Accusations of piracy
At some time around the handover of power from Rashid to Saqr, the first accusation of piracy against the Al Qasimi was made by the British, after a vessel owned by the East India Company was taken off the coast of Ras Al Khaimah. Pressed by the British to explain their actions, the Al Qasimi response, from Rashid himself, was that the vessel was flying the colours of the Imam of Muscat, with whom the Al Qasimi were at war. An investigation led to a note written by Francis Warden, Chief Secretary to the Government of Bombay, which stated that not until 1796 could he trace an act of aggression by the Al Qasimi against the British flag. Nevertheless, the die was cast – the Al Qasimi would come into increasing conflict with the ally of their enemy in Muscat – the British. In May 1797, the Snow (ship), snow ''Bassein'' was boarded by Al Qasimi, but on recognising it as a British vessel, the boarders were instructed to leave the ship and it was allowed to proceed to Basra. In response to a protest from the British government, Saqr wrote: "God forbid I should think of capturing your vessels." A further incident involving the Viper in Bushire then took place in September 1797, when the British boat became involved in a conflict between Al Qasimi and Omani boats, itself taking fire from the Al Qasimi. Again, Saqr protested friendship with the British and promised to bring his nephew, Sheikh Saleh, who had been in command of the Al Qasimi boats, to justice. At the turn of the century, the Wahhabi forces of the Emirate of Diriyah, First Saudi Kingdom started to encroach on the area and their threat against the Buraimi oasis caused the Sultan of Muscat to seek peace with Saqr. On his death in 1803, Saqr was succeeded by his son, Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi.References
{{Rulers of Sharjah 18th-century monarchs in the Middle East House of Al Qasimi History of the United Arab Emirates Sheikhs of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah Sheikhs of the Emirate of Sharjah