If you wish to express an opinion about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or pass judgment on it from any angle or perspective, your opinion will not be sound, nor your judgment fair, unless you cast your mind back more than a quarter of a century and compare what that land once was with what it has become today.
The Arabian Peninsula had been fragmented into regions over which the Ottoman Empire extended a rule that expanded, contracted, or weakened according to circumstances. When Ottoman authority receded after the First World War, and the Arabs launched their famous revolt, separate states emerged in each of those regions. The Hashemites attempted to make the Hijaz the base of an empire that would achieve Arab unity, but fortune betrayed them. They lost the Hijaz—the cradle of their dynasty—and were forced to withdraw from the heart of Arabia, though they established two states on its periphery: Iraq and Jordan.
Meanwhile, the star of the Saudi family rose. By 1954, nearly thirty years had passed since the annexation of the Hijaz, ‘Asir, Najd, and their dependencies; about twenty‑three years since the unification of the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”; about ten years since the beginning of oil exploitation and the securing of revenue from that hidden wealth; and about ten years as well since the Kingdom joined the procession of Arabism through its participation in the Arab League.
Half a century ago, the Saudi wave began—destined to sweep across the Peninsula, unite its parts, and transform it from a wasteland into a garden, from a desert into flourishing lands. A quarter century ago, the era of conquest ended and the era of reconstruction, reform, and development began.
Have the Saudis fulfilled their mission? Have they carried out their duty—within their country, within the Arab procession, and on the international stage—since their leader left Kuwait seeking battle at the dawn of this century, until our present day after traversing these astonishing stages in just fifty years?
Circumstances allowed me to know Arabia well. I traveled through its regions, lived in some of its cities, ventured deep into its deserts, experienced tent life in its plains, and circled its coasts—over more than thirty‑five years, during which two world wars and many local conflicts took place.
I knew Arabia during the Arab Revolt in the Hijaz in the First World War; I knew it after the establishment of the Hashemite state under Hussein bin Ali; I knew it after the Saudi advance and the forging of its regions into one entity—the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; and I knew it finally as it emerged from the confines of the Arab sphere into the expanse of the international arena.
How were things at the beginning of those stages, and what have they become?
Tribal factions became a nation.
Conflicting regions became a unified state.
The desert retreated before farms and orchards.
Security and tranquility replaced fear and chaos.
The pilgrimage, once a perilous adventure, became a safe journey.
The sick, once dying on the road, now receive treatment in hospitals.
The treasury, once empty, is now full to overflowing, enabling officials to carry out the projects, reforms, and construction the country needs.
A quarter century—what is the value of such a period in the life of a nation or the history of a state?
Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud had to perform wonders in that time—creating everything from nothing, removing obstacles, overcoming difficulties. His sons and his aides each bore their share of the tremendous effort. They proved themselves worthy of the burden and the mission, and they will be with the present king as they were with their late father.
Internally, the Saudis had to build from the ground up, stone by stone, without relying on any external assistance. Indeed, eyes were watching them, and adversaries lay in wait—some stirring unrest in remote regions, others igniting civil strife, others exploiting religious sensitivities to fight the young state, and still others spreading malicious propaganda against it internationally. These adversaries achieved some success here and there, but their efforts bore no lasting fruit and vanished like dust in the wind.
After internal stability was secured, the Saudis extended their hands to neighboring Arab peoples with sincerity, calling for understanding, cooperation, and solidarity.
They concluded agreements and treaties with Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, and others. They supported the Arab League project, joined it, and consistently respected its resolutions. They did no less for Palestine than any other Arab nation. Today, they stand with every Arab people seeking hope, demanding rights, or resisting injustice.
At the same time, the Saudis took their place among the nations of the world in the United Nations—discussing its charter, signing it, insisting on the sanctity of its provisions, and raising their voice in its councils in defense of the oppressed, Arab and non‑Arab alike.
Thus, the tribes became a nation in Arabia. The nation joined the Arab family in its League. It marched with the procession of Arabism on the international stage, bearing its responsibilities fully in all fields. Blessed are these tribes, blessed is this nation, and blessed is this procession.
Yet a frank word must conclude this acknowledgment and praise: in some fields of Saudi progress, there was shortcoming, error, or stagnation. The excuses at the time were understandable—lack of expertise, lack of experience, or lack of money. Above all, lack of money, the foundation of every renaissance. Without it, no progress could be achieved.
But now the money is present in the treasury, and what is coming is more than what exists. There is no sign that this source will dry up. Thus, the excuse of lacking funds has vanished and will not return. The other shortcomings can be remedied through the availability of this wealth.
Therefore, the Saudi renaissance must advance through the remaining stages toward the desired perfection—ascending with speed, steadiness, and confidence—now that all means of success have been secured.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds a distinguished place in the procession of Arabism and plays an exceptional role within it. This imposes great responsibilities—some of which it has fulfilled, and others it must yet fulfill. It will, without doubt, remain faithful to its mission, sincere in continuing its work, drawing lessons from the past for the future.
May God grant Saud success as He granted his father, and crown his efforts with success in all fields.