Yanbu — The city of springs

Yanbu — The city of springs

August 05, 2016
Yanbu — The city of springs
Yanbu — The city of springs

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THE Red Sea coastal city of Yanbu is known for its exceptionally tranquil atmosphere, lofty mountains and sandy beaches. Its state-of-the-art petrochemical plants and towering oil refineries that glitter all night will impress visitors.

A peaceful modern city with enchanting gardens, Yanbu has advanced road systems and public utilities. No one would believe that this massive industrial city had once witnessed bloody events that lie buried under the pillars and pipelines of today.

“The conflicts and battles for power continued for a long time until the arrival of the Saudis who put an end to those skirmishes and steered the region to progress and prosperity,” said a historian, who requested anonymity.

Yanbu has history that dates back to 2,500 years when it was a staging point on the caravan route from Yemen to Egypt, Syria and the Mediterranean. Since time immemorial, its port catered to the needs of ships that sailed through the Red Sea.

However, Yanbu’s population did not cross 7,000 by the turn of 20th century. Despite its small size, the city today enjoys the prime of place in the world of petrochemicals.

In the early years of Islam, a number of battles have taken place in and around Yanbu. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the Muslim army against the Quraish in Bawat, Asheera (now part of Yanbu Al-Nakhl) and Ais to fortify the budding Islamic state’s security.

Yanbu got its name from the presence of more than 100 springs that originate from the city. According to historian Sharief Salma Bin Ayash Yanbu’e, there were 170 springs in the area. Yanbu Al-Nakhl and Yanbu Al-Bahr are located close to one another and are considered parts of a single city.

The two Yanbus have received special care and support from Sultans and governors who ruled the area in the past. Foreign forces tried to occupy this place considering its strategic location. A number of incidents have occurred in Yanbu Al-Nakhl in the early years of Islam.

During the Abbasid period, the Hejaz, of which Yanbu is a part, witnessed a number of bloody incidents following the revolt of Mohammed Bin Abdullah, a grandson of Hasan Al-Muthanna Bin Hasan Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib, who was born in Madinah and nicknamed Arqat, Mahdi and Al-Nafs Al-Zakiyya.

Mohammed Bin Abdullah revolted against the oppressive rule of the Abbasid Caliph Abu Jaafar Al-Mansour with the backing his friends and supporters in Madinah.

During the time of Ayyubis, Yanbu Al-Bahr became a flashpoint along with Yanbu Al-Nakhl. The Ayyubis installed the administrators of Makkah at a function at the village of Alqamiya in Yanbu in 597 AH under the leadership of Al-Sharief Qatada Bin Idris (nicknamed Abu Aziz Al-Yanbu’e Al-Makki) whose lineage goes back to Hasan Bin Ali Bin Abu Talib.

During the Mameluke era, an intense fight took place for the capture of Makkah. The conflict reached its peak in 792 AH when Al-Sharief Anan went to the Mameluke Sultan in Egypt and returned to Hejaz with a Turkish representative to end the conflict. On their way to Makkah they met with the ruler of Yanbu who encouraged Al-Sharief Anan to kill Bani Ibrahim, the then rulers of Makkah, and provided them with men and weapons. Following the battle, Al-Sharief became the ruler of Makkah with the support of the people of Yanbu.

During the Ottoman era, Yanbu witnessed the removal and coronation of new governors of Makkah. After unseating the Mamelukes in Egypt, the Ottoman Sultan sent his representative Saleem Khan to Makkah governor Al-Sharief Barakat to ensure his allegiance.

The governor of Makkah pledged his allegiance to the Ottomans and the Sultan reciprocated by allowing him to continue in his position as governor of the Hejaz, which extended from Khaybar in the north of Madinah to Hulay in the south.

Yanbu continued to play its significant political and military role during the Ottoman era and it witnessed the intense battle among the shariefs for capturing power in Makkah. It also saw the coronation of new governors and removal existing rulers by the Sultan’s representative.

By the end of the Ottoman era, Yanbu’s role started diminishing and Jeddah took its place in politics and business, the historian said.

He gave a number of reasons for the decreasing role of Yanbu in the last years of the Ottoman rule, such as the construction of Hejaz Railway linking Madinah with Syria, recession in trade on the caravan route and Jeddah gaining prominence as the port of arrival for pilgrims.

The Saudi rulers revived Yanbu’s significant position in the political, industrial and business fields. They established a large seaport in the city and formed the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu in 1975, which transformed this desert village into a major industrial hub.


August 05, 2016
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