'File 35/134 I A. 40. Sur: Amirs of Jaalan' [‎43v] (99/596)

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A ppendix I.
Historical summary of the Bani Bu All.
A branch of the great Adnani tribe, Bani Temeem, which is now reduced
to a few widely scattered remnants. The Bani bu Ali may have immigrated
from Bahrein where the Bani Temeem were formerly strong. (Colonel Miles
and Imams, and Saiyids of Oman, p. 3^9).
2. During the Wahabi invasion of 1812-1813, Silim bin Ali, Tamimah
Shaikh of the Bani bu Ali, viho was hostile to the rule of the Imam Saivid
Said, became their supporter, helping them against the Bani bu Hassan, 'in
consequence of the part which Satim bin Ali took against the Bani bu Hassan
there was a feud between the two tribes which resulted in a fight wherein
Salim bin Ali and some of bis people were killed ; some of the Bani bu Hassan
also fell and as neither side would give in the war between them continued,
and has been carried on more or less constantly ever since.
3. Mahomed bin Ali, who succeeded Salim bin Ali, as Tamimah, seceded
from the tenets of the Ibadiyah and adopted those of the Wahabi, throwing
off the authority of the Imam.
4. In 1820, Saiyid Said having heard that Mahomed bin Ali had induced
many of the inhabitants of Jaalan to adopt his creed, and that the people of
Sharkiyyah had submitted to him, and that his followers among the el Ashkarah
had plundered many English ships wrecked there, applied to the English to
aid him in an expedition against Mahomed bin Ali and his confederates.
The Bani bu Ali murdered the messenger carrying a letter to the chiefs from
the British party investigating reports of piracy neir Has el Had. Captain
Thompson, in charge of operations, decided to avenge the act and with a
small force, consisting of six companies, sailed to Muscat where plans
were made for the Sultan to reinforce him at Sur. The conibined force
marched on Balad Bani bu Ali, j;he capital of the tribe, but proved
entirely inadequate and after attempting to take the town were sharply
repulsed. ^ Six out of eight officers and 270 men were killed In January
1821, Major-General Sir Lionel Smith sailed with two brigades to restore
BriLish influence in the Gulf Erom Sur, they also marched to Balad Bani
lu Ali which surrendered after most of the defending force had been killed or
captured. The Shaikh, Mahomed bin Ali, was deported to Bombay (Frontier
and Overseas Expeditions from India, Volume VI).
5. As late as 1845, the Bani bu Ali were strict if not fanatical in the
observance cf the Wahabi principles. They have since relaxed something rf
their rigour and have resumed the smoking of tobacco; but they continue to
be exact in their observance of the forms and times of prayer and are account
ed the most religious tribe in Oman Sultanate. They belong to the Wahabi
sect known as igraqah (Lorimer, Volume II, page 66).
6. In the early part of Saiyid Thoweynee's r.-gin the Bani bu Ali and the
Bam bu Hassan were almost constantly engaged in petty skirmishes against
each other in which Shaikh Abdullah bin Salim, the grandson of Mahomed
bm Ah, at the head of the Bani bu Ali generally won the day About the
same time a series of ^ raids were committed by the A1 Waheebeh against the
l>ani bu All, these raids culminating in a serious engagement at Theeleveh
m which Shaikh Abdullah greatly distinguished himself by totally defeatino-
and routing the enemy. ^
. Towards Saiyid Thoweynee his attitude was that of neutrality but
•Saiyid Salim during his reign having had reason to suspect treachery
?n u® :EI ! aawl g am son at Muscat, sent a laree present
to Shaikh Abdullah and requested his help to defend him in his posi
tion. Shaikh Abdullah gladly removed to Muscat with 300 men and
garrisoned it, but owing to the vacillatory policy of Saiyid Salim was
dismissed after a stay of 4 months and had to return to Jaalan. Soon after
S 1S -^ ly / Z ^ aD - i 311 ^ ai . S 0n comin g to P 0 wer summoned him and the other
Shaikhs of Bani bu Ah to Muscat to render their submission and on
their having refused to visit him, he marched against the Bani bu Ali
seized Majid, Thamees and Kashid bin Salim by treachery and threw them