'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. I' [‎522] (553/1050)

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DHAID
Larak island also is inhabited by about 200 souls of Dhahuriym who are closely connected
with the people of Kumzar.
In the cold weather the Dhahuriyin of Ruus-al-Jibal live by fishing; in spring they
migrate bodily, leaving only caretakers behind, to Khor Fakkan, Dibah and Khasab
where they attach themselves to some of the permanent residents and bivouac in the date
plantations.
The Dhahuriyin are practically a part of the Shihuh tribe, by whom they are surrounded
and with whom they are closely identified, but they claim connection with the Dhawahir
of Baraimi; the Dhawahir, however, it must be observed, are Mawalik and Hinawiyah,
while the Dhahuriyin are mostly Hanabilah and Ghafiriyah, a circumstance which
renders somewhat doubtful the validity of the claim. The Dhahuriym do not admit
that they are in any way subordinate to the Shihuh ; they appear, except those of Maqa-
qah, Qanah, Sham and Sibi, who have perhaps closer relations with the Bani Hadiyah,
to be connected with the Bani Shatair section of that tribe. The Dhahuriym of Film
and Mansal are Shafi'is in religion ; the rest of the tribe are Hanbalis.— {Gazetteer of (he
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. .)
DHAID—
An isolated village in the heart of the great 'Oman Promontory; it belongs to the
principality of Sharjah and geographically and politically it is a centre of some import
ance in Trucial 'Oman.
Position, surroundings and climate. —Dhaidis about 30 miles east of Sharjah Town and
33 miles south by west of the town of Ras-al-Khaimah. It stands near the western side
of a level plain, which is about 15 miles wide from west to east and the same in length
from north to south ; this plain is bordered on the west and north by sand dunes, on the
east by the hills which form the backbone of the 'Oman Promontory,, and on the south by
the shingly plateau of Qallah Mahafidh. The main features of the Dhaid plain and some
other localities adjoining it are described in the last paragraph of the present article.
The plain of Dhaid is well wooded, containing many acacias^ and after rain it produces
in abundance a coarse tussocky kind of grass. In the summer months a dry hot wind
blows constantly at Dhaid, detracting from the amenity of the place which otherwise
would be considerable.
Village and inhabitants. —The village of Dhaid consists of about 140 houses, nearly
all date-leaf huts ; of these about 70 belong to the Tanaij tribe, 40 to the Bani Qitab,
and 30 to Na'im of the Khawatir section. The Tanaij and Na'im communities have each
a fortified mud tower for the defence of their separate quarters ; and on the east side of
the village is a four-towered fort belonging to the Shaikh of Sharjah. Dhaid is the head
quarters of the nomad portion of the Tanaij, but the Bedouins who frequent the plain
surrounding it are chiefly, perhaps, Bari Qitab,
Agricultural resources. —The date groves of Dhaid form an oasis about 1 mile in dia
meter. They are irrigated by a fine Falaj which comes from Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. Haqalah to the south
east and passes through the precincts of the Shaikh of Sharjah^s fort on its way to the
oasis ; the stream before it is tapped for irrigation is about three feet wide and two feet
deep, clear and transparent, and has a strong flow. The waters of the Falaj are carefully
divided up among the lands of the oasis, and the local representative of the Shaikh
of Sharjah is responsible for their correct distribution. In addition to dates a little wheat
is grown at Dhaid, and the inhabitants have the usual complements of domestic animals.
Administration. —The settlement is governed and kept in order by a Wali who is
directly under the orders of the Shaikh of Sharjah. This official is, at the present time,
a venerable old negro retainer of the Sharjah family, who resides in his master^s fort and
flies that flag of Trucial 'Organ upon its north-western tower. The annual revenue
derived by the Shaikh of Sharjah from Dhaid is said to consist of 100 Jirabs of dates, paid
as a royalty, and of $228 in cash recovered as a water rate from users of the Falaj. The
position of the Shaikh's fort is such as to dominate the Falaj ; but it is questionable
whether the possessors of the fort could seriously interfere with the flow or affect the
course of so strong a stream.
Political and military Although Dhaid is controlled by the Shaikh of Sharjah
he has not an exclusive interest in the place. His uncle Salim-bin-Sultan and the Shaikhs
ol Ajman and Hamriyah all own date plantations at Dhaid, and the unpleasantness ot
t e climate m the het weather months is givon as the only reason why the^ do not visit