'Personalities. 'Iràq (Exclusive of Baghdad and Kàdhimain), 1919' [‎88r] (180/318)

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MUHAMMAD ‘ALI IBN SAIYID YAHYA SARRAF.
Of Karbala. Aged 27. His father was a successful Sarraf and at his death left money
for the construction of the gate of the Mosque by his shop, dhe son, Muhammad { Ali,
is also a Sarraf and enjoys universal trust.
MUHAMMAD AMIN IBN SUWAIDAN.
Of Qarnabit, Ba'qubah district. Means well, but has not much authority. Is well
spoken of by L.P.O.
MUHAMMAD IBN ‘ARAIBI PASHA An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. .
Albu Muhammad. About a year before our occupation of ‘Amarah, he and Tahir al
Hatim, q.v., invaded and occupied the Khasaf tract of the Bahathah estate farmed by the
Sudan {see Mahud ibn ‘Ajil). ‘Araibi, in 1916, promised to make his son evacuate it, and
this was done. Succeeded to Chahalah Muqata'ah in December, 1917, on the death of
‘Araibi. Entirely under the bad and obstinate influence of Muhsin ibn Haji Habib, his
chief secretary. Lackadaisical, without initiative, and has little personality.
‘Araibi Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. was the most powerful of the Albu Muhammad shaikhs. Nephew of the
old Shaikh Saihud, and cousin of Falih and Hatim. A friend of the Shaikh of Muhammarah.
He was taken as a prisoner to Constantinople some years before the war, and spent a long
time at Salonika and Uskub. He married a Turkish wife, who was the mother of his second
son. His mother was a Bahadil, who had great influence with that tribe. He joined the
Turks in the early part of 1915, but he and his nephew Majid were accused of being traitors
and were sent away from Hilmi’s force. He corresponded with us through the Shaikh of
Muhammarah, and took an early opportunity of making submission.
MUHAMMAD IBN BADR.
Son of Badr Abu Hasnah, Shaikh of Albu Nashi, ‘Afaj, Diwaniyah district. He runs
the tribe lor his father, who is very old. An excellent shaikh.
MUHAMMAD BAQIR, QAlD.
See Muhammad Ja'far.
MUHAMMAD BAQIR SHABIBI.
Of Najaf. Brother of Muhammad Ridha, q.v., but intellectually greatly his inferior.
He was left in charge of a fortnightly review which Muhammad Ridha had undertaken to
edit under our auspices, but was not competent for the job. While in Baghdad a British
officer pushed against him in the street and knocked him down. He complained to the
Political Officer, and shortly afterwards resigned his work on the review and returned to
Najaf. He was an intimate personal friend of Khaiyun al ‘Ubaid, and it was through his
mediation that Khaiyun was reconciled to the Turks at the beginning of the war.
MUHAMMAD AL SHAIKH DAUD.
Of ‘Amarah. Arrested by order of G.H.Q., January, 1918.
MUHAMMAD BECx DILO.
Lives at Kahriz, near Khaniqin. Chief of the Dilo of Khaniqin. Employed by
British Government as head of irregular horse on north part of province. A man of
considerable influence, and good fighter, but very avaricious and of a sulky disposition.
Not very easy to manage. Displayed considerable courage and ability in the difficult
period of autumn, 1917, and preserved Khaniqin from a great deal of oppression by the
Turks. He is cousin of Khurshid Beg Dilo, who has been fighting against us. The
two are the last remnant of the old family of Dilo Pashas, once powerful in the Qarah
Dagh district. They are on bad terms.
MUHAMMAD AGHA IBN HAjI ELYAS.
Government agent at Qazani. He has governed Qazani with ability since the fall of
Baghdad and is much respected there. He is thoroughly trustworthy, and is very usefu
in all dealings with the Arab tribes in the south of the Mandali district.
MUHAMMAD AL FIRM.
Shaikh of the Firidah section of the Harb. Most of the sections are in the Hijaz,
but Muhammad has always been a man of Ibn Rashid s. He was with him in the spring
of 1916 in the desert outside Zubair, but when the Amir returned to Hail the Harb made
overtures to Dhari Ibn Tuwalah. In August they were at Chabdah with Dha ar al Burazi
of the Juhaish (Aslam).