6 Dhul‑Qa‘dah 1427 AH
Documenting the History of King Saud and Its Importance to Saudi History
(Preliminary Guiding Study)**
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Riyadh
King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah)
Scientific Symposium on the History of King Saud bin Abdulaziz
4–6 Dhul‑Qa‘dah 1427 AH
“Documenting the History of King Saud and Its Importance to Saudi History:
A Preliminary Guiding Study”
Prepared by: Fahda bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Introduction
This paper is a modest attempt to assist researchers in writing and documenting the history of King Saud bin Abdulaziz—may God have mercy on him—and to serve as an initial guiding reference.
The paper highlights the importance of recording his history using diverse, authentic documents, given the intrinsic connection between documentation and history, and the civilizational role of documents as sources of knowledge, history, and political understanding, in addition to their significance in heritage, culture, and the sciences.
As has been said:
“The written heritage preserved in documents is the foundational base upon which the structure of every nation rests. Documents are the greatest witness to history and the strongest evidence of the civilizational character of any people. They are the memory of the nation.” (1)
Definition of Documents
God Almighty says:
“Whoever rejects false gods and believes in Allah has grasped the firmest handhold, which will never break.”
(Al‑Baqarah 256)
This verse provides the linguistic root for the Arabic term wathīqah (document), whose plural is wathā’iq, meaning that which is relied upon. (2)
From this linguistic meaning, we derive that documents are anything relied upon or referred to in order to confirm, establish, or verify a matter, or anything entrusted as an intellectual or historical deposit that aids scientific research, reveals the essence of a reality, describes a property, or confirms an amount or contract between two or more parties. (3)
Thus, the term “document” applies to any record—legal or non‑legal.
Documents include preserved files, whether:
- Paper-based (contracts, statements, manuscripts, maps)
- Digital (text files, images, audio files, video files) (4)
Therefore, a document is any record of historical, legal, or financial significance that may be referred to in the future to extract information useful to historians or researchers. (5)
Types and Forms of Documents
Documents may be classified according to several criteria, including:
1. According to authenticity and reliability
A. Written Documents
These include all handwritten records entrusted to an official authority, produced in sequential parts or at a specific time, and written by an authorized official. Such documents are authentic and cannot be contested.
B. Documents produced by individuals
These are written by private individuals without reference to an official authority and are not formally certified.
C. Visual Documents
These rank below written documents and are considered supporting evidence. Their content may be subject to doubt or interpretation. They include:
- Drawings (oil, pencil, charcoal)
- Engravings
- Photographs
D. Structural Documents
Also considered supporting evidence, these include:
- Palaces
- Official buildings
- Landmarks
- Architectural remains
E. Audio Documents
These include:
- Audio recordings
- Radio broadcasts
- Phonograph records
- Film reels
With modern technological developments, such documents are used to study:
- Vocal characteristics
- Dialects
- Speech patterns of political leaders
- Public influence and rhetorical style
2. According to historians’ classification
A. Administrative (Dīwānī) Documents
Issued by official bureaus following standardized formats and procedures.
B. Non‑Administrative Documents
Issued by bodies or institutions without fixed formats.
C. National Documents
Preserving the national heritage of a people, reflecting activity across all fields, especially manuscripts, letters, and various document forms. (6)
The Importance of Documents
Documents are essential sources of information and guidance. They are the material vessel of knowledge and human memory, as described by Dr. Abu Al‑Su‘ud Ibrahim. (7)
They preserve and revive information, serving as:
- A container of knowledge
- A guardian of national and historical memory
- A catalyst for learning and research (8)
Thus, documentation and information are interconnected: knowledge cannot be attained without information, which serves as its medium.
This requires familiarity with related concepts such as:
- Archival science (علم الوثائق)
- Information (المعلومات)
- Information industry (صناعة المعلومات)
Archival Science (علم الوثائق)
Archival science emerged as a major branch of library science, involving analytical and critical study of written materials, whether legal or administrative.
Abdullah Ahmad Haqeel states:
“In the modern era, documentation has become a field of study. Archival and documentary sciences now occupy a distinguished position.” (9)
Due to its importance, the International Federation for Documentation was established.
Definition of Archival Science (Terminology)
Imam Al‑Wansharisi described it as:
“Know that the science of documents is among the most noble sciences in rank and the highest in status, for through it rights are established, the free are distinguished from the enslaved, and matters are secured. For this reason, its meanings were called ‘bindings’ (wuthāq).” (10)
Diplomatics (الدبلوماتيك)
The study of documents has become a science defined as:
- The collection, preservation, and organization of written materials
- Making them accessible to researchers
- Using specialized recorded information through:
- Presentation
- Copying
- Collection
- Storage
- Subject analysis
- Organization
- Retrieval
All to:
- Reveal truth
- Support rights
- Provide evidence
- Establish facts
Documents may be legal or non‑legal.
The term diplomatic document refers to materials studied analytically and critically within the field of diplomatics. (11)
The Status of Documentation
Documentation holds a distinguished place in human life because it preserves rights according to legal and religious principles and regulates legal positions of individuals and property.
Ibn Farḥūn said:
“It is a noble and elevated craft, granting access to kings and insight into their affairs. Without it, none may attain such positions.”
Al‑Hawwari wrote:
“The science of documents is among the greatest sciences in rank and the most significant in impact, for through it people’s affairs are regulated according to Sharia, and their blood and wealth are preserved.”
Written documentation:
- Establishes facts without dispute
- Presents truth free from bias, error, or forgetfulness
- Provides precise and lasting evidence
- Is immune to memory loss or distortion (12)
Information and the Information Industry
Definition of Information
The term information emerged in the late 1960s as an extension of the concept of documentation. It refers to the transmission of information through all processes involved in transferring knowledge from source to user. (13)
Information is also defined as:
Data concerning various concepts and subjects within the humanities and natural sciences, and related political, social, economic, and technical activities carried out by governmental and private institutions—after classification, organization, and logical or statistical analysis. (14)