Page 104 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

between ‘Abd Allah b. Ahmad and his allies and the Bahraynl troops resulted
in a heavy defeat on the part of‘Abd Allah. ‘Isa b. Tarif, chief of the Al Bin ‘All
tribe, was among the many slain in this encounter.833 Humiliated and
hopeless, ‘Abd Allah b. Ahmad journeyed to Masqat hoping to persuade its
ruler, Sa‘Id b. Sultaa, to assist him in restoring his authority in al-Bahrayn; he
died there shortly after, in 1849.
It was not until 1850 that Su‘udi-Bahraym relations again became strained.
Friction arose as a result of a visit made to al-Bahrayn by Muhammad b. ‘Abd
al-Rahim, a member of the former governing family in Sayhat.834 While in
al-Bahrayn, Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahim was treated with special attention by the ruler
of al-Bahrayn and, upon his departure, was loaded with presents.835 Such
favours roused Faysal’s suspicions concerning the possibility that the
Bahraynls might regain their former influence by making new connections
with their former allies in Sayhat and al-Qatif. Faysal therefore imprisoned Ibn
‘Abd al-Rahim and confiscated the presents he brought from al-Bahrayn. 836
Receiving this news, Muhammad b. Khallfah remonstrated against the action,
stopped the payment of zakah, and threatened to blockade the Su‘udi ports if
Ibn ‘Abd al-Rahim were not released. Muhammad’s behaviour only
aggravated the situation by adding to an already mounting mutual mistrust.
Within the year, Amir Faysal decided to reduce the dominions of al-Bahrayn in
Qatar and also on the island of al-Bahrayn itself. Accordingly, he led a large
expedition, composed of contingents from Najd, al-Hasa, and al-Qatif, in a
southward advance from al-Qatif to Qatar.837 His immediate target was the
town of Bid‘, about halfway up the east coast of the peninsula. This town was
the seat of‘All b. Khallfah, brother of the ruler of al-Bahrayn. A detachment
led by ‘Abd Allah b. Faysal stormed the town, forcing ‘All and his men to flee
to al-Bahrayn by ship.838 Eventually, the people of Bid*, along with those of
other settlements in Qatar, submitted to Su‘udl authority.839 Surprised by the
ease of the Su‘udi success in Qatar, Muhammad b. Khallfah offered to pay the
suspended sums of zakah to Faysal in an attempt to buy him off and stave off an
attack on the island.840 The latter rejected the offer; instead he invited the sons
of the late ‘Abd Allah b. Ahmad, who had taken asylum on Qays Island on the
Persian coast, to join him against al-Bahrayn.841 It is likely that if these
combined forces had attacked al-Bahrayn, the island would eventually have
fallen into the hands of the Su‘udls. Frightened by such an eventuality,
Muhammad b. Khallfah turned to the British to avert the invasion. The British
promptly despatched a squadron to al-Bahrayn and took the island under their
protection.842 The British move frustrated Faysal’s attempt and convinced
him that direct control of the place could not be gained, at least for the
moment, through military action. However, the Su‘udi subjugation of the
territories of the Al Khallfah in Qatar, along with the continued presence of
Faysal on the coast there, had a great impact on the ruler of al-Bahrayn, who
consequently sought peace and reinstated friendly relations with the Su‘udi
state.
While in Qatar, Faysal was approached by Sa‘id b. Tahnun of Abu ZabI,
who had probably been asked by the ruler of al-Bahrayn to mediate in the
dispute with Faysal. Ibn Tahnun’s mediation resulted in an agreement
between Faysal and Muhammad b. Khallfah on the condition that FaysaPs
supremacy over the island be acknowledged through Bahrayn’s payment of a
zakah amounting to $MT 4,000 and ten horses annually.844 In turn, Faysal

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