Tribes and Tribalism: Murrah, Al-

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TRIBES AND TRIBALISM: MURRAH, AL-

A bedouin tribe of Saudi Arabia.

The al-Murrah inhabit the Empty Quarter (Rub alKhali), southern Najd, south-central al-Hasa, and as far west as the Najran oasis. Considered to be a Sharif tribe (one claiming noble descent), they are renowned both for their utilization of the Empty Quarter for grazing camels and for skills of desert tracking, and have therefore been called the "nomads of the nomads." Although the majority still remain nomadic, in recent years al-Murrah households have begun to build permanent housing near traditional watering places, replacing camel herding with herding sheep and goats, and to derive part of their income from urban occupations and service in the Saudi National Guard.

see also rub al-khali; sharif.

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