Tomorrow, September 23, Saudi Arabia will celebrate its 94th National Day.
This national occasion arrives as the Kingdom stands in a position of glory, achieving one accomplishment after another through clear development plans grounded in a comprehensive national vision. This vision, spearheaded by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, aims at fostering growth and prosperity, and establishing the nation as a beacon on the global stage.
The progress the Kingdom is experiencing today is a continuation of the legacy crafted by the great and wise leader, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, who is credited, after Allah Almighty, with founding a state whose flag proclaims monotheism, and whose constitution is the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammed, peace and blessings be upon him. The Kingdom enjoys security, safety, and stability, with the objective of building a
progressive state with influential power both locally and internationally. His righteous sons carried on the journey after him, allowing the Kingdom to flourish in this prosperous era under the leadership of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH the Crown Prince.
Proud of their country’s achievements and to build on its successes, citizens and residents alike commemorate this joyous occasion under a wise leadership that uses all means to secure their comfort and prosperity, and that continues to steer the country toward a bright future.
In this report, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) recalls the life of King Abdulaziz who, on September 23, 1932, unified the scattered parts and splintered tribes of the Arabian Peninsula and established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an Islamic state with the Holy Quran and the Prophet Sunnah as its constitution.
According to King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives’ (Darah) records, King Abdulaziz was born in Riyadh in 1293 AH. At
the age of seven, he was taught reading and writing. At the age of 10, several scholars and tutors were assembled by his father, Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal, to teach him the fundamentals of Islam and equestrian skills.
King Abdulaziz was greatly influenced by his courageous father and his mother, Princess Sarah Al-Sudairi, who was known for her wisdom and intellect. He had a close relationship with his brothers Khaled, Faisal, Fahd and Mohammed, and an even closer one with his sister, Princess Noura.
King Abdulaziz had seen and been through many events in his life that sharpened his character and taught him patience, strength and statesmanship.
Some historians consider his (forced) departure from Riyadh in 1308 Hijri, along with his father and some members of his family, to have been the most difficult time of his life. The family first settled in the Yabrin oasis, in Al-Ahsa, then moved to Bahrain, and later to Kuwait where they stayed for several years. Throughout this time, King Abdulaziz was determine
d to recapture the city that was once held by his forefathers.
He was in his twenties when he left Kuwait, on the fifth of Ramadan 1319 AH, for Riyadh at the head of an army.
On the fourth day of Shawwal 1319 AH, King Abdulaziz and his men reached Al-Shaqib district, ninety-minutes away from Riyadh on foot. From there, they headed to Riyadh, where he restored things to order after a heated battle that did not last long, turning a page on the past of Riyadh and announcing the beginning of a prosperous era.
The people and notables of Riyadh pledged allegiance to him as Amir of Najd and Imam of its people in 1320 AH. After this great victory, political stability was restored after years of turmoil, and the unity of government played a significant role in paving the way for Riyadh to enter a new era of growth and prosperity.
After enduring a long and difficult journey, King Abdulaziz was able to unite the country, restore security and confront the chaos that prevailed in the Arabian Peninsula back then. Soon
enough, and with the support of the people, he became the king of a country that he had built, securing an honorable position for it in the world.
On the 21st of Jumada Al-Awwal 1351 Hijri (September 23, 1932), the King issued a royal decree to change the name of the state from the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd and its annexes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
When he started organizing the country, King Abdulaziz focused on the two holy mosques, expanding them to serve Hajj and Umrah performers, as well as on opening schools and hospitals, building villages, settling the Bedouins, and using irrigation water to support agriculture. However, for these endeavors to get implemented, there was need for large sums of money.
The strong desire to see the country advance led, in the fall of 1933, to oil exploration operations to be conducted in some parts of the Kingdom. For four lean years, efforts to discover oil reservoirs remained unsuccessful, but determination and perseverance paid off; those efforts yielded resul
ts when the experts started to explore in an area called “Ain Jet” and, to their surprise, found oil 5,000 feet underground.
In 1939, oil was pumped at a ceremony attended by King Abdulaziz; it became the starting point for the state projects he had planned to implement.
King Abdulaziz was interested in external affairs as much as he was in domestic affairs. He dealt with all countries with high levels of diplomacy, placing the Kingdom’s independence above all, and getting into relations with other countries without prejudice about their religious, civilizational or cultural status, which earned him the admiration of various world leaders and made him the focus of Arab, regional and international media.
In Muharram 1373 Hijri, King Abdulaziz fell seriously ill during his stay in Taif, and at the dawn of the second of Rabi’ Al-Awwal (November 9, 1953), he passed away. He was buried in Al-Oud Cemetery, in the center of Riyadh.
While building his state, King Abdulaziz was also interested in scientific public
ations. He was passionate about reading Arabic books on various sciences, especially Sharia, printing most of them at his expense and distributing them free.
King Abdulaziz consulted his citizens, asking them to share opinions and advice, guided by the teachings of Islam.
This righteous approach followed by King Abdulaziz and his sons had a great impact on the development witnessed today in the Kingdom, which is based on cooperation between ruler and citizens.
At the ceremony held by King Abdulaziz on Muharram 25, 1355 AH, at the end of the Hajj season in Jeddah, he said: “We are gathered here tonight to advise each other and exchange experience, on the one hand, and on the other, to bid you farewell as I am leaving soon. I wish not to leave, but I am obliged to. I have gathered you here tonight because I would like to address an issue that has been on my mind. It is not my intention to make things difficult, but I have to be frank with you. We are in desperate need to meet and communicate with you so that
you are fully aware of what we do and vice versa. I would like for you to meet me face to face at my place, so that you could inform me of the demands and desires of our people and to inform the people of our work and intentions. It is my desire to be deeply tied with the people, as this will help me meet their aspirations. My door is always open to anyone who wants to talk.”
King Abdulaziz built his country’s relations with the Arab and Muslim countries, and established strong relations with the international community, in the same manner in which he managed the affairs of his country and citizens.
He was transparent in his stance regarding issues that concerned his nation at all levels.
In a speech he delivered at the grand banquet that he hosted for elite pilgrims in Makkah on Dhu al-Hijjah 9, 1364 AH (November 15, 1945), he underscored the Palestinian issue as he said: “The Palestinian issue is at the top of the matters that occupy the thoughts of Muslims and Arabs these days, and it is the issue that
should be the focus of everyone’s attention. Although I see more value in silent actions than too many spoken words, I must say that silence on the Palestinian issue is not the right thing to do. I have previously spoken with members of the British government, and I also spoke at length with President Roosevelt, and I mentioned with all frankness the injustice that befell our Arab brothers in Palestine and the oppression to which they were subjected. I demanded and requested from the late president justice for the Arabs of Palestine, if not by taking actions then at least by staying neutral and not helping Israel against them.”
Researchers and historians have shown admiration for the history of this lofty entity that overcame all obstacles and challenges with strong faith and a clear vision.
King Abdulaziz built the state on a strong foundation based on the injunctions of the Holy Quran and on Prophet Mohammad’s Sunnah. Al Saud family continued these efforts.
King Saud bin Abdulaziz continued this wise lea
dership model until signs of progress emerged and the structure of some basic institutions and bodies in the state was set.
After him came King Faisal bin Abdulaziz, during whose reign the Kingdom began implementing ambitious five-year plans for development.
Further prosperity and stability were achieved under the reign of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz, during which development continued. He served the nation in particular, and Islam and Muslims in general.
A new era of development prevailed after King Fahd bin Abdulaziz received the pledge of allegiance as king of the country. The achievements during his reign distinguish themselves by their inclusiveness and integration; they led to a comprehensive development of the country under a wise leadership.
During the era of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, the Kingdom witnessed huge achievements in education, health, transportation, industry, electricity, water, agriculture and economy.
Today, we witness the reign of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin
Abdulaziz Al Saud, an era of sustainability, growth and development during which the country has taken great leaps forward in all fields, secured a distinguished stature abroad, and witnessed the laying of the foundations of the Kingdom’s political, economic and cultural standing, which consolidated its influential role in the global economy.
The Kingdom now has a solid economic base that places it among the 20 strongest economies in the world.
Saudi Arabia has taken huge strides, locally and globally, since the launch of vision 2030, positioning itself high under its wise leadership. This nation continues to celebrate its national day with new remarkable accomplishments every year, among which are:
Holding the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit in Riyadh.
Holding the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Riyadh Summit.
Holding Saudi-African Summit in Riyadh.
Signing an agreement with the People’s Republic of China, through which the Kingdom becomes a maj
or tourist destination for Chinese tourists.
Opening the Country’s First-Ever Car Manufacturing Facility by ?Lucid Group.
Establishing an automotive manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia through a PIF-Hyundai Motor Company joint venture agreement.
Signing a joint venture agreement to establish a leading tire manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia.
Winning the bid to host Expo 2030 in Riyadh.
Announcing discoveries of natural gas in the Eastern Region and the Empty Quarter.
Announcing Leyja, NEOM’s latest sustainable tourism destination.
Launching ‘Ardara’ with the development of ‘AlWadi’ in Abha as a flagship project.
Launching the master plan for the new Abha International Airport.
Joining the International Transport Forum (ITF) council.
Securing 27 Awards in science and engineering at ISEF.
Publishing Saudi Arabia’s official FIFA World CuS 2034 bid book.
Hosting the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
