Libyan society is composed of several Ashrāf tribes. The word Ashrāf (Arabic: أشراف, lit.'nobles') refers to persons claiming descent from the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, often but not exclusively by way of his daughter Fatimah. The word is the plural of sharīf ('noble', 'highborn'), from sharafa ('to be highborn').[1]
Al-Zayadeen (الزيادين) - Descendants of Sidi Zaydan and Sidi Ahmed of the Moroccan Alaouites.
Al-Mazawgha (المزاوغة) - Descendants of Sidi Amer Al-Mezoghi (based in the Sidi Amer Zawiya in Susah, Tunis); He is considered the progenitor of the tribe in Libya and Tunisia.
Al-Ghrariyun (الغراريون) - Descendants of Sidi Salem.
Awlad Slayman (أولاد سليمان) - Descendants of the Seven Fawatir.
Gumata (قماطه) - Descendants of Muslim.
Al-Awasij (العواسج) - Descendants of Sidi Bou-Hmayra.
Shurafa Waddan (شرفاء ودان) - Descendants of Sidi Kolan.
Ashrāf Tribe of Sidi Banu Layth (Bani Nile and Bani Ahmed) and also (al-Hawawasa, Fasiun and al-Suwadinia).
Ashrāf Tribe of al-Mushāshi: descendants of Moulay Abdel-Salam Meshish. The sub-branches include:
[A] Awlad Sidi Haji Abdul Salam bin Hassan bin Omar Mashini (tribe of al-Haboun)
[B] Awlad Al-Sharif Al-Haaj Fakhruddin Yahya ibn Nabeul (tribe of Al-Barash)
[C] Awlad Mismar ibn Abdel Mawlā (tribe of al-Masamir)
[D] Awlad Sidi Haji Mohammad Abdul Nabi al-Asfar, nicknamed Klim al-Tair and Abu Seif (ancestor of Awlad Abu Yusuf)
[E] Awlad Sidi al-Makashif Abdul Rahman, nicknamed Aldrai (ancestor of the Mushasha tribe).
[F] Awlad Sidi Mohamed al-Messaoudi al-Sehdī al-Yahyaoui: ancestor of Awlad as-Saydi and al-Masoudi on the coast of Tripoli.
Ashrāf tribe of Sidi Abdel Rahman Abu Zubaydah, a descendant of Abdul Qadir Gilani, ancestor of the Zubaydat tribe, the Zirqan of Tarhuna, Krabooli and Yafran.
Ashrāf tribe of Siy’ān {Awlad Sidi Muhammad Abu Issa’}: based in Sbiba, west of Kairouan. Progenitor of the tribe, brother of Sidi Salam Abu Gharra, progenitor of the al-Gharara tribe in Medenine and Gabés.
Ashrāf tribe of Qutb Sidi Ibrahim al-Mahjoub (Zawiya of al-Mahjoub), ancestor of the Mahajib tribe in Misrata and Sorman.
Ashrāf Azwaip tribe Brakna.
Ashrāf tribes of al-Barakinah, al-Muqarana and al-Ziyayinah all share a common ancestor, Sidi Ahmed al-Burkan: based in the Kabylie region of Algeria and Mali.
Banu Issa (Western Libya): includes Amour and the Dawada ethnic group in southern Libya, as well as the Farjan tribes of Sidi Faraj ibn Hamdan.
Ashrāf tribe of Al-Tayira, they are Awlad Sidi Abdul Karim: located in Sabratha and Sorman, Menzel Chaker and Oran, Algeria, as well as the Awlad Suleiman al-Tayar in southern Libya.
Ashrāf tribe of Al-Humāmala: descendants of Sheikh Sidi Muammar, based in Tarhuna and Sidi Ibn Hamāl, based in Sirte.
Al-Ja’afra tribe who claim descent from Jafar, who hails from Awlad Moulay Abdullah bin Idris and reside in Garyan, Al-Baran and Tripoli.
Ashrāf tribe of Sidi Moulay Cherif guardian Abu Kassim Abu Shusha: based in Ziltan and they belong to the tribe of Awlad Khuwaylid Balnsfir are descendants of Moulay Abdullah ibn Idris.
Ashrāf tribe of Bani Badr, descended from Sidi Mohamed Ben Ali who is buried in Ghadames.
Ashrāf tribe of Oulad al-Sharif, Sidi Ali al-Tishani in Tajura on the coast of Tripoli (al-Tashashna).
Ashrāf tribe of Moulay Sidi Sheikh Abdul Karim Nafati.
Ashrāf tribe of al-Mnaffa, they reside in Butnan, Tobruk, and the Western Sahara (Egypt). Clan of Sheikh Omar Mukhtar.
Ashrāf tribe of Almhachc in Jebel Akhdar and Butnan.
