Page 14 - Su'udi Relations with Eastern Arabi & Uman (1800-1870)

(d 179?) and his teachings, studied under the Shaykh himself and became a
teacher of Arabic in al-Dir‘Iyah, and then proceeded to write a biography and
compile the teachings of Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab, as well as trace the historical
evolution of the first Su'udi state. This piece of work consists of two volumes
different in nature. The first volume describes the religious and moral
conditions which prevailed in Arabia during the eighteenth century. It is also
an excellent source for the life-, ideas, discourses, and correspondence of
Shaykh Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab. The second volume is devoted to the
history of Su‘udl rule and expansion, and follows the usual form of annals,
beginning with Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Wahhab’s arrival at al-Dir‘iyah in
1159/1745 and ending in 1212/1797. A short manuscript of Ibn Ghannam’s
work concerning subsequent events was found in al-Riyad while preparations
were being made for the publication of Ibn Bishr’s work in 1349/1930. It is said
that this manuscript does not compare with Ibn Bishr’s account of the same
events.3 Ibn Ghannam was convinced of the uprightness of Ibn ‘Abd al-
Wahhab’s teachings and of the sincerity of earlier Su‘udl rulers in putting this
religious call into practice through persuasive and, if necessary, militant
means; accordingly, his writings make it clear that he sided with the Su‘udis
against their opponents.
‘Unwan al-Majd fi Ta’rikh Najd is another major source for the history of the
Arabian peninsula during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; it was
written by a Najdl scholar, ‘Uthman b. ‘Abd Allah b. Bishr (d. 1288/1871).4
Ibn Bishr studied under some of the leading ‘ulama’ of his time and developed a
keen interest in history which led him to write his invaluable book on the
foundation of the Su‘udl dynasty. This chronicle records the events which took
place in Arabia from the early days of Su‘udl rule until the middle of 1267/
1851, according to the traditional method of recording such events year by
year.5 Ibn Bishr drew his information both from the earlier accounts of Arab
historians, such as al-‘Isami6 (d. 1111/1700) and Ibn Ghannam, and from
information that he had gathered through his own or others’ observations.
Although he concentrates on Su‘udl rule and expansion, Ibn Bishr also
includes a consideration of previous events, which he calls sawabiq. These have
no relation to the main subject except as background to the history of Najd. Ibn
Bishr s book has far more information on Su‘udl relations with eastern Arabia
and Uman than any other Arabic source of its time. However, one must bear
m jnind that Ibn Bishr held great sympathies for the Su‘udl cause.
‘Iqd al-Durar7 and Ta'nkh Ba‘d al-Hawadilh al-Waqi'ah fi Najd8 were both
w ritten by Ibrahim b. ‘Isa, a native of Najd who travelled widely in Arabia,
ai- Iraq, and India for the sake of knowledge, but resided and died in his
homeland in 1343/1924. ‘Iqd al-Durar is the continuation of Ibn Bishr’s work,
an appendix covering events up to 1302/1884, while Tc’fikh Ba'd al-Hawadilh
covers the longer period which falls between 700-1340/1300-1921. The latter
wor deals with events which happened in Arabia and Najd in particular; it
f*nC CS- ^eilea^0S^es and obituaries of notable people and records the
loundation of certain towns in Najd. Ibn ‘Isa drew his information from earlier
aumormes such as Shaykh Ahmad al-Bassam (d. 1040/1630), Shaykh Ahmad
d' 1125/1713), Hamad b. LuW° (d. 1247/1831), and al-
m, whom he does not mention by name but quotes considerably.
nnj ^ a~Maknun12 is one of the contemporary sources for the period
aer discussion; it was written by Yasln b. Khayr Allah al-‘Umari (b.

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