Reguibat

The Reguibat (Arabic: الرقيبات, romanized: al-Rgībāt; variously transliterated Reguibate, Rguibat, R'gaybat, R'gibat, Erguibat, Ergaybat) is a Sahrawi tribal confederation of mixed Arab and Sanhaja Berber origins. The Reguibat speak Hassaniya Arabic, and are Arab in culture. They claim descent from Sidi Ahmed al-Reguibi, an Arab Islamic preacher from Beni Hassan who settled in Saguia el-Hamra in 1503. They also believe that they are, through him, a chorfa tribe, i.e. descendants of Muhammad. They are divided into two main geographical divisions - the Reguibat as-Sahel and Reguibat ash-Sharg - who are in turn divided into sub tribes. Religiously, they belong to the Maliki school of Sunni Islam. Their population in 1996 exceeded 100,000 people. David Hart estimated their population to number from 200,000 to 300,000 in 1962 but this could be too high. They are today the largest tribe in Western Sahara.