Page 40 - Arabian Studies (II)

30 Arabian Studies II

Ibn Sand and the Germans

Before the war had been in progress for more than a few months, Ibn
Saud told me that four Germans had arrived on foot at al-Lauqa on
his northern (Iraqi) frontier seeking to come to Riyadh. He had had
them sent back into Iraq. The German Minister in Baghdad, who was
also accredited to Saudi Arabia, soon afterwards asked for permission
to establish a Legation in Jedda. Ibn Saud being a neutral, though
benevolent to us, found it a little hard to refuse, but he did delay and
at the same time informed the British Minister, He also sent one of
his Counsellors to visit the British Minister and point out how very
short they were of supplies. The supplies were promised. Ibn Saud
informed Grobba, the German Minister, that he might indeed
establish his Legation - ‘as soon as the German Army reaches Suez’.
He would have probably done the same thing in any case, but he
could not resist making his little deal with us over supplies.
In 1941 I rejoined the army, raising the Druze mounted force, but
later visited Ibn Saud several times from Cairo as liaison officer for
the Minister of State’s Office, and paid a special visit in 1944 from
London.
At the end of the War Ibn Saud abandoned his neutrality. I was
charged with asking liim if he were ready to do so. He agreed, and
said he had already considered it. In this connection I heard later
that he had already dealt with the matter in the way typical of him.

The Ulema and the War
^ mC seconc^ hand that he had sent for the leading Ulema
an hwan and asked them what they thought about his declaring
war on Germany. They replied, with hardly any hesitation, that it
was contrary to the Islamic precepts for Muslims to fight in a war of
Uinstians against Christians. He told them that he was happy to have
their view because he had been in doubt. Other Arabs were declaring
war on the side of the Allies, and in consequence — the war being in
its last days — they would be able to sit at the Peace Conference and
e Par* in the decisions on compensation and the peace terms. But
., s ^?u * ’ as now saw> not absolve them from the great error
they, the Ulema, had mentioned.
He then, as if that matter were decided, asked them if there were
any ng else that they wished to discuss before leaving him. The
Ulema began to look at one another. Then one spoke about not
being quite so sure about the matter he had raised, seeing that there