Abd al-Rahman al-Naqib al-Jilani, born in 1841, is considered one of the important and influential Iraqi personalities during the Ottoman and royal eras. He had important political roles, especially between 1920 and 1922, and he died in 1927.
During the rule of the Ottomans, the captain became the second figure (after the governor) as the "captain of the supervision of Baghdad." He also maintained his high position after the twenties of the last century when he became the second man after the British High Commissioner "Persey Cox" as he assumed the presidency of the interim government, and the captain at that time was one of the candidates to take over The throne of Iraq.
Birth and upbringing
Abd al-Rahman al-Naqib ibn al-Sayyid Ali Effendi al-Kilani was born in 1841 in the Bab al-Sheikh locality in the city of Baghdad. He was from a well-known family in the city and had a great prestige in the Islamic world, as it assumed the presidency of the Syndicate of Sheriffs of Baghdad and the Islamic World, for nearly 4 continuous centuries.
Al-Naqeeb married twice and fathered 7 daughters and 13 sons. His family has been known since ancient times for its ancient scientific origins and its plural councils.
Study and formation
Al-Naqeeb was a student of many famous mullahs of his time, the most prominent of whom was Sheikh Abd al-Qadir Effendi Ibn al-Halawiyyah al-Bazzaz. He also read higher sciences (especially mental) under the guidance of Sheikh Abd al-Salam Effendi al-Shawaf, as well as the scholar Issa Safaa al-Din and others.
The sources confirm that Al-Naqeeb was a lover of science, and produced many books and manuscripts. He was also known to be a virtuous scholar and writer, historian, and donated his salaries to build a secondary school near Bab Al-Sheikh in Baghdad. He owned one of the largest private libraries in Baghdad that included the rarest manuscripts and the most valuable books. His council was like a scientific complex, a literary symposium, and a political forum attended by statesmen and political leaders.
One of the captain's most prominent hobbies is his tendency to work in farms and orchards and to take great care of the crops, until he became famous among people for his experience in this field, and this hobby remained in his old age.
One of the captain's strange habits is his great obsession with cleanliness, as this prompted him to avoid shaking hands, and in the event that he had to shake hands with someone, he rushed to wash his hands, and one of his employees was assigned to receive and open the letters that came to him, and he did not drink water unless he made sure that it was brought from the middle the river.
Abd al-Rahman al-Naqeeb was known for his closeness and support for Sultan Abd al-Hamid II (communication sites)
Captain government
After the outbreak of the twentieth revolution in Iraq against the British occupation, the Cairo Conference was held in 1920, and the British High Commissioner Percy Cox ordered the formation of a transitional Iraqi national government headed by the captain, as well as the formation of the Constituent Assembly, which assumed several tasks, including the election of a king over Iraq, and the formation of ministries and government institutions, In addition to selecting Iraqi personalities to assume responsibilities.
And the British government reserved for itself the status of an English advisor next to each minister, and announced its desire to establish an Iraqi monarchy, as the Iraqis nominated, through their founding council, Prince Faisal bin Sharif Hussein as king of Iraq, on August 23, 1921, and London forced him to sign the British Mandate Treaty.
Capt. achievements
Since its formation, the Al-Naqeeb government has worked to lay the first foundations for the nucleus of the modern Iraqi state, and to highlight its features through numerous procedures and decisions.
One of the most important tasks of the Naqib government is to divide the country's regions into administrative units, brigades, districts, and sub-districts to facilitate their administration by the state.
The government also released the patriots deported to India, issued a general amnesty, and summoned the Iraqi officers who worked in Hijaz and Syria during the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, in preparation for the establishment of the national army.
The Naqib government established many bureaus, ministries, and official departments in the state, and Iraq was linked to a system of good neighborliness for neighboring countries based on respect for Iraq as an independent country.
his political positions
One of the most prominent political stances, with which Al-Naqeeb was known, was his adherence to the Ottoman rule, his closeness to Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and his strong advocacy on the issue of Palestine.
Al-Naqeeb strongly opposed the British presence in Iraq, as he issued a legal fatwa confirming that Britain has no right to rule Iraq, and it is narrated that he said, "The Iraqis have the right to rise up against the occupation, and everything must be used for the sake of freedom."
Al-Naqeeb directed many criticisms of the British government and its way of managing Iraq, stressing his confidence in the people of Iraq and the strength of the Iraqis and their quest for independence.
Historical sources indicate that Al-Naqeeb did not want one of Sharif Hussein's sons to rule Iraq, and he preferred that the king be from the Iraqis, but circumstances required that King Faisal, son of Sharif Hussein, rule, but he did not mind.