In the past few years, I managed to do a deep dive into the world of DNA research. Not just my DNA or for the Arains, but DNA in general. I’ve learned so much, and I’ve got to say, the area of genetics is truly amazing! I believe the world of DNA and genetics is one of the greatest miracles and signs from God.
I want to share my journey into the DNA world, which started when I took a Big Y DNA test with FTDNA. My elders had told me that the Arains originally came from Banu Ummaya, and I was determined to put this claim to the test! The amazing thing about DNA is that DNA doesn’t lie, but people do lie…. If this theory was correct, the test would prove it; if not, it would show it to be false.
I paid for my DNA kit (and let me tell you, it wasn’t cheap!). The moment it arrived, I carefully took out the swab, followed their instructions by rubbing it against my cheek, and sent the kit back to America to be analysed over the next few months. Afew weeks later, I received the email from FTDNA with my results.
Why choose to do a Big Y DNA test over other tests?
In Islam, we trace our lineage through our fathers, not mothers. Y DNA tests have incredibly low false positive rates—we’re talking just 0.1%, and those rare false positives usually appear in the deepest genetic subclades.
The Islamic perspective on DNA testing is important to understand. While it can’t definitively prove ones lineage in an Islamic court due to potential false positives, it can provide supplemental evidence. Witness testimony from trusted authorities takes precedence. However, large-scale testing can reveal broader heritage insights for a group of people.
It was confusing at first—numbers and digits were everywhere, looking incredibly complex and confusing. I decided to consult an expert and found a genetic consultant on Fiverr who could help me understand the results.
Her analysis: 80% of my genetic paternal relatives originated from Saudi Arabia, with a commen ancestor dating back between 4,000-4,500 years before present. The remaining markers split between Italy (15%) and Pakistan (5%). Wow, 80 percent—more than I ever expected! Unfortunately, she couldn’t pinpoint my specific Arab tribe and she suggested I contact a group specialising in the R1a haplogroup.
Unable to find an R1a group, I reached out to the J haplogroup. They claimed haplogroup J was the Abrahamic haplogroup connected to the Quraysh. I emailed Hadi Al Amili, the admin of this group, excited to learn if I was Qurayshi. I asked him if I was from the Quraysh and he said: “No! You’re not Qurayshi! Sorry, I don’t know much about R haplogroup and can’t help you.”
Disappointed with his response, I got busy with life and put it on the shelf. A few years later, something ignited my curiosity, and I decided to look into it again. I went online and typed “R1A arabs” to see what would show up. Things had changed a lot—new groups of R1A with Arabian origins from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries started emerging, posting entirely in Arabic (links to follow).
Fortunately, my Arabic skills had improved enough to read and understand these discussions. I spoke to people in these groups and discovered some amazing things. I found significant families in the Arabian Peninsula carrying the R1A genetic mutation. Take the Banu Shayba, for example—they’re the holders of the keys of the Kaaba to this very day.
On the day of Makkah’s conquest, the Prophet called Uthman ibn Talha, a member of the Qurayshi tribe Banu Abd ad-Dar (Banu Shayba). He entrusted him with the Kaaba’s keys, saying, “Take it! No one will take it from you and your offspring except a tyrannical oppressor!” Since then, the Banu Shayba—descendants of Uthman ibn Talha—have been the Kaaba’s caretakers.
What’s noteworthy is the Banu Shayba’s undisputed lineage. They’ve carried the keys from one generation to another, making it possibly the purest lineage in the world and giving great credence to the R1A haplogroup. They also resided and remained in Makkah. Whilst most other Qurayshis moved out of Arabia due to Jihad and Dawah, emigrating to different lands, the Banu Shayba stayed in Makkah. The Prophet said that the quickest tribe to die out would be the Quraysh, a man would walk past a pair of sandals and say this was a pair of sandals that used to belong to a man from Quraysh. He also said the Quraysh will mix with the Ajm (non-Arabs) like the white crow amongst the black crows. Therefore, we can safely say that they are the Banu Shayba—a compass for the rest of the Adnani Arabs and the Quraysh.
R1a has a significant presence in Arabia at a rate of 12%. This is lower than J1, which is roughly 40%, and E2B, which is at a rate of 15%. Many people assume that all Arabs are descended from Abraham, but this shows their ignorance of Arabian history. Arabs are primarily split into two main groups:
The Al-Arab Al-Mustaribah (العرب المستعربة), or Arabised Arabs, are tribes that were not originally Arab but became culturally and linguistically Arab over time. They trace their lineage to Abraham and his son Ismail (Ishmael), who is traditionally regarded as their ancestor. These tribes settled in northern Arabia and gradually adopted Arab identity and customs through intermarriage and assimilation.
Abraham was a non-Arab but was descended from Saam, the son of Noah. Abraham was a Semite but not an Arab. As for Ismail, he was a non-Arab, but he and his offspring adopted the culture and language when Ismail married one of the women of Jurhum. The 12% presence of R1a is a realistic and probable number since this region was occupied by Arabs for many thousands of years before Abraham arrived. There were also many bottlenecks in this population, which is why Arabs from Ismail are called Adnani, due to the Arabs re-emerging through another single ancestor in their oral history. What seems to have happened was there was some type of event or series of events where these Arabs perished in large numbers, and hence the population dwindled.
Another important point to note is that the historical data we have indicates Abraham was alive roughly around 4000 years ago. This is according to biblical scholars, academics and scientists.
I have some objections to these results however. The vetting process for test subjects should be stringent – Y-DNA samples should only be taken from individuals who have paternal Arain lineage confirmation. Since this protocol wasn’t followed, some of the collected data may be unreliable.
Based upon the DNA findings I have personally overseen, the results were similar to the numbers we see above though. There’s no doubt that R1a has a significant presence amongst Arains. I found that those who bear the name Choudhury in their surname from Arains all belong to the same exact genetic line on Y6. These were titles given to specific families amongst Arains and other castes and tribes. However, it seems as though these titles amongst the Arains community was bestowed upon specific families and sub tribes. Those bearing the name Choudhury from Arains are on the Y6 genetic line, and those bearing the name Mehar are on the Y7 genetic line. The Y7 genetic line is one occupied by Banu Shayba. I am personally on the Y40 genetic line, which is occupied by many Qaysis, Tamimis, and Qurayshis also.
J2 also has a significant presence in Arabia. The former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Ibn Baz’s son, got tested and they are on the J2 haplogroup, as is Sheikh Sudais, the Imam of the Haram. There are also many other prominent Imams, Sheikhs, and other Arabs on the J2 haplogroup. Unfortunately, the results I’ve seen for Arains were not Big Y DNA tests – the subclades were very old. To confirm whether these are definitively Arabs or not, I would need to see their deeper subclades. Anecdotally, these individuals are likely to be of Arab descent. I discovered that individuals bearing the name Ramday from the Arains carry the J2 genetic marker, suggesting they may have ancestral ties to the Qahtanis.
Based upon the oldest book written about the Arains, called Futuh al-Buldan, written in the 3rd century, the majority of Muhammad bin Qasim’s army belonged to Banu Adnan, and a smaller number of soldiers came from Banu Qahtan. The DNA matches the historical narrative quite cohesively. The majority of soldiers from Banu Adnan were apparently from the Quraysh and Banu Ummaya.
I have yet to see the results of many other prominent Arain families such as Malik, Mian, Saleemi, Hejazi, and others. I would like to invite individuals from these families to come forward with their Big Y results so that I can examine them for confirmation. We will soon set up a public donation fund to support testing for various families.
This is the great news, but I would also like to be honest and point out that I’ve seen many samples that were from non-Arabs. This may upset some people, but we have to tell the truth. We’ve seen many samples showing R2, Q, H, and others. This is understandable because the Arains forgot their history, lineages and tribes, so it would make sense that a lot of people would claim to be from this tribe. Many from the lower caste Hindus would be able to bypass the caste system by joining this tribe, which was very honorable and prestigious in Sindh at the time. Also, it seems like alot of people who married into the tribe automatically changed their tribal affiliation to the Arains.
There was a book written by Sufi Ali Akbar Jaladhari that caused much controversy when it was released, upsetting many in the Arain community. Sufi Ali Akbar was a renowned expert in genealogy and tribal lineages, having dedicated his life to studying and documenting the ancestral histories of various peoples and tribes. The author claimed that the Arain is not a pure tribe, and many of those intermarrying into the Arains are from Rajput Janjua and other non Arain tribes. Based upon my research, there might be some truth to this. This is why you see people like Benazir Bhutto claiming to be both Arain and Rajput. Historically speaking, there was a lot of mixing between these two groups, and maybe they were unaware that tribal lineage is based on your father’s line. I have personally spoken with individuals who identify as Arains, and they shared that their parents told them they belong to the Janjua Rajput tribe. This raises the question: how can one belong to both tribes? The intermixing and lack of knowledge have blurred these distinctions.
It’s important to emphasise that in Islam, it is not permissible to falsely claim membership in another tribe. There are many verses in the Quran and hadith that warn against this, as it is considered a major sin. However, if someone lacks knowledge of their true lineage, they are not held accountable.
I will be exploring the R1A and J1 haplogroups in greater detail, addressing various controversial topics related to them, including the claim that J1 represents the Abrahamic lineage.
For additional information and detailed research, please refer to the following resources and references. Further documentation will be provided in upcoming discussions.