I recently came across the very first issue of Rāyat al‑Islām magazine, which was published on 1/12/1379 AH, during the reign of King Saud—may God have mercy on him.
The magazine was characterized at the time by its religious, scholarly, cultural, literary, and social nature, and it was issued by Muslim scholars of that era.
It was published in Riyadh, with a total of 48 pages.
Its emblem featured a mosque and a banner inscribed with:
“There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God”
and the Qur’anic verse:
“And say: Truth has come, and falsehood has vanished.”
The magazine’s supervisors and editors were:
- General Supervisor: Sheikh ʿAbd al‑Laṭīf ibn Ibrāhīm Āl al‑Sheikh
- Editor‑in‑Chief: Sheikh Ṣāliḥ ibn Muḥammad al‑Luḥaydān
- Director: Sheikh ʿAlī ibn Ḥamad al‑Ṣāliḥī
The magazine opened its first page with the “Wisdom of the Issue,” which read:
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and argue with them in the best manner.”
It also included a poetic verse encouraging diligence and effort:
“There is no pride in decayed bones;
True pride belongs to the one who seeks it through his own striving.”
The issue then offered words of gratitude and appreciation to the King, stating:
“Thanks and appreciation to His Majesty the Great King for donating twenty thousand riyals to this institution.
Rāyat al‑Islām, as it announces this noble royal gesture and this honorable contribution, expresses its gratitude to His Majesty for this encouragement, and proudly records this generosity upon its pages.
History will inscribe it in letters of light as testimony to the Protector of the Two Holy Mosques and the Bearer of the Banner of Islam, for his noble deeds and benevolent efforts in defending this noble religion and preserving its principles.
May God protect His Majesty and keep him as a source of strength for Islam and the Muslims.”
Nearly fifty years have passed since the publication of that magazine—an issue that recorded towering, enduring names whose contributions remain a testament to their legacy.
These were individuals who carried the burden of the faith upon their shoulders and sought to convey it to humanity.
Reading that magazine fills one with a sense of spirituality, and with the feeling that everyone was united in service of this religion.
A sense of sadness overtook me:
Will we ever witness a day when all members of society—of every background—come together to serve and support this faith?
Will we ever again see a newspaper or magazine like Rāyat al‑Islām, issued from this land, serving Islam and its people, and standing as a platform for its message?
I leave you with some of the images I captured—though there is much more that I have not yet shared.