Al Dawasir (Arabic: الدواسر) (singular: Al Dosari, Arabic: الدوسري) is an Arab tribe in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and other Gulf states. Its main base is in Wadi Al-Dawasir in Saudi Arabia. The Al Dawasir tribe is among the most powerful and influential tribes of Arabia, as they are the maternal uncles of much of the House of Saud family.[1]
| Al Dawasir | |
| Ethnicity: | Arab |
| Local Name: | Arabic الدواسر |
| Nisba: | Al Dosari الدوسري |
| Location: | Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Oman |
| Language: | Arabic |
| Religion: | Sunni Islam |
| Type: | Arab tribe |
There are various theories surrounding the definition and origin of the term Dawasir. The two most popular theories are that it was derived from either the name of the tribe's purported forebear Dosser or the eponymous Arabic word which translates to "soldiers". Other sources include other terms such as the Arabic word for Lion or a type of Arabian horse.[2]
The Dawasir in Bahrain mainly settled in the towns of Zallaq and Budaiya. The tribe have a long history on the island of Bahrain, and on the surrounding Islands (in Qatar and Saudi Arabia). Many members of the tribe worked in the pearl industry.
The Dawasir tribe is described by Middle Eastern history expert Yitzhak Nakash as being the "second largest and most powerful tribe after the Utub [in Bahrain]. So powerful were the Dawasir that their members recognized Sheikh 'Isa Al Khalifa as ruler in name only and considered themselves immune from taxation."
The Dawasir tribe opposed the British overthrow of Sheikh Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa (in favour of his son Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa) in 1923. Virtually all members of the tribe left Bahrain for Dammam, Saudi Arabia after suspecting that the new ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa, would attempt to tighten his control over them with British support and force them into submitting to his rule. The Dawasir were officially allowed to return in April 1927 by Sheikh Hamad after being requested by Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia to do so.[3]
The cities of Dammam and Khobar, in Eastern Saudi Arabia, were founded in 1923 by the Al Dawasir tribe that migrated from Bahrain after King Abdul Aziz allowed them to settle within the area. The tribe initially settled in Khobar, which was chosen for its proximity to the island of Bahrain as the tribe had hoped to go back there soon, but the British made it tough for them to maneuver, so they later settled in Dammam.
The Dawasir helped determine the maritime border between Qatar and Bahrain. In the beginning of the 20th century, the broken boat of a Dawasir tribesman was repaired with the help of the ruler of Bahrain. The tribesman had laid a fish trap near the Hawar Islands; little did he and his family know that their actions, seen as largely inconsequential at the time, would directly shape the boundaries of the future states of Bahrain and Qatar and result in one of the longest and most complex cases in international law. The Hawar Islands, once claimed by both Qatar and Bahrain, are now internationally recognized as part of Bahrain, to some extent due to the affiliations between the Dawasir tribe and the ruling Khalifa family of Bahrain.[4]
The Dawasir have a historical presence on Delma Island, Abu Dhabi. Fahad Bin Rashid Al Dosari (born in 1886 in Abu Dhabi) was a leading pearl merchant on the island, known by his name during the reign of Shakhbut Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. A mosque on the island bears his name.[5]
Al Dawasir is an ancient a tribal confederation of 2 main tribes that allied with each other: the Al Zayed and the Banu Taghlib.
Al Zayed, also known as the 'original' Dawasir, are descendants from Dowsar Al Asad Bin Omran Al Azdi. They immigrated from the south of the Arabian Peninsula to Wadi Al-Aqeeq (now Wadi Al-Dawasir) in Najd, Saudi Arabia. They went to battle against the Beni Aqeel tribe, who were in the valley before the Dawasir. The Dawasir (Al Zayed) left the battle victorious, making Wadi Al-Dawasir their home.
Banu Taghlib were among the most powerful and cohesive nomadic tribes of the pre-Islamic era. They descend from Taghlib bin Wael. This tribe was divided into several sections, including the Banu Taghlib from Al Dawasir.
Among the tribe's members are: