Issue 14829 – Sunday, 25 Jumada al‑Akhirah 1434 AH
His Majesty the Founder—may God have mercy on him—said in one of his well‑known statements:
“Serving the people is a duty upon us; we serve them with our eyes and our hearts, and we believe that whoever does not serve the people and devote himself to them is deficient.”
He also said—may God bless his soul:
“God knows that every limb of this people pains me, and every hair of theirs that is harmed harms me.”
These and other sayings reveal the deep concern that weighed on the mind of the Builder—may God forgive him: the welfare of his people, their livelihood, their security, and their safety. By day he served them and commanded others to serve them; by night he stood before his Lord in prayer, imploring Him to grant sound judgment and guidance in all that would benefit every person living on his land.
The Founder would send letters and envoys—his sons, his ministers, and others—to inspect the conditions of the people across the vast regions of the country, to ensure the well‑being of the nation he loved, honored, and valued.
King Abdulaziz would sometimes go himself—secretly or openly. If he heard the groan of someone in pain, he relieved him; if the cry of the hungry reached him, he fed him. This was not only after unification and the establishment of security, but even while he was still fighting enemies and leading armies. Despite hardship and limited resources, he gave generously, fearing neither poverty nor hunger.
After the land was unified and he proclaimed his kingdom under its great name—the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—he traveled throughout the country, rejoicing with the people in unity, sharing with them the blessings of security, and reminding them of God’s promise that whoever is aided by God cannot be overcome, so long as he upholds His religion and honors His laws. For this reason, King Abdulaziz’s visits were a balm for the hearts of the people—especially those who had lived through the hardship, fear, and chaos that preceded unification.
After him came his dutiful sons, who followed his path and walked in his footsteps. Today’s discussion is not about the great father of all Saudis—Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud—whose devotion to his people has filled volumes, but rather about the care shown by every noble king and prince who came after him from the blessed royal family.
One of the poets of Wadi al‑Dawasir described the procession of King Saud—may God have mercy on him—during his 1373 AH visit:
He set out to visit the south and its regions,
Joy increased, and songs of delight rose with it.
He passed through Khamdah and the lands of the Sharafa,
And the land of the Dawasir welcomed him with renewed pride.
During that visit, one of the notable men of Wadi al‑Dawasir approached King Saud with more than thirty children aged between nine and twelve. He said:
“May God prolong your life… These children wish to learn and attend school, but they have no school to teach them the Qur’an, writing, and arithmetic.”
King Saud smiled and replied:
“Good, God willing you will hear what pleases you.”
And as he promised—may God forgive him—he fulfilled: he ordered the opening of schools in al‑Sharafa, al‑Nuway‘imah, and al‑Wulamin.
King Saud also said to the people of Samtah:
“By God, even if Samtah were on the top of a mountain unreachable by cars, I would walk to it on foot.”
This was when they feared the difficulty of the road would prevent him from visiting their town. During his first visit to the Jazan region in 1374 AH, he inspected the area and inaugurated several projects, including the Water Project, which brought water from artesian wells located 20 miles from Jazan—after the people had long fetched drinking water from distant places on the backs of animals. He also visited Abu Arish, whose governor at the time was Sulaiman bin Jibreen.
Earlier that same year, a ship named after King Saud sailed toward Al‑Qunfudhah, arriving on the 12th of Safar 1374 AH. In the public ceremony, he said:
“This visit has had a great impact on me, and the purpose of our journeys is to learn the needs of the people—foremost among them water.”
He then ordered the extension of water pipelines from Ahd Bani Zayd, the construction of reservoirs, and the installation of the necessary network. The royal decree was read to the people by Sheikh Yusuf Yassin—may God have mercy on him. The residents received the news with joy and prayers for the King and their governor Ibn Ibrahim, who had worked to achieve it. Within a year, the people were drinking fresh water, and the King—may God have mercy on him—bestowed generous gifts upon them.
In that same year, he also visited Al‑Baha, staying for nine days—from Monday, 30 Shawwal 1374 AH to Tuesday, 8 Dhu al‑Qi‘dah 1374 AH—hosted in the Bin Raqoush Palace.
On Monday, 1 Jumada al‑Ula 1379 AH, King Saud visited Buraidah, after spending Sunday in Al‑Rass. The journey between the two cities took more than nine hours, as reported by Al‑Bilad newspaper on Monday, 1 Jumada al‑Ula 1379 AH (2 November 1959). The report stated:
“King Saud inspects Al‑Rass and Buraidah. His Majesty arrived in Buraidah the day before yesterday, coming from Al‑Rass on an inspection tour to learn about the conditions of his people, after a nine‑hour journey through rough and hot terrain.”
After a brief rest, he visited several notable figures of Buraidah, including Ali al‑Fahd al‑Rashudi, Yahya al‑Shareeda, Abdulaziz al‑Ibrahim al‑Hamza, and Colonel Mohammed al‑Sulayman of the Royal Guard, where he was served coffee and refreshments.
Sheikh Mohammed al‑Rubdi, head of the well‑known Al‑Rubdi family, hosted a grand dinner in his honor at his farm, attended by many dignitaries of Al‑Qassim. The King listened to speeches and poems, and afterward returned to his designated residence with the Al‑Rashid family.
Some towns gave special names to the year King Saud visited them. The people of Tharmada, for example, called it “The Year of Beauty” (Sannat al‑Zeenah). His visits—may God forgive him—reached most regions of the country.
Like his father, King Saud frequently visited Mecca and Medina between Umrah and Hajj, inspecting towns and villages along the way, bestowing gifts and kindness with a cheerful, smiling face.