He loved King Saud deeply, and never hesitated to visit him.
He longed to see him, to sit with him, and felt his absence whenever Saud traveled while still Crown Prince.
In that moment of longing, he said:
Last night my heart was restless,
My soul turned away from food.
Nothing concerns me except Saud’s journey,
I fear I may die before I see him again.
Saud, whose deeds resemble pure generosity,
Rejoices whenever guests gather at his door.
His nature resembles the noble oud,
Known among people for its goodness.
His banquet is always spread,
And his chairs always arranged.
Saud’s spirit loves abundance,
Always eager to do good…
King Saud’s Dakka (Resting Platform)
King Saud had a raised platform where he would rest while traveling between Riyadh and Dir‘iyyah.
Nafi‘ longed to go there to meet him, and expressed this yearning in his verses:
*“How beautiful our cars look along the track,
My companion beside me, dressed in the finest cloth.
An eight‑cylinder engine, sleek and bright,
Its breeze lifts the head of anyone who breathes it.
If all the Arabs gathered from here to Mecca,
I would choose none but my loyal companion.
And when we arrive, we line up our chairs on the platform,
Each one unique, unlike any other…