File 705/1916 Pt 1 'Arab revolt: reports' [‎393r] (333/494)

Sh«i questioned about the Caliphate I bn sftjd eaid that none
A
of the -rab chiefs cared who was Caliph. Ko-one would gain any
prestige or control over M other chiefs from the title of Caliph,
because the tribes were too independent. lie believed that he
voiced the general view; but it must be remembered that the
bigoted puritanical Wahabi am of which Ibn baud is the official
head does not represent Islam in Arabia,
further, as has been shown in a previous report, Ibn baud is
too far from the Turkish sphere of activity, too unpopular in
hejaz ( owing to the memory of the bahabi invasion 100 years ago )
and too much harassed by the proximity of Jebel bhammar to be a
decisive force. similarly Ibn Hashid is surrounded by bitter
enemies. If Nejd and Jebsl Sharamar are neutral to one another
and to hecca, the therif will need nothing more of them for the
fulfilment of his aims.