The Al Rashid, who had been the main obstacle to the advancement of the House of Saud for many years, were in a state of terminal weakness. The Al Rashid, masters of the Jabal Shammar (a vast tract of land north-west of Riyadh), were arguably their own, as well as Ibn Saud's, worst enemies. In 1920, in yet another episode in their habitual internecine strife, the Rashid chief, Saud bin Rashid, had been shot in the head by one of his cousins, whose accuracy as a shot Saud had unwisely impugned.

The killer was cut down and his brother, Muhammad bin Talal, was imprisoned for possible complicity. The succession went to Abdullah bin Mutaib, nephew of the murdered chief, a youth ill-equipped to deal with the challenge that Ibn Saud was about to present.

On the orders of Ibn Saud and under the command of Faisal Ad-Dawish, the Ikhwan rode into the Jabal Shammar, defeating any Al Rashid forces they met. Unable to cope on his own, Abdullah bin Mutaib decided to release Muhammad bin Talal, the brother of his uncle's assassin, in the hope that the older, more experienced Muhammad bin Talal would help him against the advancing Ikhwan. Muhammad bin Talal had other plans. As soon as he was freed, in the best tradition of the Al Rashid, he turned against Abdullah bin Mutaib, and the young lad fled to throw himself on the mercy of Ibn Saud.

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