Al Jalahma

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Al Jalahma is an Arab clan descended from the Anizzah tribe in northern central Arabia. They are one of the Utub clans that helped found Kuwait in 1716, along with Al Bin Ali, Al Sabah, and Al Khalifa. A notable leader was Rahmah Ibn Jabir Al Jalahma.

Ottomans expelled them from Umm Qasr for raiding caravans and attacking ships, so they moved to Kuwait. In the 1760s, the Jalahmas and the Al Khalifas moved to Zubarah in what is now Qatar, leaving Al Sabah in control of Kuwait. They set up a free-trade port at Zubarah, but the Al Khalifa kept most profits, so the Jalahmas moved to Al Ruwais. The Al Khalifa then dominated the pearl banks around Qatar.

Despite their disputes, the Utub tribes Al Jalahma and Al Khalifa, with some Arab tribes, drove the Persians out of Bahrain in 1783, after Persian aggression toward Zubarah in 1782. The Al Jalahma left the Utub alliance sometime before Bahrain’s 1783 annexation, feeling betrayed by the Al Khalifa who took Bahrain. Bahrain stayed under Al Khalifa control. The Al Jalahma allied with the Wahhabi movement in Arabia, while the Al Khalifa aligned with the Omanis.

In 1811, Said bin Sultan of Muscat attacked Wahhabi garrisons in Bahrain and Zubarah, and the Al Khalifa were restored to power. That same year Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah fought a naval battle against the Al Khalifa, which the Al Khalifa won. A major naval clash in 1826 between the two sides killed many, including the famous pilot Ahmad ibn Salman Al Khalifa; Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah blew up his own ship in close quarters.

Even after breaking away from the Utub alliance, Al Jalahma is still regarded by many as part of the Utub confederation. Today, Jalahma members live across the Arabian Peninsula, especially in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.