During the era of the First Saudi State, Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud led a campaign into Iraq, during which he confronted groups in Najaf and Karbala and destroyed structures built over certain graves. This sparked intense anger in Iran, ultimately leading to the secret dispatch of an assassin who succeeded in killing the Imam. May God accept him among the martyrs.
A similar incident occurred generations later with his descendant, the courageous King Abdulaziz Al Saud—may God have mercy on him—when three men of Yemeni nationality attempted to assassinate him inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah. The attempt failed after Prince Saud—later King Saud—displayed remarkable bravery in defending his father, a testament to his deep filial devotion. This is the story of that day.
In 1353 AH, King Abdulaziz began performing tawaf among the pilgrims in the Grand Mosque, accompanied by his son Saud and several personal guards. As he approached the Black Stone to begin the fifth circuit, a man suddenly rushed from near the Hijr of Ismail, holding a dagger, and charged toward the King from behind.
Prince Saud immediately stepped between the attacker and his father, shielding King Abdulaziz with his own body. With his other hand, he seized the assailant, threw him to the ground, and the attacker was swiftly killed by one of the King’s guards.
Moments later, a second man lunged forward, stabbing Prince Saud in the left shoulder as he continued to protect his father. A third attacker emerged from the right corner of the Kaaba, but upon seeing his companions killed, he attempted to flee. A soldier fired a precise shot that brought him down, though it did not kill him.
One of the soldiers displayed extraordinary skill: he killed the first attacker not with a horizontal shot—fearing it might pass through and strike a pilgrim—but by leaping upward and firing vertically, ensuring the bullet struck only its intended target.
The second attacker was killed by one of Prince Saud’s guards, while the third survived his wound. Through him, authorities were able to identify his accomplices and uncover the full details of the plot.
Poets later commemorated this event, including the renowned Saudi poet Khalaf bin Hathal Al‑Otaibi, who recited verses about it during a Janadriyah festival:
“On that day of chaos in the Sacred Mosque,
with crowds of pilgrims gathered,
a foreigner came seeking to strike Abdulaziz,
aiming to destroy the pillar of faith.
But Saud stood before the treacherous attacker and subdued him,
shielding his father as the dagger missed its mark.
Failed is the one who sent such a man—
his plot brought him no gain.”