The Inside Story of Saudi Arabia’s Foundation Day

For generations, historians and writers have unwittingly propagated the hypothesis that the first Saudi state, the forerunner of the current Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was founded in 1744.

One published on Arab News Reports In fact, new assessments of the foundation of the kingdom show that their history did not include the first 17 years.

There is no doubt that the events of 1744 were significant, the year Imam Muhammad bin Saud of Dariyah offered the place to Sheikh Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab.

But over time the importance of this acknowledged historical moment of common purpose between state and faith obscured the more complex and deeper roots of the first Saudi state.

Foundation Day was created to commemorate these important early years of the kingdom. Its purpose is to celebrate 1727 as the actual year of the foundation and to make Saudis grateful for a past that is much richer than many people think.

In 1727, Imam Muhammad bin Saud ascended the throne, bringing with him the dream of transforming the city-state established by his predecessors three centuries earlier into the capital of a nation that would bring peace and stability to much of the Arabian Peninsula at its height. will

The revision of the date from 1744 to 1727 is the result of extensive historical research, after studying the historical resources available to the new ‘Saudi Historical School’.

Dr. Badran Al-Hinain, Associate Director of Historical Research and Studies at the Daria Gate Development Authority, said, “Many historians have linked the rise of the state to the arrival of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab and the early period of Imam Muhammad bin Saud’s rule and has ignored the earlier period though it was the earliest period of the state.’

Dr. Badran added: ‘Revisiting and reinterpreting historical events is an intellectual phenomenon, found in every part of the world. The foregoing writings may be considered judgments and opinions which do not preclude revision or reaching new conclusions.’

Today, no one can pinpoint when the long journey towards a separate state began. The first specific milestone of the route is the year 430 when the Banu Hanifa tribe migrated from their territory in the Hijaz on the Red Sea coast to Al-Imama in Lower Najd.

Here at the junction of several important caravan routes settled the tribe in which the ruling family of Al Saud flourished, founded Hajar (modern Riyadh), traded and cultivated crops in the fertile valley. In time, it was named Wadi Hanifa.

With the emergence of Islam, Banu Hanifa entered the stage of world history for the first time.

In 628 CE, six years after the Prophet’s migration from Mecca to Medina, he sent letters to various Arab rulers inviting them to accept ‘Islam’.

The ruler of Banu Hanifa at that time was Samama bin Athal, whose spiritual journey from initial rejection to heartfelt acceptance of Islam is mentioned in hadiths.

Historically, Ilimama remained largely inactive for the next 800 years. It was a dark period of neglect and mass emigration to escape the economic hardships endured under the Jabir Akhdahir dynasty, which became prominent temporarily in Najd in the ninth century.

Fate, however, is a patient force, and by the 15th century it was finally time for the Banu Hanifa to return to influence.

Many generations ago a part of this tribe had migrated eastward and settled on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, but in 1446 Mana al-Marid, leader of the Murada branch of the Al-Dru’a tribe of the Banu Hanifa, the ruler of Hajar, succeeded his cousin Ibn Deira. He took his nation back to the heart of Arabia on invitation.

The settlement he founded on the coast was named Dariya after his tribal name Al-Darwa. Now they established a new river on the fertile banks of the Hanifa Valley.

In the words of historian Dr. Badran Al-Hinain, Al-Muridi’s arrival laid the foundation stone for the establishment of the largest state in the history of the Arabian Peninsula after the Prophetic State and the Rashidin Caliphate.

Another 300 years passed before the next major breakthrough. In 1720, Saud bin Muhammad assumed leadership of Dariyah, after whom the Saudi royal family was named.

Historians today date the beginning of the first Saudi state to 1727, when Saud bin Muhammad’s son Muhammad became the ruler of the city-state.

Historian Al-Hunain writes: ‘He assumed power under extraordinary circumstances.’ Darya was a source of internal division and the plague that swept through the Arabian Peninsula claimed many lives in Najd. Nevertheless, ‘Imam Muhammad was able to contribute to the spread of security and peace at the regional and Arabian Peninsula levels, unifying the Darya during his reign.’

“Planning for the first Saudi state began in 1727 and was succeeded by his sons. What we should remember from this story is unity, security and peace after centuries of disunity. ‘

Finally, here was a leader who had a vision far beyond the present. Whose determination was the creation of a new state based on education, culture and security and loyalty to the true faith of Islam.

The state that Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab built was dynamic and rapidly becoming politically and economically powerful.

A sheikh, a religious scholar from the nearby village of Al-Ainiyah, became increasingly concerned that many people in the Arab world were abandoning the teachings of the Prophet and adopting pre-Islamic heretical practices.

His efforts to introduce reforms met with hostility in al-Ainyah, but he found refuge in Dariyya.

Al-Hinain said that “Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab’s migration to Dariyah was a natural result of Imam Muhammad bin Saud’s policies.”

The Imam was well-known as a religious figure and his two brothers Sanyan and Mishari and his son Abdul Aziz were among those who had contacts with Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab in Al-Ainyah.

Sheikh Muhammad did not leave al-Ainyah until Imam Muhammad invited him to Dariyya, and then it was a state capable of protecting the Sheikh’s religious mission.

Imam Muhammad, for his part, ‘supported this reformist mission, seeing that it was compatible with the principles of the state he was working to establish, especially in its religious aspect.’

In short, the unity of Sheikh and Imam was not the basis of the first Saudi state, but it was the political and economic strength of this state, which made it possible to spread the message of reform.

Al-Hainain stressed that the decision to officially recognize 1727 as the year of establishment should never be seen as undermining the religion of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when it was founded.

“This is not true,” he said. Its purpose is merely to determine a political history of the establishment of the state, i.e., the rise of Imam Muhammad bin Saud to power in Dariyya. Because there were many wrong policies and views regarding the rise and establishment of the state.’

“Furthermore, the state has stipulated in its constitution that Saudi Arabia is an Arab-Islamic state, whose religion is Islam and whose constitution is the book of God and the Sunnah of His Prophet.”

Al-Hinain is also clear that the Foundation Day is not a substitute for the National Day, which is celebrated on September 23, but is an essential complementary day.

He said: ‘Foundation Day is not a substitute for the Saudi National Day, which commemorates the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The purpose of Foundation Day is to recognize the beginning of the history of the Saudi state anew, reminding the kingdom’s deep historical roots.’

According to Al-Hunain, although there is no doubt about this year i.e. 1727, the exact date of the beginning of Imam Muhammad’s reign has been lost to history.

February 22 was chosen as the foundation day only because a number of important events took place in the first months of Imam Muhammad’s reign beginning in 1727.

The most important achievements of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud

. He united Dariya under his rule and contributed to its stability.

. Administered internal affairs and strengthened Dariya community.

. Ensured regional stability.

. Built a river wall to resist external attacks.

. Launched a unity campaign.

. Achieved political independence from any external influence.

. Organized the resources of the country.

. united the majority of Najd.

. Made Hajj and trade routes safe.