Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi was the Ruler of Ajman, one of the

Trucial States The Trucial States, also known as the Trucial Coast, the Trucial Sheikhdoms, or Trucial Oman, was a group of tribal confederations to the south of the Persian Gulf (southeastern Arabia) whose leaders had signed protective treaties, or truce ...

which today form the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 1816–1838, leading a force of 50 men to take control of the town from members of the Al Bu Shamis tribe who had settled there and also at Al Heera. At the time, Ajman was a dependency of

Sharjah Sharjah (; ', Gulf Arabic: ''aš-Šārja'') is the List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It is the capital of the Emirate of Sharjah and forms part of the D ...

. Five years after his establishment at Ajman, the fort was taken by the Darawisha

Bedouin The Bedouin, Beduin, or Bedu ( ; , singular ) are pastorally nomadic Arab tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, the Levant, and Mesopotamia (Iraq). The Bedouin originated in the Sy ...

who were removed by the action of the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi. Relatively little is known about the reign of Rashid bin Humaid. He was signatory to the 1820 General Maritime Treaty with the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

, becoming one of the first Rulers of the Trucial States, later to become the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Nuaimi name derives from the Na'im tribal confederation which dominated the area around Buraimi and the Northern movement of the tribe, the Al Bu Kharabain appears to have settled in Ajman, as well as the area of Al Heera, Hamriyah and even Sharjah. He acceded to the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 following the British punitive expedition from Bombay against the Al Qasimi at

Ras Al Khaimah Ras Al Khaimah (; ), often referred to its initials RAK, is the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the U.A.E. The city had a population of 191,753 in 2025, and is the sixth-most populous city in UAE after Dubai, Abu ...

. In 1819, that force bombarded the coastal settlements of the Gulf Peninsula, including Ajman, leading to the capitulation of the coastal Sheikhs and the signing of the treaty in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. Rashid bin Humaid signed the treaty on 15 March 1820, together with Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain. Both Rulers signed the treaty at Falayah, an inland dependency of Ras Al Khaimah. Rashid led his people in a war against Sohar, in coalition with Sultan Said of Muscat and in 1831 boats from Ajman took some dozen vessels and their cargoes sailing from

Sohar Sohar () is the capital and largest city of the Al Batinah North Governorate in Oman. An ancient capital of the country that once served as an important Islamic port town on the Gulf of Oman, Sohar has also been credited as the mythical birthp ...

. Two British gunboats were despatched to Ajman and reparations were demanded and paid. He died in 1838 and was succeeded by his son, Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi.

References

{{Rulers of Ajman 1838 deaths Sheikhs of the Emirate of Ajman 19th-century monarchs in the Middle East 19th-century Arab people