File 301/1921 'MESOPOTAMIA: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS' [‎277v] (567/586)

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24. At Najaf events took a somewhat different turn. After the surrender
of the town the inhabitants showed themselves eager to persuade the tribes
to abandon resistance and the trend of public opinion a gainst the Shi‘ah
clergy, who had led the people into error, was strongly marked. Conse
quently it was thought advisable to suspend demands which might have
checked the development of favourable sentiments and the terms drafted
have not yet been presented to the town.
25. On the part of the Shaikhs who had been foremost in leading the
rising, ‘Abdul Wahid of the Fatlah, ‘Alwan of the southern Bani Hasan
and Marzuq al ‘Awwad of the Humaidat, a determined effort was made to
refer negotiations to the Shaikh al Sharffah. In a letter to the High Com
missioner they protested against the proclamation to the tribes and claimed
that all discussion should be conducted with the Shaikh al Shari‘ah who was
the representative of public opinion. The Shaikh al Sharffah himself pro
posed that he should send representatives to Baghdad, but the High Commis
sioner refused the request, on the ground that it would be premature, as the
tribes were still in arms against the Government; at the same time he alluded
to the friendly relations which had existed between the Shaikh al Sharffah
and himself when he had been Minister at Tehran and expressed his surprise
at the reports he had heard of the part played by the Sharffah in encouraging
the recent rising against constituted authority.
26. If proof were needed of the activity which had been displayed by
the Shaikh al SharTah in encouraging the hostility of the tribes, it was fur
nished by a letter written by him to Salman al Dhahir, the senior Shaikh of
the KhazaTl. The KhazaTl are the former overlords of all the Shamiyah
and most of the Diwaniyah confederations, and though in wealth and direct
authority they have declined, their traditional prestige remains. They had
all shown reluctance to join in the rising, but Muhammad al ‘Abtan and his
brother Salman had ultimately become active leaders of the harbiyah (the
tribal force) whereas Salman al Dhahir had refused all connection with it
and had prevented his men from joining it. The Shaikh al Shari f ah there
upon sent him a strongly worded letter pointing out that it was the duty of
every Moslem to join the Mujiahidin (i.e., those engaged in Jihad) and that
the least he could do was not to hinder them.
27. The rapid development of the military position coupled with the
High Commissioner’s determination to adhere to the terms of his proclama
tion, brought the tribes to heel. The first to come in was Mizhir, one of the
leading Shaikhs of the Fatlah and uncle of ‘Abdul Wahid. He had never
taken an active part, partly owing to his enmity to his nephew. Salman al
Dhahir came in on October 29th, and was) sent back to bring in Muhammad and
Salman al ‘Abtan. They all made unconditional surrender on October 30th.
together with a number of Shaikhs of the Bani Hasan tribes and elements of
the Fatlah. ‘Abdul Wahid made surrender on November 4th, on the under
standing that his life should be spared, and on the following day the two
remaining chiefs of the Fatlah of Mishkhab, Mujbil and Taklif ibn Mubdir,
came in also. Except for a son of Saiyid Nur and a relative of Saiyid
Muhsin Abu labikh, none of the land-owning' Saiyids, who with ‘Abdul
. ai i ( l the two Bani Hasan Shaikhs, ‘Alwan and ‘TTmran, were the prin-
mpd- leaders of the tribal forces, have made submission, but by November
<th, ell Snaikhs and Sarkals of the southern Bani Hasan, except ‘Alwan al
v a ( uu. ia(l come in and the Fatlah and Ibrahim were diligently collecting
rifles, m compliance with the terms imposed. The paramount Shaikh of the
northern Bam Hasan, Fmran al Sa‘dun fled to Arqub al Qurnah, on the
o , ^!- t 1e f \ es . e r smi i.h Najaf. The encampment was attacked bv air.
^anid Aur and his family have gone into the desert and are said to be head
ing tor Madinah.
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*
DIWANIYAH DIVISION.
ami + h n Ye hfT a J eceived from the headmen of the Al Budair
their constant loyldtv. ° Wh ° t0 ° k n ° Part in the risin £> expressing
2ndt Th a e n!l 0 W 11 f 11 ili^a n h va ^! * ,ave a l so tendered submission (November
be given 611 ° aWait the arrival ° f column when terms will
Harchan Voo'eHle^wnn q K '”f Vy aader Sha ‘ lan Albu Chon and Ghathith a!
hold out - hrit ‘ A <i Hadi Muqotar and other irreconcilables, still
the Dhawalim h- '' a - 1 ’ ^ fbe Jayyash, who lie immediately below
disheartened ^id rea™ CtlnUssfo®'™ 11 40 be thorol,Bhl ' V
NASIRIYAH DIVISION.
Gharraf in''stir!■ im»■ U I! 1 +1 ri '^ played a considerable role on the
Najaf for the m t^i I , 1 le tribe s to Jihad, is a Persian who has studied at
ajat 01 the Past el ^ ht ^ ears - He is an ‘Alim of the 3rd Class, if indeed he
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