Word of the Week, Issue #015

a people = شَعْبٌ

The word for a people in Arabic is شَعْبٌ (plural شُعُوْبٌ). This was considered the highest of a six-tiered genealogical hierarchy; the شَعْبٌ is a collection of قَبَائِلُ (singular: قَبِيْلَةٌ tribe), which in turn is a collection of عَمَائِرُ (singular عِمَارَةٌ) , which is a collection of بُطٌوْنٌ (singular بَطْنٌ ), which is a collection of أَفْخَادذٌ (singular فَخْذٌ), which is a collection of فَصَائِلُ (singular فَصِيْلَةٌ clan).