Jabal Amel

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Jabal Amel (Arabic: جبل عامل‎) is a mountainous region of Southern Lebanon named after the tribe known as Banu 'Amilah. The Banu 'Amilah were a Yemenite tribe who, along with the kindred tribes of Hamadan, Lakhm, and Judham, settled in Syria, Palestine, parts of Jordan, and Lebanon. The area was known in ancient times as Jabal 'Amilah, and later as Jabal 'Amil (Jabal Amel). Rumour has it that the tribe of Banu 'Amilah migrated from Yemen to the Levant in Pre-Islamic times because of a flood caused by the destruction of Ma'arib Dam. However, this account has not been conclusively proven.

Jabal 'Amel is synonymous with the northern part of Galilee (Arabic: Al-Jalil) and historically has been used to denote the homeland of Shi'a Muslims in Southern Lebanon. It also includes the Shi'a Muslim communities between Sidon and Beirut such as Joun, Wardanieh, Rmaileh, Sibleen, , Qmatieh, and Kaifun. Furthermore, places in the western Bekaa valley such as Yohmor, Sohmor, Maidoun, Zillaya, Libbaya, Mazraat Dallafeh, Ain al-Tineh, Qillaya, and Mashghara are also usually included under the designation "Jabal Amel." The reason for this overlap is the fact that the historic region of Jabal 'Amel does not exactly correspond to the current region of Southern Lebanon, in administrative terms. It is said to have been an area of Shi'ite Muslim religious persuasion since the 7th century AD, when the Abi Dharr Al Ghafari, a close companion of the Prophet Mohammed and Ali Bin Abi Talib, settled there and spread the word of that faith. He died and was buried there in the coastal town of Sarafand (biblical Serepta), and has two shrines to his name, one in Sarafand and the other in the mountain village of Mays Al Jabal.

Demographics

The inhabitants of Jabal Amel have diverse origins, but besides being of mixed Arab stock, they are descendants of the population that has lived there since time immemorial. It should also be noted that the word "Jabal Amel" has often been extended to include the Shi'a populations of the Baalbek and Hermel regions.

Besides Shi'a Muslims, other religious groups include: Sunni Muslims (Sidon, Ain al-Meir, Yarine, Marwahine, Kfar Hamam, Kfar), Druze (Hasbaya area), Maronite and Greek Catholics (Marjeyoun, Aishieh, Jezzine, Bkassine, Kfar Falous, Maghdouché, Mieh ou Mieh, Ain Ebel, Debel, Rmaich, Qaouzah, and Alma Chaab) Greek Catholic Christians (Deir Mimas, Ibel el Saqui, Kfaroueh, Marjeyoun, Markaba, Qlaia and Jezzine), Greek Orthodox Christians (Rashaya al-Foukhar and Hasbaya areas), and Alawites (Ghajar village). The towns of Baraachit, Khiam, Tebnine, Safad El Batikh, and Yaroun have a mixed population of Shi'a and Christians. The predominantly Shi'a town of Nabatieh also has a substantial Christian quarter and known for its annual reenactment of the Karbala tragedy during the Ashoura Holiday.

Cities

The main cities of Jabal Amil are:

• Sidon (Saida)
• Tyre (Sour)
• Nabatieh
• Jezzine
• Bint Jbeil

Notable inhabitants

Scientist Hassan Kamel Al-Sabbah and American journalist Mohamad Bazzi are also from Jabal Amel.

Furthermore, Shi'a scholars from Jabal Amel have always had a strong intellectual presence in the religious seminaries of Iraq, Iran, and Egypt.

References

• Noor al-Islam, Jabal Amel: The Cradle of Knowledge and the Land of Freedom , No. 71-72, 6th Year