Wahabite dagger ? or janbiyya?

gp · 3rd July 2025, 08:42 PM

just for convenience sake disregarding the "western" Wahabite name-giving,
I found some more info in order to oblige our dear friend Jim

who started this most interesting topic !

Info from one internet site:

"Sabiki is the Yemeni term for a large sword-like variety of the jambiya, the Arab dagger. They are also known as Wahhabite jambiya named after the Wahhabi fundamentalists who were known to wear them. The sabiki is mostly associated with the Asir and Jizan region in the southwest of the Arabian peninsula but was in wider circulation."

Jim McDougall · 3rd July 2025, 09:43 PM

GP! BRILLIANT!!! Thank you so much my friend

very much obliged, just the description I needed.

gp · 3rd July 2025, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

GP! BRILLIANT!!! Thank you so much my friend

very much obliged, just the description I needed.

Happy to be of service, Sir !

kahnjar1 · 3rd July 2025, 10:41 PM

Wahabite is a term used by collectors and is not correct terminology for these daggers/knives. They are DHARIA (or Sabiki, Sabak et al). A book published by the King Faisal Foundation, Riyadh in 1991 (I have a copy) clearly shows these as Dharia.
If you go to gp's Post #7 above (last para) the dirivation of the term is clearly explained.
Some pics attached of Dharia I used to own.
Also more info here http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17574 including hilt and blade style names.
Stu

Jim McDougall · 4th July 2025, 01:52 AM

Thanks Stu, the name game phenomenon, collectors penchant for localizing terms with weapon forms based on predominant associations with certain groups, ethnicity or any number of reasons. I did see one reference that noted that the Wahhabite term was indeed used in 'western' parlance because these were so commonly seen worn by Wahhabite tribesmen, Ikhwan.

Beautiful examples in your collection, breathtaking! Thank you for sharing them....I was hoping you'd come in here..this is your area!

kahnjar1 · 4th July 2025, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thanks Stu, the name game phenomenon, collectors penchant for localizing terms with weapon forms based on predominant associations with certain groups, ethnicity or any number of reasons. I did see one reference that noted that the Wahhabite term was indeed used in 'western' parlance because these were so commonly seen worn by Wahhabite tribesmen, Ikhwan.

Beautiful examples in your collection, breathtaking! Thank you for sharing them....I was hoping you'd come in here..this is your area!

Happy to add my 2 cents worth Jim. Hope this clarifys things for you.
Stu

gp · 5th July 2025, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thanks Stu, the name game phenomenon, collectors penchant for localizing terms with weapon forms based on predominant associations with certain groups, ethnicity or any number of reasons. I did see one reference that noted that the Wahhabite term was indeed used in 'western' parlance because these were so commonly seen worn by Wahhabite tribesmen, Ikhwan.

Beautiful examples in your collection, breathtaking! Thank you for sharing them....I was hoping you'd come in here..this is your area!

Small addition :

The Ikhwan were not so much a seperate tribe but rather a militia made up from several tribe members :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhwan

Jim McDougall · 5th July 2025, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gp

Small addition :

The Ikhwan were not so much a seperate tribe but rather a militia made up from several tribe members :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhwan

GP thank you again for clarifying! Thats important to note.

3rd July 2025, 08:42 PM	#1
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 925	just for convenience sake disregarding the "western" Wahabite name-giving, I found some more info in order to oblige our dear friend Jim who started this most interesting topic ! Info from one internet site: "Sabiki is the Yemeni term for a large sword-like variety of the jambiya, the Arab dagger. They are also known as Wahhabite jambiya named after the Wahhabi fundamentalists who were known to wear them. The sabiki is mostly associated with the Asir and Jizan region in the southwest of the Arabian peninsula but was in wider circulation." Attached Images

3rd July 2025, 10:41 PM	#4
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,810	>NOT WAHABITE but Dharia Wahabite is a term used by collectors and is not correct terminology for these daggers/knives. They are DHARIA (or Sabiki, Sabak et al). A book published by the King Faisal Foundation, Riyadh in 1991 (I have a copy) clearly shows these as Dharia. If you go to gp's Post #7 above (last para) the dirivation of the term is clearly explained. Some pics attached of Dharia I used to own. Also more info here http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17574 including hilt and blade style names. Stu Attached Images Last edited by kahnjar1; 4th July 2025 at 12:12 AM.

3rd July 2025, 09:43 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,664	GP! BRILLIANT!!! Thank you so much my friend very much obliged, just the description I needed.

4th July 2025, 01:52 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,664	Thanks Stu, the name game phenomenon, collectors penchant for localizing terms with weapon forms based on predominant associations with certain groups, ethnicity or any number of reasons. I did see one reference that noted that the Wahhabite term was indeed used in 'western' parlance because these were so commonly seen worn by Wahhabite tribesmen, Ikhwan. Beautiful examples in your collection, breathtaking! Thank you for sharing them....I was hoping you'd come in here..this is your area!