Jaff (tribe)
Kurdish tribe

Jaff
جاف
A jaff tribesmen, 1836
EthnicityKurdish
LocationSilêmanî to Sine
ReligionSunni Islam

The Jaff tribe, (Kurdish: جاف) is one of the largest Kurdish tribal confederations. It is a dynasty that originated in the year 1114 by Zaher Beg Jaff.[1][2] Other important leaders were Mohamed Pasha Jaff, Lady Adela, Osman Pasha Jaff[3], and Mahmud Pasha Jaff.[4] Their ancestral home is Sherwana Castle.[5][6] The Ottoman Empire bestowed on them the name Pasha, a noble title, in the 1700s.[7] They are the biggest Kurdish tribe in the Middle East with approximately 4 million people,[8] and they speak Babani Sorani.[9]

Geographic distribution

The Jaff tribe lives in the following cities and towns: Helebce, Kelar, Silêmanî, Ravansar, Sine, Ciwanrro, Selas-bawecanî, Kirmaşan, and Xaneqîn.[10][11][12]

The Jaff tribes of Iraq used to be called Muradi while those of Iran where called Javānrudi.[10] Their heartland is between Sulaymaniyah to Sanandaj.[10][11] The Jaff tribes predominantly adhere to the Shafi'i school, with many Naqshbandi and Qadiriyya followers.

History

The Jaff tribal confederation was formed in the early 17th century.[10] They're not mentioned in Sharafnama. Their earliest mention was on 17 May 1639, in the Ottoman-Iranian treaty.[10] The Jaff tribal confederation were nomadic pastoralist shepherds up until the 20th century. By the end of the 17th century, the main portion of the Jaff tribe fled from the Kermanshah and Sanandaj regions, that were under Ardalan control.[10] The Jaff tribe came into conflict with Ardalan authority. After a battle in which the Jaff tribe were defeated by Ardalanids, their tribal chief and his son were captured and executed. The majority of Jaff tribes fled to Baban territory, where they were given protection and were allowed to settle and to graze their flocks from South of Sulaimanyah all the way to Khanaqin. Those Jaff tribes that remained in Ardalan territory joined the Guran tribal confederation.[10]

The West began ties with the Jaff tribe during World War I, when Ely Bannister Soane established contact. After the war, the tribe opposed Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji, as well as Great Britain's failure to grant Kurdish autonomy in Iraq.[13] At the beginning of the 20th century, the tribe controlled one ninth of Iraq along with the communication system of the country. In 1933, about 100,000 rifles were in the hands of the tribe, contrasting with only 15,000 held by the newly established Iraq. During this period, the tribe became sedentary.[12]

Not all four million members of the Jaff tribe share direct blood lineage, especially with the ruling Jaff leaders. Historically, only a minority of households claimed direct genealogical descent. Over time, various unrelated families and clans affiliated with the Jaff name for protection, political influence, and social survival.[14]

Political Relations

Iraqi Parliament records further document repeated meetings between parliamentary leaders and Jaff tribal delegations, reflecting the tribe's continued role in cultural and political representation and participation in national dialogue.[15][16] The United States CIA also lists the Jaff tribe alongside the Barzani and Talabani as among "the three most important tribes in Iraq," noting their size, organization, and political influence.[17][18] Among these tribes, the Jaff is the biggest. Cambridge University identifies the Jaff tribe as one of the major Kurdish tribal confederations, historically aligned with the Baban Emirate and occupying strategic areas across the Zagros region.[19][20][21]

According to the U.S. Department of State's Office of the Historian, the Jaff tribe are identified as one of the leading Kurdish tribes, implying major demographic weight, extensive territorial presence, and significant political and military influence during the period. Their designation places the Jaff at the center of Kurdish dynamics, internal tribal relations, and the broader interplay between Kurdish groups and the Iraqi government.[22][23]

The President of the Republic of Iraq constantly holds meetings with representatives of the Jaff tribe to discuss social, economic, and public service issues affecting Jaff communities, particularly in the Kurdistan Region. These engagements have focused on challenges related to economic development, access to public services, and local governance.[24]

Because Iraq is described as a strongly tribal society, many people, especially in times of weak state institutions, turn to tribal leaders like those of the Jaff to resolve disputes instead of using government courts.[25]

Language

The Jaff tribes are majority Sorani-speakers, but those near Gurani-speaking and Southern Kurdish-speaking tribes have adopted many elements of their dialect.[10] The Jaff princes from 17th-19th century were Gurani-speakers and patrons of Gurani literature.[26]

Notable members

Mahmud Pasha Jaff in his bedroom.
Jaff Kurdish bag, Persia, mid 19th century
Leaders and politicians
  • Mohamed Pasha Jaff, a Kurdish king and supreme chief of the Jaff tribe. He built Sherwana Castle in 1734.
  • Osman Pasha Jaff, (born 1846) a Kurdish king, leader of the Jaff tribe, and married to Adela Khanum of the old Ardalan tribe.[27]
  • Adela Jaff (1847–1924), called Princess of the Brave by the British; married Kurdish King Osman Pasha Jaff, was famous for her role in the region, namely in the era of Shiekh Mahmood Al-Jaff Hafeed.
  • Joanna Palani also known as "Lady Death" by ISIS, is a Kurdish fighter from the Jaff tribe of Kermanshah (Kirmaşan). Born in the desert of Ramadi, Iraq, her family was forced to leave their hometown in Kirmaşan due to their involvement in the Kurdish national resistance against both Saddam Hussein and the Islamic regime of Iran. Over the years, Palani has fought for various Kurdish groups across greater Kurdistan and has been imprisoned because of it. ISIS placed a bounty of one million dollars on her head.
  • Ahmed Mukhtar Jaff (1898–1934), was a member of Iraqi parliament and mayor of Halabja.
  • Nawzad Dawood Beg Jaff (also known as Nozad Dawood Fattah Al Jaff), Chairman of North Bank Iraq and leader of the Jaff tribe.[28][29][30]
  • Akram Hamid Begzadeh Jaff, a Kurdish leader, politician, and former Minister of Agriculture in Iraq.
  • Dawood Beg Jaff was a Kurdish prince, a member of the Iranian Parliament and minister, and the leader of the Jaff Tribe from the 1930s to the 1960s.[31][32][33]
  • Gen. Shawkat Haji Mushir, a senior figure of the Jaff tribe, was a high-ranking Kurdish official whose influence was significant enough to mediate between political parties and militant groups before his assassination.[34]
  • Bakir Ahmed Aziz Al-Jaff: Iraq’s Ambassador to Ukraine. [35]
  • Mr. Bakhtiar Jabbar Amin Al-Jaff: Minister of Human Rights in Iraq. [36]
  • Hanna Jaff (born 1986), American-born Mexican-Kurd who is a politician, philanthropist, author, and spokeswoman. Granddaughter of the former leader of the Jaff tribe and niece of the current leader.[37][38][39]
Artists, poets, singer
  • Khanai Qobadi Jaff (ca.1700–1759), an 18th-century Jaff poet.[40]
  • Nali Jaff (1797 or 1800–1855 or 1856), a poet who contributed to making Sorani the literary language of southern Kurdistan.[41]
  • Abdulla Goran Jaff (1904–1962).
  • Tara Jaff (born 1958), singer and musician specializing in harp.[42]
Scholars and academics

Notes

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jaf.
  1. ^ "Jaff family, Jaff Tribe, and Kurdistan". Revista Kuadro. 4 April 2019. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  2. ^ "A Brief Reading About Jaff Tribe". zivmagazine.com. Zîv Kurdish Mosaic. 1 June 2020. Archived from the original on June 1, 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. ^ Alizadeh, Hooshmand; Kohlbacher, Josef; Mohammed, Sara Qadir; Vaisi, Salah (2022-04-01). "The Status of Women in Kurdish Society and the Extent of Their Interactions in Public Realm". SAGE Open. 12 (2) 21582440221096441. doi:10.1177/21582440221096441. ISSN 2158-2440.
  4. ^ "The Ottoman-Iranian Borderlands: Making a Boundary, 1843–1914" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-08.
  5. ^ "Jaff family, Jaff Tribe, and Kurdistan". bizarro.fm. Bizarro FM. 2 April 2019. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Develan monumento a Mohamed Pasha Jaff en Tlalpan". noticieros.televisa.com (in Spanish). Noticieros Televisa. 1 March 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  7. ^ ali, Sabah; Abdulrahman, Dilshad (2021-11-01). "په‌ره‌سه‌ندنه‌ سياسييه‌كان له ‌كه‌لار و ده‌وروبه‌رى له ‌ساڵانى (1958- 1961)دا". Journal of Garmian University. 8 (3): 1–19. doi:10.24271/jgu.2021.140552. ISSN 2522-3879. Archived from the original on 2024-07-24.
  8. ^ "La tribu jaff en la actualidad". altonivel.com.mx (in Spanish). Alto Nivel. 10 October 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  9. ^ Mirwaisi, Hamma F. (2010). Return of the Medes: An Analysis of Iranian History. Wheatmark, Inc. p. 330. ISBN 978-1-60494-449-5.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Hamzeh'ee 2008, pp. 346–347.
  11. ^ a b Archibald Roosevelt (1944). "Kurdish tribal map of Iraq: showing the Iraq portion of Kurdistan and the major Kurdish tribal divisions within Iraq". Yale University.
  12. ^ a b "Country Policy and Information Note Iraq: Blood feuds". United States Department of Justice. 2017: 14–16. Archived from the original on 2019-12-20. Retrieved 2020-06-20. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ Tripp, Charles. A History of Iraq. Cambridge Press, 2007. Page 33-34
  14. ^ digitalcommons.ursinus.edu https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=pol_hon. Retrieved 2025-12-21. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  15. ^ "Al-Haddad receives delegation of Kurdish tribes in Baghdad". Parliament of Iraq. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  16. ^ "Clarification". Presidency of Iraq. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  17. ^ Yousif, Fakhir (2025-06-29). "The Tribal Problem Between Iraq and Iran (1925–1960): A DOCUMENTARY STUDY –JAF TRIBE AS A SAMPLE**". Humanities Journal of University of Zakho. 13 (2): 300–310. doi:10.26436/hjuoz.2025.13.2.1594. ISSN 2664-4681.
  18. ^ Media Office of the Deputy Speaker of the, Council of Representatives (14 December 2022). "Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Shakhwan Abdullah, receives a delegation from the Kurdish Al-Jaf tribe, and stresses the importance of strengthening ties and national cohesion among all components of the people". Iraqi Council of Representatives.
  19. ^ Gunes, Cengiz; Bozarslan, Hamit; Yadirgi, Veli, eds. (2021), "Historical Legacies", The Cambridge History of the Kurds, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 23–202, ISBN 978-1-108-47335-4, retrieved 2025-11-20{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link)
  20. ^ National Foreign, Assessment Center (30 June 1979). "The Kurdish Problem in Perspective" (PDF). Central Intelligence Agency: 34.
  21. ^ Central, Intelligence Agency (January 1951). "National Intelligence Survey Iraq" (PDF). CIA. 3 (4): 45 – via Central Intelligence Agency.
  22. ^ "Historical Documents - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2025-12-03.
  23. ^ jaf.
  24. ^ digitalcommons.ursinus.edu https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=pol_hon. Retrieved 2025-12-21. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  25. ^ "Keeping Faith With Tribal Justice | Institute for War and Peace Reporting". iwpr.net. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  26. ^ Dogan, Dogan (2021-01-01). "The Cambridge History of the Kurds". The Cambridge History of the Kurds: 711.
  27. ^ Tarih :17/N /1312 (Hicrî) Dosya No :35 Gömlek No :1312 Fon Kodu :İ..HUS.mm
  28. ^ ""Don't miss out, be a pioneer"". The Worldfolio. 2012. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  29. ^ "North Bank "in Good Position for Growth"". Iraq Business News. 31 May 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  30. ^ Nivel, Alto (2016-10-10). "La tribu jaff en la actualidad". Alto Nivel (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  31. ^ "DIPLOMATIC HISTORY: Shah of Iran Grants Assylum to Kurdish Prince Dawood Beg Jaff (1958) | Iranian.com". iranian.com. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  32. ^ "Historical Documents - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2025-12-29.
  33. ^ jaf.
  34. ^ digitalcommons.ursinus.edu https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=pol_hon. Retrieved 2025-12-21. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  35. ^ "Keeping Faith With Tribal Justice | Institute for War and Peace Reporting". iwpr.net. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  36. ^ "cv – سفارة جمهورية العراق في الرياض". mofa.gov.iq. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
  37. ^ "The Ottoman-Iranian Borderlands: Making a Boundary, 1843–1914" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-08.
  38. ^ "Hanna Jaff, la mexicana que formará parte de la familia real inglesa". Vogue (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  39. ^ "Filántropa mexicana se casará con un miembro de la realeza inglesa". Cosmopolitan (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  40. ^ ḴĀNĀ QOBĀDI, Encyclopedia Iranica, accessed December 1, 2012
  41. ^ Keith Hitchins, "NALÎ" in Encyclaopedia Iranica
  42. ^ World on Your Street, BBC Radio 3.
  43. ^ "Fereidoun Biglari". scholar.google.com.

Sources

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