Lineage of King Saud’s Mother Wadha Al-Urei’er

By: Ali bin Salem Al‑Saikhan – Journal of the King Abdulaziz Foundation

The mother of King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud—may God have mercy on them both—belongs to the renowned Al‑‘Uray‘ir family, the ruling house of the Banu Khalid tribe, which governed the eastern Arabian Peninsula for more than a century. All historians who wrote about King Saud mentioned that his mother was from the Al‑‘Uray‘ir family. Among them are:
Abdulrahman Al‑Mughirī (d. 1364 AH), Fuad Hamza (d. 1371 AH), Khair al‑Din Al‑Zirikli (d. 1398 AH), Ibrahim Al‑Abdulmohsin (d. 1425 AH), and others.

However, disagreement arose regarding the exact sequence of her forefathers. This disagreement appears in three distinct opinions:

1. The first opinion, adopted by Professor Nahar bin Mohammed Al‑Sardah.
2. The second opinion, held by Fuad Hamza and followed by Al‑Zirikli, Al‑Abdulmohsin, and Prince Dr. Salman bin Saud bin Abdulaziz.
3. The third opinion, presented by Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nayef Al‑‘Uray‘ir and supported by Princess Dr. Fahda bint Saud bin Abdulaziz.

This study examines these opinions and determines the most accurate lineage based on available historical evidence.

First Opinion

This view states that King Saud’s mother was Wadha bint Mohammed bin Sardah Al‑‘Uray‘ir, and that King Abdulaziz married her near Jubail while returning from Kuwait.

This opinion contains several inaccuracies:

1. It attributes Princess Wadha to the Al‑Sardah branch and considers Al‑Sardah part of Al‑‘Uray‘ir, which is incorrect.
   • Princess Wadha is from Al‑‘Uray‘ir, not Al‑Sardah.
   • Al‑Sardah are cousins of Al‑‘Uray‘ir, descending from Sardah bin ‘Ubaydallah bin Ghurayr, while Al‑‘Uray‘ir descend from ‘Uray‘ir bin Dujayn bin Sa‘dun bin Mohammed bin Ghurayr.
2. It claims the marriage occurred near Jubail during King Abdulaziz’s return from Kuwait.
   • Verified sources confirm that King Abdulaziz’s first departure from Kuwait to recapture Riyadh was in 1318 AH.
   • His son Turki (the First) was born in Kuwait in 1317 AH, and Saud was born in Kuwait in 1319 AH, the year Riyadh was recaptured.
3. The narrative refers to Abdulaziz as “King,” a title he did not receive until 1344 AH, after the annexation of the Hijaz. Before that, he was addressed as Imam or Sultan.
4. The confusion likely stems from Princess Wadha’s maternal connection to Al‑Sardah, as her mother was from that family.

Second Opinion

This view states that King Saud’s mother was:

Wadha bint Mohammed bin Barghash bin ‘Aqab bin ‘Uray‘ir

Its issues include:

1. No historical source mentions a man named ‘Aqab among the descendants of Al‑Hamid or Al‑‘Uray‘ir.
   The known sons of ‘Uray‘ir are:
   Batīn, Dujayn, Sa‘dun, Duwaihis, Zayd, Barghash, Hamadah, Mohammed, Majid, Barak.
2. A legal document dated 12/5/1380 AH confirms that Princess Wadha’s grandfather was named Hussein, not Barghash.

Thus, this opinion is inaccurate and unsupported by sources.

Third Opinion

This view states that her lineage is:

Wadha bint Mohammed bin Hamadah bin Mishari bin Hussein bin Mohammed bin Hamadah bin ‘Uray‘ir

This opinion aligns with the general agreement that she was from Al‑‘Uray‘ir, and it is the closest to accuracy. However, it contains an issue:

• The chain includes six generations between ‘Uray‘ir (d. 1188 AH) and Wadha (b. approx. 1300 AH).
• According to Ibn Khaldun’s generational rule (three generations ≈ 100 years), this is unlikely.
• Evidence suggests that two names were mistakenly inserted:
  Hamadah bin Mishari.

A document from 1380 AH confirms that her grandfather was Hussein, not Hamadah or Barghash.

Preferred Lineage (Verified)

After analyzing all three opinions, the most accurate lineage—supported by documents and historical evidence—is:

**Princess Wadha bint Mohammed

bin Hussein
bin Mohammed
bin Hamadah
bin Emir ‘Uray‘ir (ʿArʿar) bin Dujayn
bin Emir Sa‘dun
bin Emir Mohammed
bin Ghurayr
bin ‘Uthman
bin Emir Sa‘dun
bin Rabi‘ah Al‑Hamid**

Supporting Evidence

1. All opinions agree her father was Mohammed Al‑‘Uray‘ir.
2. A legal document from 1380 AH confirms her grandfather was Hussein.
3. Claims linking her to Al‑Sardah or to Barghash bin ‘Aqab were disproven.
4. Historian Abdulrahman Al‑Mughirī states that Naif, Faisal, and Badr Al‑‘Uray‘ir were maternal uncles of King Saud—these men descend from Hamadah bin ‘Uray‘ir, matching the corrected lineage.
5. Her mother was ‘Abta bint Shabib Al‑Sardah, explaining the confusion with Al‑Sardah.
6. Generational analysis confirms that two names were mistakenly inserted in the third opinion.
7. Ibn Bishr records that Hamadah bin ‘Uray‘ir (her third great‑grandfather) was killed in 1243 AH, supporting the corrected generational sequence.
8. All names in the corrected lineage are historically attested except Mohammed, father of Hussein—but his existence is supported by naming patterns within the family.