Ibn Saud, Emir of Nejd, has issued a statement in the Arab press challenging the right of King Hussein to the Caliphate. He charges that Hussein who claims to be a direct descendant of Mohammed, which would justify his claim to the Caliphate, has no grounds for the claim; but that he himself is a real descendant of Mohammed and as such entitled to the honor sought by Hussein. He further charges that King Hussein has achieved his present prestige through unfair, personal intrigues.
In Arab circles, this is considered the most serious blow to King Hussein’s claim to the Caliphate, inasmuch as Ibn Saud, who is chief of the Wahabi tribe and has an army equal in strength to that of Hussein’s, is a very dangerous rival. It was even rumored in Baghdad that Ibn Saud planned an invasion of the Hedjas territory of King Hussein.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
