Al Bin Ali () is a

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

sub-tribal confederation based in the Arab states, especially

Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

, the

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...

, and the Eastern Province of

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...

. The Al bin Ali Al Utbi Tribe is a descendant of the original Utub tribe which conquered Bahrain. The vast majority of members of the Al Bin Ali clan stem either from the Bani Sulaim or

Al-Maadeed Al Maadeed (), is one of the primary tribes in Qatar. The ruling family of Qatar are from the Al Maadeed tribe. Though they are mainly present in Qatar, there are Maadeed's in Kuwait as well as Saudi Arabia. The Al Maadeed's are descendants of the ...

tribes. They had a strong positive economic effect on

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

nations such as Bahrain and Qatar. Many textbooks and poems were written about Al Bin Ali Tribe. Their castles and ships are historical landmarks. The Al Bin Ali had practically independent status in Bahrain and Qatar as a self-governing tribe. They used a flag with four red and three white stripes with seven triangles facing the west, called the Al-Sulami flag in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain

The Al Bin Ali family are related by marriage to the royal family of Bahrain. The tribe left Bahrain with its strong economic force to Qatar. The Ruler of Bahrain requested the Al Bin Ali tribe to return to Bahrain to their castles and property. J. G. Lorimer noted in his publication '' Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf'' that the tribe owned upwards of 500 houses in Bahrain, and were mainly concentrated in

Muharraq Muharraq () is Bahrain's third most populous city and served as its capital until 1932 when it was replaced by Manama. The population of Muharraq in 2020 was 263,373. Muharraq served as the country’s capital until 1932. It rose to prominenc ...

and

Al Hidd :''To be distinguished from Ras al Hadd (رأس الحد), a district with a famous turtle breeding beach in Oman'' Al Hidd (; transliterated: Al-Ḥidd) is a town in Bahrain, located on a sand spit on the southeastern extremity of Muharraq Islan ...

. Evidence in historical texts and maps indicate over 1,500 years ago the Al Bin Ali tribe originated from the center of Arabia – Najd, currently known as Riyadh. On 17 May 1783, war broke out between The Al Bin Ali Bani Utbah tribe and the army of Nasr Al-Madhkur. Zubarah was originally the center of power of the Al Bin Ali Bani Utbah tribe, which ruled Zubarah and are the original dominant tribe in Zubarah. About 2,000 Persian troops arrived in Bahrain by December and attacked Zubarah on 17 May 1783. After suffering a defeat, the Persians withdrew their arms and retreated to their ships. An Utub naval fleet from Kuwait arrived in Bahrain the same day and set Manama ablaze. The Persian forces returned to the mainland to recruit troops for another attack, but their garrisons in Bahrain were ultimately overrun by the Utub. The strategist of this battle was Shaikh Nasr Al-Madhkur; his sword fell into the hands of

Salama Bin Saif Al Bin Ali Salama or Salamah may refer to: People Given name * Umm Salama (circa 596–680), wife of Muhammad * Salama Abu Hashim, one of the companions of Muhammad * Umm Salama bint Ya'qub al-Makhzumi, Arab nobility and principal wife of Arab caliph ...

after his army collapsed and his forces were defeated. The Al Bin Ali have kept the sword with them and passed it from son to grandson until it was given as a gift to King Abdul Aziz Bin Faisal Al Saud and is currently in the King AbdulAziz Museum in

Riyadh Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...

. The original Utub Al Bin Ali conquered and expelled the Persians from Bahrain after defeating them in the battle of Zubarah in 1782 between the Al Bin Ali and the Army of Nasr Al-Madhkur, ruler of Bahrain and Bushire. The Bani Utbah was already present at Bahrain at that time, settling there during summer and purchasing date palm gardens.

Conquest of Mombasa in 1837

On 5 March 1837, the Al Bin Ali under the command of their leader Isa bin Tarif attacked

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

Said bin Sultan Sayyid Saïd bin Sultan al-Busaidi (, , ) (5 June 1791 – 19 October 1856) was Sultan of Muscat and Oman, the fifth ruler of the Al Bu Said dynasty from 1804 to 4 June 1856. His rule began after a period of conflict and internecine rivalry of su ...

, Sultan of Muscat and Oman helped the tribe with ships and armoury, repeatedly bombarding

Fort Jesus Fort Jesus (Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''Forte Jesus de Mombaça'') is a fortification, fort located on Mombasa Island. Designed by the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Cairati, it was built between 1593 and 1596 by order of Felipe I ...

for a week until the Portuguese surrendered on 12 March. The fort was ruled by the Portuguese Empire, with Kenyan and Portuguese soldiers.R/15/1/75 British Bushire Archives, Agent at Muscat to Political Resident in Bushire, 27 March 1837

Qatar

Sheikh Isa bin Hamad bin Tarif Al Bin Ali was a member of the Al Bin Ali family. He was the chief of

Al Bidda Al Bidda () is a neighborhood of Doha, Qatar. In the 19th century It was the largest town in Qatar, before Doha, an offshoot of Al Bidda, grew in prominence. Al Bidda was incorporated as a district in the Doha municipality in the late 20th centur ...

(known today as Doha) the capital of Qatar, as well as the chief of the Al Bin Ali tribe from the beginning of the 19th century until his death in 1847. He was described by political agents in the

as being one of the most energetic and powerful chiefs in the Persian Gulf region. The Al Bin Ali settled at Zubarah in 1732, founded and ruled the town of Zubarah and its port, making it one of the most important port and pearl trading centers in the Persian Gulf in the 18th century. They also expanded their settlements, and constructed walls and a fort outside the town of Zubarah called Qal'at Murair (Murair Castle), the name is derived from a water spring in the Bani Sulaim area next to Madina Al Munawara in today's Saudi Arabia also known as Herat Bani Sulaim. According to a population estimate in 1904, there were 1,750 members of Al Bin Ali tribe in Qatar, most of whom were concentrated in

Doha Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...

References

{{Arab tribes in Qatar Bedouin groups Tribes of Arabia Tribes of Saudi Arabia Tribes of the United Arab Emirates Bahraini families Rabi`ah