Ashraf AboArafe
On September 23, 1932, the historic announcement of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud – may God have mercy on him – came to unify the blessed kingdom under the banner of “There is no god but God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God” and to name it the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after thirty-two years of struggle and jihad, during which he laid solid foundations for this great structure, guided by the Holy Book of God and the Sunnah of the Trustworthy Messenger, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, following in this the approach of his ancestors from the House of Saud.
An epic of jihad
The leader King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Faisal Al Saud – may God have mercy on him – spent his life facing the challenges of life in the Arabian Peninsula, which was suffering more than eight decades ago under the burden of conflict, fear, panic and hardship, to establish, thanks to God Almighty, a young state that enjoys security, reassurance and abundant blessings, and the world stands in respect and appreciation for it, so that an epic of jihad is drawn on the land of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which King Abdulaziz – may God have mercy on him – was able to unite the hearts and minds of his countrymen around a promising and noble goal, and with God’s grace and the wisdom that God bestowed upon him, King Abdulaziz succeeded in establishing solid foundations and principles for the homeland of pride, leading it to spread justice and security, spending the years of his life for that purpose.
At that time, a young state emerged, proud of implementing Islamic law, and proclaiming its tolerant teachings and human values in all corners of the world, spreading peace, goodness and the blessed call, seeking knowledge and development, and moving with rapid steps towards a better future for its people, the Islamic nation and the world as a whole.
A Strong Personality
King Abdulaziz had a strong, captivating and majestic personality that affected everyone he met, and he was known for his great respect for scholars throughout his life – may God have mercy on him – as he would put them before his brothers in his council and listen to them, and the reason for that was his complete belief in the value of knowledge and scholars and their impact on life.
By the grace of God Almighty, King Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God have mercy on him – was able, through a long journey, to gather the country’s fragments, restore security, and confront the chaos that was prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula at that time, and he became, with the love of the people, the king of a state that he watched over building and created its system until it had honorable positions with the Islamic and Arab nations and the world as a whole.
King Abdulaziz was interested in developing the country, so he issued a royal decree to change the name of the state from (Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd and its Dependencies) to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 21 Jumada al-Ula 1351 AH corresponding to September 23, 1932 AD.
Advancing the country
At the beginning of the organization of the state, King Abdulaziz directed attention to the Two Holy Mosques and their expansion, and serving pilgrims and Umrah performers, in addition to starting to open schools, establish hospitals, build villages, reclaim the soil, settle the desert, and search for irrigation water to support agriculture, but these efforts required providing money to implement them.
In line with the desire to advance the country, oil exploration operations began in the fall of 1933 AD in some of the Kingdom’s lands, and the desert land was revived by the emergence of black gold that transformed the desert into a city crowded with workers, engineers, and oil experts.
King Abdulaziz – may God have mercy on him – was keen during his life to publish, print and distribute books to the public in general and students in particular inside and outside the Kingdom. He also helped some authors to continue their scientific activity by purchasing many copies of printed books and distributing them at his own expense.
King Abdulaziz – may God have mercy on him – was interested in foreign affairs as much as he was interested in domestic affairs, as he dealt with all countries of the world with high-level diplomacy, taking into account the independence of the Kingdom in its decision and choosing the nature of its relations with countries without compromising its religious, civilizational and cultural status.
Based on the sound Islamic approach, he – may God have mercy on him – called for Arab cooperation and Islamic solidarity and made a distinguished contribution to the establishment of the League of Arab States, and in the United Nations as a founding member. History also recorded his notable positions in many global events and regional and international issues.
A Long Journey
He passed away – may God have mercy on him – in the month of Muharram in the year 1373 AH, after a long journey in which he lived through the greatest events and faced the greatest challenges, but he left for the generations after him a great legacy in which everyone can enjoy in the embrace of a state founded on monotheism to remain – praise be to God – in continuous growth, security, goodness and peace until the present time.
Researchers and historians stand in contemplation and admiration at the history of this towering entity in building and overcoming obstacles and difficulties and overcoming all challenges thanks to God and His guidance first, then with strong faith and full awareness of the unity of purpose and sincerity of direction under the rule of God’s law and justice in enforcing its rulings to include all aspects of life.
Unprecedented Leaps
King Abdulaziz – may God have mercy on him – laid down a sound approach that his sons followed after him to complete the frameworks of security and peace according to the same approach and goal, so that the Kingdom today lives in the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – may God protect him – an era of sustainability, growth and development, and the Saudi people are witnessing great leaps and unprecedented steps in all fields internally and externally, which have drawn the features of the Kingdom, established the pillars of its political, economic and cultural position, and consolidated its influential role in the global economy, as it is based on a solid industrial economic base, making it among the 20 strongest economies in the world. From year to year, with every celebration of National Day, the nation also celebrates new achievements internally and externally. The people of the Kingdom remember this national occasion while they enjoy its prosperity and growth, proud of its loftiness, boasting about its achievements, and aspiring to a future that fulfills their dreams and charts a path with steady steps for successive generations, under the shadow of a wise leadership that has led the Kingdom to the ranks of advanced countries, and has harnessed all means for the comfort of citizens and residents, so that they may live With dignity, pride, peace and security.
