Nabataeans of Iraq

The Nabataeans of Iraq or Nabatees of Iraq were an ancient group of people who settled in Iraq and Ahwaz during the Middle Ages. They were known as farmers and Aramaic-language speakers. They are mentioned by many medieval historians like Al-Masudi, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Nadim, Said al-Andalusi and Bar Hebraeus.

Name

There are different views on their name. The overwhelming view is that medieval Arabs called them Nabataeans, meaning "planters", as they were primarily known as farmers. An alternate view is that it was because they descend from Nebaioth, son of Ishmael. Medieval historians referred to them as the "Nabatees of Iraq" or "Nabatees of Sawad" to differentiate them from the Nabataeans who settled in the Levant.

Origins

Nabataeans of Iraq were known as Aramaic native speakers. Historians like Al-Masudi and Said al-Andalusi belong them to Chaldeans, who ruled the region many centuries ago. Al-Andalusi said in his book Tabaqāt al-ʼUmam (Levels of Nations) that the Chaldeans are Syriacs and Babylonians, and Nabataeans of Sawad of Iraq are one of them, and they settled in middle and south of Iraq and also in al Jazira region (Upper Mesopotamia). Al-Masudi on his book At-Tanbih wa-l-'Ishraf said that Nabataeans of Iraq like many of their neighbor people from Aramnis (Arameans), Nenivites, Athorees (Assyrians), Garamiqs and Ardwanees that they are descended from Chaldeans. Other historians like Ibn Habib Al-Baghdadi said that the Nabataeans are Syriacs and Kayanians and they descendant from Nabat son of Aram, son of Shem. While Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani said that they are Arabs, but because their mixture with Persians and Romans their language are messed up.

History

Nabataeans they were mentioned by several historians like Al-Masudi, Ibn Khaldun and Said al-Andalusi as descendants of great civilizations like Babylonia and that they are highly educated people of their time. They specializing in farming. They had many expert on farming such as Ibn Wahshiyya who write many books on farming. Their main cities was Babylon, Kulwatha, Kutha, Kashkar, Aqar-Qūf, Nippur, Al-Hirah and Anbar. Before Islam they believe in many religions such Christianity, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Paganism and Mandaeism. Because they were called as Syriacs that mean mainly of them belong to The Church of East and Syriac Orthodox Church. Medieval Arabs dislike them because their embrace to their Region or village origin more than their tribal origin, and also because they only specializing in farming not on skills of Equestrianism and duel. There a hadith attributed to Caliph Umar said: do not be like Nabataeans of Sawad, if they questioned for their origin, they answered from this village or this. While Ibn Abbas said that Quraysh descendant from Nabataeans of Iraq. According to Al-Masudi said that most of Nabataeans convert to Islam. Modern historian like Ali Al-Wardi viewed that many famous Muslim scholar such as Abu Hanifa and Maytham al-Tammar that they Nabataeans by origin.

Influence on writing

Main article: Kufic

Kufic script — the first calligraphic script used to transcribe the Koran — originated in the city of Kufa among the Nabataeans of Iraq.

See also

• The Nabataean Agriculture