Rakan bin Falah bin Mani’ bin Hathleen Al-Ajmi (1814–1892), also known as Abu Falah, was a prince, poet, warrior, and leader of the Ajman tribe. His father, Falah bin Hethlin, was sheikh. Upon the death of his father in 1845, the sheikhdom moved to Rakan's uncle Hizam. When he abdicated due to old age in 1859, Rakan became the Sheikh of the Ajman tribe. Rakan was imprisoned in the city of Niš in Serbia while it was affiliated with the Ottoman Empire during the Serbian–Turkish War (1876–1878), and he participated in a battle between the Serbs and the Ottomans during his imprisonment.
Marriage
Rakan, captivated by the charm of an unnamed daughter of Amer bin Jafn Al Safran, found himself deeply enamored with her. His affection for her bloomed to such an extent that he felt compelled to express his love through a beautifully crafted poem. Upon hearing this heartfelt composition, Rakan's father, moved by the sincerity and artistry of his son's words, took the initiative to arrange a betrothal between Rakan and the enchanting young woman. Amer bin Jafn agreed to the marriage. Rakan and Amer's daughter had a child named Falah bin Rakan bin Hathleen.
Leadership
Rakah's father Falah bin Hethlin was killed in 1845. Falah's brother Hizam bin Hethlin succeeded him in the leadership of the tribe. Hizam spent about fifteen years as the leader of the Ajman tribe, then relinquished his leadership in 1859 to his nephew Rakan because of his old age. Rakan was 46 years old when he assumed leadership of the tribe.
Arrest
The Ottomans became aware of Rakan's power in Al-Ahsa after the spread of his forces and influence in the region. Rakan was captured after a battle. One source mentions the capture took place after 1882, but this contradicts the evidence of his participation in the Serbian–Turkish war while he was imprisoned in Niš in 1878.
The Ottomans tracked Rakan's movements. At the beginning of the month of Dhul-Hijjah in 1288 AH, Rakan camped with about 400 men near the city of Hofuf at a water well called Ain al-Sulaimani asteroid. The following day, Ottomans killed about 100 men from Ajman and captured Rakan and 30 other men, who they brought to Hofuf and placed in Kut prison.
The Ottoman governor in Al-Ahsa placed Rakan with him in the governor's castle and put him under surveillance. The governor allowed Rakan to attend the governor's council, but on the day of Eid al-Adha (the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah) he instructed his men to surprise Rakan while he was in the council by placing handcuffs around his neck and hands. The governor issued a message requesting any person owing Rakan more than 10 French riyals to announce themselves before the beginning of the new Hijri year and to return the money to him, otherwise the reports would not be considered.
According to the second account, Rakan was imposing on the Ottoman Empire at Kharjah, in order to provide safety for its trade convoys that were traveling between the Arab tribes. This was inconvenient to the Ottoman leaders, so they planned with the person responsible for the delivery of Kharjah to Rakan to arrest him. In one year, the Ajman tribe left to the land. When they settled, Rakan went with six others to the official to agree to receive Kharjah. The Ottomans arrested Rakan and those with him with a trick. They then sent him by sea to the capital of the Ottoman Empire, Istanbul, before exiling him to a castle in Niš for a period of no less than seven years.
Banishment to Serbia
Rakan was imprisoned in Niš, Serbia, which belonged to the Ottomans. He may have been imprisoned in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, as a stopover during his transfer west to Niš. Historians agree Rakan participated in the Serbian–Turkish War (1876–1878) in Niš.
Ibn Firdous mentioned that the Ottomans appointed servants for Rakan including somebody who would make him coffee, among whom was Hamza al-Othmani. Hamza was an Ottoman officer responsible for Rakan; he treated him well, and a friendship developed between them.
Duel with the Serbian knight
During the imprisonment of Rakan, there was a battle between the Serbs and the Ottomans. The Serbs' army contained a huge black-armored knight, and between the two armies was a large trench. The Serbian knight was jumping on horseback to the Ottomans' side, killing Ottomans for four days from the beginning of the battle.