Types of Trade and Customs Duties
The Al-Oqilat Economy: A Driving Force in Arab Markets
Prepared by Abdullatif Al-WuhaibiArab tribes everywhere recognized the Al-Oqilat as carriers of trade. Their commerce formed a vital economic link connecting the Arabian Peninsula with the Fertile Crescent and Egypt.
Camel and Horse Trading
Camels and horses formed the mainstay of Al-Oqilat commerce. They bought camels throughout the Arabian Peninsula and drove them to Jordan and the Levant, with Egypt serving as the largest market. They also traded in purebred Arabian horses.
General Merchandise
They bought goods in the Fertile Crescent and brought them to Najd and the Hijaz, including textiles, wool, utensils, rice, sugar, tea, and weapons. Along the route they also bought and sold ghee.
Government Duties
Customs duties varied by country:
- Jordan: Seven Jordanian piastres per camel.
- Syria: Two liras per camel.
- Egypt: Egypt charged the lowest duty—only three piastres per camel, at a time when a camel’s highest value was thirty pounds—making trade there especially active.
A saying of Kuwait’s ruler: Early each morning, Sheikh Mubarak Al-Sabah would ask who had arrived from Najd. When told that the people of Buraidah—the Al-Oqilat—had come, he would say, “Give the camel owners the good news.”
(When merchants from Al-Qassim arrived, the market strengthened and buying and selling increased.)
(When merchants from Al-Qassim arrived, the market strengthened and buying and selling increased.)