Al Sabah Family testimonies
Mubarak bin Sabah the First
Both (Failaka Island and Kuwait) are inhabited by an Arab tribe of which we have spoken before: the Etoubis [the’Utub families]. They are formally dependent on Abdullah of the desert [shaikh of the Bani Khaild of al-Hasa] although they pay him only a very small contribution…. Several different shaikhs rule them, all living in relative unity. The highest ranking shaikh is Mobarak Eben Saback [Mubarak bin Sabah], but because he is poor and still young, another, called Mahometh Eben Khalifa [Muhammad bin Khalifa] who is rich and possesses many vessels, enjoys almost equal respect among them.
Historical evidence
Proofs of family lineage
The Adsani court judgment was a dispute among Al Sabah family members, hence why members of the Al Sabah family were chosen as witnesses. The head of the court was Judge Abdullah bin Mohammad Al Adasani. The signatures of the witnesses below the judgment are:
- Sabah Bin Al Shaikh Jabir Al Sabah, son of the ruler at the time and acting Emir;
- Sabah Duaij Salim Al Sabah, the grandson of Salim Mubarak Sabah the First and grandfather of Sabah Duaij Al Sabah (Sabah Al Suq) and Fadhil and Duaij Salman Al Sabah (commander of the Hamdh battle).
Citizenship of Shaikh Sabah Duaij Al Sabah
(Sabah Al Suq)
Special Passports with the title ‘Shaikh’ and description as members of the ruling family, signed by the following former Ministers of Foreign Affairs:
Special Passports with the title ‘Shaikh’ and description as members of the ruling family, signed by the following former Ministers of Foreign Affairs:
- Shaikh Salem Sabah Al Salem Al Sabah.
- His Highness the former Emir Sabah Ahmad Al Sabah when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Shaikh Mohammad Sabah Al Salim Al Sabah.
- Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah.
1992 Judicial Commission investigation
An initial committee was formed in 1991 to determine the descent of the children of Shaikh Duaij Salman Al Sabah. The committee members included;
The committee concluded that the descendants were members of the Al Sabah family. However, it recommended to His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Jabir Ahmad Al Sabah the formation of a judicial committee to provide a final determination.
The judicial committee, formed in 1992, included Rashid Abdul Mohsin Al Hammad, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Minister of Religious Endowment & Islamic Affairs and Muhammad Ibrahim Al Saqa’bi, Chief Justice of the Court of First Instance. The judicial committee concluded that the children of Shaikh Duaij Salman Al Sabah were part of the Al Sabah family.
On the basis of the judicial committee report, His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Jabir Ahmad Al Sabah mandated the judicial committee to draft two Emiri orders, one for the descendants of Shaikh Sabah (‘Al Suq’) Duaij Al Sabah and one for the descendants of Shaikh Duaij Salman Al Sabah, ordering that they be treated as other members of the Al Sabah family and enjoy equal rights and privileges. The Emiri order was drafted by Rashid Abdul Mohsin Al Hammad, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Minister of Religious Endowment & Islamic Affairs.
- Shaikh Nasser Saud Al Sabah (the father of the former Kuwait Ambassador to the US during the Iraqi invasion).
- Shaikh Mubarak Abdullah Ahmad Al Sabah (a senior member of the Al Sabah family and minister in the Kuwaiti government in 1961).
- Shaikh Jabir Mubarak Hamad Al Sabah (Prime Minister from 2011-2019 and minister in various cabinets).
The committee concluded that the descendants were members of the Al Sabah family. However, it recommended to His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Jabir Ahmad Al Sabah the formation of a judicial committee to provide a final determination.
The judicial committee, formed in 1992, included Rashid Abdul Mohsin Al Hammad, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Minister of Religious Endowment & Islamic Affairs and Muhammad Ibrahim Al Saqa’bi, Chief Justice of the Court of First Instance. The judicial committee concluded that the children of Shaikh Duaij Salman Al Sabah were part of the Al Sabah family.
On the basis of the judicial committee report, His Highness the former Emir Shaikh Jabir Ahmad Al Sabah mandated the judicial committee to draft two Emiri orders, one for the descendants of Shaikh Sabah (‘Al Suq’) Duaij Al Sabah and one for the descendants of Shaikh Duaij Salman Al Sabah, ordering that they be treated as other members of the Al Sabah family and enjoy equal rights and privileges. The Emiri order was drafted by Rashid Abdul Mohsin Al Hammad, former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice and Minister of Religious Endowment & Islamic Affairs.