King Saud Says:
“The Arabs must come together and examine their fragmented affairs.”
His door never closes…
His majlis requires no invitation…
Anyone who wishes to meet the King may do so—without protocol, without waiting at the doors of secretaries, ceremonial officers, or palace servants.
The traditions of the desert place no barrier between ruler and ruled, and the spirit of Islam is simplicity, humility, and aiding those in need.
The interviewer writes:
“I was not fortunate enough to meet King Abdulaziz—though his greatness filled my imagination as it filled the imagination of every Arab in the East. But I had the honor of meeting the Saudi lion, the revolutionary King who speaks with his heart on his lips, who retains the virtues of the desert in his speech, bearing, and character—and above all, in his deep faith and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet.”
He recounts meeting King Saud three months earlier, attending his majlis several times, hearing him speak to hundreds of people. The King repeatedly affirmed that his constitution is the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger.
Two weeks earlier, he met His Majesty again in Riyadh, and then several more times. In the final meeting, the King granted Al‑Musawwar this candid interview.
“Our Constitution Is the Book of God”
Interviewer:
Al‑Musawwar is honored to be among the first to welcome Your Majesty’s visit to Egypt. It seems auspicious that the visit comes at a historic moment—after your inauguration of the first Council of Ministers in Saudi Arabia. Could Your Majesty speak about the next steps in this new renaissance?
King Saud:
“This is outlined in the speech I delivered today. Islam made governance a matter of consultation among Muslims. The first thing we resolved to do was to establish a government composed of our brothers and sons from among the people, so that we may work together to shoulder the responsibilities of ruling the country. Thus we established the Council of Ministers to be the source of all state affairs, and created various ministries to carry out their respective projects.”
He continued:
“In keeping with our desire for our people to participate with us in all matters concerning them, we ordered that every town have an administrative council chaired by its governor, judge, department heads, and notable citizens, to discuss and oversee local affairs. We also ordered the expansion of municipal councils and established a bureau called Diwan al‑Mazalim—similar to the Council of State in Egypt. Every complaint submitted to us, every grievance we see or hear of, will be referred to it for inspection and investigation in every government department, ensuring that every person receives his due right. In this way, our people—individuals and tribes—will be reassured that our door is open to hear their complaints and redress their injustices.”
The King added:
“In addition, we have begun preparing a five‑year program for major development, construction, and reform projects. It will be presented to the Council of Ministers for discussion and approval, God willing.”
He paused briefly, then said:
“Since assuming responsibility, our foremost concern has been to hold fast to the Book of God, follow the guidance of His Messenger, and adhere to the path of our great father in politics, administration, and every field of reform.”
A Call for a Popular Arab Conference
Interviewer:
Has the time not come for the Arab League to become strong and cohesive, capable of restoring to the Arabs some of what they lost in the Palestine war and its aftermath? Could Your Majesty outline the path toward strengthening the League?
King Saud:
“Our direction is clear, and we announce it at every opportunity. The Arabs must gather, examine their fragmented affairs, speak frankly, and judge among themselves by the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger. Only then can they achieve harmony and solidarity in good times and bad. The most important condition for this is honesty among them.”
Interviewer:
Then the time has come for an Arab policy aimed first at unifying the two opposing tendencies within the League.
King Saud (enthusiastically):
“We have had enough talk. We want action. We must search for the right path. I call upon all Arabs to convene a popular conference so that the Arab peoples may be informed of all truths. Any government that violates agreements should be held accountable by its people and guided toward what serves the higher Arab interest.”
He continued:
“We used to talk, and talk achieves nothing. Now we want serious action. We want unity among Arab states in politics, economics, and military affairs. I am at the forefront of those who seek this direction—within the Arab League Charter and the Joint Defense Pact. I instructed the Saudi delegation at the first League meeting after I assumed power to declare our firm resolve to cooperate with the Arabs in any field and by any means possible, to achieve what benefits us all.
The Arabs have failed only when they were divided, and succeeded only when they held fast and united. Today we are divided—one to the East, another to the West; one aligned with colonialism, another with personal interests. This is what made us lose Palestine and suffer the cancer of Zionism in the body of the Arab world.”
He recalled the famous statement of Chaim Weizmann:
“We cannot defeat the Arabs if they unite. We are one million; they are forty million. Our success and the establishment of our state depend on igniting disputes among them and dividing them.”
King Saud:
“We will be nothing unless we unite and are sincere in our unity. We must act.”
Interviewer:
Where should the popular conference be held?
King Saud:
“The location does not matter—Hijaz, Iraq, Egypt, or Syria. What matters is that the conference unites the word, purifies hearts, and establishes honesty, sincerity, and frankness.”
The Egyptian Question
Interviewer:
Your concern for resolving the Egyptian issue has earned the admiration of the Arabs. Could Your Majesty explain the path you see toward solving this problem and lifting Arab politics out of its current stagnation?
King Saud:
“I am going to Cairo to meet President Muhammad Naguib and his government to agree on working together for the good of all Arab countries and to resolve the Egyptian issue. I consider the Egyptian cause our cause. The people of Egypt are our brothers and our sons. Everyone knows that their pain is our pain. We are driven by the same impulse as the Egyptian people themselves. I ask God to grant us His help and guidance to reach a solution and fulfill the hopes of the people of the Nile Valley.”
As the interview concluded, the King added:
“We are ready to sacrifice everything for the independence of the Arabs and the completion of their sovereignty. God is witness to what we say.”
The interviewer writes:
“I left the meeting with greater faith in his sincerity and constructive spirit, and greater optimism for the future. His voice still echoes in my ears as he clearly described the Arab condition:
‘The Arabs have failed only when they were divided… and today we are divided—one to the East, another to the West; one with colonialism, another with personal interests. This is what made us lose Palestine.’”
By Salim Al‑Lawzi, 1956
Source: Al‑Musawwar Magazine