'File 61/11 VI (D 102) Hejaz-Nejd Miscellaneous' [‎198r] (422/522)

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the tribe prior to his death in about 1870. One of his many grandsons, Ahmed
ibn Muhammad ibn Rafi'a, was chief in 1917. He came to notice in 1924 as one
of several Hejazi sheykhs who approached the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. in Cairo with a
complaint' of King Huseyn s tyranny and his inability to protect them against the
fahhabis. He appears to have been Governor of Dhaba in 1927, but in that year
the family were apparently in serious trouble with the Government, as it is said
that Ahmed and four others were " killed by Ibn Sa'ud," and others fled to Egypt.
Numerous members of the family were concerned in the rebel invasion of the Hejaz
by Ibn Rifada in 1932. Seven of them lost their lives in that adventure and five
more were reported by the Sa'udi commander to have been slain after Ibn Rifada's
defeat. Among the survivors was, however—
(1) Muhammad ihn [ ? ] ^4 hdurrahim ibn Alwdnihn Rafi'a, who was regarded
as co -leader with Ibn Rifada. He escaped, and after many vicissitudes left
'Aqaba for Egypt early in October 1932. May be the person against whom an
exclusion order was made in Egypt rather later, but whose name is given as
Muhammad bin Ahmed.
Another probable survivor is—
(2) Mahmud ibn Ahmed ibn Rafi'a, who ratted on Ibn Rifada early in the
rebellion and tried to make his peace with Ibn Sa'ud.•
Although the above summary cannot be verified at all points, it is inserted in
view of the obvious tenacity of the family hatred of Ibn Sa'ud, and the survival
of (1), who seems to have been an active leader and may crop up again.
93. TurM ibn Madhi.
Was in 1932 Inspector-General of 'Asir and was associated with Fahad
ibn Zu'ayr in efforts to make Ibn Sa'ud realise the gravity of the situation
preceding the open revolt of the Idrisi at the end of October. Identical wi ie
person mis-named at the time 'Abdullah ibn Turki ibn Mahdi, who, wi u-
Wahhab Abu Malha and two chiefs of Asiri tribes, was sent on a mission to tlie
Imam Yahya in June 1927. Took part in further negotiations with the imam
early in 1928. Would therefore appear to be one of Ibn Sa ud s experts in Asii
and Yemen affairs, but no further information regarding him is a i
available.
94. Weis, Leopold, alias M. A sadullah " Vyce.
yv eis, jueopooa, anas m. r
An Austrian convert to Islam. Born at Lemberg in
obscured by confusion at one time between him and a ^ erm r • r b e f or e
name. Appears to have embraced Islam with numerous Ge , ri ?^ s ^ n Tb c *
1926, under the auspices of Dr. Jabbar Khair, who if roduced him to Ibn Sa ud.
Came to Mecca apparently in 1926, and spentmos T n dia intending to
including a long sojourn in Medina, ^
go ultimately to China. By profession a puma . i conclusion
attaches; so much so that Dr. Jabbar Khairhiniself came later to the^cw
that his converts were Comnmn^Married several Arab girls, one
communities. Speaks Arabic and tair Jingus . lecturing tour,
of whom is now with him in India, where he is said to be on a lecturing
95. Yahya an Nasri. like most doct o rs , now
Principal quarantine doctor at p h u] v about 40. Studied in
employed by ihe Sa'udi Government^ yanbu , pleasant
Constantinople and Beirut. Previously q T , • ^ n( j French,
and well regarded by the Legation. Speaks Turkish and men
96. Yusuf Yasin. . . T sa id bv his enemies to be
Probably born about 1898. A Syrian ^. -^9^7' Joined King Faisal at
^ Yezidi origin. Was at school 111 Jeru on approach of the French
Aqaba and went with him to Damascus. ^ ^ 'Abdullah at
joined King Huseyn in Mecca. Attacnea y ^
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