The Emirate of Al-Khamisiyah
An Emirate Established by the Al-Oqilat in Southern Iraq
Prepared by Abdullatif bin Saleh Al-WuhaibiSeventeen kilometers southwest of the town of Souq Al-Shuyukh, Abdullah bin Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Khamis Al-Tamimi he founded the Emirate of Al-Khamisiyah in 1303 AH (1881). A man from Najd, he had migrated from Al-Qusay‘ah, a village belonging to Buraidah, to Iraq’s Al-Muntafiq region with a respected group of Al-Oqilat men.
“Al-Khamisiyah owed its importance to its position as a stopping place for caravans arriving from the Arabian Peninsula and the Iraqi desert, and as a large market where Arab tribes displayed and bartered their goods.”
Landmarks of Al-Khamisiyah
- Al-Khamis Palace: Built in 1303 AH, it stood at the center of town with its spacious liwan. It included the murabba‘ reception room for distinguished guests and a private majlis that housed the first radio in the region, brought from India.
- Al-Khamisiyah Grand Mosque: Built in 1305 AH, it became known for its tall minaret, which visibly leans westward. Leading scholars of Al-Qassim served there as muftis, including Sheikh Ali Al-Arafaj and Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Jasser.
- Markets and Public Facilities: The town included Al-Safah, its marketplace; Al-Sif, where grain was collected; and the Al-Rumayyan tamarisk grove. Its first school opened in 1345 AH.
Najdi Families in Al-Khamisiyah and Souq Al-Shuyukh
Many people from Najd settled in these areas, forming alliances and family ties through marriage. Najdi families who lived there included Aba Al-Khail, Al-Tuwaijri, Al-Bassam, Al-Anqari, Al-Othaim, Al-Zimam, Al-Busai, Al-Hussan, Al-Rubaish, Al-Tarbaq, Al-Shamlan, Al-Rumayyan, Al-Othman, Al-Saif, Al-Arafaj, and many others.