Page 108 - The Origins of the United Arab Emirates_Neat

II, The Origins of the I’nitcd Arab Emirates

This time the renewal of hostilities prompted representatives of
the ‘Awamir, the Duru and the Al-bu-Shamis to seek the protection
of Ihn Jaluwi, exactly as their enemies had done a few years
earlier. The paramount sliaykh of the Bani Qitab,37 anxious to
avoid more trouble, went to his ally, Hamad bin Ibrahim of Umm
al-Qaiwain, and asked him to press the Manasir and Bani Yas
for blood-money. Meanwhile, Saqr bin Zayid and Rashid bin Mani‘
of the Manasir had gone on a scries of visits to Dubai, Sharjah
and Umm al-Qaiwain, in order to strengthen their unity, afraid
of the recent appeal to Hasa and the risk that it would cause
the entire area to be brought under Wahhabi influence. In order
to placate the Bani Qitab, whose friendship would be essential
in the event of any Wahhabi encroachment, Saqr and Rashid
agreed on the compromise suggested by Hamad bin Ibrahim: no
blood-money would be sought, but all captured slaves and camels
would be returned to their owners. Realising the obvious weakness
of Sultan bin Zayid and taking advantage of it, the Bani Qitab
and the ‘Awamir joined forces shortly after and raided al-Sumayh,
the place near Abu Dhabi town where Sultan and his brother
kept their camels; the raiders came away with forty-seven camels
after having killed two men. Powerless to do more, Sultan sent
Ahmad bin Hilal al-Dahiri first to Dubai and then to Umm al-Qaiw-
ain to complain. The ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain prevailed upon
the Bani Qitab to return stolen property, but the ‘Awamir would
not. Since Ramadan, which that year was to begin on 26 March,
was approaching, an armistice was declared; after Ramadan, Ahmad
bin Hilal and the rulers of Umm al-Qaiwain and Dubai would
reconsider what should be done.38
But much more important than the continued plundering was
the protection given by I bn Jaluwi to the ‘Awamir, Duru‘ and
Al-bu-Shamis tribes. In order to manifest his guardianship, I bn
Jaluwi first sent a strong force of the Al-Murrah tribe39 to raid
the Bani Yas and Manasir shortly after Ramadan, and then
dispatched an agent, Su‘ayyid,40 to Buraimi to collect zakat*1
Su‘ayyid was the guest of Ahmad bin Hilal in Jimi (a town in
Buraimi), and then went to Hamasah, sending his officials to collect
the zakat from the Duru‘, Al-bu-Shamis and ‘Awamir, at the rate
of 1 rival per camel and 40 riyals per goat.42 Collectors also went
to Baynunah, and forced the Manasir and Mazari‘ to pay zakat.
Sultan bin Zayid was totally powerless to prevent this, and this
caused his influence with the Manasir to diminish considerably.
Su‘avyid then informed the rulers of Abu Dhabi and Dubai that
the ‘Awamir and the Duru‘ were now officially under the protection
of I bn Jaluwi.43
The tribes that paid zakat to the Wahhabi agent did so to

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