Al Uqaydat Explained

Al-Uqaydat (Arabic: الْعُقَيْدَات|al-ʿUqaydāt) is a large Arab tribe which straddles Syria's eastern border with Iraq. It is the largest tribe in the Deir ez-Zor province and according to Max von Oppenheim, it is the largest tribe in all of Mesopotamia.^[1] Members of the tribe can be found on both sides of the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Uqaydat tribe is descended from the tribe of Zubaid.^[2]

Structure

The tribe is divided into three branches which are in turn divided into multiple clans:Busaraya clan

• Abu Kamel
  • Abu Hassan clan
  • Al-Qaraan clan
  • Abu Rahmat clan
  • Al-Baqir clan
  • Al-Maree clan
  • Al-Shuwait clan
• Abu Kamal
  • Al-Mireh clan and their sheikh is Mohamed Al-Gharab Al-Harsa
  • Al-Hassoun clan and their sheikh is Ayman Al-Daham Al-dandal
  • Al-Damim clan and their sheikh is Kamal Al-Naji Al-Jirah
  • Al-Daleej clan
  • Al-Marashda clan
  • Al-Jaalkah clan
• Abu Zamil (al-Shaitat)
  • al-Khanfour
  • al-Shabab
  • al-Aliyat

Notes and References

1. Book: الفردوس عظم, محمود. القبائل العربية في بلاد الشام: ابتداء من الجاهلية وحتى هذا الزمان. 2005. مكتبة اليقظة العربية. ar.
2. Book: العامة, Jordan دائرة الآثار. حولية دائرة الآثار العامة. 1966. Department of Antiquities, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. en. 19.