The Mirbāʿ as an Aristocratic System of Rights, Responsibilities, and Power in Pre-Islamic Arabia
The Mirbāʿ as an Aristocratic System of Rights, Responsibilities, and Power in Pre-Islamic Arabia

Summary/Abstract: Purpose: This study reconceptualizes pre-Islamic Arabian governance by means of an analysis of the mirbāʿ (the leader’s quarter-share of war spoils). The article argues posits the argument that mirbāʿ was not merely a share of spoils; rather, it constituted the foundation of a complex socio-political system that defined the aristocratic within a framework of reciprocal rights and obligations, thereby fundamentally reassessing the prevailing conceptualization of “tribal anarchy” in pre-Islamic governance. Method: The present study is grounded in an integrated philological-historical methodology. The philological analysis commences with the establishment of the precise meaning of key terminology (e.g., mirbāʿ, dhū al-ākāl) through meticulous examination of classical lexicons and early poetry. This linguistic evidence is then historicized by situating it within the political and social institutions described in historical chronicles, genealogical works, and literary compendia. The two approaches are in constant dialogue: the historical sources provide context for the linguistic terms, while the philological analysis deciphers the institutional logic embedded within the historical narratives, thereby reconstructing the mirbāʿ system in its full complexity. Findings: The findings demonstrate that the mirbāʿ was a formal, institutionalized system that constituted the economic foundation of a pre-Islamic aristocracy. The possession of elite rights was contingent upon fulfilment of vital military, judicial, and social duties, including the provisioning armies, the payment of blood money (ḥamāla), and the maintenance of ensuring community welfare. The institution demonstrated notable political adaptability, supporting hereditary dynasties, multi-tribal confederations, and settled kingdoms as a state revenue system. The study further finds that the Qur’anic injunction of the khums (al-Anfāl 8/41) abrogated the mirbāʿ, leading to a reordering of leadership principles. Conclusion: The study concludes that the mirbāʿ constituted a sophisticated redistributive social contract, thereby challenging simplistic notions of “tribal anarchy” and fundamentally revising scholarly understanding of pre-Islamic governance. The abrogation of this institution by Islam in favor of the community-oriented khums is presented not as a minor fiscal adjustment, but as a revolutionary socio-political transformation that reordered concepts of leadership, wealth distribution, and social justice, thereby dismantling the economic basis of the pre-Islamic elite. This research contributes to contemporary debates on state formation and the dynamics of pre-modern political economies. It is recommended that future research should investigate other institutionalized revenue streams in pre-Islamic Arabia, such as the ātāwa (regular tribute), and conduct a detailed comparative analysis of the khums as a tool of early Islamic state-building and social welfare.

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