I have 2 questions for Lebanese Maronite Christians

[Serbat14]

So from what I know most Lebanese Maronites tend to not consider themselves as Arabs but rather as Phoenicians who got Arabinized. Now I've also read that there was an Arab tribe who came from Yemen called as 'Ghassanids', this Arab tribe migrated from the Arabian peninsula to the Levant and settled there a lot before the Arab Muslims conquests in 700's, the Ghassanids were also Christians.

Now for the questions for Maronites:

1.how do you know that you don't have Arab Ghassanid ancestry in your DNA? (Since Maronites possibly intermarriage with them)

2.why do many Maronites have Arabic surnames?

Can you explain it to me please? Thanks.

[Serbat14]

Bump

[Serbat14]

Bump

[Aileron]

History of the region is fascinating to me, lots of different religion sects and nationalities...

[Serbat14]

Bump

[Pulsa Dinura]

So from what I know most Lebanese Maronites tend to not consider themselves as Arabs but rather as Phoenicians who got Arabinized.

What is the criterion to be called an Arab?

Is it religion?
Is it race?
Is it language?
Is it geography?
Is it culture?

1.how do you know that you don't have Arab Ghassanid ancestry in your DNA? (Since Maronites possibly intermarriage with them)

So being an Arab is about race?

2.why do many Maronites have Arabic surnames?

You could also ask why do many Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews have "Arabic" surnames.

[Hajimurad]

Although some of Maronite families trace their ancestry to Banu Ghassan tribe, majority of Maronites aren't Arabs by descent. They came to Lebanon from inland Syria (Orontes river valley) along with Banu Tanukh Arabs (ancestors of Druzes) in Fatimid times (IX-X c). Before Arabization Maronites spoke Western - Aramaic language. Matti Moosa suggested Maronite church as spin-off on Syriac Jacobite church.

[Serbat14]

What is the criterion to be called an Arab?

Is it religion?
Is it race?
Is it language?
Is it geography?
Is it culture?



So being an Arab is about race?


You could also ask why do many Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews have "Arabic" surnames.

Someone Arab is someone who have Arabian blood in him.

[Adamm]

Someone Arab is someone who have Arabian blood in him.

What is Arabian blood? Define that.

[Hajimurad]

Someone Arab is someone who have Arabian blood in him.

If Arab is someone with Arab blood then only Bedouins and some sedentary families scattered across MENA region are Arabs. All others are Arabized Syriacs, Persians, Copts, Berbers, Nubians etc.