The House of Saud: Looks Like Us and We Look Like It
Okaz, Saudi Arabia, February 20
When one delves into the history of the Arabian Peninsula, an important question arises: How many states have held dominion over the region or a large part of it in the past 5,000 years? Why has it never been ruled by an external nation? The likely answer lies in the Arab people’s deep-seated resistance to outside domination. This resistance is due in part to the harsh climate and scarcity of resources in the area. Two distinct political entities stand out in the region’s history. The first is the Islamic state established during the prophet’s era and first caliphate, which existed for about 40 years. The second is the Saudi state, founded in 1727 and continuing to the present day. The Saudi state, founded by Imam Muhammad bin Saud, provided the Arabian Peninsula with a previously unseen form of institutional government. Spanning the entire region, this state had its own central leadership, military body and political outlook. It created religious institutions, spread knowledge, collected charity, upheld law and order and provided social justice. Governors were appointed to oversee each region, such as Tami Bin Shuaib Al-Muthami in Asir, Othman Al-Madhaifi in Al-Taif, and Bakhroush Bin Alass in Al-Bahah. Prior to the birth of the first Saudi state, the region was characterized by disunity, conflict and tribal or clan rule, with individual local emirates belonging to greater regional states. This region, stretching from Al-Jawf in the north to Najran in the south, and from Al-Uqair in the east to Jizan in its far southwest, has had its own destiny. This destiny accurately reflects the relationship between the people of the Saudi state and its ruling family. Only its inhabitants knew the secrets of its keys. But, if someone unwelcome entered, the people resisted and vocalized their dismay. This is what happened in the short periods between the first and second Saudi states, and between the second and third states. For nearly 1,000 years, efforts to create governments in the various regions of the Arabian Peninsula were unsuccessful in realizing the dream of a centralized state. Then, in 1727, Imam Muhammad Bin Saud achieved success and galvanized the masses based on the necessity of his project. This was a dream that the Arabian Peninsula had awaited for centuries, and the land and people willingly joined forces with Imam Muhammad Bin Saud and his sons and grandsons, who went on to become the rulers of the three Saudi states. They identified with him, as he was one of their own. It is clear that the Arabian Peninsula was not content with its unforgiving geography, which has kept it isolated for so long. Furthermore, the Arab central states of Damascus and Baghdad neglected the ambition of foreign powers to impose hegemony and tutelage on the region or parts of it. This ambition can be traced back to Persia’s failed attempt to take control of Al-Ahsa and Najd under the leadership of Shapur the Great, as well as the failed attempts of the Portuguese Crusaders, the Safavid allies, and the Ottomans. These failed attempts to take control of the region can be attributed to their lack of understanding that the Arabian Peninsula is a land made for resistance and its people are naturally resistant to any outsiders. Ibn Saud was able to understand this, ultimately leading him to successfully create the Saudi House under one banner and one family. – Muhammad Al-Saed (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
