"14/88 III B 33 جزيرة طنب" [و‎‎١‎٢‎٤] (٤١٨/٢٥٢)

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NO Til ON TH j : CUSTOM OF HOLDING PROPERTY" n IN COMMON".
I. subject is not an easy one and much, no doubt,
could be written about it, if one iiad the leisure.
Putting the case as shortly as possible, however,
one may say that land is held in the Arabian Peninsular
under two main systems:
(a) That of private ownership;
(b) That of Tribal Ownership.
II. Under system (a) which is confined almost entirely
to the settled or Town population of Arabia, an individual
buys or inherits his lands in the first place, (it may also
be a bequest) and on his death, it (the land) must according
to "Sheria^ Law, be divided among his heirs. The males
getting so many shares and the females ditto.
III. These heirs however very often arrange among
themselves, for either political or "family protective
reasons", not to divide the property, and elect to leave it
in the hands of the senior member of the family to be
administered and managed as the latter considers fit, they
the heirs getting their individual rights in the shape of
fixed share of the produce, or a salary, or both.
So long as the property is administered reasonably
well and individuals are properly treated, the system works
satisfactorily. But should the reverse take place, then
there is trouble as division into fair shares often becomes
a most difficult matter, especially after several generations
have held the property, without dividing it.
The same "protective instinct" which tends to keep
property in the hands of the head of the family, can
similarly be traced in the age long and practically
universal/