"ملف 61/11 V (D 95) مسائل متنوعة خاصة بالحجاز ونجد" [و‎‎١‎٨‎٧] (٥٣٠/٣٩٠)

ii between rival factions. Not impressive in appearance or conversation; still
'W somewhat of a sheep; but wears his recent dignities with an acquired air of
dignity, sobriety and sagacity, which may be a part of his success. May still
ring, have commercial interests, but has long been dissociated from the business of the
' 161 other Fadhls.
r oiirtt 13. 'A Mullah an-Nafisi.
•JlJ | Important as being Ibn Sa'ud's agent at Kuwait, where he is established as
% v a merchant and once did a large business in rice, &c. Now elderly and less active.
^ at liSeems sensible.
14. 'A hdullah Suleymdn al Bassdm.
A Nejdi, presumably a member of the Bassam family of 'Aneyza, described
in Philby's " Arabia " as having been formerly staunch adherents of Ibn Rashid.
^Appointed Inspector-General of Customs in 1930. Was said then to be a
eil tlot penniless man of no character who had lived for two years as the guest of his
Jasiiiii namesake the Minister of Finance. Now said to be on very bad terms with the
hiil latter. Another al Bassam was mentioned in October 1932 as the consignee of
atlilif; goods shipped from India to Uqair.
'Strong
stoy 15. 'Abdullah ibn Suleymdn al Hamddn.
Minister of Finance. Aged about 46. Of plebeian 'Aneyza origin. Started
life in a small way with the Qusaibis, originally, it is said, as a coffee-boy. Spent
ten years as clerk in their Bombay office. Returned to Nejd some twenty years
Me i ago. Said to have gone bankrupt as a broker. Recommended by the Qusaibis to
Appoil replace his brother, who had died, as a clerk in the King's Diwan. Rose to be
Isieihead of the Diwan. Became Director-General of Finance and had acquired
toiiegi complete control of all financial matters by September 1928, when it was remarked
Was»hat he travelled in greater state than the King himself between Mecca and
Jedda. Has since been the most powerful of the King's advisers. His position
was strongly assailed in October 1931 by a cabal, which included the Amir Faysal y
Fuad Hamza, 'Abdullah al Fadhl (perhaps a doubtful enemy) and Mr. Philby.
Was sent for a time to lend a hand with the Tawil mission in Hasa, but had his
rc ^' : place kept warm for him and returned to it. Was promoted in August 1932
'eatedi! f roni being Director-General of Finance to the post of Minister of Finance for the
toe Hejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies, thus obtaining the title of Wazir, hitherto
MM 1 enjoyed only by the Amir Faysal. Continues to be supreme in the financial
isedii administration and has his finger in many other pies, being in effect Comptroller
of the Privy Purse, Grand Master of Ordnance, Quarter-Master-General on
occasion, general manager of the King's establishment of slaves and pilgrimage-
organiser. Probably entirely faithful to the King, whose needs he supplies at the
expense of others having demands on the Treasury. A man of rather mean
Iw appearance, but emphatically a "live wire." Ready and energetic in conversation
and full of ideas about development. Detested by Fuad Hamza and not loved by
many. Has for some time been very friendly with the Indian vice-consul, and has
asf
of late been at pains to cultivate relations with His Majesty's Minister. Has
f 8 !, enriched himself and has built a pretentious house outside Jedda, which the King
^ made use of in April 1933. Has provided posts for two relatives, viz., his brother
^ Hamad {q.v.) and Muhammad, Director of the condensers at Jedda.
^ , 16. Ahdul-Wahhdb, Descendants of.
: f t The following seem to be the most notable of the descendants of the founder
of Wahhabism :—
prf (1) 'Abdullah ibn Rasan. —Is one of the leading Wahhabi Ulema in Mecca.
0 Played a role in 1926, with 'Abdullah ibn Blayhid {q.v.), in the Wahhabi purging
jjif! of the Holy Cities, and was in 1929 thought, like him, to favour the Akhwan
jjjjifi!' extremists. Signed the pronouncement of the Ulama in favour of Jihad at the
time of the Ibn Rifada rebellion in 1932. Now Grand Qadhi. Proud and
fanatical.
ujjSl (2) Muhammad ibn 'Abdul- Aziz ibn Sheykh, nicknamed as-Sahabi, formerly
up#; Governor of Taif, transferred to Riyadh in 1932 as Assistant to the Amir Sa'ucL
14 [8861] c