Al-Ali (tribe) - Al-Ali Tribe in Iraq

Al-Ali Tribe in Iraq

The tribal pattern in Iraq for the last four centuries is such that tribes are grouped under different banners Raya (راية, plural Rayat) and areas of influence. These groups are not necessarily blood-related but they are tribal congregations, each one stems from its own ancestry and ruled by the Shaikh (شيخ), and cooperate in war under the same banner. However, two or three tribes (Asheera عشيرة pl. Ashayer) may have the same ancestry and cooperate in war under one banner and commanded by one leader who is called Shaikh of the shaikhs (Shaikh al Mashayikh شيخ المشايخ ). The shaikh's ancestors may not be the same as those of his tribe that he commands.

Any tribe can have the name of the bigger group or keeps its name. Persons too can do the same e.g. one can be called Al-Maliki (related to Malik, the ancestor of the bigger group) and at the same time he is called Al-Ali (related to Ali), which is one of the Maliki offshoots. Some members of Al-Ali tribe call themselves Bani Hasan (the sons of Hasan) which is another tribe of Bani Malik.

This tribal system dates back to the pre-Islamic era.