In either form, the word itself can be atoponym, a tribal name, or the name of the kingdom of Ḥaḍramawt. In the latefourth or early3rd century BC,Theophrastus gives the nameΆδρραμύτα,[10] a direct transcription of the Semitic name into Greek.
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The earliest human activities in the region date from theMiddle Palaeolithic, with the local population using aLevallois technique for flake preparation until the appearance of tools produced by a desert-dwelling pre-agricultural population. From this latter period, or perhaps the succeeding one, can be dated severalmegalithic structures, largestone circles, and fourdolmen-like strictures whose inner surfaces were decorated with repetitive rows of pecked meander or crenellated design.[11]
TheKingdom of Hadhramaut was established in the early 1st millennium BCE.[12] Its capital wasShabwa, not far from the city ofTeman (the capital of theKingdom of Qataban),[13] a tribal federation consisting of several tribes united by their common veneration of the lunar godSin. Hadhramaut became independent fromSheba inc. 330 BCE.[14] Hadhramaut and its god Sin are mentioned in the inscription of Surwah by the Makrib Sabean writerKarib'il Watar I around 700–680 BCE.
The Kingdom, led by King Shahr-al-Khuraymat, allied with theMinaeans and the Kingdom of Qataban and became independent from theKingdom of Sheba around 330 BCE, during which theHimyarite dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Sheba.[15][16] The relationship between the Kingdom of Hadhramaut and the Himyarite Kingdom remained tense, with both sides waging wars against each other for control of the trade routes and territory in the region.[17] Early Islamic authors believed the nomadicKinda tribe that founded akingdom in central Arabia were originally from Hadhramaut, although distinct from the settled Hadhrami population.[18]
The Hadhrami are referred to as "Chatramotitai" inancient Greek texts. Hadhramautic texts come later than Sabaean ones, and some Sabaean texts from Hadhramaut are known. Greek,Latin, Sabaean and Hadhramautic texts preserve the names of many kings of Hadhramaut, but there is as yet no definitive chronology of their reigns. Their capital wasShabwa in the northwest corner of the kingdom, along the Incense trade route.Eratosthenes called it ametropolis. It was an important cult centre as well. At first, the religion wasSouth Arabian polytheism, distinguished by the worship of theBabylonian moon god Sin. By the sixth century, the monotheistic cult ofRahmanan was followed in the local temple.[18]
The political history of Hadhramaut is not easy to piece together. Numerous wars involving Hadhramaut are referenced in Sabaean texts. From their inscriptions, the Hadhrami are known to have fortified Libna (nowQalat [ar])[citation needed] against Himyar and to have fortifiedmwyt (Ḥiṣn al-Ghurābحِصْن ٱلْغُرَاب) against theKingdom of Aksum in the period following the death ofDhū Nuwās.[14] The kingdom ceased to exist by the end of the3rd century CE, having been annexed by theHimyarite Kingdom. Hadhramaut continued to be used in the full titulature of thekings of Sabaʾ and Dhu Raydān (Himyar).[18]
In the 2nd century CE, Hadhramaut was known for its frankincense and myrrh trade.[19] The incense trade route (southern incense route) that passed through the southern part of Hadhramaut helped the region flourish economically and culturally.[20] The Kingdom of Hadhramaut played a significant role in connecting the cultures ofArabia,Mesopotamia, East Africa, and theRoman Empire.[21]
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Islam reached Hadhramaut inc. 630 after Islamic prophetMuhammad sentWael bin Hajar [ar] as ada'i to the region.[14] The tribes of the region and the ancientaristocracy initially resisted the religion for a considerable period with the city ofTarim being the only adopter of the religion. Nevertheless,companions of Muhammad likeMiqdad ibn Aswad and Islamic military leaders likeQaisabah ibn Kalthum [ar] were from the region.[22][23]
In the 11th century, the Hadhramaut region came under the rule of theMahdids, who were of Banu Hadhrami origin.[24]: 237 They established theQasimi dynasty, which ruled the region for several centuries.[24]: 239
was reportedly from Hadhramaut. Severalprophets before them are believed to have dwelt here, includingHud ofʿĀd. He is thought to be buried atQabr Hud.[25][26]
In the 16th century, the Portuguese arrived in Hadhramaut and established several settlements along the southern coast. However, their influence was short-lived as theYemeni Imams managed to drive them out by the 17th century.[27]: 115 Subsequently, Hadhramaut came under Ottoman influence, and the Ottomans maintained control over the region until the early 20th century.[27]: 114
TheQu'aiti sultans ruled the vast majority of Hadramaut, under a loose British protectorate, the Aden Protectorate, from 1882 to 1967, when the Hadhramaut was annexed by South Yemen. The Qu'aiti dynasty was founded by Umar bin Awadh al-Qu'aiti, a Yafa'i tribesman whose wealth and influence as hereditaryJemadar of theNizam of Hyderabad's armed forces enabled him to establish the Qu'aiti dynasty in the latter half of the 19th century, winning British recognition of his paramount status in the region in 1882. The British Government and the traditional and scholarly sultan Ali bin Salah signed a treaty in 1937, appointing the British government as "advisors" in Hadhramaut. The British exiled him to Aden in 1945, but the Protectorate lasted until 1967.[citation needed]
In 1967, the former states of the BritishAden Protectorate became an independentCommunist state, thePeople's Democratic Republic of Yemen. South Yemen wasunited withNorth Yemen in 1990 as the Republic of Yemen.[28]
The capital and largest city of Hadhramaut is the portMukalla. Mukalla had a 1994 population of 122,400 and a 2003 population of 174,700, while the port city ofAsh Shihr has grown from 48,600 to 69,400 in the same time. One of the more historically important cities in the region isTarim. An important locus of Islamic learning, it is estimated to contain the highest concentration of descendants of Muhammad anywhere in the world.[29]
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The borders of Hadhramaut have varied over time to include the territory betweenAden andDhofar, but it always included the Wadi Hadhramaut, the lands between the Wadi and the coast, and the desert region of theEmpty Quarter north of the Wadi.[30] This encompasses the current governorates of Hadramaut and Mahra in their entirety as well as parts of theShabwah Governorate.[31][30] The current governorate of Hadhramaut roughly incorporates the former territory of the two sultanates.[30]
The Hadharem live in densely built towns centered on traditional watering stations along the wadis. Hadharem harvest crops of wheat andmillet, tenddate palm andcoconut groves, and grow some coffee. On the plateau, Bedouins tend sheep and goats. Society is still highly tribal, with the oldSeyyidaristocracy, descended from theIslamic prophet Muhammad, traditionally educated, strict in their Islamic observance, and highly respected in religious and secular affairs.[32]
Hadhramaut is geographically divided intoInner Hadhramaut (Hadrami Arabic:حضرموت الداخل) which is made up of Wadi Hadhramaut, smaller tributary wadis south from the main wadi, andCoastal Hadhramaut (Hadrami Arabic:حضرموت الساحل)[32] which consists of a narrow, aridcoastal plain bounded by the steepescarpment of a broadplateau locally known as theJowl (Hadrami Arabic:ٱلْجَوْل,romanized: al-Jawl, averaging 1,370 m (4,490 ft)).[33] The undefined northern edge of Hadhramaut slopes down to the desert of the Empty Quarter, where the Hadhramaut Plateau or Highlands (Arabic:هَضْبَة حَضْرَمَوْت,romanized: Haḍbat Ḥaḍramawt) meets theGulf of Aden in theArabian Sea, elevation abruptly decreases.[34]
The Hadhramaut Mountains (Arabic:جِبَال حَضْرَمَوْت,romanized: Jibāl Ḥaḍramawt),[35] also known as the "Mahrat Mountains"[36] (Arabic:جِبَال ٱلْمَهْرَة,romanized: Jibāl Al-Mahrah), are a mountain range inYemen.[37] They are contiguous with the OmaniDhofar Mountains to the northeast,[34] and James Canton consideredAden in the southwest to be in the mountains' recesses.[38]
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Wadi Hadhramaut (Arabic:وادي حضرموت) is the mainwadi in the region, which has 16 tributary wadis, which are:[1]
| Southern plateau | Northern plateau |
|---|---|
| Wadi Dahr | Wadi Hanin |
| Wadi Rahyah | Wadi Sad |
| Wadi 'Amd | Wadi Na'am |
| Wadi Dawan | Wadi Ja'imah |
| Wadi al'Ain | Wadi Thabi |
| Wadi Manoob bin Ali | Wadi al-Jon |
| Wadi 'Adim | |
| Wadi 'Aynat | |
| Wadi Tena | |
| Wadi Sena |
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Historically, Hadhramaut was known for being a major producer offrankincense, which in the early 20th century was mainly exported toMumbai in India.[39]: 84 The region has also producedsenna andcoconut. Farming and fishing are other economic activities in the region, where 5.8% of Yemen's total agriculture comes from theHadhramaut Governorate alone. Key agricultural products from this region includedates and variousgrains. Additionally, the fishing sector serves as a primary economic resource for the local population, benefiting from a lengthy coastline along theArabian Sea that is rich in diverse fish and marine life.[14]
The governorate's lands also hold mineral resources, notablyoil andgold, further enhancing its economic significance.[14] Currently, Hadhramaut produces approximately 260,000 barrels of oil per day; one of the most productive fields isAl Maseelah in the strip (14), which was discovered in 1993. The Yemeni government is keen to develop its oil fields to increase oil production to increase national wealth in response to the requirements of economic and social development in the country. Oil contributes 30–40% of the nation's GDP, over 70% of total state revenues, and more than 90% of the value of the country's exports.[39]: 85
A Soviet discovery in the southern governorate ofShabwah has proven only marginally successful even when taken over by a different group. A Western consortium began exporting oil fromMasila in the Hadhramaut in 1993, and production there reached 67,000 m3/d (420,000 bbl/d) in 1999. There are new finds in the Jannah (formerly known as the Joint Oil Exploration Area) and east Shabwah blocks. Yemen's oil exports in 1995 earned about US$1 billion. Yemen's offshore oil and gas deposits are estimated to contain billions of barrels of oil and gas. Marib oil contains associated natural gas. In September 1995, the Yemeni Government signed an agreement that designatedTotalEnergies of France to be the lead company for a project for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In 1997, Yemen Gas Company joined with various privately held companies to establishYemen LNG (YLNG).
In August 2005, the government gave final approval to three LNG supply agreements, enabling YLNG to award a $2 billion contract to an international consortium to build the country's first liquefaction plant atBalhaf on theArabian Sea coast. The project is a $3.7 billion investment over 25 years, producing approximately 6.7 million tons of LNG annually, with shipments likely to go to the United States and South Korea. Production of LNG began in October 2009. The Yemen government expects the LNG project to add $350 million to its budget and enable it to develop a petrochemicals industry.[40]
Hadramout produces approximately 258.8 thousand barrels per day.[41] One of the prominent oil fields is the Masila Basin Sector (14), discovered in 1993. The Yemeni government is committed to developing its oil fields to increase oil production, aiming to enhance national wealth in response to the country's economic and social development needs. Oil contributes between 30% and 40% of the gross domestic product (GDP) value and represents more than 70% of the total general budget revenues of the state. Moreover, it constitutes more than 90% of the country's export value.[42]
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Hadhrami Music is one of the five mainYemeni musical genres or "colours" (alwan). It is native to the Hadhramaut region and regarded as one of the most prominent forms ofArabic music. Its uniquemaqamat are widely employed by composers and musicians throughout theArabian Peninsula. It compasses vocal performances in theHadhrami Arabic dialect and features melodic phrases and a characteristichumming-style known as theDan.
Hadhramaut's strategic location along the ancientincense road has shaped a unique musical tradition.Indian andAfrican musical elements have intermingled with indigenous forms over time.[43] Besides, It has been deeply influenced bySufism.[44]
The region is renowned for its vast array of over four hundred distinct rhythmic patterns that vary by locality. These rhythms are closely tied to daily activities and special occasions—from planting and fishing to wedding celebrations. A key musical form in the region is al-Dan, a fixed melodic structure in which the melody precedes the lyrics; in contrast, in other songs, the lyrics typically come before the melody.[45] Steps have been taken by the Yemeni government to include the Dan art onUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage,Cultural authorities in Yemen have already received initial approval fromUNESCO to consider its inclusion.[46]
Numerous art critics note that the Hadhrami Dan has played a pivotal role in shaping vocal traditions throughout theArab world, particularly within theGulf region. This distinctive musical form is regarded as a foundational element for many singing schools, with contemporary artists continuing to draw inspiration from its rich heritage and folkloric melodies.[47]
The Hadhrami Dan has spread to theArabian Gulf through the migration of Hadhrami musicians who settled in Gulf countries. Over time, local musicians integrated the Hadhrami Dan and other forms of the Dan and other Hadhrami musical forms into their own repertoires.[44][48] Furthermore, Hadhrami music has significantly influenced the cultural landscapes of regions beyond theArabian Peninsula, notably in parts of Africa and East Asia.[49][50]
Several Hadhrami influential musicians and poets played an important role in shaping Hadhrami and the widerArabian music.Abu Bakr Salem Belfkih (1932–2017), for example, modernised al-Dân songs by incorporating contemporary musical instruments, while poets such as Haddad al-Kaff (1910–1970) and Hussein al-Mihdhar (1932–2000) enriched the tradition with their lyrics. Additionally, Mohammed Juma Khan (1903–1963) is celebrated as a pioneer who blended hisPunjabi musical influences with local traditions.[45]
Moreover, several prominent non-Hadhrami Arab musicians have also embraced Hadhrami styles. These include Kuwaiti singerAbdallah Al Rowaished; Saudi singersAbdul Majeed Abdullah and Abdel Rab Idris, the latter of Hadhrami origin; as well as Emirati singersAhlam andHussain Al Jassmi.[51]
The instruments used in Hadhrami music vary widely, encompassing percussion instruments,string instruments, wind instruments, and simpleclapping techniques, often used individually or in combination. This includes notably theQanbūs, which the Hadhrami migrants spread across the Indian Ocean across theMuslim Southeast Asia areas (notably inIndonesia,Malaysia, andBrunei).
The Hadhramaut region has significant tourism potential due to its historical and cultural heritage. The ancient city ofShibam, known as "the Manhattan of the Desert," is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for its high-rise mud-brick buildings and has attracted tourists worldwide.[52] Other notable tourist attractions in the region include the historic towns of Tarim and Seiyun, the Wadi Hadramout with its lush palm groves, and the traditional mud-brick architecture found throughout the region.
Mukalla, a coastal city in the Hadhramaut region. The city's buildings exhibit intricate facades adorned with geometric patterns, reflecting local craftsmanship. Minarets with delicate latticework rise gracefully, reflecting a blend of architectural and spiritual significance. Mukalla's urban design features narrow alleys and courtyard houses, showcasing adaptation to the arid climate and fostering community interaction. The use of indigenous materials further emphasizes its connection to the local context.
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Tarim has a distinctive Hadhrami architecture with filigreed facades and minarets. It has interconnected alleyways and courtyards.[53] Tarim was the Islamic Capital of Culture in 2010.[53] It has the world's tallestmudbrick minaret, located in theAl-Muhdhar Mosque.[53] There are initiatives to protect and restore its mud structures.[53]
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Shibam, which is now aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, is known for its distinct architecture. The houses of Shibam are all made out of mudbrick, and about 500 of them aretower blocks, which rise 5 to 11 stories high,[54] with each floor having one or two rooms.[55] This architectural style was used in order to protect residents from Bedouin attacks.[56] While Shibam has been in existence for an estimated 1,700 years, most of the city's houses originate from the 16th century. Many, though, have been rebuilt numerous times in the last few centuries.
Shibam is often called "the oldestskyscraper city in the world".[57] It is one of the oldest and best examples ofurban planning based on the principle of vertical construction.[58] The city has some of the tallest mud buildings in the world, with some of them over 30 m (98 feet) high,[59] thus being earlyhigh-riseapartment buildings. In order to protect the buildings from rain and erosion, the walls must be routinely maintained by applying fresh layers of mud. The city is surrounded by a fortified wall, giving it the name "the walled city of Shibam".[58]
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Habban, an ancient city within theShabwa governorate, boasts a distinct architectural legacy characterized by ingenious mud and straw construction techniques. Notable features include towering mud structures with intricate carvings, reflecting both historical significance and artistic flair. Habban's architecture showcases a blend of utilitarian functionality and aesthetic charm. The enduring mud buildings' diverse architectural styles, including palaces, mosques, and tombs, capture the city's cultural tapestry. Rooted in Yemeni heritage, Habban's architecture is a living embodiment of the intersection between local culture and the built environment, reflecting the city'shistorical and cultural significance.[citation needed]
The people of the region are known as theHadharem, generally belong to the Semitic south Arabians who claim descent fromYarub bin Qahtan. There is, however, a large number ofSada (Hadrami Arabic:سادة,romanized: Sadah;Singular:Sayyid), or descendant of theIslamic Prophet Muhammad, and of townsmen of northern origin, besides a considerable class of African or mixed descent. The Sada, descendants ofHusain ibn Ali, grandson of the Islamic Prophet, form a numerous and highly respectedaristocracy. They are divided into families, the chiefs of which are known asMunsibs, who are looked on as the religious leaders of the people and are even, in some cases are regarded with great respect as saints. Among the leading families are that ofSheikh Abu Bakar bin Salem (Hadrami Arabic:الشيخ ابو بكر بن سالم) ofʽAynat,al-Aidarus (Hadrami Arabic:العيدروس) ofShihr andWadi Dawan, Bin Sumayt (Hadrami Arabic:بن سميط) ofShibam and theSakkaf (Hadrami Arabic:سقاف) ofSeiyun. They do not bear arms, nor occupy themselves in trade, nor manual labour, nor even agriculture; though owning a large proportion of the land, they employ labourers to cultivate it. As compared with the other classes, they are well educated and are strict in their observance of religious duties, and owing to the respect due to their descent, they exercise a strong influence both in temporal and spiritual affairs.[60][61]
The Mashayikh (Hadrami Arabic:المشايخ) is another highly regarded group that is second in prestige to the Sada. Like the Sada, they don't bear arms.[62] Men from this group are given the honorific surnameSheikh (Hadrami Arabic:شيخ) and women are given the surnameSheikha (Hadrami Arabic:شيخة) which is different from the termSheikh (Arabic:شيخ) that is used to refer to atribal chief or a Muslimscholar.[62] Prominent Mashayikh families include the ‘Amudi (Hadrami Arabic:العمودي), Ba Wazir (Hadrami Arabic:با وزير), and Ba ‘Abbad (Hadrami Arabic:با عبّاد) families.[62]
The Qaba'il (Hadrami Arabic:القبائل) or tribesmen, as in the rest of Arabia, are the predominant class in the population. All the adults carry arms. Some of the tribes have settled towns and villages, others live abedouin life, keeping however within the territory which is recognised as belonging to the tribe. They are divided into sections or families, each headed by a chief while the head of the tribe is called themuqaddam orsultan. He is the leader in peace and in war, but the tribesmen are not his subjects; he can only rule with their support.[60] Historically, the most powerful tribes in Hadhramaut was theQu’aiti, a branch of theYafa'a tribe. Originally invited by the Sada to protect the settled districts against the marauding tribes, they established themselves as rulers of the country, and possessed the coastal districts with the towns of Mukalla and Shihr as well as Shibam in the interior. The family had accumulated great wealth and was in the service of theNizam of Hyderabad in India as commander of the Arab levy composed of his tribesmen.[60][61]
The townsmen are the free inhabitants of the towns and villages as distinguished from the Sada and the tribesmen; they do not carry arms, but are the working members of the community, merchants,artificers, cultivators, and servants and are entirely dependent on the tribes and chiefs under whose protection they live. The servile class contains a large African element, brought over formerly when the slave trade nourished on this coast; as all Islamic countries they are well treated, and often rise to positions of trust.[60][61]
Since the early 19th century, large-scale Hadhramautmigration has established sizable Hadhrami minorities all around the Indian Ocean,[63] in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Africa, includingMombasa,Hyderabad,Aurangabad,Maharashtrian Konkan,[64][65]Mangalore,Bhatkal,Gangolli,Malabar,Sylhet,Tanzania, theMalay Archipelago,Sri Lanka,southern Philippines and Singapore.[66] In Hyderabad and Aurangabad, the community is known asChaush and resides mostly in the neighborhood ofBarkas. There are also settlements of Hadharem inGujarat, such as inAhmadabad andSurat. In South India, theNawayath community also descends from Hadrami traders.
Earlier, several sultans in theMalay Archipelago such as theMalacca Sultanate,[67]Pontianak Sultanate orSultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura were descents of Hadharem . In the 19th century, Hadhrami businessmen owned many of the maritime armada of barks, brigs, schooners and other ships in the Malay archipelago.[68] In modern times, several Indonesian ministers, including former Foreign MinisterAli Alatas and former Finance MinisterMar'ie Muhammad are of Hadhrami descent, as is the formerPrime Minister of East Timor,Mari Alkatiri (2006).[69]
The Hadharem have also settled in large numbers along the East African coast,[70] and two former ministers inKenya, Shariff Nasser andNajib Balala, are of Hadhrami descent. It has also been proved by genetic evidence[71] that theLemba people of Southern Africa bear some relation to the people of Hadramaut.[72]
Within the Hadhramaut region there has been ahistorical Jewish population.[73][74][75]
لقد أفاضت المصادر العربية الإسلامية في ذكر دلالة تسمية حضرموت، ومما جاء عندهم في هذا الأمر عدد من الروايات، الأولى ترى أن عامر بن قحطان كان أول من نزل بالأحقاف، وكان إذا حضر حربًا أكثر من القتل فصار يقولون عند حضوره (حضر موت)، ثم صار ذلك عليه لقبًا وصاروا يقولون للأرض التي بها قبيلته (أرض حضرموت)، ثم أطلق على البلاد ذاتها[Arab-Islamic sources have elaborated on the significance of the name Hadhramaut, including several narratives. The first of these states that Amer ibn Qahtan was the first to land in Al-Ahqaf and that when he attended a war, he used to kill more than anyone had killed, so they used to say when he came, death has come (Hadhara al-maut), and then it became a nickname for him. They used to call the land where his tribe was (the land of Hadhramaut), and then the country itself.]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)...should be made along the coast to the west as far as the DHOFAR-HADHRAMAUT frontier...
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from these sources, which are in thepublic domain:India Office (1917).Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I (Qatar Digital Library). pp. 727–729. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)| International | |
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