"دليل الخليج. مجلد I. القسم التاريخي. الأجزاء Iأ و Iب. ج.ج. لوريمر ١٩١٥" [‎١‎٠‎٦‎٤] (١٧٨٢/١٢١٩)

1064
Civilising
tondoncy r.t
homo of the
Wahbabi
government.
Religious
aspects of
the adminis
tration.
The tendency of the Wahhabi government in Najd, in comparison at
least with the system or no-system which had preceded it, was essentially
civilising. Among the principal objects kept in view were the establish
ment of law and order, the suppression of local wars and private feuds, and
the substitution for the latter of state-inflicted punishments and state-award
ed compensation ; and considerable severity was used in the prosecution of
these aims with the result that Arab license, though far from being
abolished, was tempered and held in check. Local responsibility for the
prevention of crime, especially robbery, was very strictly enforced ; and
punishment was even inflicted on bystanders who failed to interfere in
personal affrays. By discouraging facility of divorce the Wahhabi Amir
sought to raise the level of morality among his subjects. A great part
of the new system was repulsive to the Bedouins, who had been accustomed
to live by plunder; and the innovation of disregarding, in the case of
criminals, the ancient principles of tribal protection or sanctuary must
at first have been regarded with consternation.* The security established
by the Wahhabi ruler was, however, appreciated by the non-nomadic
population, though these too had their grievances; and, on the whole
public opinion appears to have supported the Amir in most of his reforms.
I unishments were severe, but generally took the form of fines beneficial
to the treasury; the death penalty however, though rare, was not
unknown, and was inflicted in cases of homicide committed with a danger
ous weapon. 1" or men of position the gravest penalty was shaving of
the beard, and enormous fines were sometimes paid in order to escape
this last extremity of degradation.
T he administiation was characterised by less of religious austerity
than might have been expected from the principles of those by whom
it was conducted. After the first few years it was not attempted,
eAen in Najd, to pi event the smoking of tobacco in private; and after
I S 10, an (ffoi t that had been made to avoid communication with heretics
having been abandoned as impracticable, commercial intercourse with 'Iraq
and Syiia was gradually resumed. The punctual and regular observance
o the fixed pia^eis was however enforced, when necessarv, by beating
mth sticks. The commercial policy of Sa'ud was liberal; and, though
y was f oi bidden, he did not interfere with speculators who bought
eap and held up their stocks, even in times of scarcity, for a rise in
prices.
^««xm protection ' 9ee pel,y,8 ^ ^ tfmee capital