Chapter 1: Sources of Qatari History

Where Are Qatar’s Local Sources?

• Rulers’ offices and the Amiri Diwan.

• Ministry archives and government departments.

• Religious institutions and places of worship.

• Political leaders, military leaders, writers and journalists.

Source vs. Reference

• A source is original evidence.

• Examples: documents, artifacts, photos, audio and video records.

• A reference is a book or study based on sources.

• Researchers depend on sources first, then use references.

Modern and Contemporary Qatar

• Modern Qatar begins with the formation of the emirate in 1868.

• This period is linked to Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani’s leadership.

• Contemporary Qatar begins in late 1949.

• That is when Qatar exported its first crude oil shipment to Europe.

Main Types of Sources

• Published and unpublished documents.

• Travelers and explorers’ writings.

• Periodicals: newspapers, magazines and gazettes.

• Folklore and contemporary books.

Unpublished Arabic Documents

• Kept in the Amiri Diwan and document centers.

• Decisions, decrees and Emiri correspondence.

• Customs and import records from the early 1900s.

• Documents of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim’s rule, 1913–1949.

Portuguese Documents

• Portuguese documents are found in Ottoman archives.

• Portuguese Foreign Ministry archives.

• Eastern documents and correspondence from India.

• They help explain Gulf trade and European activity in the region.

Turkish Documents

• Turkish state and Foreign Ministry archives.

• Files about Qatar and Gulf affairs.

• Turkish documents received by Qatar’s sheikhs.

• Copies are kept in document collections in Doha.

Dutch Sources

• Dutch East India Company sources.

• The Arabs of the Gulf 1602–1784 by B.J. Slot

• These records help trace early Gulf politics and trade.

• They also show how modern Gulf entities began to appear.

Unpublished English Documents

• British India government records.

• East India Company documents from Calcutta.

• National Archives of New Delhi.

• India Office records in the British Library, London.

Published Documents

• Published documents appear in books, reports or pamphlets.

• They may be political, legal or economic records.

• They are easier to access than private archives.

• Researchers still need to read them carefully and compare sources.

Published Arabic Documents

• Qatar’s laws.

• Temporary Basic Laws of 1970 and 1972.

• The first nationality law in Qatar, issued in 1961.

• The law establishing Qatar’s Official Gazette in 1961.

Documents Translated into Arabic

• Qatari Affairs translated from the Saldanha Report 1873–1904.

• Qatari Historical Documents 1868–1949.

• Lorimer’s Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf.

British Published Collections

• Foreign Office papers kept in London.

• India Office collection in the British Library.

• Qatar Records: Primary Documents includes 13 volumes.

Travelers and Explorers

• Ahmad ibn Majid — Three Flowers in Knowing the Seas

• Pedro Teixeira — The Travels of Teixeira

• William Palgrave — Narrative of a Year’s Journey Through Central and Eastern Arabia

• Bertram Thomas — Journey by Camel Across the Empty Quarter Desert

• Wilfred Thesiger — Arabian Sands

Periodicals

• Periodicals are publications issued regularly.

• They show laws, institutions, political administration and economic growth.

• Examples include Al-Doha, Al-Arab and Al-Raya, Gulf Today and Al-Sharq.

Folklore

• Folklore includes songs, stories, poetry, wisdom and proverbs.

• Popular Songs in Qatar by Mohammed Al-Duweik.

• The Splendid Masterpiece in Qatari Customs and Traditions by Youssef Al-Khalifi.

• Popular Proverbs in the Qatari Environment by Mohammed Al-Marri.

• Brief Explanation of Qatari Proverbs by Khalifa Al-Maliki.

Contemporary Books in Arabic

• Qatar: Its Past and Present by Mustafa Al-Dabbagh, 1961.

• The Arab Emirate of Qatar Between Past and Present, 1962.

• The General History of Qatar by Mahmoud Sinan, 1966.

European-Language Books

• Charles Belgrave, Pirate Coast, 1960.

• George Curzon, Persia and the Persian Question, 1892.

• B.J. Slot, The Arabs of the Gulf 1602–1784.