ملف ١٩٢٤/١٧٠٧ "الجزيره العربية - تقارير عن الوضع في جدة. (١٩٢٤-١٩٣٠)" [و‎‎٣‎٩‎٣] (٨٩٨/٧٩٠)

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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty’s Cnvprnm^t i
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EASTERN (Arabia).
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[January 6, 1925.]
CONFIDENTIAL.
Section 1.
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t 1 Q2.5 1
No. 1.
Consul Bullard to Mr. Austen Chamberlain.—{Received January 6, 1925.)
(No. 116. Secret.)
Sir, Jeddah, December 11, 1924.
I HAVE the honour to enclose a report on the situation covering the period
the 20th November to the 11th December.
2. Copies of this despatch and of its enclosure ar e being sent t o India, Egypt,
Khartum (through Port Sudan), Jerusalem, Bagdad, Beirut (for Damascus), Aden,
Singapore, Bushire, Koweit and Bahrein.
I have, &c.
R. W. BULLARD.
s
Enclosure 1 in No. 1.
Report for the Period November 20-December 11, 1924.
THE Indian newspaper, the “ Moslem Outlook,” has cited the use of the term
“Wahabis” by the English press as an attempt to prejudice the Moslem world
against Ibn Saud. As several prominent Indian Mahometan Nationalists have used
the same term in interviews reported in the “ Moslem Outlook,” the charge need not
be taken seriously. Nevertheless, it appears to be true that the followers of Ibn Saud
object to the name “Wahabi,” and that they call themselves Moslems, or Ikhwan
(brethren), and claim to be plain Hanbalis, i.e., members of one of the four orthodox
Sunni sects. The common name for them here is “ Mudaiyinah.’ ’ This is apparently
a corruption of “ Mutadaiyinah ” (singular Mfutadaiyin) from “ tadaiyana ” = to
follow the (true) religion.
2. The proposal to bring down foreign subjects (chiefly Javanese) in caravans
under escort came to nothing, because the Hedjaz Government have no control
outside the defences of Jeddah. The Wahabis hold the road down to Bahrah, the
half-way halting-place, but from there to the Jeddah defences there are tribes which,
while nominally under Hedjaz Government control, would probably rob the caravans,
and the Hedjaz Government cannot provide an escort of “ regular ” troops.
Very few foreigners have reached Jeddah since the date of the last report.
They were all Javanese. Some of these maintained that the Wahabis had prevented
them from reading Maulids—the various lives of the Prophet, by which they, and,
indeed, most Moslems, set great store.
3. The Wahabis followed up the lessen to the Harb by nearly annihilating two
small tribes, the Bani Jabir and the Barakit, within 10 or 15 miles of Jeddah.
seems good evidence that women and children, as well as men, were killed Both
tribes had sent to Mecca and declared themselves to be “ Mudaiyinah, but they had
doubtless given similar assurances of loyalty to Ali, and the ruthless attack was
presumably meant as retribution for double-dealing. As a warning, the fate of these
two tribes has been most effective; it is unlikely that the Wahabis would have
anything to fear from the tribes if they advanced on Jeddah. Ali has lost ad faith
in the promises of tribal support, and, moreover, he has no money or supplies to g lve
the tribes, and without that not even promises are to be had. All Bedouin have been
sent away from Jeddah. This rids the city of a most disordeily and untrustworthy
element, and, moreover, helps to relieve the strain on the water supply.
The Hedjaz Government are therefore dependent upon the so-called legular
army, strengthened—or, at least, increased in number- by several hundred volunteeis,
most of whom are from the mandated territory of Palestine. The health Ox these
volunteers has been bad; a very high proportion have been suffering from dysentery
or malaria, or both. Many of them still want to get away, but this agency is acting on
a policy, approved by His Majesty’s Government, of refusing to receive applications
for release while doing what can be done unofficially to secure an improvement in
conditions.
[836 f—1]
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