Founding Day an opportunity to highlight Saudi Arabia’s achievements
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Wednesday, Feb. 22, is certainly no ordinary day, as it will see the second annual celebration of the founding of the First Saudi State in 1727, nearly 300 years ago, by Imam Mohammed bin Saud, who was at that time no more than 30 years old. The historic city of Diriyah, which was the capital of the First Saudi State, will again be returned to what it was in the 18th century as part of the Diriyah Gate project, which began in November 2019.
Events organized as part of the project include Formula E races, heavyweight boxing title fights, international tennis tournaments, equestrian festivals and other regional and international events, in addition to the registration of the Turaif neighborhood in Diriyah on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010. Diriyah has also been chosen, with the blessing of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, as the Capital of Arab Culture in 2030.
The First Saudi State was not new to its surrounding states, nor was it imported. The clerics, merchants and sheikhs of the tribe stood by it and all Najdi emirates and some current Gulf countries joined together under its banner, along with Al-Ahsa, Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah and Tihama. Four imams successively ruled over it: Mohammed bin Saud, Abdulaziz bin Mohammed, Saud Al-Kabir and Abdullah bin Saud. The rule of these four imams lasted until 1818, when Ottoman colonizers overthrew the state from Diriyah. Prince Mishari bin Saud, brother of Imam Abdullah, tried to restore it, but he did not succeed and lost his life. Historian Abdulrahman Al-Jabarti wrote that Ibrahim Pasha stayed in Diriyah for nine months and sent 500 families to Egypt and Istanbul to be sold into slavery.
This Ottoman overthrow and attempt to abolish the Saudi state’s existence took place because of the Saudis’ right to lead the Islamic world ahead of the Mamluks and Ottomans due to their Arab origins, Islamic identity, large number of supporters, and because they were part of the community of the Arabian Peninsula itself.
The Saudis were not absent for long, however, as, in 1824, they established their second state, with Riyadh as the capital. The founder was Imam Turki bin Abdullah, a grandson of Imam Mohammed bin Saud and brother of Imam Abdulaziz. The Second Saudi State lasted for nearly 70 years, with Imam Turki succeeded by his son Imam Faisal bin Turki and then Imams Abdullah, Saud and Abdul Rahman, all sons of Imam Faisal.
As a result of the unstable situation in Najd, a second overthrow occurred. This did not prevent its return 11 years later, in 1902, under King Abdulaziz, the founder of the modern Saudi state, which is similar in its sovereign borders to the state of Imam Mohammed bin Saud and in its capital to the state of Imam Turki bin Abdullah. It has been successively ruled by the founder’s sons, Kings Saud, Faisal, Khalid, Fahd, Abdullah and now King Salman, alongside his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Diriyah is, for the Saudis, no different from the Acropolis of the Greeks, the Colosseum of the Romans or Machu Picchu in the Inca civilization.
Dr. Bader bin Saud
The Founding Day brings with it the philosophy of the founder imam and his ingenious methods of governance and management that moved the society of the Arabian Peninsula from a life of diaspora and conflicts to a life of peace, security and unity. The Arabian Peninsula had been united only once before Imam Mohammed bin Saud, during the time of the Prophet and the Rashidun Caliphate.
If Arab countries and some Western countries, including the US, celebrate their independence, the Kingdom celebrates its founding and the establishment of a state that has not known a colonizer throughout its history. The Saudi identity has not changed since the First Saudi State, but it has developed in line with the circumstances of time and place and the people’s needs and life priorities, in imitation of what Imam Mohammed did.
During his reign, Diriyah was known as the largest commercial market in the Arabian Peninsula and a central station on the pilgrimage route. In addition, it secured the neighboring countries of the state capital against attacks by their enemies.
Diriyah is, for the Saudis, no different from the Acropolis of the Greeks, the Colosseum of the Romans or Machu Picchu in the Inca civilization, because it represents the beginning of everything. The Kingdom owns 45 percent of the Red Sea’s water and has six sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The crown prince is keen for leaders and heads of state to visit Diriyah. He wants to see a similar achievement in the Kingdom to what Lee Kuan Yew achieved in Singapore, but over 15 years, not 50.
The Founding Day is an opportunity to rearrange Saudi Arabia’s identity and to show the reality and differences between Saudi Arabia and other countries in the world on humanitarian concerns, as well as its eagerness to be the most desirable destination for investment, tourism, entertainment and the quality of life.
It is necessary to review the curricula of history and to give the Saudi state, in its three stages, the detailed attention it deserves and to highlight its milestones, its people and their heroism, and to link their positions and achievements to the current reality, and with it the activation of scientific research to provide a fair national vision about them.
• Dr. Bader bin Saud is a weekly columnist for Al-Riyadh and Okaz, a media and knowledge management researcher, and the former deputy commander of the Special Forces for Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
