ʃˈeɪk ˈɪsəz fˈɑːðɚ, ʃˈeɪk ˈɑːli, wʌzðə ɹˈuːlɚɹ ʌv bɑːɹˈeɪn ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt ˈæftɚ məhˈæmɪd bˈɪn kˈɑːlɪfə ˈæl kˈɑːlɪfə wʌz fˈoːɹst tʊ ˈæbdᵻkˌeɪt baɪ ðə bɹˈɪɾɪʃ ˈæftɚɹ ɐn ɐlˈɛdʒd vaɪəlˈeɪʃən ʌvðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn tɹˈiːɾi wˌɪtʃ pɹɪvˈɛntᵻd hˌɪm fɹʌm kˈæɹiɪŋ ˈaʊt mˈæɹɪtˌaɪm dˌɛpɹɪdˈeɪʃənz.
Shaikh Isa’s father, Shaikh Ali, was the ruler of Bahrain in 1868 after Muhammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa was forced to abdicate by the British after an alleged violation of the 1861 treaty which prevented him from carrying out maritime depredations.