Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān Āl Saʿūd and His Retinue**
Prepared by: Farḥān ʿAbd Allāh al‑Farḥān
The residence known as Dār Ḥawsh Ibn ʿĀmir—or Āl al‑ʿĀmir—was the home in which Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān, father of King ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd, lived during his stay in Kuwait.
Many Kuwaiti families that played prominent roles in the early history of Kuwait eventually lost their wealth and social standing over time—an inevitable cycle of life. Among these were the families of Aḥmad ibn Rizq, once the wealthiest man in Kuwait three centuries ago and praised by Shaykh ʿUthmān ibn Sanad in Sabāʾik al‑ʿAsjad; the families of Āl Ibn Nūmān and Āl al‑Ḥaddād; and others whose names survive only in the titles of old mosques, such as Masjid Ibn Buṭī and Masjid Saʿīd ibn Baḥr near the present‑day Qaṣr al‑Sayf.
Among these early families were Āl Ibn ʿĀmir, of whom only Aḥmad al‑ʿĀmir—the former founder and editor‑in‑chief of Al‑Watan newspaper—remains today.
This family, once among the earliest settlers of Kuwait, had been prominent traders of horses, alongside families such as Āl al‑Badr. A family of such stature naturally possessed a spacious and well‑located home, situated in the heart of the town near Barāḥat al‑Sabʿān and close to Kuwait’s main seafront market.
By the late nineteenth century, however, the fortunes of Āl Ibn ʿĀmir had waned, and their once‑grand house and courtyard stood abandoned. The house was adjacent to the residence of ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān Ḥusayn al‑Zankī, father of Ḥasan, ʿAbd Allāh, ʿAlī, and Mubārak, and his wife Humyān ʿĪsā al‑Ḥāy. The house can be located near Masjid al‑Baḥr, built by the late Muḥammad ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān al‑Baḥr on the site of an old prayer area that had once been part of the town’s ancient cemetery.
Arrival of Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān in Kuwait
As political events unfolded in Najd and the Arabian Peninsula in the late nineteenth century, Ibn Rashīd, the Ottoman‑appointed governor over the Saudis, betrayed them and seized Riyadh. Kuwait’s fortune was to receive Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān al‑Fayṣal Āl Saʿūd, who fled with his family.
History seems intent on recording the enduring affection, loyalty, and solidarity between the ruling families of the Gulf and Saudi Arabia—families that supported one another in times of hardship and offered counsel for the protection of their peoples. Thus, at the end of the nineteenth century, Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān found refuge with his kinsman Mubārak al‑Ṣabāḥ during the occupation of Riyadh.
History would later repeat itself when Sheikh Jābir al‑Aḥmad became a guest of Saudi Arabia during the occupation of Kuwait—an enduring testament to mutual affection and fraternity.
From Fajr al‑Riyāḍ: The Imam’s Journey
A passage from Fajr al‑Riyāḍ, published by the King ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz Foundation, states (pp. 39–40):
“Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān al‑Fayṣal, accompanied by his sons and family, arrived as a guest of Āl al‑Ṣabāḥ in mid‑1310 AH (1892), after a journey of nearly two years since leaving Riyadh. He had wandered through the desert, Bahrain, and Qatar before settling in Kuwait with Ottoman approval. A kinship bond existed between Āl Saʿūd and Āl al‑Ṣabāḥ, for Ṣabāḥ—after whom the family is named—was the son of Luʾluʾa bint Muḥammad of Banī Murkhān, the ancestors of Āl Saʿūd. Lorimer’s claim that the Imam resided in al‑Aḥsāʾ from November 1892 to 1897 is incorrect.”
The Imam and his son ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz lived near Mubārak al‑Ṣabāḥ, observing events in Najd, gathering news from travelers, and offering counsel. Meanwhile, ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz—his heart aflame with determination—longed to reclaim what had been taken. Letters from loyalists in Najd urging action only intensified his resolve.
Where Did the Imam Live in Kuwait?
For nearly a decade (1892–1901), Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān resided in Kuwait. It is historically important to identify his place of residence. His arrival was not sudden; preparations had been made, and a suitable home was sought. The abandoned House of Āl Ibn ʿĀmir was chosen—a large residence with separate quarters for women, a reception hall, livestock pens, and a courtyard opening onto Barāḥat al‑Sabʿān, where caravans unloaded goods bound for Najd. Nearby stood a prayer area that had once been part of the old cemetery.
The house can be located today by standing near Masjid al‑Baḥr, close to the present vegetable market. Facing the southeastern corner, one sees a café occupying part of the pavement extending eastward for about fifty meters—this marks the site of Ḥawsh al‑ʿĀmir, later known as the House of al‑Manāz, named after the palm‑frond cradles (manz, pl. manāz) once made there.
Adjacent to it stood the home of ʿAbd al‑Raḥīm Ḥusayn al‑Zankī. Another house belonging to Āl al‑ʿĀmir formed part of the present‑day Qaysariyyat al‑Muʿajjal, purchased by ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān al‑Muʿajjal in 1938. Both families—Āl al‑ʿĀmir and Āl al‑Zankī—thus had two residences in the nineteenth century: one near Masjid al‑Baḥr and another near the Mubārakiyyah School.
Life in Kuwait: A Hive of Activity
During his stay, Kuwaiti families held Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān in great esteem. He visited local dīwāns when invited, including the al‑Khamīs Dīwān in the eastern quarter, where leading figures gathered to greet him and discuss events—many contemplating preparations to reclaim Riyadh.
Prince ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz (later King ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz) was young when he arrived in Kuwait. He grew up in this house with his parents and siblings. He married Wuḍḥā bint Muḥammad ibn Barghash ibn ʿArʿayʿar, who bore his first son, Turkī. While the Prince coordinated with his brothers to retake Riyadh, she gave birth to Saud (later King Saud).
The household was constantly busy receiving guests, and the mother’s milk eventually ran dry. Their neighbor, Humyān ʿĪsā al‑Ḥāy, wife of ʿAbd al‑Raḥīm al‑Zankī, took on the responsibility of nursing the infant Saud until the family departed Kuwait for Najd. This was a profound act of neighborly loyalty—mirroring the loyalty between nations.
The house of Āl al‑ʿĀmir was a hive of activity, with travelers arriving from Barāḥat al‑Sabʿān bringing news from Najd. Nearby lived Āl al‑Nafīsī, who had accompanied the Imam to Kuwait and later served as representatives of King ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz, facilitating the affairs of Kuwaitis with Saudi Arabia.
The Young ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz: A Vision Fixed on Riyadh
Throughout his youth, ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz’s mind was consumed with the dream of reclaiming Riyadh. When asked whether Kuwait or Bahrain was better, he would immediately reply: “Riyadh.”
On his way with his father to visit Sheikh Mubārak al‑Ṣabāḥ in al‑Surra, he would turn toward the qiblah—toward Najd. This unwavering orientation shaped his destiny, enabling him to reclaim Riyadh, then Najd, and ultimately unify the Kingdom. Through this, God granted the Arabian Peninsula the peace and stability it enjoys today.
Conclusion
These are preliminary outlines of the residence and life of Imam ʿAbd al‑Raḥmān and his son King ʿAbd al‑ʿAzīz during their decade in Kuwait at the end of the nineteenth century.