Achievements of King Saud During 1958–1959
Special Bulletin on the Occasion of the Accession Anniversary
His Majesty the Great King—may God preserve him—is the one to whom the primary credit is due for directing the projects that have flourished in the country in recent years, achieving wide progress in every field of public life.
His Majesty has undertaken great works in various avenues of benevolence and in all that brings benefit to his loyal subjects. He has always been the compassionate father and the caring guardian, extending his kindness and generosity to all classes of the people. He supports the oppressed, consoles the afflicted, assists the weak in times of hardship, listens to their complaints, looks into their conditions, and responds to their needs with abundant generosity and compassion. This has kept hope alive in his beloved person, for he is the most generous man known in the present time.
His Majesty’s assistance and generous donations are not limited to the Saudi Arab people; they extend further to support various organizations and institutions dedicated to serving Palestinian refugees and caring for their affairs.
As for our Algerian brothers engaged in their struggle, His Majesty has spared no effort in providing all forms of material and moral support.
His Majesty the Great King works constantly, everywhere and on every occasion, to provide comfort, happiness, and well‑being for his people. He spends from his personal funds to achieve the goal he has set for himself: the welfare of the sons of this great Arab nation.
There is no doubt that the mobile hospitals that travel across the country—north to south and east to west—at a cost of 855,000 riyals, with His Majesty personally paying the salaries of their doctors and nurses, as well as the cost of medicines and maintenance amounting to 50,000 riyals, are among the greatest proofs of his dedication to the nation. Another clear example is his assistance to poor farmers, which amounted to 625,000 riyals.
Only recently, His Majesty assumed responsibility for real‑estate and agricultural loans totaling 4,082,800 riyals, according to available records. In Medina, he exempted farmers from loans amounting to 1,890,000 riyals. In Al‑Bukayriyah, he exempted agricultural loans totaling 92,800 riyals. In the Eastern Province, Al‑Ahsa, and Qatif, His Majesty paid from his personal funds 2.5 million Saudi riyals.
His Majesty has also taken great interest in the construction and expansion of mosques. In the Hijaz alone, 195 mosques were built at a cost of 3.5 million riyals. Hundreds of mosques were built across the country, costing millions of riyals for their construction, furnishing, and lighting.
His Majesty established religious institutes and personally pays special stipends to students to encourage religious study. He also promotes the memorization of the Holy Qur’an through generous rewards.
His Majesty is always quick to alleviate the suffering and hardships of the afflicted and disabled, extending a helping hand to them.
This year, His Majesty spent 1.5 million riyals to relieve the suffering of disaster victims and assist them.
His Majesty does not stop at generous donations alone; in many cases, he orders a monthly stipend from his personal funds for widows—especially those whose husbands served His Majesty and the country faithfully. He never abandons them.
Among His Majesty’s good deeds is the digging of artesian wells, which cost 600,000 riyals in a single year. Although His Majesty works day and night for his people, he has also selected loyal men to inspect the conditions of the population and report their needs to him.
A committee was formed consisting of:
Sheikh Abdullah Al‑Linjawi,
Sheikh Abdullah bin Othman,
Sheikh Ibrahim bin Aidan,
Sheikh Muhammad bin Saeed,
Sheikh Muhammad Al‑Shubaili,
Sheikh Ibrahim Al‑Shaigi,
Sheikh Saleh bin Jumai’ah,
and Sheikh Abdullah bin Ammar.
His Majesty allocated from his personal funds 100,000 riyals monthly for this committee, but it distributes twice that amount to the disabled and poor across all cities and villages.
The committee meets four times a week and, through the governors and judges in the villages, identifies those deserving assistance. Their names are then submitted to His Majesty, who orders the appropriate support.
There are also men assigned to accompany His Majesty’s procession on every journey, distributing money to the needy who stand along the route seeking His Majesty’s help.
Source:
General Directorate of Broadcasting, Press, and Publishing
11 Jumada al‑Awwal 1379 AH
12 November 1959