93rd National Day identity: Saudi Arabia gears up for National Day
The roots of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia trace back to the oldest civilizations in the Arabian Peninsula. It is a region that lies between the past and the present and at the center that unites the three continents. It is a vital commercial center that has played a major role in global history, and the cradle of Islam.
The history of Saudi Arabia began when King Abdulaziz Al Saud recaptured Riyadh and worked to unify the country and establish the Saudi state for the third time.
The first decades of the Kingdom’s history witnessed campaigns to unify and restore the Arabian Peninsula. These campaigns were to achieve stability, settle its tribes, and achieve civilizational achievements.
After its unification, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was named on September 23, 1351 AH / 1932 AD. It was declared an Islamic state whose national language is Arabic, and its constitution is the Holy Qur’an. The Kingdom celebrates the 23rd of September every year throughout the country as the Kingdom’s National Day.
The Kingdom accelerated the economy’s pace. This was reinforced by oil and mineral extraction in the kingdom. In addition, the multiplication of trade relations with international countries, and the spread of internal trade movements, in addition to attracting and benefiting from global technologies within the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia has achieved a balanced equation between tradition and modernity, through a clear vision of development and growth. This has produced modern metropolises and various developmental achievements.
The mix of old and up-to-date, modernity and tradition is evident throughout the Kingdom. In addition, the benefits of massive investment in people, infrastructure, and the environment.
The Kingdom has protected its cities and villages from desertification and developed several international cities while preserving their historical character.
In just a few decades, the kingdom transformed itself from a desert country into a sophisticated country and a major player on the international stage. With the ongoing dynamism of the Kingdom’s people and leadership, Vision 2030 embodies one of the world’s most ambitious national transformation programs.
Saudi State‘s Main Goal is to Serve Islamic Holy Places
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia cares for the Two Holy Mosques, using scientific methods to comfort pilgrims. When celebrating National Day, a comparison must be made between the care of the Two Holy Mosques before and after Saudi rule. There were many tunnels built, roads were widened, and pilgrims’ roads were secured throughout the Kingdom, whether in Arafat or Mina.
One of the things that indicate the importance of the Sacred Mosque in Islamic notion is that the good deeds in it are multiplied, but for the honor of the place, the unsavory ones are also multiplied, but not in number but rather in quality, meaning that the bad actions in the Great Mosque of Mecca are greater than the bad actions in others, and the evidence for that is the Almighty’s saying: By deviating from oppression, we will make him taste a painful torment.
Those who intend to commit evil have been promised a painful punishment from God Almighty, so everyone who commits it deserves the painful punishment of abortion as well. From this, it is known that transgressing and harming people in a safe, sacred mosque is one of the most forbidden. It is indeed a major sin as well.
Allah (God) protected the honorable Kaaba from the evil of the Abyssinians, as Abraha Al-Ashram came at the head of an Abyssinian army, heading to Makkah Al-Mukarramah, wanting to demolish it. God Almighty protected the Kaaba by sending Al-Ababil birds to kill Abraha and his army.
Allah – Glory be to Him and the Highest – prohibits facing or turning the honorable Kaaba when relieving oneself without a barrier. This is the sanctity of the Qiblah, and the veneration of the Kaaba. This is the Qiblah of Muslims to which they travel and destination in Hajj.
The political situation of the Arabian Peninsula before the establishment of the first Saudi state
To realize the importance of Saudi National Day, we must know the situation in the various regions of the Arabian Peninsula. In particular, the occupation of most regions by the Ottomans.
The Arabian Peninsula was subject to the Ottoman Empire, the most influential in the region at the time. The Ottoman Empire controlled the Arabian Peninsula for four centuries. From 1517 AD to 1918 AD. That is, about 400 years ago, and the region suffered from weakness and disintegration.
Since the Arabian Peninsula was divided into many sheikhdoms and emirates that follow the tribal system, it is governed by the chief of the tribe. This chief has sole authority over social, political, judicial, and even religious norms.
The political situation in Hijaz
As soon as the Ottomans seized the Egyptian state, in 923 AH by Sultan Selim I, Muhammad Abu Nami II, who was Sharif of Mecca at the time and ruler of Hijaz, from 1512, announced AD until 1566 AD, peacefully announced subordination to the Ottoman Empire.
The Ottomans were interested in the Hijaz region due to Sharif’s religious position in the region. Moreover, they pledged to protect it and the Two Holy Mosques from the Portuguese.
The political situation in Najd
The central region of the Arabian Peninsula before the establishment of the first Saudi state was not of interest to the Ottomans. Perhaps this is due to its weak position, which does not have economic or strategic importance.
Thus, it was subject to the rule of conflicting families who shared the area. These families were also in constant conflict with the Bedouins in the Najd region, and these families, for example:
In the Al-Uyaynah region, the Muammar family reigned. In the Diriyah region, the Saud family ruled.
In Riyadh: Daham bin Dawas bin Abdullah Al-Shaalan ruled there.
The situation in Al-Ahsa, Qatif, and the coastal areas east of the Arabian Peninsula:
This area was under the rule of the Al Hamid family, who descended from the Bani Khalid tribe, or the Khawalids.
The political situation in Najran and Jizan, southwest of the Arabian Peninsula:
The Jazan region was under the supervision of the Hijaz, the Sulaymani Mukhlaf. This united both the Mikhlaf of Ather and the Mikhlaf of Hakam. While Najran was subject to the Yam Hamadan tribe.
The first imam of the first Saudi state
The political situation of the Arabian Peninsula before the establishment of the first Saudi state is inseparable from the social, religious, and economic situation in it. In that period, heresies were spread, in addition to many legal violations, which led to social values degradation.
The situation continued to deteriorate until the establishment of the first Saudi state in 1139 AH corresponding to 1727 AD, by Muhammad bin Saud. He took Diriyah as its capital, where he worked to reform the country. Among the first imams of the first Saudi state were Imam Muhammad bin Saud, Imam Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad, Imam Saud bin Abdul Aziz, and Imam Abdullah bin Saud.
The region was in complete chaos, due to social, political, and religious disintegration. In addition to the fighting between the Arab families and the desert people who rule the central regions of the Arabian Peninsula.
Before the establishment of the first Saudi state, the peninsula suffered from political disintegration and weakness in the religious aspect. Therefore, it needed comprehensive reform, so God Almighty prepared the call of Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. At that time, disruptive heresies and polytheisms, such as building domes on graves and begging their owners to bring interests and pay harm, vanished.
The Arabian Peninsula was also in great need of political unity under one banner that would bring them together and heal its diaspora, as it was subjected in some of its parts to the influence of the Ottoman Empire, and this influence varies according to its political, religious, or economic importance. On the other hand,
Establishing a state in Najd
In Rajab, 1233 AH corresponding to May 1818 AD, Ibrahim Pasha left Najd on the order of his father, Muhammad Ali Pasha. Afterward, efforts were made to rebuild a Najd state. The first was the attempt of Muhammad bin Mashari Al Muammar in 1234 AH / 1819 AD, who tried to rebuild and reform Diriyah and then moved to it.
But Ibn Muammar did not last long in this attempt, as Mashari bin Imam Saud, the brother of the last rulers of the first Saudi state, managed to escape from the military and return to tattooing, and then moved to Diriyah, where Ibn Muammar tried to fight him and could not, so he pledged allegiance to Mashari, then the people of Sudair and Al-Mahmal pledged allegiance to him.
However, Muhammad bin Mashari allied with Abush Agha, the Ottoman garrison commander, to help him. This was in return for his subordination to the Ottoman Empire and obedience to its orders. Indeed, he received military support, entered Diriyah, and took control again by deposing Mishari bin Saud. He handed him over to the Ottoman garrison, where he died several days later.
After that, some fleeing Al Saud members returned and Prince Mashari ordered the invasion and fought the people of Salamiyah. He seized it, then moved to Al-Dulam where its owner pledged allegiance to him, and returned to Diriyah. However, Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud entered Diriyah from Riyadh at the head of an army of clans loyal to him. He deposed Muhammad bin Mashari.
Asakir, the Emir of Riyadh, formed special units with their flags for Pearl Fishing, the main business of Gulf Coast residents.
Medical care:
Medical care was primitive and based on recipes and practices inherited and exchanged between peoples. It was also based on the personal experiences of the general public and their practices. Medicine – like other sciences – was a kind of philosophy, wisdom, general culture, and folklore rather than a disciplined and studied experimental science.
Education:
Education was aimed at settling the Bedouins in gatherings to educate them and form among them and gathering them to cooperate in the cause of good and to leave harmful fanaticism, so it was a unique scientific educational project, and it sent for every emigration a group of sheikhs and preachers for this purpose.
Economy:
The economy at that time depended on camel trade and caravan transport.
– The export of purebred Arabian horses with fixed returns and the pearls of the Gulf were sent to Bombay, and from there they were sold to Europe.
Today, the scene has changed for the better as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates the National Day for the Unification of the Kingdom on September 23 every year. This date dates back to the royal decree issued by the founding King Abdul Aziz No. The date for this document is 17 Jumada I 1351 AH and it is 2716 years old.
It stipulated the transfer of the state name from the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd and its annexes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This started on Thursday, Jumada I 21 1351 AH corresponding to the first occurrence of the Libra calendar, which was September 23, 1932 AD.
This day was chosen when a royal decree was issued to unify all parts of the modern Saudi state, becoming the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and this is to appreciate King Abdulaziz’s efforts in establishing the Kingdom, preserving history, and reviving heritage.
Saudi National Day Celebrations
Saudi National Day is usually celebrated by holding traditional festivals, folkloric dances, and various cultural activities, which are coordinated in all major cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with 3D lights, concerts, art exhibitions, and a special tent to show the Kingdom’s cultural heritage.
Diversity of events
The activities held in conjunction with the National Day celebration vary to include all members of society of all ages and social groups. They also include several other activities, such as aerial shows, plays, singing paintings, shopping and discount offers, school activities in all regions, cultural tours, fireworks, and laser shows. In addition to entertainment programs in major cities,
Special events on Saudi National Day
The Saudi National Day was marked by several distinct events since the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the present day, including the following:
The launch of the world’s tallest flagpole to celebrate Saudi National Day in 2014 in Jeddah. Celebrating the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2009 as one of the most prominent emerging educational initiatives in the Kingdom.
The celebration of National Day comes under the slogan “It is our home” in the wake of a vision full of huge development projects that stand as a testament to the progress and advancement of the Kingdom.
The unification of the Kingdom came after nearly 30 years of armed struggle led by King Abdulaziz Al Saud since his control of Riyadh in 1902. The struggle reached other regions, including Hejaz. National Day is celebrated throughout the Kingdom that lasts for days.
In 2005, September 23 was declared an official holiday for National Day, which marked the 75th anniversary.
On Saudi Arabia’s 79th National Day in 2009, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the King Abdullah University of Science with some world leaders.
On the 84th National Day in 2014, the Jeddah Municipality inaugurated the mast for the tallest flag in the world. This mast has a height of 171 meters.
The 85th Saudi National Day in 2015 coincided with Arafa, and for the first time in the Kingdom’s history, it was two holidays.
Most prominent slogans of Saudi National Day
The slogan “Himma Hatta Al-Kema” emerged on Saudi National Day.
This slogan was inspired by Prince Muhammad bin Salman Al Saud’s saying: “The Saudi vigor is like a Tuwaiq mountain, and it cannot be broken.”
The slogan “Heya Lana Dar …It is our home” emerged, inspired by poems that sang about homeland.
Saudi National Day Decorations
There are many decoration ideas for Saudi National Day celebrations, including:
Home adornment ribbons bearing the slogan “It is ours.” It is a home,” and “Every year, the homeland is our home,” and a picture representing the woman and the man as the nucleus of the Saudi family.
Decorations also include a mural containing posters representing the development of different fields in Saudi Arabia. These fields include construction, power plants, satellites, and transportation.
Decorating strips on soda and water cans and hot drink mugs. Card or office card. Tweet placed at children’s cake distributions. The paper base for dinner plates.
Distinctive events
Saudi National Day has been marked by several distinct events since the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until now.
Including the following: Launching the tallest flagpole in the world to celebrate Saudi National Day in 2014 in Jeddah and celebrating the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in 2009 as one of the most prominent emerging educational initiatives in the Kingdom.
