'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎1238] (287/688)

MOR—MOS
Section.
Sub-section.
Fighting strength.
Remarks.
Shablb (Al) or Al
Bishr.
Hasan (Al)
20
Do.
Jahaish
35
....
Do.
Shablb (Al)
35
....
Do.
Zaqaimah (Al)
25
....
Do,
Zibdan (Al)
30
This gives a total fighting strength of 2,000 men, and the whole number of the tribe
may be roughly estimated at 7,000 souls.
Political position. —The Al Morrah are at present at feud with the 'Ajman and the Bani
Khalid ; and difficulties between them and the Turkish administration in the Hasa
Sanjaq are chronic. The Al Bahaih sub-section are particularly turbulent and obnoxious
to their neighbours ; in 1900 they massacred a Shaikh of the Bahrain ruling family with
a number of followers at the Bin-'Aqdan well in Barr-adh-Dhahran, where he had come
for sport; in 1902 they cut up a Turkish force near 'Oqair Port; in 1905 they committed
an unprovoked attack on Bahrain boats at Huwaiqll bay in Barr-al-Qarah ; and in 1906
they repeated their exploit against the Turks at nearly the same place as in 1902 and
in much the same circumstances.
The Al Morrah when pressed by enemies more powerful than themselves ordinarily
take refuge in the inpenetrable Jafurah desert but in 1902 the Turks, after the 'Oqair
outrage, succeeded in surprising a large body of them at the wells of Zarnuqah in Kharmah
and inflicted on them a sanguinary defeat. The Amirs of the Wahhabis sent frequent
expeditions against the Al Morrah ; but one only, led by the Amir Faisal, was partially
successful; his forces, however, reached the scene of action in such a feeble State, owing
to want of water, that he was obliged to be satisfied with a nominal arrangement and
returned to Najd vanquished rather than victorious.
In connection with their postal service in the Hasa-Sanjaq the Turks pay small subsi
dies to the chief Shaikh of the Al Morrah, to the Shaikhs of the Al 'Adhbah and Ghafran
eub-sections, and to Muhammad-as-Sa'ak of the Al Bhaih sub-section ; but these do not
avail to secure the good behaviour of the tribe, nor can any revenue be realised from them
by the Ottoman Government. About 1865 the Al Morrah were paying the value of
$3,000 as revenue to the Wahhabi Amir, and during the recent conflict in Central
Arabia they supported the Wahhabi cause, but they are not at present tributaries of Ibn
Sa'ud.
MORRAH (A l 'A li B in)—
A section of the Al Morrah tribe {q.v.).
MORRI—
The singular form of Al Morrah {q.v.).
MOSAL—
A hamlet in Dhafrah {q.v.), in Trucial 'Oman.
MOSHIJ— «
A village in Yemen, nearly 30 miles by road northward of Mokha and roughly midway
between Khaukhah and Marsa Faj rah. It consists of well built huts, situated near
a headland, and contains 500—1,000 inhabitants, two mosques and a shrine of one Abu