Starting with my search for my family roots, I first found the photograph of my grandfather, and then another of my great grandfather. Strongly encouraged by these treasures, I threw myself into the study of the history of the Arab tribes, the Aghhlabides, etc. My search proved itself highly fruitful, and resulted in my discovery of the origins of my family name, Rebai, a name that I bear with great pride.

The Rebaï family

Origins :

The Rebai family comes from a common ancestor by the name of Rabia Ibn Nizar Ibn Maad Ibn Adnane. The descendants form a great Arab tribe, they subsequently subdivided into several branches

When studying the genealogy of the Prophet, “Salla allahou alayhi wa sallam,” the same Rabia Ibn Nizar Ibn Maad Ibn Adnane is mentioned as the 19 th great-grandfather of the Prophet

The specific name of Rabia Ibn Nizar is rarely used since it refers to a major branch with multiple ramifications forming a people of great number

We belong to, among others, the group called Bakr Ibn Ouael Ibn Kacet Ibn Hanab Ibn Aqca Ibn Daama Ibn Jadila Ibn Assad Ibn Rabia Ibn Nizar. From there extend two main branches:

• Rabia Al Joua, whose real name was Rabia Ibn Malek Ibn Zaïed Manat Ibn Tamime Ibn Morr Ibn Add Ibn Tabikha Ibn Elyes
• Abou Salma Hammad Ibn Salma Ibn Dinar Rebaï (great sage and Governeor of Al Basra)
• Rabia Al Azd -Rabaa Ibn Al Ghatrif al Asghar Ibn Abdallah Ibn Al Ghatrif Al Akbar, whose real name was Ameur Ibn Bakr Ibn Yachkor Ibn Mobchir Ibn Saab Ibn Dahman Ibn Nasr Ibn Zahrane Ibn Malek Ibn Nasr Ibn Al Ouzd Ibn Al Ghouth.

Other illustrous members of the clan include :

• Abou Al Jaouza Aoues Ibn Abdallah Rebaï
• Ibn Abbas
• Abdallah Ibn Amr Ibn Al Aâss Entered into "Ifriqya" (North Africa) in 7 H, during the invasion of the Sept “abadla" (seven companions of the Prophet) under the leadership of Abdullah Ibn Abi Sarh. "Sallalahou alayhi wa sallam" granted him the authority to transcribe nearly 700 "hadiths" (words and acts performed by the Prophet). He died in 65 H at the age of 72.

www.alwaraq.com

"Ecole Al Hadith à Kairouan" of Houcine Ibn Mohamed CHAOUAT, page 495; "Riadh ennoufous" of Abi Bakr Abdallah Ibn Mohamed Al Malki, page 65.

Other ancestors of the Rebai family came to North Africa , to Kairouan specifically, with the very first Muslim incursions. They settled in the area and have been here for 13 centuries. Among the most illustrious are :

Aghlabite Period :

• Abou Med Abderrahim Ibn Abdourabbou Rebaï companion of the Imam Sahnoun and a great scholar of religious sciences. The Emir Ziyadat Allah Ibn Al Aghlab gave him instructions to build the "Ziied" Palace the same day that Assad Ibn Al Fourat was appointed Cadi and Governor of Sicily. He died in 247 H. "Riadh ennoufous" de Abi Bakr Abdallah Ibn Mohamed Al Malki can be found on pages 421 - 430
• Ahmed Ibn Soleiman Rebaï : 204H-291H learned the literature and poetry of the Imam Sahnoun, whose faithful friend he was for nearly 20 years. When Imam Sahnoun died, he sang his praises with three humdred verses. See : "Kairouan through the Centuries" by Touhami NEGRA, page 67
• Omrane Ibn Mojaled Rebaï : 194H, War Chief to Ibrahim Ibn Al Aghlab (800-812 AC Dynastie Aghlabite), and his minister."Ecole Al Hadith à Kairouan" by Houcine Ibn Mohamed CHAOUAT, page 64.

Fatimide Period (909-969 AD) :

• Ali Ibn Habacha Rebaï 333 H. He died the same year that "Saheb el himar" conquered the city of Kairouan . His tomb is found today at the Raqqada Museum

Ziride Period ( 972-1148 AD) :

• Ali Ibn Mohamed Rebaï (Alias Abi El Hassan Al Lakhmi) 478 H. He was the pupil of the Imam Siouri, and emigrated to Sfax where he settled permanently to teach science and religion. He undertook numerous lines of research on the Malekite school “Ettabsoura.”

  The great mosque of Sfax, where he is buried, bears the inscription of his name. "Warakat" by Hassan Housni Abdelwaheb, pages 56-60 ; 64-66.

Période Hafside (1236-1574 AD) :

• Ibrahim Ibn Abderrafi Rebaï, 733 H. Pupil of Ibn Zeitoun, teacher, specialist in jurisprudence, and Cadi. "Warakat" by Hassan Housni Abdelwaheb, page 6.

• Omar Ibn Abdelaali Rebaï Cadi of Kairouan, famous during his lifetime for his great sense of justice. He died on 15 Chaâbane 684 H. "Histoire des cadis de Kairouan" by Ali JOUDI

Fifteen Rebaï tombstones (15) are to be found at the Raqqadâ Museum . Numbers of Death Notices/ Inscriptions follow below :

N°	Death	Inscriptions
132	333H	Ali Ibn habacha Rebaï
196	405H	Abdelkerim Ibn Med Ibn Abi Khalaf Rebaï
263	421H	Abou Bakr Med Al Latif Rebaï Moaddeb
286	424H	Abdallah Ibn Ahmed Rebaï
298	425H	Tahar Ibn Hamoud Ibn Saïd Rebaï
309	426H	Thamra Bent Tahar Ibn Saïd Rebaï
453	438H	Hassan Ibn Abi Kacem Ibn Nasroun Rebaï
496	443H	Abou Bakr Ibn Amroun Rebaï Siouri
517	447H	Mohamed Ibn Abi Khalaf Rebaï
555	530H	Youssef Ibn Omar Ibn Abi Kacem Rebaï
568	554H	Abou Bakr Ibn Ali Rebaï Al Faraâ known as Ibn Chabloun
572	557H	Abou Al hassan Ibn Omar Ibn Abdelmonem Ibn Abdelali Rebaï
591	796H	Ahmed Ibn yacoub Rebaï known as Al Ubbi
592	796H	Abou Abdellah Med Ibn Yacoub Al Ubbi Rebaï Al Fakih
598	868H	Abou Al Abbas Ahmed Ibn Ibrahim Rebaï known as Rajouane

Source : B.Roy-PPoinssot, Arabic inscriptions from Kairouan.

In France , 838 persons bear the name Rebaï
Rebai est le 11 262th most common name in France

Mohamed Rebai

My father,
the Freedom-fighter
Hj Salem

My grandfather, Hj Ali

My great grandfather,
Hj Belgacem

Ahmed Ibn Soleïman
Rebaï

StèleTomstone Aghlabite Era

Tombstone Ziride Era