The Buraimi Oasis is a region where the borders of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia meet those of the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula.
Buraimi was among the regions that declared their allegiance to the First Saudi State during the reign of Imam Saud ibn Abdulaziz—may God have mercy on him—in the year 1225 AH. During the era of the Second Saudi State, its imams appointed governors to administer Buraimi on their behalf, the last of whom was Prince Turki ibn Ahmad al‑Sudairi—may God have mercy on him—who built a palace there that came to be known by his name (al‑Sudairi Palace).
This coincided with the period of British presence in the Gulf region. Britain was primarily concerned with the coastal areas and neglected the interior, and thus had no objection to the extension of Saudi influence into this region.
However, after Britain failed in its attempt to explore for Saudi oil in the Eastern Province—an endeavor that led King Abdulaziz, may God have mercy on him, to entrust the task to the American company Standard Oil of California, which succeeded—relations between Saudi Arabia and Britain deteriorated. Britain then exploited its protectorate over Muscat and Abu Dhabi (at a time when King Abdulaziz had not yet concluded boundary‑demarcation agreements with Britain regarding that region). Britain claimed that the Buraimi Oasis belonged to its two protectorates, Muscat and Abu Dhabi.
Accordingly, in 1369 AH, Britain prevented Saudi Arabia from conducting exploration in the area on the grounds that it was disputed territory, yet in the following year, 1370 AH, it permitted itself to do precisely what it had forbidden Saudi Arabia from doing. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia protested, and exploration activities in the region were halted. King Abdulaziz then issued an order forming a civil mission to administer the Buraimi area, headed by Prince Turki ibn Atishan—may God have mercy on him—who assumed his duties in 1372 AH / 1952 CE. Britain, however, besieged him inside the Buraimi Oasis.
In 1374 AH, representatives of Saudi Arabia and Britain met in France and signed an agreement referring the case to the International Arbitration Tribunal in Geneva. Yet in 1375 AH, Britain instructed its representative to resign and proceeded to invade the Buraimi Oasis by military force. This provoked King Saud—may God have mercy on him—who lodged a strong protest against Britain, demanded its immediate withdrawal from the region, and reinforced his position by submitting a formal complaint to the Security Council and the United Nations.
At that point, the sheikhs and notables of every region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia sent telegrams declaring their readiness to fight Britain in the Buraimi Oasis. Below are selected texts of those telegrams sent by the people of the northern regions, with particular focus on the people of al‑Jouf and al‑Qurayyat. I say, with God’s help:
First: Telegrams published on Sunday, 11 Rabi‘ al‑Thani 1375 AH / 27 November 1955 CE
- ‘Ashiq al‑Lihawi, on behalf of the Shararat tribe:
“To His Majesty the revered and exalted King: We have learned of the distressing news of the English occupation of Buraimi. The Shararat tribe has unanimously resolved to prepare, with all that it possesses in life and wealth, for jihad in the cause of God under your banner. May God preserve and sustain you.” - Muhammad ibn Wardah, on behalf of the al‑Madi clan of the Shararat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We, your subjects of the al‑Madi clan, offer ourselves for jihad in the cause of God until the enemies of God are expelled from Buraimi. May God uphold your honor.” - Saḥn al‑Faqir, on behalf of the Banu Wahb clan of the ‘Anazah tribe in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the English entry into Buraimi, and we stand ready for jihad in the cause of God until they are driven out. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims.” - Salman ibn Samhan and Jad‘an al‑Lihawi, on behalf of the people of al‑‘Uyūn al‑Bayḍ in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the armed English aggression against Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims under your banner.” - ‘Ayd ibn Muṣbah and Sumayhan ibn Ḥamud, on behalf of the al‑‘Awazim clan in Jamājim, al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the British aggression against Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims under your banner.” - Muhaylan ibn Khunay‘ān, on behalf of the people of al‑‘Aḍaymāt in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the British aggression against Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims under your banner.” - Mu‘taq ibn Wardah, on behalf of the people of al‑Zuwayqi‘ in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the revered King: We have heard of the British entry into Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims under your banner.” - Fayḥmān Abu Shāmah, on behalf of the Baliyy tribe in Wadi al‑Sirḥān:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the English entry into Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims.” - Suwailim ibn Duwayrij, on behalf of the Salim clan of the Shararat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the British treachery in Buraimi, and we are prepared to struggle in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims.” - Muṭi‘ al‑Ramāli, on behalf of the people of al‑Jufayrāt in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the British assault on Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims.” - Khalaf al‑Fulayyū, on behalf of the people of Qulayb Khuḍr in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: We have heard of the English entry into Buraimi, and we are prepared for jihad in the cause of God until they are expelled. May God strengthen Islam and the Muslims under your banner.”
Second: Telegrams published on Wednesday, 28 Rabi‘ al‑Thani 1375 AH / 14 December 1955 CE
- Muhammad ibn Darzi, chief of the Dughmī al‑Ruwalah in al‑Jouf:
“My lord, the exalted King: We have learned of the vile English aggression against the Buraimi Oasis, which is an inseparable part of our beloved Kingdom. My tribe and I, along with our wealth, stand at your noble disposal for jihad in the cause of God.” - ‘Abdullah Malbas al‑Jabrin al‑Shammari, on behalf of his group in Hail:
“My lord, Your Majesty the exalted King: I volunteer myself and my followers from both settled and nomadic communities for the Buraimi War. We place ourselves entirely at your command for this cause or any similar one, and we ask your permission to do so. May God protect you.” - Kāsib ibn ‘Abkali, on behalf of the Shalqān tribes of ‘Ar‘ar:
“My lord King Saud: We have learned of the British aggression against the Buraimi Oasis, and my clan and I stand at Your Majesty’s disposal to defend our beloved homeland.” - Ibrahim al‑Salim al‑Nabhan, from Hail:
“My lord, His Majesty the exalted King—may God support him: Since we heard of the English aggression against Buraimi, we have been in growing distress. As I send this telegram, I offer myself, my wealth, and my son to Your Majesty’s command in response to this heinous act of aggression. May God preserve you as a shield for the nation and a source of honor for Islam.”
Third: Telegrams published on Sunday, 3 Jumada al‑Ula 1375 AH / 18 December 1955 CE
- Ḥāmid ibn Maqnāt al‑Sharari, from ‘Ar‘ar:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: On behalf of the Shararat tribe in general and the al‑‘Azzām clan in particular, we offer our wealth and our men as a sacrifice for our beloved homeland. We stand with Your Majesty in repelling the English aggression against the Buraimi Oasis. May God support you, my lord; we await your command to fulfill our solemn duty.” - Ḥamzah Abu Sālim, from Ṭurayf:
*“My lord, the exalted King: All of Arabia calls upon you to strike the hands of the treacherous. We value Your Majesty’s response to the Islamic peoples:
If the enemy musters an army of cruelty,
We shall build from patient resolve our fortress strong.”
Fourth: Telegrams published on Wednesday, 20 Jumada al‑Ula 1375 AH / 4 January 1956 CE
- ‘Amāsh al‑Jarid, chief of the Ḍubā‘īn al‑Shararat in al‑Jouf:
“My lord, His Majesty the revered King: The Shararat tribe has gathered with its forces and wealth, urging us to march with twenty thousand fighters to defeat the usurper of our beloved Buraimi. It is my honor to convey to Your Majesty their patriotic zeal for jihad in defense of the homeland under your victorious banner. May God preserve you and bring defeat to the colonizer at your hands.” - Farḥān ibn Raḥīl ibn ‘Aṭiyyah, from Tabuk:
“Your Majesty the exalted King—may God support him: We have heard of the grievous incident in the Buraimi Oasis, which is part of Saudi territory. Therefore, we offer ourselves and our wealth to Your Majesty for jihad in the cause of God and the homeland. May God sustain and grant you victory.” - Jalāl ibn Hishāl, from Qārā in al‑Jouf:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: My sons and I denounce the English aggression against the Saudi land of Buraimi, and we offer ourselves as a sacrifice to defend our beloved land under Your Majesty’s command. May God strengthen you for the sake of Arabism and Islam, my lord.” - Falah al‑Zāyid al‑Ṭuwaiyān and his brother Ṣāliḥ, from ‘Ar‘ar:
“My lord, His Majesty the King: Your servant offers himself, his children, and all he owns for jihad in the cause of God and the homeland.” - Salim ibn ‘Uwayḍ al‑Ḥumaydi, from Tabuk:
“My lord, His Majesty the exalted King: I offer my wealth, my children, and all that I possess as a sacrifice for Your Majesty and for the homeland.”
Fifth: Telegrams published on Tuesday, 26 Jumada al‑Ula 1375 AH / 10 January 1956 CE
- Qāsim al‑Qars al‑Rashāyidah al‑Sharari, from al‑Jufayrāt in al‑Qurayyat:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: Following the British aggression against a part of our beloved homeland—the Buraimi Oasis—I offer myself, my children, and my group, whose number exceeds one thousand men, for jihad in the cause of God. We request that Your Majesty register us with the first contingent sent to fight. May God uphold your honor, my lord.” - Muḥaysin ibn ‘Aqil al‑‘Uday, on behalf of the people of Wadi Sāḥil on the Gulf of Aqaba:
“My lord, King Saud ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud: On my own behalf and on behalf of the Masa‘id clan, I declare our condemnation of the English aggression against the Saudi Buraimi Oasis. We offer ourselves and all that we possess for jihad in the cause of God and as a sacrifice for Your Majesty’s throne and our beloved homeland, my lord.”
Sixth: Telegrams published on Friday, 20 Jumada al‑Akhirah 1375 AH / 3 February 1956 CE
- Manūkh ibn Du‘ayjā’, chief of the Ḥilsah of the Shararat in al‑Jouf:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: The Ḥilsah of the Shararat offer their wealth as a sacrifice for Your Majesty and the homeland, asking God to preserve you as a protector of Muslims and Arabism, and to grant you victory over your enemies.” - Mufliḥ ibn Firās, from Dumat al‑Jandal:
“Your Majesty the exalted King: Your servant denounces the English aggression against the land of the homeland. I volunteer myself, my sons, and my property, and I await your command, my lord.”
I hope that what I have presented will benefit their descendants and families, inspiring them to emulate their forefathers in loyalty and sacrifice for this generous homeland under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz—may God support him—and His Royal Highness Prince Salman ibn Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Minister of Defense—may God grant him health—and His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin ibn Abdulaziz, Second Deputy Prime Minister—may God preserve him.
Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.
Transcribed from the original
Dr. Nayif al‑Sanid al‑Sharari