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'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [87r] (186/454)
The record is made up of 1 volume (223 folios). It was created in 23 Jun 1934-30 Apr 1936. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
THIS DOCUMEMT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GO¥ERNMENT
II
h
EASTEEN (A rabia).
CONFIDENTIAL.
April 8, 1935.
S ection 6.
[E 2302/7/25] No. 1.
Sir A. Ryan to Sir John Simon.—{Received April 8.)
■(No. 86.)
Sir, Jedda, March 22, 1935.
I HAD the honour to inform you briefly in my telegrams Nos. 60 and 61 of
the 15th March of the attack on Ibn Saud and the heir apparent in Mecca that
morning. As usual on such occasions, the affair rapidly became the subject of a
mass of varying and often conflicting rumours, but none of the variants appeared
to me to be of sufficient importance to telegraph. I now enclose translations of
two communiques which were telegraphed to the foreign missions on the 15th and
20th March.(^ These, especially the latter, are probably more trustworthy than
any of the numerous other versions that have reached me.
2. The facts that the attempt was made within the precincts of the mosque
and was made during the greatest festival of the Moslem year not only add to its
dramatic interest but invest it in the eyes of Moslems with a peculiarly
sacrilegious character. The religious law may be susceptible of different inter
pretations, but the broad principles may be summed up in the statement that
gratuitous bloodshed, whether of man or animals, is at all times forbidden in the
sacred precincts of Mecca and that the festival entails a sort of Truce of God
between enemies. The principles are so strongly held that the question may be
raised in quarters critical of Ibn Saud whether the slaying of his assailants in the
Holy Place was not more than was necessary to stay their impious hands and there
fore unlawful. The historical instances of bloodshed in the actual mosque would
appear to have been extremely rare. Indeed, one informant states that the only
case on record is that mentioned in Muir's Life of Muhammad (p. 410 of the 1923
edition), and that that is doubtful.
3. Even the second communique leaves certain points indeterminate. It
is not clearly stated that the two policemen, who were struck down, lost their lives,
but it is probable that one if not both were killed. The wound of the heir apparent
is understood to have been rather more serious than is implied, but in any case it
was not grave. It is tacitly suggested that the King suffered no hurt. I am
assured, however, that he was slightly wounded in the leg by flying splinters. It
was thought at first that a bomb might have been thrown, but the more accredited
theory now is that the splinters were struck out of the marble pavement by the
firing of the guards. The communique discloses doubt regarding a point of some
importance, i.e., whether there was a fourth assailant, who got away.
4. There was some panic in Mecca and a great deal at Mina, where large
numbers of pilgrims were congregated for the festival. There is no doubt that
feeling in the King's entourage was greatly inflamed. There was talk of a general
onslaught on Yemenis and of arresting Abdullah-al-
Wazir
Minister.
, who, as you will
remember, came to the Hejaz last year for the peace negotiations and established
intimate personal relations with Ibn Saud and who is now back again as a greatly
honoured pilgrim. Happily, the King himself displayed both courage and good
sense. It appears to be true that he and the heir apparent completed the seveniold
circuit of the Kaaba, though I believe that they abandoned the further rite oi
passing the prescribed number of times between Safa and Maiwa. Ine b^uig,
moreover, gave stringent orders that there were to be no gratuitous repiiSials. Ine
police are said to have made a good many arrests, and even to have used toiture,
but there was no promiscuous attack on Yemenis, which might have e o
massacre
5. There have naturally been various theories as to the origin of the incident.
Some suggest that it was due merely to the indignation of the assailants at being
thrust aside by the guards to make way for the King. Yemenis are said to be very
(juick with their daggers, when offended. This theoiy is possible, but on the who e
improbable, as, if the men had not gone to Mecca with the special object o ma i g
( l ) Not printed.
[381 h—6]
About this item
- Content
The volume contains letters, telegrams, and memoranda relating to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Most of the correspondence is between the British Legation in Jeddah, the Foreign Office in London, the Political Residencies in Bushire and Aden, the Political Agencies in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Muscat, the High Commissioner in Trans-Jordan, the British Embassy in Baghdad, the Colonial Office in London, the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. in London, the Government of India, and Ibn Sa'ud.
The volume covers a wide range of subjects, including:
- the dispute between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, including issues of the translation of the Treaty of Taif;
- the planning, development, and financing of roads;
- the differing characters of two of Ibn Sa'ud's sons, Amirs Sa'ud and Faisal;
- the appointment of new ministers in the Saudi Arabian government;
- the slave trade in the region;
- an Egyptian commercial and financial mission to the country led by Talaat Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. Harb;
- a general amnesty for all 'political offenders' given by Ibn Sa'ud;
- new regulations on foreign ownership of property;
- Ibn Sa'ud's effort to improve the Saudi Arabian standing army;
- the French upgrade of their Consulate in Jeddah to a Legation;
- the general financial situation in Saudi Arabia;
- the proposal to restore the Hejaz Railway, including the lead up to a conference on the matter in Haifa in October 1935;
- an attempt on Ibn Sa'ud's life in Mecca;
- Saudi-Soviet relations;
- the activities of the Saudi Arabia Mining Syndicate;
- Amir Sa'ud's visit to Europe;
- the death of 'Abdullah ibn Jiluwi, Amir of Hasa;
- the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the League of Nations;
- new Saudi regulations on the importation, sale, and possession of firearms;
- officer training for Saudis and Yemenis in Iraq;
- the introduction of a special import tax at Jeddah to fund local schools;
- Anglo-Italian relations;
- the proposal to renew the Treaty of Jeddah of 1927;
- unrest in Hasa due to the imposition of a 'jihad tax' on those who did not take part in recent fighting on behalf of the Kingdom.
Notable in the volume is an interview with Fuad Bey Hamza, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, extracted from the newspaper Ayyam (folio 34).
At the back of the volume (folios 207-213v) are internal office notes.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (223 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged chronologically.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: The sequence begins on the first folio and continues through to the inside back cover. The numbers are written in pencil, circled, and located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. There are the following irregularities: 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D; 88, and 88A; 165 and 165A. There is a second foliation system that is uncircled and inconsistent.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/R/15/1/570
- Title
- 'File 61/11 VII (D 122) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 1Ar, 1Av, 1Br, 1Bv, 1Cr, 1Cv, 1Dr, 1Dv, 2r:42v, 44v:81v, 82v, 83v:88v, 88Ar, 88Av, 89r:92v, 92Ar, 92Av, 93r:94v, 95v:142v, 143v:149v, 155v:165v, 165Ar, 165Av, 166r:217v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence