The Ikhwan Movement and Tribal Politics (1912-1920)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to clarify the political perspectives of bedouins who joined the Ikhwan Movement. This study argues the process that the chief of the Mutayr tribe Faysal al-Dawish became a major Ikhwan leader from the perspective of examining the balance of power and the political rhetoric he used. Faysal al-Dawish had been an opportunistic bedouin chief and had resisted the expansion of the rule by Al Sa'ud before he joined the Ikhwan Movement. However, after the cities of the Qassim region were occupied by Al Sa'ud in 1907 and the northern desert became a target for tribal manipulation by the Ottomans in 1914, he reconciled with 'Abd al-'Aziz Al Sa'ud and pledged loyalty to him. Then he settled in hijrat al-Artawiyah. This was a political process of rational choice by Faysal to preserve political independence and to expand the territory of the Mutayr tribe as much as possible. Faysal engaged in propagating the Wahhabism to the bedouins since 1917 and started compeling his tribesmen to accept it by force in 1919. He voiced his opinion directly to 'Abd al-'Aziz that he wished to attack the enemy of the Wahhabis. He commanded an Ikhwan troop in the Battle of Hamd and the Battle of Jahra' in 1920. Thus, he became a leading figure in the Ikhwan Movement. However, relations between 'Abd al-'Aziz and Faysal were more complicated than to be simply called "Imam and subject." In one aspect, their relationship was an alliance which benefited both of them mutually in order to expand their territory. He never abandoned his ambition to expand his suzerainty. However, on the other hand, they were rivals in the fact that they were cautious about the increasing power of the other. They also competed for Islamic legitimacy in their political rhetoric.