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Mansour Mohammad Zaman Marafie
1891 – 1964
Since Mansour lost his father at the age of six, he was
raised by his grandfather Mohammad Ali Marafie. He grew up
to become a reputed “Nokhatha” in the Marafie family.
In 1340 (H) 1921 A.D., when the Eastern part of the Third
Kuwait Wall (Soor) was being built, Marafie family undertook
the partial construction after a precise estimation. Mansour
Marafie diligently supervised and controlled the break of
Ramadan fast and the supply of “Suhour” meals to the Kuwaiti
builders. Marafie Family’s fighting acumen and the vigilance
maintained were highly appreciated by one and all. Once when
Sheikh Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah while returning from
Hawalli on horseback, caught up by the galloping sound from
distance, they braced themselves to combat the enemy until
it was convinced to them that he was none other than Abullah
Al-Jaber himself. It is said that later during the day he
happily joined with them at work and even had suhour meal of
that night. Mansour Marafie even stood guard at night shifts
with others during the course of Soor construction.
Mansour Mohammad Zaman Marafie owned a dhow “Boom” that was
used mainly to transport water from Shat Al’arab in Basra to
Kuwait. He was known for his adventures. Once he made a
daring sail through the rough sea with its high & raging
tides. He braved to continue the trip cutting the roaring
waves to Kuwait only to realize later that in the course of
his dare devil attempt the fresh water of the ship turned
saline in the high tides making it beyond potable.
Using his dhow, Mansour even undertook the transportation of
arms & ammunitions from Nig’at Marafie near Seif Palace to
Doha area from where it was carried on mules to the Red
Palace at Jahra.
During one of his seafaring trips, having been caught up in
the tumultuous sea with the ship tossing from one side to
the other, his eyes caught the sight of an owl atop the
mast, that is strongly considered as a bad omen even to this
day. When other sailors refused to climb and undo the owl,
Mansour did climb the mast. Unfortunately, in the midst of
the tussle the owl clamped Mansour’s hands in defence. To
everybody’s dismay holding on to the mast with one hand he
chanced upon the owl’s head with his mouth. In the struggle,
however, he fell off the mast to the dhow board breaking his
ribs. The recovery took him to 6 months of confinement to
the bed. Later he gave up seafaring and eventually sold the
dhow thereby donating the proceeds to charity.
In 1948, when he had a capital amount of Rupees 13,000/- he
decided to engage in trading business. He started with tea
trading in collaboration with the people of Aldowraq (Menohiya,one
of the emirates of Sheikh Khaz’al Ben Merdow, the Prince of
Mohammarah.) Business undertaking was executed on Term basis
since most people, of that area being farmers by generation,
were of low income group. Dates were the only source of
income. Notwithstanding the fact that for business though
the farmers mortgaged their palm trees to Mansour with the
hope of redeeming it later, terms could not be met and dues
& debts were on the rise day by day. Eventually, Mansour, a
calm and enduring personality by nature, was compelled to
step back from the deal.
Finally, in 1950 Mansour Marafie returned to Kuwait with all
those pledged bonds. Years later, when one of the tribal
Sheikhs of Aldowraq visited Kuwait on his enroute pilgrimage
trip to Mecca, Mansour Marafie extended him a cordial
welcome. During their discourse he handed over all pledges he had been holding
for years, and acquitted them of all dues & debts as an act
of Charity. May the Gracious God bless their souls.
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