Mohammed Al-Bassam and the Emir of Hail
Generosity Beyond the Ambition for Power
Biographies and Stories of Notable FiguresThe Al-Oqilat sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Bassam, was one of the leading Al-Oqilat merchants and chiefs in the Arabian Peninsula. Born in 1250 AH and deceased in 1350 AH, he became so renowned for generosity that rulers and princes across the region knew his name.
During the rule of Prince Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Rasheed, Sheikh Al-Bassam was passing through Hail and came to greet the prince in his majlis, which was filled with guests and dignitaries.
A Conversation Between a Prince and a Merchant:
Prince Ibn Rashid began teasing Sheikh Mohammed Al-Bassam, expressing amazement at his extraordinary generosity:
“Mohammed, with all this generosity and gift-giving, are you seeking to rule?”
Sheikh Al-Bassam replied with the confidence of a merchant and the wisdom of an Al-Oqilat man:
“Your Highness, ruling requires people suited to it. I am a merchant seeking profit. When ten earns twenty, by Allah’s grace we give generously to others. The good name this earns is our profit from trade and distant journeys.”
The perceptive reply embodied the Al-Oqilat philosophy. They did not seek emirates or political power; they regarded a good reputation, generosity, and helping others as the true profit that would preserve their memory.