Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla

Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla (1876–1922, ) was the Ruler of Umm Al Quwain from 1904 to 1922, one of the Trucial States and today one of the seven emirates forming the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He gained influence over the tribes of the interior at the expense of the pre-eminent Trucial Ruler of the time, Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.

Accession He acceded on 13 June 1904 following the death of his father, Sheikh Ahmad bin Abdulla Al Mualla. He wrote to the British Political Resident in September of that year, affirming his accession and accepting the treaty obligations entered into by his forebears. Soon after acceding, he married a daughter of the Ruler of Ajman – his Uncle (on his mother's side).

Warring tribes Rashid bin Ahmed was an astute politician and embarked on a campaign to enhance his influence among the Bedouin tribes, particularly the powerful Bani Qitab. This led, in 1905, to his involvement in a dispute which had broken out in the Wadi Hatta between the Na'im tribe and the Bani Qitab.

The town of Masfout in the Wadi Hatta was traditionally home to the Na'im, who were originally from Buraimi. The town abutted the Dubai exclave of Hatta, known then as Hajarain. This ascendancy continued the following year, when the Bani Qitab were in dispute with the Balush of Dhahirah, a tribe loyal both to the Bani Yas of Abu Dhabi and the Al Bu Falasah of Dubai.

The Bani Qitab attacked the Balush at their fort in Mazim with a number of lives lost. The Balush appealed to Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa, who took up their cause, but he found himself once again opposed to Rashid bin Ahmad, who supported the Bani Qitab.

British intervention However, Zayed wasn't to suffer Rashid Bin Ahmad gladly and in November 1906 he allied with Dubai and Sharjah and raised a force of Manasir and Bani Hajer Bedouin and prepared to attack Umm Al Quwain’s inland desert town of Falaj Al Mualla. Seemingly out of the blue, in January 1907, Rashid bin Ahmad was overpowered during one of his visits to Zayed and held prisoner inland of Sharjah town (likely at Dhaid), where the Rulers of Dubai, Ajman and Sharjah had joined Khalifa bin Zayed and were preparing their move against Falaj Al Ali.

In February 1907, the Political Resident in Bushire, Percy Cox, was drawn into the conflict and HMS Lawrence was moored off Sharjah to reinforce Cox's mediation. Rashid bin Ahmad was delivered up to Cox after a week's negotiations, much the worse for wear after his time in captivity, having been rather badly beaten up.

Death Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmad Al Mualla died of pneumonia in August 1922, leading to a period of disputed succession of seven years' duration.