More than one elderly citizen told me that thousands of families in many neighborhoods of Riyadh, its villages, and its settlements used to receive, every year before Ramadan, food supplies: sacks of rice, flour, and sugar; containers of dates; tea, cardamom, and coffee. They did not know that the source of all this was King Saud himself—until these provisions ceased after his death. A notable from Al‑Ahsa’ told me that the same occurred there as well. He was a generous, noble king whose goodness reached all his citizens, embedding love, respect, and admiration for him deep in their hearts. May God envelop him in His vast mercy, grant him the highest gardens of Paradise, and reward him abundantly for what he did for his nation, his people, and for Islam and the Muslims.
20/10/1419 AH — Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al‑‘Awshan
King Saud: The Humanitarian Monarch and Affectionate Father
King Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was distinguished by genuine humanity, overflowing compassion, paternal tenderness, and deep care for his citizens. He worked tirelessly and sincerely for their comfort, security, education, health, and well‑being. He sought out the poor, providing them with financial and material support, and visited the sick—so much so that he became known as “The King of Hearts.”
Among the many examples of his compassion:
When he visited Tabuk—then known as the “Northern Province”—in 1373 AH during his inspection tours of the Kingdom’s cities, villages, and settlements, he instructed the Governor of the Northern Province, Prince Khalid bin Ahmed Al‑Sudairi (may God have mercy on them both), to prepare lists of those in need and allocated them annual stipends.
During his visit to Tayma’, he inspected its famous well, Haddaj. When he learned of the hardship locals faced in drawing water with ropes and buckets, he ordered—at his own expense—the purchase and installation of four large pumps to raise water for the people, their farms, and their livestock. He also gave charity to the poor of the region.
In 1374 AH, he instructed Prince Musaid bin Ahmed Al‑Sudairi—who had succeeded his brother as Governor—to travel to the town of Duba to assess the conditions of its people. Among those he visited were the residents of a nearby island inhabited by about forty families who lived on fishing and bartering their catch for sugar, rice, and flour. I was then an employee in the Governorate, and His Highness instructed me to prepare a telegram describing their situation and recommending monthly stipends for the heads of these families and relocating them to Duba so their children could receive education.
I mistakenly wrote “300 riyals” instead of “30 riyals” as the proposed monthly stipend. The royal approval came—granting 300 riyals to each family head. When the financial official, Saleh Al‑Wakeel (may God have mercy on him), noticed the unusually high amount—given that most government employees earned between 250 and 600 riyals—Prince Musaid clarified the intended amount. Yet King Saud insisted on the higher figure, saying in his royal decree:
“It is God Almighty who has provided for them and granted them sustenance.”
And the payments continued accordingly.
His blessed visits were often followed by abundant rainfall. When he visited Tabuk—whose winds were famously fierce—the winds calmed during his stay, clouds gathered, and heavy rain fell after years of drought. Every valley and stream flowed, and vegetation flourished for years afterward.
A Builder of a Modern Nation
Under his leadership, the Kingdom witnessed unprecedented development:
- Thousands of schools, colleges, and institutes were established.
- The university that bears his name—King Saud University—was founded.
- Major hospitals were built, including the one named after him, which served all of Najd.
- Hundreds of dams were constructed, beginning with Wadi Hanifa, Namar, and Laban.
- Road networks were built connecting the east to the west and the north to the south.
- Bedouin settlement projects were launched in Haradh, with land distributed to them.
- Modern housing complexes were built for government employees in Al‑Malaz.
- Ministries, institutions, and government departments were established.
- Lending funds—real estate and agricultural—were created.
- The Institute of Public Administration was opened.
- The Two Holy Mosques—Makkah and Madinah—were expanded.
This is but a small portion of his vast legacy—deeds that stand as enduring testimony to his generosity and vision.
May God envelop him in His mercy, grant him the highest Paradise, and reward him for all he did for his nation and its people.
Citizen: Abdulaziz bin Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al‑‘Awshan
Anecdotes of Protection and Blessing
It is narrated that King Abdulaziz, his father, used to consider his birth a good omen, saying:
“With the birth of Saud, the conquest of Riyadh was achieved.”
The writer adds:
“By God’s grace and then by his favor, King Saud protected me from the daggers of treacherous assassins who attempted to kill him in the Sacred Mosque—he received their blows instead. And God, then King Saud, saved us from a collapsing wall in Qasr Al‑Murabba‘. He lifted me up, warned those around us, and moments later the wall fell—he had seen it weakening in the storm.”
— Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al‑‘Awshan