Sharif+Hussien+of+Mecca


 * A //sharif// is "a descendant of the prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima; one of noble ancestry or political preeminence in predominantly Islamic countries" (Merriam-Webster)
 * Hussein bin Ali was the Sharif of Mecca and Emir of Mecca from 1908 until 1917
 * His family had ruled the Hejaz Region since 1201
 * With the assurance of Britain in the McMahon-Hussein Correspondence, Hussein claimed himself king of the Hejaz in 1917 with hopes that with Britain's help, an Arab state would soon be formed
 * Hussein's vision was an Arab state stretching from Syria to Yemen, under governing Islamic principles, separate from the semi-oppressive Turkish authority in the Ottoman Empire
 * McMahon's promises, however, were too vague to stand as concrete obligations:
 * "[Britain] will assist them to establish what may appear to be the most suitable forms of government in those various territories"
 * "forms of government" are not specified, and "those various territories" does not point to any specific area
 * "...interests of Great Britain necessitate special administrative arrangements..."
 * one may wonder exactly what "special administrative arrangements" were expected, or facilitated by whom, etc.
 * "This declaration...will result in a firm and lasting alliance..."
 * "a firm and lasting alliance" is somewhat ironic due to the fact that Britain's negotiations with other entities in the coming years resulted in distrust between the Arabs and Britain
 * The Balfour Declaration inspired the same hope in Zionists, yet increased tensions between Jews and Arabs as British diplomats promised both an Arab state and a Jewish homeland "in Palestine"
 * These blatant inconsiderations of courtesy for the Arabs resulted in Hussein's bitter disappointment in the British nation
 * the British failed to defend him against the Saudi rebellion in later years

Works Cited

"Hussein Bin Ali, Sharif of Mecca." //Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia//. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2009. .

McMahon, Henry. "The McMahon Letter." Letter to Hussein Ibn Ali. 24 Oct. 1915. TS.

"sharif." __Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary__. 2009. Merriam-Webster Online. 1 November 2009 