| Banū Lahab | |
| Local Name: | بنو لهب |
| Type: | Qahtanite Arabs |
| Nisba: | al-Lahbi |
| Location: | Al Makhwah quarter of the Al Bahah Region, Saudi Arabia |
| Descended: | Lahab al-Azdi |
| Ethnicity: | Arab |
| Religion: | Sunni Islam (formerly South Arabian polytheism) |
| Parent Tribe: | Azd |
The Banū Lahab (Arabic: بنو لهب) are a tribe of Qahtanite Arabs that are part of the Azd tribal group. They currently inhabit the towns in Al Makhwah, a governorate of the Al Bahah Region in Saudi Arabia. In pre-Islamic times, the Banu Lahab were professional soothsayers of the Arabian community.
Genealogists have agreed that the lineage of the Banu Lahab can be traced back to a Qahtani Arab man named Lahab al-Azdi. However, they differ on his lineage:
Despite inconsistencies in both reports, they agree that Lahab was descended from al-Azd, the progenitor of the Azdite tribes.
Banu Lahab's sibling tribes were the Banu Aslam and the Banu Qarin.[3] Their uncle tribe was the Banu Zahran. Together with their sibling tribes and uncle tribes, the Banu Lahab are part of the larger Azd Shanu'ah confederation.
In the pre-Islamic times, Banu Lahab held prominence in the Arabian Peninsula as convincing soothsayers, a trait which they inherited from their progenitor Lahab al-Azdi.[4] [5] The Banu Lahab also became the leader of the Azd tribal confederation for a short period of time until the reign of the sons of Muzayqiya.[6] In the 7th century CE, the converted to Islam and their flagbearer and leader was al-Nu'man ibn al-Razi'ah al-Lahbi.[7] They were known to have sent letters to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.[8]
The Banu Lahab currently reside in Saudi Arabia, mainly in the Al Bahah Region.[9]