Marar

The Marar are an Emirati tribe historically associated with the Bani Yas confederation. The group is described as traditionally Hinawi and Maliki Sunni, and its members have long been connected with Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and the Liwa oasis. As with many communities of the pre-oil Gulf, Marar society included both settled and Bedouin branches. Town-based members were traditionally associated with pearl diving and maritime activity, while Bedouin families lived in and around Liwa and maintained close relations with neighboring tribal groups, including the Mazari. The tribe formed part of the political and military order consolidated under Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi commonly known as Zayed the Great. In 1890, Marar and Manasir groups participated in raids along the coast between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. These raids resulted in the capture of livestock, including approximately 400 camels and 100 horses, according to the cited historical account. The episode illustrates the importance of tribal alliances, livestock, mobility, and coastal power in the region before the formation of the United Arab Emirates. The Marar also had a substantial presence in Dubai. In 1891, around 400 Marar men reportedly left Dubai by boat during the pearling season and moved to Sharjah after disputes concerning their treatment under Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum of Dubai. Their departure disrupted the pearling season and initiated several years of negotiations. The British Resident acted as an arbitrator in the resulting claims and counterclaims, although the settlement did not prevent further conflict on land. By the end of the nineteenth century, Marar communities were recorded in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Liwa. The historical distribution included approximately 200 houses in Sharjah's Layyah area, 40 houses in Abu Dhabi, and 30 in Dubai. The Bedouin branch in Liwa was described as comprising roughly 70 families. The Layyah district, traditionally associated with Marar settlement, later became the site of major electricity-generation and desalination facilities in Sharjah. The Marar's historical significance also appears through prominent family connections in the ruling houses of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Sheikha Hessa bint Al Mur bin Hureiz Al Falasi, the mother of Dubai ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was Marar. Sheikh Rashid's wife, Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, was likewise identified as Marar through her family lineage. Sheikha Latifa was the daughter of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a former ruler of Abu Dhabi, and the mother of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. The Deira district of Dubai traditionally associated with the tribe continues to be known by names transliterated as Al Murar or Al Marar. Marar is therefore a historical and social identity rather than a commercial brand, airline, or industrial company. The available reference material does not establish a corporate structure, commercial product portfolio, founder, website, or current operating organization.

The Marar are described as a tribe of the United Arab Emirates and as a subsection of the Bani Yas. Traditionally Hinawi and Maliki Sunni, they participated in the tribal and political networks that shaped the emirates before oil-era state formation. Their history combined coastal settlement, pearling, livestock-based mobility, and relationships with ruling families. Under Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi, known as Zayed the Great, the Marar were part of a broader tribal confederation. In 1890, Marar and Manasir groups took part in raids along the coast between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The cited account records the capture of approximately 400 camels and 100 horses. Such activity reflected the political importance of tribal alliances and the economic value of livestock in the late nineteenth-century Gulf. The Marar were also established in Dubai. In 1891, approximately 400 Marar men reportedly considered themselves badly treated by Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum and left Dubai by boat during the pearling season, relocating to Sharjah. Their departure brought the pearling season to an end and led to three years of negotiations. The British Resident helped arbitrate financial claims and counterclaims, but the dispute was followed by additional conflicts on land. At the turn of the twentieth century, Marar communities were documented in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Liwa. The Sharjah settlement included about 200 houses in Layyah, while Abu Dhabi and Dubai contained approximately 40 and 30 houses respectively. In Liwa, the Bedouin Marar were described as around 70 families with close ties to the Mazari. Town-based Marar were traditionally associated with pearl diving, whereas the Liwa branch maintained a more pastoral and oasis-oriented way of life. The tribe's historical presence is also reflected in elite kinship networks. Sheikha Hessa bint Al Mur bin Hureiz Al Falasi, the mother of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, was Marar. Sheikh Rashid's wife, Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, was also identified with the tribe. Sheikha Latifa was a daughter of Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the mother of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. A district of Deira in Dubai traditionally settled by the Marar remains associated with the names Al Murar and Al Marar. The available material treats Marar as a historical tribal community, not as a business or consumer brand. Consequently, there is no established commercial product range, corporate leadership structure, listing status, or operating-market profile to document.

• 1891

  Marar migration from Dubai to Sharjah

  [1]Marar (tribe)en.wikipedia.org

  Around 400 Marar men left Dubai by boat during the pearling season after disputes concerning their treatment under Sheikh Rashid bin Maktoum, settling in Sharjah and triggering a prolonged dispute.

• 1890

  Participation in coastal raids

  [1]Marar (tribe)en.wikipedia.org

  Marar and Manasir groups participated in raids along the coast between Abu Dhabi and Dubai under the authority of Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan. The cited account records the capture of approximately 400 camels and 100 horses.

• Settlement in the emirates and Liwa

  [1]Marar (tribe)en.wikipedia.org

  By the turn of the twentieth century, Marar communities were documented in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Liwa, including a substantial settlement in Sharjah's Layyah area.

1. 1Marar (tribe)en.wikipedia.org