The Ruling on Distinguishing Between the Qabaili and the Khudhairi

Question:
My honorable Shaykh, what is the ruling on one who tries to create division among Muslims by saying: "This one is Qabaili, and this one is Khudhairi," and so on? Who is the Qabaili, and who is the Khudhairi?

Answer:
This is a minor issue; it is not a major matter. These are matters well known among people. The Qabaili is one who belongs to a known tribe, such as the Qahtani, the Saba'i, the Tamimi, or similar, or the Qurayshi, the Hashimi, or similar. This is called Qabaili. It is also said Qabali according to the standard, and it is said Hanafi, Rabi'i, or similar, referring to the tribe to which he belongs.
The Khudhairi, among the people, is specifically in Najd. I do not know this term except in Najd. In places other than Najd, I do not know this word. However, in Najd, it is well known. The Khudhairi, among them, is one who does not have a known tribe to which he belongs. He is Arab, but he does not have a known tribe. It is not known that he is, for example, Qahtani, or Tamimi, or Qurayshi. But he is Arab, his language is Arabic, he is from the Arabs, and he lived among them. Even if his clan is known and his group is known, if he does not have a known tribe to which he belongs, he is called Khudhairi.
And the Mawla, in the custom of the Arabs, is one whose origin was a slave who was then freed. They are called Mawali. And the Ajam are those who do not trace their lineage to the Arabs. It is said Ajami, and he may be of Ajami origin, not of Arab origin. They are called Ajam.
And the ruling in the religion of Allah is that there is no distinction for any of them over another except by taqwa (mindfulness of Allah), whether he is called Qabaili, or Khudhairi, or Mawla, or Ajami. They are all on the same level. They are all equal. There is no superiority of this one over that one, nor of that one over this one, except by taqwa. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said: : [Al-Hujurat: 13]
But it was the custom of the Arabs in the past that they would marry their daughters to the tribes they knew, and some of them would refrain from marrying those who were not from the tribes they did not know. This remains among people. If a man is not from a tribe they know, they do not allow him to marry their daughter unless he is from a tribe they know, or from the kind of Arab tribes they know. Some may be lenient and marry the Khudhairi, the Mawla, or the Ajami. This occurred in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Usamah ibn Zayd ibn Harithah, who was his Mawla and freed slave, to Fatimah bint Qays, who was Qurayshi.
Likewise, Abu Hudhayfah ibn 'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, who was from Quraysh, married his Mawla, Salim Mawla Abu Hudhayfah, to his sister's daughter, al-Walid ibn 'Utbah's daughter. He did not care that he was a Mawla, a freed slave. This was the practice among the Companions, and many after them.
As for people after that—especially in Najd—and in some other places—Allah knows about them—they may refrain from this and be strict about this matter according to what they inherited from their fathers and predecessors. Some may fear harm from some of their tribe if they say to them: "Why did you marry so-and-so?" This may lead to the neglect of our tribe, and the mixing of lineages, and the loss of lineages, and so on.
They may offer excuses for marriage that have a valid aspect in some cases, and this does not harm. The matter is easy. The important thing is to choose one who is suitable for marriage in his religion and his character. If this is achieved, then that is what is appropriate, whether he is Arab, or Ajami, or Mawla, or Khudhairi, or otherwise. This is the foundation. And if some people prefer not to marry except from their own tribe, we do not know of any blame in that.