Quḍāʿah

Quḍāʿah, ancient group of Christian tribes originally living in southern Arabia. The Quḍāʿah first came into prominence during the 4th century ce, when they gradually moved into the Hejaz, Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia. They led a generally nomadic existence, although certain tribes, such as the Ṣāliḥ in Syria, were able to gain control over several minor nomadic groups. Among the tribes that gained importance during Islamic times were the Kalb, who were among the chief supporters of the Umayyads, and the ʿUdhrah, who became famous for giving their name to a genre of love poetry.