'Personalities. 'Iràq (Exclusive of Baghdad and Kàdhimain), 1919' [‎97r] (198/318)

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muhsin ibn SAIYID ‘ABBAS, saiyid.
Head of the Naqib Zadah of Karbala, a wealthy family of landowners settled in the
town since the time of the Safawids. Many of the family have held the post of Kiliddar
in the past. Saiyid Muhsin is 45. He is pro-British in sympathy, but a man of no great
intelligence.
MUHSIN ABU TAB'IKH, SAIYID.
The largest landowner in Shu'bat Ghammas, Shamiyah division, with ‘Abdul 'Abbas
of the Bani Zuraig, the largest tapu owner on the Shatt al Hillah, Samawah district. Shi'ah.
Age about 36. Has considerable influence, which he is ready to use at any time on behalf
of Government, if it suits his pocket. Thoroughly crafty and untrustworthy, and should
always be most carefully watched. .His ruling passion is money. Pro-Turkish at heart,
and was suspected of complicity in a plot to murder the P.O’s of the Shamiyah in February,
1918, though there was no proof against him. A shrewd business man. The family
moved up from Hasa about 200 years ago, they own land at Al Hillah, Chamchah, as well
as in Ghammas and on the Shatt.
MUHSIN AL ‘ARS, HAjI.
Merchant, brother of Haji ‘Ali. Implicated very largely in the fortunes of the Sudan
Estate. His property was confiscated by the Turks on account of arrears. The matter
will be considered after the war.
MUHSIN IBN HAJI HABIB, MULLA.
Secretary to Muhammad ibn ‘Araibi. The management of the Chahalah estate is
said to be entirely in his hands. His influence is not a good one. Untrustworthy. A man
of strong character, and from the point of view of satisfying Government demands for
grain, etc., of undoubted value. He believes in strong methods with sarkals and fallahs Arabic for ‘peasant’. It was used by British officials to refer to agricultural workers or to members of a social class employed primarily in agricultural labour. .
Hence, no doubt, his success. Indispensable to the effeminate Muhammad. The com
bination of the two is useful, and as Mulla Muhsin has been threatened with explusion
from the district if he offends the canons of ordinary justice he is probably behaving
himself.
MUHSIN AL MUHAMMAD YASIN.
Son of the former Shaikh of the Maiyah (B. Rabi ah) on the left bank of Gharraf
below Hai, and brother of the present Shaikh, ‘Abdullah. A young man of about 26,
less ambitious and capable than his brother, but active and energetic in the management
of his estates and tribes. He is completely led by his brother, and at present is not alto
gether satisfactory. Left alone, however, he would be content to look after his lands
and be quite a satisfactory Shaikh.
MUHSIN IBN NAJM.
See ‘Abdullah al Haji Hammadi.
f
MUHSIN QAZWlNI, SAIYID.
Head of the Qazwini family in Najaf. His brother, Saiyid Muhammad, ‘Ah of Hillah,
and his uncle, Saiyid Hadi, of Hindiyah, are well known and influential.
MUHSIN SHALLASH, HAjI.
Of Najaf, Buraq quarter. The richest financier and
invaluable work during the blockade. A man of great acumen and ^ f
He can be relied upon to give sound advice, and to be of great assistance in the matter o
municipal improvements and projects. He is the Manager o e ^ q
and has his finger in every pie. In political matters e is, , other. He
very naturally, in matters which may affect his own poc e , o J f interests there
should, therefore, be treated with considerable care as owing to hls ^
are ve^y few matters which do not affect him and it is valuable to find out what his
interests may be in any particular matter, before seeing im 1 • ™ ^ •
His brother, Haji Rfiuf, is able, but entirely overshadowed by Hap Muhsm.
4UHSIN IBN SAIYID ‘UQLAH. . . ^ v
Farmer under ‘Usman al Yasir and much respected m ‘'; e ^^ULSntenigence:
His brother, Saiyid Muhammad, has a farm also, bu is ver y Michariyah refused
They, in conju/ction with all the Albu M^ammad farmers onfte M.chanyah^re ^
to take up their leases for the rice season of 1917, &
the irrigation had any probability of success.