File 87/1926 Pt 2 'Arabia: Bin Saud: Relations with H.M.G. Revision of Treaty.' [‎433v] (554/840)

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Orders have been issued for the destruction of the Tomb of Eve at Jeddah
and also for the demolition ol the Dar-el-Khazran (the place where Omar the Great
was converted). The birthplace ot the piophet ivloulid-el-Nabi has been
destroyed, and the place is overrun with pie-dogs. Such things as this are causing
much heart-burning amongst the pilgrims and all orthodox Moslems, and are not
in accordance with the assurances given by His Majesty prior to his advent to the
Throne of the Hejaz. One party of Indians were actually about to leave Mecca n
and return to India before the pilgrimage, stating that a pilgrimage under such
circumstances could not be regarded as a lawful pilgrimage.
The Dutch and Malayan pilgrims, even though the mutawwifs have been
ordered to bring them to the holy mosque, refuse to go as there is no Sheikh of the
Shaffi. and they consequently remain in their houses and make their devotions there.
This was confirmed to me by the Dutch vice-consul.
As clearly shown by the above it is manifest that Ibn Saud has changed greatly
and gone back on his many promises, as during the last year’s Haj he gave orders
for the rebuilding of the destroyed shrines and actually placed the contracts for
this purpose. to
Apparently also Ibn Saud is losing, temporarily perhaps, the firmness of
character which he originally possessed, and now acts in a very undecisive manner,
issuing and rescinding orders in almost the same breath.
The situation at Mecca is most unsatisfactory, and even the most fanatical
Indians and non-co-operationists are now stating that it is necessary for the British
Government to have a representative at Mecca to look after the pilgrims. A certain
famous Indian Nationalist, one Maulvi Mohammed Said, the superintendent of the
Madrassa Southiali, expressed these sentiments to me personally.
The economical situation in Mecca is also very bad, and the people have no
confidence, and although there are perhaps 10,000 pilgrims in the city business is
very dull and many of the larger houses which in an average season formerly sold
as much as £70 or £80 per day now do not sell goods to a tenth of that value.
Hejaz for the Hejazi as was at one time the local slogan is now devoid of
meaning from a religious point of view and mere empty words.
On the evening of the 8th I again went to the palace, and there I found the
Nakib-el-Ishraf of Damascus alone with the King, who w T as delivering the following
speech in my presence :—
“Everyone who comes to me warns me to be careful of the British
Government, as it is said that they are Avorking for disunity amongst the Arabs
in particular and the world’s Moslems in general, and that I am, in accordance
with the treaty between that Government and myself, a slave in their hands.
To-night is a Friday night, and the month the month of Ramadan, and I swear
this night in the name of the Almighty (four time repeated) that I have never
received anything from the British Government either in waiting or verbally
which indicates their desire for disunity amongst the Arabs, and I can prove
by the letters that I have in my possession that the British Government have
always tried to bring peace and prosperity to the Arabs. They also did their
best to settle the dispute between Hussein and myself, but Hussein would never
come to any decision, and upon this I wrote to the British Government saying
that I was obliged to take the matter into my own hands, and it was the sword
that settled the matter. In reply to my letter the British Government said
that they would be neutral and they kept their neutrality up to the very end,
and I cannot blame them. They kept their neutrality and they respect my
religion, honour and independence, and I am bound by my religion to respect
the treaty which exists between us by God " (repeated thrice).
During the course of the speech he also referred to the visit of the Persian
consul-general, Ain-ul-Mulk, from Damascus, who came to accord recognition to His
Majesty, and in this respect Ibn Saud said: “Only the other day the Persian
consul-general said to me that the British were like oil on water, and no mattei
how much you stirred the oil and water the oil would always come to the f°P-
Meaning that British and Arab ideals w T ere very dissimilar and the British always
wanted to be on top.
Speaking of the forces he could command, Ibn Saud said : “I am a strangei
even in Nejd, and I come from a place near Aleppo, and my present tribe does no
number even 5,000 fighting men, and w r e are the weakest of the Nejd tribes, u
we are bound to Nejd by my religion and our religion has strengthened us, and
can easily put 200,000 men into the field in a short period if the necessity arises,
and I can sacrifice myself and my w T hole nation for the cause of our religion.