IV. BA. XXXIII. OF THE SUDAN 19
them were the tribes sprung, or, as it is also said, because in them were the tribes united.
XXV '' KabdiV ("tribes") is the plural of ''kabila,'' which is [a degree less than]^ "shu'ub,'' and examples of '' kabdiV are Bukr [derived] from Rabi'a and Tami'm from Mudr.
XXVI Next below the " kabdil" are the "'amdir," of which the singular [is '"amdra"]^. . ., such as Shayban [derived] from Bukr, and Darim from Tamim.
Next below the " 'amdir^' are the " butun,'' of which the singular
is ''batn" such as Beni Ghalib and Luai [derived] from Kuraysh.
XXVII Next below the " butun" are the '' afkhddh," of which the singular is "fakhdh," such as Beni Hashim and Beni Ommayya
[derived] from Luai.
XXVIII Next below the '' afkhddh" are the "fasdil," of which the singular is '"fasila". . . , such as Beni el 'Abbas [derived] from Beni Hashim.
XXIX After the "fasdil" come the " 'ashdir," of which the singular is " 'ashira," and after them there is nothing to mention at all.
XXX Now [the term] " shu'ilb'' applies to the non- Arabs ['agam] and "kabdir' to the Arabs; and it is said that the "shu'ub" are those that do not trace their origin [as a race to a common ancestor] but to
[common] cities and villages, whereas the " kabdiP' are the Arabs who trace their pedigrees to their ancestors.
XXXI Thus the [successive] grades into which the Arabs fall are
six, viz. the "sha'b," the " kabtla," the "'amdra," the " batn," the "fakhdh," and the "fasila"; and the " sha'b" contains [lit. "col-
lects"] the "kabdil,'' the " kabila" the '"amdir," the '"amdra" the ''butun" the '' batn" the '' afkhddh" and the '' afkhddh'' the ''fasdiir
Khuzayma is a "sha'b," Kenana a " kabila,'' Kuraysh an '"amdra," Kusai a "batn," Hashim a "fakhdh,'' and el 'Abbas a *'fastla" and so on. XXXII "That ye may know one another." That is, that ye may know how closely ye are related to one another, and not make boastful comparisons of your pedigrees.
XXXIII Then he shewed by virtue of what type of character^ one man acquires merit over another and gains honour in the sight of
God Almighty, quoting "The noblest of you in God's sight is the most pious of you."
1 inserting C)3> • ^ inserting SjU*. ^ reading tfLLaaiJI for J^-aaJI .