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MANUSCRIPT A 9

Introduction

This pedigree is that of a certain Muhammad el Nur Ketayna of el

Kamli'n (Blue Nile). He stated that the original was at Yunis village in Berber at the mosque of the Ketaynab and that he took his copy thence. The original is known as nisbat el Ketaynab but its author is unknown.

An attempt seems to have been made here to dovetail together

the pedigrees of the Ga'alii'n and the Mahass.

I In the name of God ....

God said "O people, I have created you of male and female and made you races and tribes that ye might know one another. Verily

the noblest of you in God's sight is the most pious of you."

II And the Prophet. . .said "Ye know from your pedigrees how

ye are connected." III Here follows the pedigree: Muhammad son of el Nur. . .{as in

tree, q.v., as far as 'Abd el Muttalib).

A 9 (NOTES)

I Cp. BA, XXII, XXXIII, etc. II Cp. BA, III. III The name Hasfn occurs also in AB, xl and xlii.

A note of uncertain authorship following the pedigree states that Sa'ad and Ibrahim were called "el Ansari" and "el Ga'ali" respectively because their mothers were an Ansaria and a Ga'alia: it is also remarked that Mushayrif's mother was a Mahassia and that from him were descended the SuRURAB, the family of Sheikh Idn's walad el Arbab (for whom see D 3, 141), and the 'Ebaydab and the Mahaysab and the 'Awaydab and the pAKfRAB sections and various Mahass.

In D 3, 154, Sheikh Khogali's mother is spoken of as a "Mahassia Mushayrifia." For these echoes of a matrilinear system see note to BA, cxxxin.