Al‑Watan Online
Al‑‘Aboudi: Twenty‑Two Royal Palaces Formed the Foundation of the Islamic University
Mohammed bin Nasser Al‑‘Aboudi, Assistant Secretary‑General of the Muslim World League and renowned Saudi traveler, revealed that King Saud’s desire to establish an Islamic university that would restore Madinah to its role in the early Islamic era—serving as a center for spreading the Islamic message—was the very reason he himself became a traveler who visited more than 93% of the world’s countries over half a century, documenting his journeys in 138 travel books.
During a lecture organized by the Madinah Research and Studies Center as part of the “My Experience” series, titled “Global Da‘wah Journeys Launched from the Prophet’s City,” and moderated by Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al‑Mushawah, Al‑‘Aboudi stated:
“The Islamic University fulfilled the vision of its founder, King Saud, through its global role in spreading the eternal message of Islam and confronting worldwide missionary activity through da‘wah, university education, and postgraduate studies.”
Al‑‘Aboudi explained that being selected as the first Saudi employee at the newly established Islamic University marked a turning point in his professional life, transforming him into a global traveler. His official mission to Africa opened a window onto most countries of the world across the five continents. He had not imagined that this journey would allow him to collect and author a vast trove of manuscripts and books—more than 300 manuscripts and volumes.
He recalled the beginnings of the most famous da‘wah journeys launched from Madinah, when in 1380 AH, the Royal Court announced King Saud’s decision to establish a global Islamic institution—global in purpose, Saudi in affiliation—dedicated to providing higher education to students from all parts of the Muslim world.
One of the first obstacles that nearly delayed the university’s launch was the absence of a physical campus. King Saud resolved this by donating 22 adjacent royal palaces, covering an area of 107,000 square meters, converting most of them into classrooms, administrative offices, and faculty facilities.
The first da‘wah journey to Africa took place in 1384 AH, by order of King Saud, to distribute financial aid to Islamic organizations and associations there. Al‑‘Aboudi traveled with Sheikh Mohammed ‘Umar Fallatah and Sheikh Abu Bakr Al‑Jaza’iri. The journey lasted three months and seventeen days.
Al‑‘Aboudi described his observations across many countries, including his arrival in the far north where the sun does not set, and where Muslims estimate prayer and fasting times. He said:
“We performed the audible prayers—Maghrib, ‘Isha, and Fajr—under the sunlight.”
He also spoke about his visit to the Vatican, where priests expressed astonishment at the spread of Islam despite the limited da‘wah resources available in predominantly Christian countries. Al‑‘Aboudi expressed satisfaction with what he had been able to accomplish in spreading the Islamic message, thanks to the support provided by the Saudi leadership to Islam and Muslims around the world.
Al‑Watan Online