Eqab bin Mohaya

Eqab Bin Dhaifallah Bin Ghazi Bin Sayaf Bin Mohaya Al-Otaibi (عـقـاب بن محـيا (1903-1933) was one of the Ikhwan Army's leaders that contributed in the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He was born in the desert in a place called “Aliyat Najd”.

His grandfather from the mother side was Prince Muhammad Bin Hadi Al-Barraq.

Eqab did not see his father because he was too young and his father, Prince Dhaifallah Bin Ghazi Bin Mohaya (AL-Akwakh), was killed in a battle against Abdulaziz Al Rasheed nearby Bin Fuhaid water source in Alqseem region in the beginning of 1323H.

He was 13 years of age when his family settled in the city of Sajer.

He learned the holy Qur'an by heart and studied the Fiqh (Islamic Sharia doctrine) that was taught by a number of scholars who were tasked by King Abdulaziz to teach the residents of Sajer, in which had produced scholars such as Shaikh Abdurrahman Bin Abdullatief Al Al Shaikh and Shaikh Abdullah Al Ojaimi.

He also learned horse riding at an early age in an environment that was rich of horse riders or cavalries.

These factors had influenced the shaping of his personality and character in which raised him as a leader at an early age.

He was famous of being brave, generous and very kind.

He was very religious, a keeper of God's book, liked by his tribe and he cared for the poor and weak people.

He was infatuated with horses and owned many of them at his stall such as (AL-Obayah) and (AL-Subailiyah) which are from a rare type of Arabian horses, and nowadays few of that type can be found.

Eqab was inseparable to his cousin and to his father's uncle, Prince Faihan bin Nasser bin Braz bin Mohaya, and participated with him in a number of battles that he fought in Bayraq Sajer, and the most famous battle was Ya Teb (the first trial to open the city of Hail).

After the death of Prince Faihan bin Nasser, he appointed to be the prince although he was young.

Being directed by King Abdulaziz, he handled the most important battles in the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the battle of Al Balga’a, east of Jordan) and (the battle of Hijaz).

After the victory of Hijaz and the ending of the unification battles, he exited Sajer at the end of 1344H.

After that, he gained from King Abdulaziz the feudality of the southern of Al Hied and he settled there.

At the year of 1348H, King Abduaziz assigned him as the governor of Al Hied.

Following that, Eqab had led his troops to side up with King Abdul-Aziz to suppress the revolution of the rebellion brothers.

He remained the governor of Al Hied until he died in 1351H.

Eqab Bin Mohaya was one of the Ikhwan movement leaders who participated in the unification of this great entity, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

His role arose especially during his leadership of Sajer brigade, and the number who answered the call for jihad reached 2,000 fighters.

Here are the battles he participated in:

a. Occupying the city of Taif

b. The opening of Makkah

c. The joining of Al Qunfudhah

d. The siege of Al Raghama Jeddah

When King Abdul-Aziz wanted to ensure his control over the north of the Arabian Peninsula and to cut off the ambition of the English and Sharif Abdullah bin Al Husain to control the Oasis of Al Joaf and Wadi Al Sarhan, he sent an army that was estimated by historian resources to be 1500 fighters combining four banners headed by :

1) Eqab Bin Mohaya, leading 600 fighters from Sajer in addition to the reserves and cavalries.

2) Nafel Bin Tuwaique, leading 200 fighters from Asilah.

3) Qadan Bin Derwiesh, leading 200 fighters from AL-Artawi.

4) Huwail Bin Jebreen, leading 150 fighters from AL-Amar.

On Tuesday 15 August 1922, the brothers had reached the territories of Bani Sakher in AL-Tunaib and AL-Mashta, about 30 km from Amman the capital after traveling for more than 700 km from their bases in Najd.

By morning, reinforcements from different marquees of Bani Sakher had rushed to restrain the invaders.

Volunteers from the bedouins in Jordan had initiated the movement to the battle area, and the troupes had engaged in a very aggressive battle.

One side were defending their marquees and herds, and the others were attacking based on religion and without fear and with an outstanding courage.

So the Jordanian government had quickly asked the British authorities to participate in the battle with fighter aircraft and military tanks.

The Brits had felt the risk and feared that the Saudi influence would reach the British direct liaison passage which was in Kuwait and Iraq from one side and Jordan, Palestine and AL-Hijaz from another side, so the Brits had engaged to stop the attack by using tanks and automatic weapons, and the fight against the brothers army continued all day Tuesday until midmorning on Wednesday.

A large number from both sides were killed, and because of the British tanks missiles, the brothers army had no choice but to retreat to Najd, especially that the brothers had accomplished the desired objective in which was gaining the control over AL-Jouf and Wadi AL-Sarhan.

After the retreat of the brothers’ army, the Brits had initiated and requested King Abdul-Aziz to hold a meeting.

So the second AL-Oqair meeting was held in November 1922 discussing the borders issue for the first time, and both agreed under the condition of giving the tribes the freedom of movement and in retain the Brits had acknowledged King Abdul-Aziz's control over AL-Jouf and wadi AL-Sarhan.