Qahtanite refers to 'al Arab al Aribah' or the aboriginal Arabs. These are the descendants of Ya'rub son of Yashjub, son of Qahtan (Joktan of the Old Testament). They are therefore more generally called Qahtanite Arabs. They inhabited Yemen. The famous Sabaean and Himyarite kingdoms and their high degree of civilization were the work of these Qahtanite Arabs.
Between the 8th and the 14th century, the arabs had forged an empire that extended their rule from Spain and southern France in the west, to western China in the east. During that time, Arabs, including Qahtanite tribes, spread over these lands and mixed with their native populations while keeping their identity clear. It is not unlikely to find Arabs of Qahtanite descent as far away as Morocco or India and many can trace their lineage to a very accurate level. Among the most famous examples of Qahtanite Arabs is the social scholar Ibn Khaldun who was born in Tunisia to a house of Spanish origin.
