Al-Oqilat Gathering Places and Markets

Their Gathering Places Across the Arab World

Prepared by Abdullatif Al-Wuhaibi

At the end of each trading day, the Al-Oqilat gathered in majlises of their own to discuss transactions, prices, and news from Buraidah; they generally avoided public coffeehouses. Several locations became particularly important Al-Oqilat gathering places:

1. Al-Qassim: Al-Jarradah

Buraidah’s Al-Jarradah Market was the first and most important point of departure for the Al-Oqilat. Amin Al-Rihani wrote: “Buraidah is the largest market for auctioning camels in the Arab lands.”

2. Iraq: Sawb Aqeel

Sawb Aqeel was a well-known district on the eastern side of the Euphrates in Baghdad, named for the Al-Oqilat who gathered there. Al-Zubair and Basra were also important markets.

3. Syria, Palestine, and Jordan

• Syria: Syria: Al-Midan in Damascus, Hauran, Deir ez-Zor, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo.
• Palestine: Gaza Market—a major Al-Oqilat gathering place where merchants had agents—along with Jerusalem, Nablus, Jaffa, and Beersheba.
• Jordan: Jordan: Amman’s main market, Zarqa, Irbid, Karak, Wadi Rum, and Suwailih, established by the Al-Oqilat merchant Saleh Al-Rumayyan in 1240 AH.

4. Egypt: The Major Markets

Bilbeis, Zagazig, Al-Matariyah, Giza, and Imbaba Market, one of the major marketplaces where leading Al-Oqilat merchants who settled in Egypt gathered to trade camels and horses.