Al-Lawatis

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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Demographics 3 History and Origins 4 Religion 5 Prominent Lawatis

[edit] Introduction

Al-Lawati (Arabic: اللواتي). An affluent Omani community/tribe with roots in Mutrah.

They are commonly known as Khoja among themselves, and Hydrabadis by others in places like the UAE. In Oman, they are largely referred to as Lawatis.

Traditionally, the community occupies a gated quarter of Matrah known as Sur al-Lawatia. The quarter still boasts attractive houses with a unique architectural view and a large mosque, but has seen a major exodus in recent decades as Lawatis have moved to more modern neighborhoods as a result of increasing development, the availability of facilities and growing wealth and business of the community.

[edit] Demographics

The size of Al-Lawati population cannot be determined precisely but is estimated to be around 30,000. Most reside in Muscat, the capital of Oman, but some live on the coast of Al-Batina. Some Lawati families reside elsewhere in the Persian Gulf region such as Dubai, Qatar,Yemen and Kuwait.

[edit] History and Origins

The first historical mention of the Lawatis is said to have been by the Omani historian Ibn Ruzayq, who said that notables of the community greeted the first ruler of the currently ruling Al Bu Said dynasty on his arrival to Muscat in the 1740.

At least one Lawati family can be documented through British records as existing in Oman since the 1700s.

Poor economic conditions in Oman earlier in this century prompted some Lawatis to emigrate to other countries such as Iraq in the 1920s, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Pakistan. their descendants returned to Oman in the early 1970s when Sultan Qaboos took the throne.

The Al-Muscati surname of some families in Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain suggests that they were Muscati immigrants, and are believed to be of Lawati origin.One of the Al Muscati families lives in Oman today. They are Lawatis that obtained this surname during the period in which they immigrated and lived in Iraq, before they went back to Oman in the late seventies.

Some traditions hold that the Lawati's were originally from the Bani Lu’ayy tribe of al-Hijaz who joined the armies of Islam in the advance on India and settled there, perhaps in Multan, before migrating to Oman. Another tradition proclaims that Lawatis are descendants of al- Hakam ‘Awanat al-Lat, an Omani who accompanied the first Arab campaigns against India and eventually became the governor of Sind.

Al Lawati is the largest of Oman’s three Shia groups. The date of their arrival in Oman is unknown but is certainly ancient. Community tradition hold that the first members arrived from Kutch approximately 300 to 400 years ago.

Perhaps the first historical mention was by the Omani historian Ibn Ruzayq, who noted that notables of the community greeted the first ruler of Oman’s present Al Bu Sa‘id dynasty on his arrival in Mutrah some time in the late 1740s and at least one family can be documented through British records as rooted in Oman by the 1780s. Al Lawati all appear to have been Shia.

[edit] Religion

Most current Lawatis are known to be Shia Muslims. A few through mixed marriage follow mixed Shia/Sunni or Shia/Ibadhi traditions.

[edit] Prominent Lawatis

Maqbool bin Ali Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry, Oman

Dr Rajha bint Abdulameer bin Ali, Minister of Tourism, Oman

Khadija bint Hassan bin Salman al Lawati, Ambassador of Oman to the Netherlands

Hussain Sajwani, Chairman, Damac Holding, Dubai, UAE

Habib Kokar, General Manager, Oman Bank, Dubai, UAE (Deceased)

Mohammed Hassan Ali al Abduwani Undersecretary of Planning- Ministry of Health

Mohammad Jawad Darwish Al Lawati, Inspector of Police and Boarding Inspector 1939-1946 (first Omani Chief of Police) - Deceased

Amr Ali, aka Bodyamr, fashion designer