& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

King Abdul Aziz

A staunch believer and protagonist of world peace
KING Abdul Aziz built the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the strong foundation of the oneness of God and Submission to the Judgement of God’s Holy Book and the Traditions of His Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Saudi Arabia's quest for a better life took off under his leadership, racing against time and setting new economic records. And, consequently within a few decades the Kingdom took its legitimate and prominent place in the committee of the United Nations.
King Abdul Aziz built a vast State occupying four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula and called it in 1351H. (1932 AD): ‘The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". He named it, having unified its component pans and brought the people together in peace, with Justice and security. He set this day, 23 September, to be the National Day of his Kingdom. The Nation celebrates this day every year and recalls with pride the deeds and achievements of its Great Founder.
King Abdul Aziz followed in the footsteps of the leaders of the two Saudi states that rose and fell in this region. The first Saudi state emerged,uHhe midi die of the eighteenth century through the alliance of -
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
the ruler of Diriya, Imam Muhammad Bin Saud with the Islamic reformer Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab. The aim of the alliance was to spread true Islam and purify the faith and rid it of the superstitions and heresies that attached themselves to it over centuries of ignorance. The first fruit of that era was the unification of the disparate regions, the gathering of the tribes and the acceptance of the rule of God’s law. A Just society living in peace over vast areas of the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. Eventually, the state came under the pressure of foreign interference and wars, leading to its demise and the return of the Peninsula to its former chaotic condition. The situation pained Abdul Aziz who was living with his family in Kuwait. He swore to regain his heritage at all cost. At last on 5th Shawwal 1319 H (15 January 1902 AD) he succeeded in recapturing Riyadh, which turned out to be the
springboard for the unification of the country. He fought battles after battles, and strove for nearly 31 years to bind the nation together and proclaim the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The people of the Peninsula saw the nobility of his cause and flocked together under his banner.
STRONG BELIEF IN GOD:
Abdul Aziz, driven by a strong belief in God. strong will and an instinctive understanding of the needs of the hour and aspirations of his people, succeeded in overcoming obstacles and laid the foundation of the young state under the banner of: "There is no divinity but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God”. He then set about the task of building the structures of a modern state. He began to open the doors to a bright future for his people. One of his acts was to implement a scheme to settle nomadic bedouins into settled communities; he called Al-Hijir' to which he brought instruc-
tors, teachers and experts in many fields. He began to release the productive potential of the people, being careful to heed the needs and aspirations of all the people of the Kingdom.
The security of Hajj (Pilgrimage) roads was one of his main objectives. Pilgrims to Makkah and visitors to the Mosque of the Prophet in Madinah feared for their lives when undertaking those journeys. He took stern measure against the miscreants and secured a safe passage for travelers to the Holy place.
ATTENTION TO HOLY
PLACE:
King Abdul Aziz paid special attention to the Holy places. During his reign, Al-Haram Mosque in Makkah was renovated and vastly improved while the Mosque of the Prophet in Medina saw a substantial enlargement to accommodate the ever increasing number of visitors.
King Abdul Aziz was the first to call Islamic solidarity.
He believed in the unity and cooperation between the peoples of the Muslim world, for the good of humanity as a whole. He set up the first Islamic Conference in Makkah in 134611(1926 AD).
His young state had an intimation of good fortune when oil was discovered in the Eastern Province in 1938. Then the meager income from oil helped the Kingdom to accelerate development in the country. Many projects came to fruition, such as the rail line connecting the capital Riyadh with the Eastern Province, opened in 1371 H. (1951 AD); die establishment of a national airline in 1945, the inauguration of broadcasting, and several other projects.
SPREAD OF EDUCATION: The King paid special attention to education. He sought the spread of learning to all parts of the Kingdom. He paid generous grants to students and initiated the production and free distribution of textbooks. He set up the General Directorate of Education in 1926 and entrusted it with the task of opening and administering schools. In the same year the Saudi Scientific Institute was set up.
This is an establishment that produced much of the talents that was to run government departments and the private sector. A school to prepare students for foreign scholarships was established. By early 50s the Kingdom's first two colleges were opened. These were the CbIRge’ orWrifanW' and" the College of Sharia in Makkah, whose main task was to tutor judges and teachers. Young Saudis were sent abroad to study at universities in Western countries.
Education was not the King's only concern; he also built roads, opened hospitals and introduced modern methods of government. Simultaneously King Abdul Aziz paid attention to the Kingdom's position among the nations of the world and sought to enhance it on the Arab, Islamic and International levels. He entered into treaties and established relations with all nations. Saudi Arabia was a founder member of the United Nations Organization whose charter the Kingdom signed in San Francisco in 1945. King Abdul Aziz took on and vigorously defended the just causes of the Arab and Islamic worlds.
A PROTAGONIST OF WORLD PEACE:
The Kingdom was a founder member of the Arab League that saw the light in 1944. King Abdul Aziz stood side by side with Arab states struggling to rid themselves of colonialism and foreign interference. He put all his weight behind the Palestinian cause and his famous meeting with America President Roosevelt in 1945 and the exchange of letters with him about Palestine are notable examples of his efforts on behalf of the people of Palestine and the struggle for their legitimate rights and their usurped homeland. He sought to secure world peace by ensuring and human rights for all.
Arab and Foreign historians have placed King Abdul Aziz among the world's great leaders. Volumes have been written eulogizing his heroism, his many talents and his unique personality. He was a great and pious leader and an astute politician. He passed away on 2 Rabi Al-Awwal 1373 H (9 November 1953). In his death the Arabs lost a great statesman, and the world lost one of the greatest humanitar -ians and protagonists of peace.
The people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as they enjoy today the fruits of his labor and shelter under his great legacy, they remember with pride their leader's striving and his victories. His sons, who trod the same path, have succeeded in achieving what he strove so valiantly for, that is, progress, peace, prosperity and welfare of the people.