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Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.' [209r] (422/1062)
The record is made up of 1 volume (527 folios). It was created in 6 Jan 1929-15 Jan 1938. It was written in English and French. 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.
performing pilgrimage All this is against Ibn Sa’ud. What has Ibn Sa’n.l
done 1 Has Ibn ba nd erected an idol to be worshipped instead of God ? Has
he allowed intoxicants ? _ Has he permitted adultery and prostitution ? Has
Ibn Sa ud left the mischievous committing evil actions on earth ? What has
Ibn Sa’ud done contrary to the Shar’fa and against Arab manliness ?
By God, I fear the foreigner once but I fear those who pretend to be Moslem
three thousand Hmes. I hope the Moslems will excuse me for sayino* so. Bv
God, I am true in what I say. The Prophet was asked as to whether a Moslem
commits adultery, steals or tells a lie, and he replied for the first two in the
affirmative but for the third in the negative.
I swear by God that I do not tell a lie. This is the truth. What have the
Moslems agreed upon and striven for, and I hesitated to join them ? I delay or
advance as is necessary and I do not commit any action that may ruin my
country. When it is time for action, the disgrace rests with the one who is late.
If people give their wealth, I give mine ; if they sacrifice their souls, I do the
same to myself and my sons ; but as to exciting words, which bring more harm
than use to us, I have nothing to do with them * but if 'Moslems go forth for
action, it wiiPbe disgraceful for our honour, ours, the Arabs, if we fail to do the
same.
They say that there is famine in the Hejaz. They censure Ibn Sa’ud for
lack of rain ; they say Ibn Sa’ud is contracting a loan with the English, and Ibn
Sa’ud wants to do this and that. I have not taken away the money of the Hejaz
or its property but, on the contrary, I have improved the state of the Hejaz and
the Hejazis in this sacred country. I have, by the Grace of God, effected peace
on the roads and hand-cuffed the mischievous, enforced the religious law
throughout the Kingdom from the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
to the Red Sea and from Sabya
and Jizan to Qaryat al Milh. This is all from God ; ‘ It was not you who threw
when you threw, but it is God who threw ’.
They say that fhe Beduin are dying from lack of rain. God Almighty is
the effective cause and if he wanted to keep away rain from the Beduin what
can Ibn Sa’ud do 1 But the disgrace rests with the Moslems who prevented the
sending of the charities and Wakfs of the people of the two Holy Sanctuaries,
and who tried to make intrigue amongst people and prevent them by evil pro
paganda from performing the pilgrimage. As to the lack of rain amongst the
Beduin it is nothing disgraceful on our part, because it is from God, who must
be thanked ‘and praised for whatever He gives. This is not the case with the
Beduin of the Hejaz only, but it is the same with Palestine and ’Iraq too.
Nevertheless, God has been Merciful to His Slaves and He is the Most Merciful.
That is a thing which neither we nor they can avoid. If I could avoid it, even
had I to sacrifice my sons, I would not have hesitated about doing so.
By God, I.do not possess any money and my only properties are the sword
and the Qu’ran. The money of the Hejaz is for the people of the Hejaz ; and
I protect and defend them. I declare openly that if any one of the Moslem
Kings, princes or merchants wants to do a benevolent deed for the Moslems m
this country he is warmly welcome, provided he does not violate the honour of
our country, neither does he affect our independence or anything of our reli
gious matters. False statements shown in true appearance we do not accept
consent to, or even listen to. We must maintain everything offered to us by a
means in a lawful manner.
People have been confusedly talking about the untrue loan and fabricating
rumours. 1 swear by God, the only One God, that I have not contracted a loan
with the English or others, but perhaps we may need to take from the Moslems
or others, r but if it occurs it cannot be beyond the limits o± the Shar a am
should not affect the independence of the country and what it consists ot. it
there are any Moslems, whether a King or a merchant, who wants to help the
Hejaz and its people in the lawful way, I will afford assistance to im.
I also say that if anyone has advice to give us, Moslem
whether now, at another time between us and him, or in future before Moslem
Ulama.
By God. I do not agree to allow any harmful thing ‘"f^^^Jj^Yged
the Moslem countries. I look upon the old one as^ ' j god an d you
as my brother and the young as my son. This is W M,1 f> n d and nravers and
to follow, and facts are as clear as anything praise be to God and prayers and
peace he upon Muhammad, his relatives and men s.
Lc560FD
About this item
- Content
This volume compiles printed copies of letters, telegrams, memoranda and newspaper extracts relating to Britain's involvement across the Arabian Peninsula during the period 1929-1938. Whilst the correspondence encompasses all matters concerning British interests in the region, much of it relates to Ibn Saud [‘Abd al-‘Azīz bin ‘Abd al-Raḥmān bin Fayṣal Āl Sa‘ūd] and the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia). Matters discussed in the correspondence include the following:
- Reports of unrest in the Hejaz.
- Relations between Imam Yeha Hamid-Ud-Din [Yaḥyá Muḥammad Ḥamīd al-Dīn, Imam of Yemen] and Ibn Saud.
- Reports of raids and arms trafficking on the Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan -Nejd frontier.
- Reports of the proceedings of British naval ships in the Red Sea.
- Details of the Akhwan [Ikhwan] revolt against Ibn Saud, including the movements of one of the revolt's leaders, Faisal Dawish [Fayṣal bin Sulṭān al-Dawīsh], and his surrender to the British in Kuwait.
- Relations between Kuwait and Nejd.
- Relations between Iraq and Nejd, including a proposed meeting between Ibn Saud and King Faisal [Fayṣal] of Iraq, and reports of a treaty of alliance between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
- Objections from the Hejaz Government to Royal Air Force aircraft flying over Nejd territory.
- The purchase of arms by the Hejaz Government from Poland.
- Ibn Saud's annexation of Asir.
- The death of King Hussein [Ḥusayn bin ‘Alī al-Hāshimī].
- Harry St John Bridger Philby's conversion to Islam, his mapping of Rub-al-Khali, and his reported spreading of Saudi propaganda in the Aden Protectorate.
- The currency exchange crisis in the Hejaz-Nejd and the financial situation in the kingdom generally.
- Reports on a survey of the water and mineral content of the Hejaz coastal area.
- Relations between Soviet Russia and Saudi Arabia.
- The emigration of Jews from Yemen to Palestine, via Aden.
- British fears that Italy might harbour ambitions to annex Yemen.
- Saudi oil concessions.
- Italian-Saudi relations.
Prominent correspondents include the following: the British Agent (later His Majesty's Chargé d’Affaires) at Jeddah; His Majesty's Minister at Jeddah; the High Commissioner for Egypt; the High Commissioner for Iraq; the High Commissioner for Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan ; the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kuwait; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. (later Chief Commissioner, and later still, Governor), Aden; the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ; His Majesty's Ambassador to Iraq; His Majesty's Ambassador to Italy; the Secretary of State for the Colonies; the Minister (and Acting Minister) for Foreign Affairs for the Kingdom of the Hejaz and Nejd (later Saudi Arabia); Ibn Saud; King Feisal of Iraq; the Prime Minister of Iraq; various officials of the Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, the Air Ministry, and the Admiralty.
The French material in the volume consists of several items of correspondence and a copy of a treaty between France and Yemen, which was signed in April 1936.
The volume includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the volume by year. This is placed at the back of the correspondence.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (527 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in approximate chronological order from the rear to the front of the volume.
The items of correspondence are divided (roughly) into various sections. Each extract or item of correspondence within these sections has its own number, which is enclosed in brackets. These numbers proceed in ascending (and approximate chronological) order from left to right; however, the sections themselves proceed in reverse, from the rear to the front of the volume, in distinct groups (e.g. for 1929 numbers 1-23, which are located at folios 517-526, are followed by numbers 24-49 at folios 509-516, which are then followed by numbers 50-89 at folios 494-508, and so on).
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 529; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are 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.
Pagination: each section of correspondence within the volume (as described in the arrangement field) has its own pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English and French in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/2071
- Title
- Coll 6/8(1) 'Printed Series: 1929 to 1938.'
- Pages
- 47r:47v, 58v, 132v:133r, 154v, 158v, 166v, 167v, 174v, 185r:185v, 189v:190v, 200r, 204v:205v, 207v:209v, 220v, 225r:225v, 227r:227v, 228v:230r, 235r:235v, 258r:258v, 261v, 263r:263v, 276v:277r, 323v, 346r:346v, 352v:353r, 376r
- Author
- Um al-Qura xx Ummul Qura
- Usage terms
- Public Domain