'Uyayna
Encyclopedia
Al-'Uyayna is a village
in central Saudi Arabia
, located some 30 km northwest of the Saudi capital Riyadh
. Al-Uyayna was the birthplace of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, whose followers are known as the Salafis. Today, Uyayna is a small village and forms together with its neighbor al-Jubayla the Subgovernorate of Al-Uyayna and Al-Jubayla, with a combined population of 4,000. The subgovernorate is part of the Governorate of Dir'iyyah, which in turn is part of Riyadh Province.
Al-Uyayna is located inside the narrow, dry river-bed of Wadi Hanifa
, which continues southwards through Dir'iyyah and Riyadh
. The area where Uyayna is located was the homeland of Musaylima, who claimed to be a prophet
following Muhammad
's death in 632, and led his tribe, the Banu Hanifa
, against the Muslim
conquest of the area. The Battle of Yamama
between Musaylima and the Muslim general Khalid ibn al-Walid
occurred nearby, and a graveyard for the fallen Muslim warriors from that battle is located adjacent to the village.
The name Uyayna, which is the diminutive word for "water spring", was not used for the settlements in the area in that period. Instead, early Muslim geographic sources, such as Yaqut, mention the towns of 'Aqraba, Budha, and al-Haddar, the latter said to be Musaylima's home village. Geographic sources do, however, mention, a spring in the area by the name of "al-Uyayn", from which the name "al-Uyayna" probably derives.
In the 15th century, the Al Mu'ammar clan of the tribe of Banu Tamim
purchased al-Uyayna from its previous owners, the clan of Al Yazid, who are said to be a remnant of the Banu Hanifa
. Later on the town prospered considerably and attracted many settlers from the vicinity, and by the 18th century had become the leading town of the region of Nejd (central Arabia). The Islamic scholar and religious reformer, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, was born in 'Uyayna during this period. After extensive travels, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab returned to Uyayna in 1740, and began his call to purify local Islamic practice from what he considered to be illegitimate innovations akin to idolatry. In particular, he preached against the veneration of Muslim saints, such as Zayd ibn al-Khattab
, the brother of the second Muslim Caliph
Omar, whose tomb was located in Uyayna and was venerated by locals. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab convinced the emir
of Uyayna, Uthman ibn Mu'ammar, to implement his ideas, and the grave of Zayd was levelled. The graveyard which contains Zayd's remains remains unmarked and neglected today.
The Banu Khalid tribe, who ruled al-Hasa
in eastern Arabia, held considerable influence over al-Uyayna, and compelled Ibn Mu'ammar to expel Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab from the town in 1744. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab found refuge among the clan of Al Saud in nearby Dir'iyyah, further south. The Saudis set about conquering the surrounding towns and villages in the name of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's reforms, and during the course of those wars, al-Uyayna was largely destroyed, especially after an epidemic of the plague had ravaged the town.
Uyayna lay deserted thereafter and was only revived in the 20th century, but remains a very small town. King Abdul Aziz Military College, which is in charge of training the officer corps of the Saudi army, is located in Uyayna.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in central Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, located some 30 km northwest of the Saudi capital Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
. Al-Uyayna was the birthplace of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, whose followers are known as the Salafis. Today, Uyayna is a small village and forms together with its neighbor al-Jubayla the Subgovernorate of Al-Uyayna and Al-Jubayla, with a combined population of 4,000. The subgovernorate is part of the Governorate of Dir'iyyah, which in turn is part of Riyadh Province.
Al-Uyayna is located inside the narrow, dry river-bed of Wadi Hanifa
Wadi Hanifa
Wadi Hanifa is a wadi or valley in the Nejd region in central Saudi Arabia. The valley runs for a length of from north to south, cutting through the city of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia...
, which continues southwards through Dir'iyyah and Riyadh
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
. The area where Uyayna is located was the homeland of Musaylima, who claimed to be a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
following Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's death in 632, and led his tribe, the Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
, against the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
conquest of the area. The Battle of Yamama
Battle of Yamama
The Battle of Yamama was fought in December AD 632 as part as the Ridda or apostate wars on the plain of Aqraba in the region of Yamama between the forces of Muslim Caliph Abu Bakr and Musaylimah, an apostate.-Background:...
between Musaylima and the Muslim general Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khalid ibn al-Walid
Khālid ibn al-Walīd also known as Sayf Allāh al-Maslūl , was a companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is noted for his military tactics and prowess, commanding the forces of Medina and those of his immediate successors of the Rashidun Caliphate; Abu Bakr and Umar...
occurred nearby, and a graveyard for the fallen Muslim warriors from that battle is located adjacent to the village.
The name Uyayna, which is the diminutive word for "water spring", was not used for the settlements in the area in that period. Instead, early Muslim geographic sources, such as Yaqut, mention the towns of 'Aqraba, Budha, and al-Haddar, the latter said to be Musaylima's home village. Geographic sources do, however, mention, a spring in the area by the name of "al-Uyayn", from which the name "al-Uyayna" probably derives.
In the 15th century, the Al Mu'ammar clan of the tribe of Banu Tamim
Banu Tamim
Banī Tamīm Tamim is one of the largest of all Arab tribes. Their history goes back to pre-Islamic times....
purchased al-Uyayna from its previous owners, the clan of Al Yazid, who are said to be a remnant of the Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa
Banu Hanifa were an ancient Arab tribe inhabiting the area of al-Yamama in the central region of modern-day Saudi Arabia. The tribe belonged to the great Rabi'ah branch of North Arabian tribes, which also included 'Anizzah, Abd al-Qays, Bakr, and Taghlib...
. Later on the town prospered considerably and attracted many settlers from the vicinity, and by the 18th century had become the leading town of the region of Nejd (central Arabia). The Islamic scholar and religious reformer, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, was born in 'Uyayna during this period. After extensive travels, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab returned to Uyayna in 1740, and began his call to purify local Islamic practice from what he considered to be illegitimate innovations akin to idolatry. In particular, he preached against the veneration of Muslim saints, such as Zayd ibn al-Khattab
Zayd ibn al-Khattab
Zayd ibn al-Khattab was a sahaba of Muhammad and the brother of the second Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, also known as Omar the Great.In the battle against Musaylimah, Zayd ibn al-Khattab called out to the forces:...
, the brother of the second Muslim Caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
Omar, whose tomb was located in Uyayna and was venerated by locals. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab convinced the emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Uyayna, Uthman ibn Mu'ammar, to implement his ideas, and the grave of Zayd was levelled. The graveyard which contains Zayd's remains remains unmarked and neglected today.
The Banu Khalid tribe, who ruled al-Hasa
Al-Hasa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
in eastern Arabia, held considerable influence over al-Uyayna, and compelled Ibn Mu'ammar to expel Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab from the town in 1744. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab found refuge among the clan of Al Saud in nearby Dir'iyyah, further south. The Saudis set about conquering the surrounding towns and villages in the name of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's reforms, and during the course of those wars, al-Uyayna was largely destroyed, especially after an epidemic of the plague had ravaged the town.
Uyayna lay deserted thereafter and was only revived in the 20th century, but remains a very small town. King Abdul Aziz Military College, which is in charge of training the officer corps of the Saudi army, is located in Uyayna.