By Muhammad Abduh Yamani
We continue today our discussion in the “Deputy of the Haram” column—a place of rest and reflection where we enjoy the company of dear friends. Today, I will speak about King Saud—may God have mercy on him—during the summers he spent between Mecca and Taif. At that time, Sheikh Abdullah Balkhair was among those closest to him, having previously served his father, King Abdulaziz—may God have mercy on him.
Sheikh Abdullah Balkhair belonged to the first generation of statesmen who served this country. He was truly a man of the state—highly competent, of noble reputation, a distinguished writer, and a poet among the finest in the nation. He was a towering cultural figure whose legacy commands respect and admiration, and whose works future generations eagerly seek to explore.
One day, Sheikh Abdullah Balkhair was in a private gathering with King Saud, translating for him some international news—having graduated from the American University of Beirut. He spoke to the King about the scholars of the Hijaz. King Saud was delighted by the topic and asked him to invite those scholars to his majlis.
Sheikh Abdullah immediately went to Mecca and visited the scholars of that time. Among the most prominent were:
- Sayyid Alawi al‑Maliki al‑Hasani
- Sayyid Muhammad Amin Kutbi
- Sheikh Muhammad al‑Arabi al‑Tabbani
- Sayyid Hasan Mashat
He met them and conveyed the King’s wish to receive them on Thursday. They thanked him and asked that he convey their respect and appreciation to His Majesty for the gracious invitation. However, they apologized, explaining that Thursday coincided with their long‑established teaching sessions in the Sacred Mosque, attended by people for many years. They expressed their hope to meet the King in the future when he visited Mecca, as the message had reached them while he was in Taif.
Sheikh Abdullah Balkhair returned and informed King Saud, who instructed him to thank them, appreciate their dedication, and affirm that they should remain committed to their lessons in the Haram. He added that, God willing, he would meet them upon his return to Mecca. The King also wished to send them appropriate gifts, but Sheikh Abdullah informed him that they preferred to meet him in Mecca, as the meeting itself meant more to them than any gift. They prayed for his success and protection.
King Saud always met the scholars in Mecca and welcomed them warmly. Notably, he was the first Saudi king to lead the people in prayer at the Sacred Mosque after becoming monarch. He led the Maghrib prayer, reciting “Innā a‘ṭaynāka al‑kawthar” in the first rak‘ah and “Qul huwa Allāhu aḥad” in the second. He had performed ṭawāf, prayed at the Station of Abraham, stood at the Multazam after greeting the Black Stone, and supplicated earnestly—praying for his father King Abdulaziz and his mother, may God envelop them both in His mercy.
Whoever studies the life of King Saud—may God have mercy on him—will find many aspects deserving of attention, elements that history has overlooked and that merit illumination.
These memories also call us to recall the atmosphere of learning in the Sacred Mosque, when these scholars and others like them took turns teaching in its corridors. Students of knowledge came from many countries to study under them, as did residents of Mecca who wished to attend their circles. The environment was filled with etiquette, humility, and sincerity for the sake of God.
Each scholar had a known place where he taught:
- Sayyid Alawi al‑Maliki near Bab al‑Salam
- Sayyid Muhammad Amin Kutbi at Bab Jiyad
- Sheikh Muhammad al‑Arabi al‑Tabbani near Bab al‑‘Umrah
- Sheikh Muhammad Nur Saif in the khalawī near Bab Ibrahim, where he also taught important lessons
- Sayyid Hasan Mashat at Bab al‑Ziyadah
There were many other scholars as well, and I hope—God willing—to dedicate a future article to them. They were shining stars in the Haram, and they maintained ties with scholars residing in Mecca who taught outside the Haram, such as:
- Sheikh Abdullah bin Dahish, judge of Mecca
- Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Sheikh
- Sheikh Muhammad bin Mani‘, who taught Hanbali jurisprudence
- Sheikh Abdulmalik Al‑Sheikh, who passed away in a blessed state—dying in the Sacred Mosque while praying the two rak‘ahs of ṭawāf at the Station of Abraham after completing his circumambulation.
May God have mercy on them all and envelop them in His grace. They were among the finest people of knowledge, virtue, and noble character