Al-Mukhbutun or Awlad Al-Nas(Arab Metis)

[StonyArabia]

Al-Mukhbutun or Awlad Al-Nas is a mixed community of non-Arab men and Arab women. It originally referred to Mamluke paternal ancestor and an Arab maternal ancestor. However the term has become to identify as specific community that is a mixture of Caucasian, Turkic and Mongol fathers and Arab mothers. The first such community occurred in Egypt and Syria. In order for the Mamlukes to legitimize their rule they often had to marry with Arab women, and usually from notable Arabian tribes. Awlad Al-Nas means son of the people, and thus the child of such union can only be a Prince but not a Knight/warrior. However the term Al-Mukhbutun meaning mixed , takes a more popular term especially in the 1800's, when many Caucasians migrate following the Russian-Caucasian wars into the Middle East. Many of these Caucasians also worked in the Ottoman office and had high level power. However many of these men would intermarry with local women in Iraq and Jordan.

Circassian and other Caucasians, including Nogai and Crimean Tatars men often took local Arab wives. A new culture was born, that reflected both in dress, language, dialect, and cuisine. The Arabic of the Al-Mukhtubun has lots of Turkic, Mongol loan words and significant Caucasian elements.

Many of the Al-Mkhbutun live in southern Syria, eastern parts of Jordan, and western parts of Iraq. Al-Mukhubtun were largely a successful community and were notable for their academic achievements and good military skills.

The Al-Mkhbutun can range in looks and their skin color varies, they can be light eyed and light hair, thus blue eyes is not rare, but green more common, and can have blondish hair. Although many can have dark eyes, and very black hair. Slanted eyes are not uncommon, and thus in one family there is a variety of phenotypes present from Caucasid/Pontid to Arabid to Turanid/Mongoloid influenced.

The religion they belong to is Hanafi Sunni Islam, and were ardent supporters of pan-Arabist sentiments and nationalism. Many claim that there maternal roots often belonged to powerful and well known Bedouin tribes. In 2003, the Al-Mukhtubun have come under a threat of sectarian violence that would tear the country apart in 2006-2008.

Surnames among Al-Mukhtubun are

Al-Tatary(meaning The Tatar)
Al-Sharksy(meaning The Circassian)
Timur(from the Turko-Mongol name Timur)
Al-Qoqasy(The Caucasian)

Most Al-Mukhtubun identify as Circassian despite having diverse ancestry including Nogai and Crimean Tatar, as well other Caucasian origins. Circassian was term applied to the Al-Mukhtubun. Since Circassian was catch all term for the people of the Caucasus, excluding Armenians, Azeris and Georgians, but including Nogai and Crimean Tatar. Not to mention the cultures had strong links with each other.

Some of the Al-Mukhtubun:



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[Egyptian]

To be honest they have identity crisis, glad we got rid of mamluks and ottomans.

[StonyArabia]

To be honest they have identity crisis, glad we got rid of mamluks and ottomans.

They are mixed people of two lineages. However they identify culturally as Arab, but not ethnically as they are mixed. The Mamlukes stopped the Mongols and gave them a humiliating defeat. As for the Ottomans, they are responsible for the stagnation of the Mideast civilization, however at least the kept the Persian Safavids at bay. Most of the Mamlukes were brought by the Ayyubids. Originally the Abbassid brought some, but they never became powerful like they have in Egypt. The Mamlukes in Egypt were mostly from the Crimea/Caucasus and the Mongol area.

Sadly after the Iraq invasion of 2003, the Al-Mukhubtun were targeted for both their Sunni sect and high level position in the former regime.