The Tribe

The Tribe has always been an important concept in Arabian and Islamic history, creating divisions among its dwellers and followers. How has this caused problems in the history of Islam?

The tribe has always been an important concept in Arabian and Islamic history. These tribes have continually fought amongst one another. For thousands of years, the two have had constant feuds regarding their views on many different matters. For example, Muhammad was born into a tribe that was against the rich tribes. When he came to power, the inhabitants of the richer clans opposed his teachings. And when he died, choosing a new caliph was a challenge because different groups of Muslims' opinions varied on what they wanted. Because of Muhammad's death, many alliances were broken and there was no longer peace within them. This led up to the split of the Muslims. Two distinct groups were formed - the Sunni and the Shi'a. Furthermore, the Tribe is a significant aspect of Arabian and Islamic history, however, it is not one that they might be proud of.