In like manner...

In like manner, serious and violent disputes erupted between him and the people of Najd. This matter lasted several years until his father Shaykh ‘Abd al-Wahhab passed away in the year 1153.[^2] After the demise of his father, Shaykh Muhammad embarked on expressing his own beliefs and rejecting part of the religious acts of the people. A group of the people of Huraymala followed him and his work won fame. He departed from Huraymala for the city of ‘Uyayna.

At that time, ‘Uthman ibn Hamd was the head of ‘Uyayna. ‘Uthman received the Shaykh, honoured him and made the decision to assist him. In return, Shaykh Muhammad also expressed hope that all the people of Najd would obey ‘Uthman ibn Hamd. The news of Shaykh Muhammad's call and doings reached the ruler of al-‘Ahsa*.* He wrote a letter to ‘Uthman. The consequence of this letter was that ‘Uthman summoned the Shaykh and dismissed him.

Shaykh Muhammad replied that if you help me, you will become the leader of the entire Najd. ‘Uthman, however, avoided him and cast him out of the city of ‘Uyayna. In the year 1160, after being expelled from ‘Uyayna, Shaykh Muhammad headed for al-Dar’iyya, one of the renowned cities of Najd. At that time, Muhammad ibn Sa’ud ( the ancestor of Aal Sa’ud ) was the emir of al-Dar’iyya; He went to see the Shaykh and gave him tidings of glory and goodness.

The Shaykh too gave him tidings of power and domination over all the cities of Najd. And in this way, the relationship between Shaykh Muhammad and al-Sa’ud commenced.[^3] At the time when Shaykh Muhammad went to al-Dar’iyya and made an agreement with Muhammad ibn Sa’ud, the people of al-Dar’iyya lived in utmost destitution and need. Relating from (‘Uthman) Ibn Bishr al-Najdi*,* al-Alusi notes that: “I (Ibn Bishr) initially witnessed the poverty of the people of al-Dar’iyya.

I had seen that city at the time of Sa’ud*,* when its people had enjoyed enormous wealth, their weapons were decorated with gold and silver and they mounted thoroughbred horses. They wore sumptuous clothes and were well provided with all the means of prosperity, so much so that it is beyond the scope of expression. One day in a bazaar in al-Dar’iyya, I saw men on one side and women on the other.

In the bazaar, there was a huge amount of gold, silver, and weapons and a large number of camels, sheep, horses, expensive clothes, and much meat, wheat, and other edibles, so much so that they could not be recounted. The bazaar extended as far as the eye could see.