Al Khuwayr

Al Khuwayr was previously known as Khor Hassan,[3] literally meaning 'beautiful inlet'.[4] In the late 18th century, noted pirate and tribal leader Rahmah ibn Jabir al-Jalahimah settled Al Khuwayr. It served as his base of operations against the Al Khalifa in Bahrain.[5] Rahmah's base in Al Khuwayr was surrounded by a protected bay which rendered the area a difficult target for his enemies to attack. He resided in a fort with mud walls and there were only a few huts in the vicinity.[6]

Abu Al-Qassim Munshi, a British resident in Qatar, wrote a memo regarding the districts of Qatar in 1872. In it, he mentions that "in the year 1218 [1803 in the Gregorian calendar], Khor Hassan was ruled by the Al-e-Kbeiseh", ,.[7]

In the 1820s, George Barnes Brucks carried out the first British survey of the Persian Gulf.[8] He recorded the following notes about Al Khuwayr, which at that time was known as Khor Hassan:

Khor Hassan is in lat. 26° 4' 20" N., long. 51° 10' 55" E. It is a small village, with a square fort, belongs to Alkubaisi tribe and Uttoobee [Bani Utbah] tribes, principally fishermen.[9]

J.G. Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf gives an account of Al Khuwayr in 1908:

A village on the west coast of the Qatar promontory about 10 miles from its northern extremity. It is frequently spoken of simply as "Khuwair" in contradistinction to "Khor" on the opposite side of the promontory. Khuwair possesses a tribal fort in a good state of repair and is inhabited by about 80 families of the Kibisah [Qubaisi] tribe, who live solely by pearl diving and fishing; they have 20 pearl boats [manned by 240 men], 5 fishing boats and 20 camels, but no other resources of any sort. Drinking water is fetched from Thaqab, about 3 miles to the south-east. A small islet off Khuwair Hassan is known as Jazirat-al-Khuwair.[10]

Al Khuwayr was among the villages occupied by Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani's forces in July 1937 during his military expedition against the kubaisi tribe, whom he considered to be defectors to Bahrain.[11]