The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Friday celebrates the 75th anniversary of its national day which coincides with 23rd of September, 2005.
On the 19th of Jamada Al-Oola of the year 1351 AH, the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, the founder of the Kingdom, announced the unification of the regions and parts of the country under the name of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after having spent 32 years fighting for this goal, hence writing a new chapter for the state of Al Saud in the Arab peninsula. The new country was based on the inspirations of the Holy Quran and the deeds and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Thanks to Almighty Allah and to the leaders of this country, particularly the sons of the founder, who followed him in governing the country, Saudi Arabia has, over a few decades, become an influential economic, cultural, social and political force in the region and the world at large.
In 1157 AH the late Imam Muhammad bin Saud decided to support the call of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab to allow a rectified Islam to govern the Arabian peninsula, just like in the days of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the succeeding caliphates.
In 1240 AH, the second Saudi state was led by the second founder, Imam Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Saud. After surviving for about 68 years, the second Saudi state collapsed due to internal feuds.
On the 5th day of Shawal of the year 1319 AH, Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Alfaisal Al Saud, re-captured Riyadh, the capital, in one of the century's rare epics. Taking Riyadh as base, King Abdulaziz was able to unify the warring tribes and leaders on the path of true Islam.
The same diplomatic policy was followed by the late King Abdulaziz in the Kingdom's foreign relations and policy. He called for Arab and Islamic solidarity. He made considerable contribution to the establishment of the Arab League, participated in the United Nations as a founding member and took historical positions in the international incidents and regional and international issues.
In this regard, the cause of Palestine was a prominent example of the interest and support of the late King Abdulaziz for the rights of the Arab and Islamic nations and peoples. All through his rule, King Abdulaziz successfully mobilized his wise diplomacy in advocating the Palestinian issue at the regional and international arenas.
King Abdulaziz passed away after having laid the foundation of a domestic, regional and international policy that was followed by his sons; the late King Saud who completed the infrastructure of a number of basic establishments of the government and started the process of development in the Kingdom, King Faisal who started to implement the five-year development plans and King Khalid who continued the path of development and stability.
The Kingdom made great strides during the 23-year rule of late Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, who succeeded King Khalid and who followed strict enforcement of the Sharia law inside the country and solidarity and cooperation policies regionally and internationally.
Most prominent were King Fahd's royal orders in the year 1412 AH, including the system of governance and the Shoura Council system. King Fahd's era also witnessed the country's first political and economic reform process, for example the formation of the Higher Economic Council, Higher Commission for the Development of Makkah, Tourism Higher Commission, General Commission for Investment, Human Resources Development Fund, King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue, and Municipality elections.
A historic restructuring of the state's ministries and departments also took place during the rule of King Fahd.
Spending more than SR70 billion, King Fahd also managed to achieve the greatest expansions of the two holy mosques.
During King Fahd's rule Saudi Arabia endorsed the Arab Anti-terrorism Pact and the GCC Unified Security Strategy for Combating Terror-associated Extremism and announced commitment to the United Nations' relevant agreements to fight terrorism.
King Fahd's eight-point proposal for Middle East peace was presented under the title "Prince Fahd Peace Project" and later adopted by the Fez Arab summit in 1982 as Arab Peace Project.
During this era, the Kingdom followed a pan-Arabism policy in defense of Arab rights, particularly in Palestine and Iraq.
Internationally, the Kingdom was a staunch advocate of the principles of security, peace, justice, human rights, rejection of violence and racial discrimination, fight against organized crime and terrorism.
On the 1st of August 2005, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz was acknowledged as king of the Kingdom on the same day as King Fahd's sad demise.
King Abdullah began his reign by ordering the completion of expansions of the Prophet's Mosque, at a cost of SR4.7 billion, 15 percent increase in premiums of Shoura Council members and salaries of civil and military government personnel, multi-billion increases in the budgets of educational and health sectors taken from the surplus of this year's state budget and the pardoning of public right prisoners, benefiting 4,134 detainees.
While crown prince, King Abdullah made considerable contributions to the issues presented at the domestic, Arab Gulf, Arab world and international platforms. His unprecedented visit to the old districts of Riyadh prompted the establishment of a fund to fight poverty.
His call for the establishment of an international center for fighting terrorism was forwarded to the United Nations General Assembly. Riyadh hosted the Secretariat General of the International Energy Forum.
As a result of his endeavors to attract foreign investment in the field of oil and gas, the world's giant conglomerates bade for tenders in the Kingdom. The bidding process is still going on.
During the Millennium summit, organized by the Secretariat General of the United Nations in New York, the Kingdom donated 30 percent of the Preventive Labour Fund's proposed budget.
While crown prince, King Abdullah presented an eight-point peace proposal that was adopted by the Beirut Arab summit in 2002. He also proposed the setting up of Al Quds Uprising Fund and Al Aqsa Fund.
While presiding over the Cabinet's weekly session last week, he offered to pardon the deviant group members who surrender and give themselves up to the security authorities.
