Introduction
I beg of you, brothers, to look upon me as both brother and servant. ‘Majesty’ is reserved to God alone and ‘the throne’ is the throne of the Heavens and Earth.
Speech, after King Faisal took power, in 1964.
We consider the issue of Palestine our cause and the first Arab cause, and Palestine is more valuable to us than oil. Oil can be used as a weapon in battle if necessary. The Palestinian people must return to their homeland, even if it costs us all our lives.
Father of The Modern Saudi Arabia
Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Soud was born in 1906 in Riyadh and was King of Saudi Arabia from 2 November until his assassination in 1975. Faisal was the third son of King Abdulaziz, who is called the father of modern Saudi Arabia.
During his father’s leadership, Faisal emerged as an influential political figure. He served as viceroy of Hejaz from 1926 to 1932. He became the Saudi foreign minister in 1930 and prime minister from 1954 until his assassination. After his father died in 1953, his brother Saud became the king, and he became the Crown Prince.
While he was the Crown Prince, he led to the abolition of slavery in Saudi Arabia by persuading King Saud. He implemented a policy of modernization and reform. His foreign policy themes were Pan-Islamism, anti-communism, and pro-Palestinianism. He, as a protest against Israel and its support from the West, led to the oil embargo, which later led to the 1973 oil crisis.
Following his assassination in 1975, he was succeeded by his half-brother, Khalid.
Early Life
When he was 6 months old, his mother passed away. Under the mentorship of his grandfather, he completed his studies of the Holy Quran and Islamic Law at the age of Nine. From his father, he was influenced militarily and politically. Soon, at a young age, he was chosen to represent his father in international forums.
According to Halen Chapin Metz, an American Editor and Middle East analyst, Faisal and most of his generation were raised in an atmosphere where courage was extremely reinforced and valued.
Great leaders are not born, they are made.
Being capable enough to lead, Abdulaziz gave Faisal many military duties in Arabia.
Viceroy of Hejaz and foreign minister
On 9th February 1926, he was appointed as the viceroy of Hejas. He was the president of the Consultative Assembly and the Minister of Interior. Later in December 1931, he became the president of the four-member council and minister of foreign affairs. He continued to oversee Saudi foreign policy until his assassination as a king.
Faisal visited many countries during this period, including Iran, Poland, Russia, Turkey, and later the US on the invitation of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
As Abdulaziz neared the end of his life, he favoured Faisal as a possible successor over his eldest son, due to Faisal’s knowledge and experience. Abdulaziz recognized his capabilities and often tasked him with responsibilities in war and diplomacy. However, due to fear of instability, he decided that his eldest son to become the King.
Crown Prince and Prime Minister
On November 9, 1953, King Abdulaziz died, and his elder son, Saud, became King. Faisal was appointed crown prince and later, in 1954, made Prime Minister.
King Saud was a spendthrift, and his spending programs included the construction of a massive royal residence in Riyadh. King Saud’s financial policies brought the state to its near collapse. His handling of foreign affairs was inadequate. Serious members of the royal family and the religious leadership were hugely concerned with his way of handling the state.
In 1960, Faisal resigned as Prime Minister in protest, arguing that King Saud was frustrating his financial reforms.
In 1962, Faisal got enough support within the royal family to install himself as prime minister for the second time. The same year, Faisal announced a program that outlined Saudi Arabia’s path to becoming an industrialized nation by implementing economic, financial, political, and legal principles.
- Issuing a basic system of governance derived from Islamic Sharia and developing the system of governance and the Saudi Arabian Council of Ministers.
- Establishing a system for the provinces, clarifying the method of local government, in the various regions of the Kingdom.
- Establishing a system for the independence of the judiciary, under the control of a Supreme Judicial Council, and establishing the Ministry of Justice.
- Establishing a Supreme Council for issuing fatwas, comprising twenty jurists.
- Improving the social level of the Saudi people, through free medical treatment, free education, and the exemption of many foodstuffs from customs duties. In addition, a social security system and a system to protect workers from unemployment were established.
- Establishing a program for economic recovery, strengthening the financial position of the Kingdom, developing a program to raise the standard of living of citizens, establishing a road network linking parts of the Kingdom and its cities, providing water sources for drinking and agriculture, and ensuring the protection of light and heavy national industries. This includes allocating all the additional sums that the government would receive from
Aramco for its rights claimed by the companies for the past years, and harnessing them to serve development projects.- Continuing to develop girls’ education as well as the advancement of women.
- The liberation of slaves and the abolition of slavery, once and for all in Saudi Arabia
In 1958, Faisal founded the Economic Development Committee. He led to the establishment of the Islamic University of Madinah. He also founded the Muslim World League, which is a worldwide charity to which the royal family has reportedly since donated more than a billion dollars. In 1963, he established the country’s first television station.
The vision was clear. As Faisal was exposed to the developments of the West early in his life, he was concerned that Saudi Arabia would fall behind in the pace. These reforms were crucial to the development of Saudi Arabia in every aspect we see today. And it’s his commitment to his word; he managed to fulfill each of them.
King Faisal
On 4 March 1964, Faisal became King of Saudi Arabia, marking a sigh of relief for those concerned with the way his brother Saud was leading the country.
I beg of you, brothers, to look upon me as both brother and servant. ‘Majesty’ is reserved to God alone and ‘the throne’ is the throne of the Heavens and Earth. – King Faisal
Modernization
In 1970, King Faisal established the Ministry of Justice and integrated the country’s first 5 year plan for economic development. His policies of modernizing Saudi Arabia, his management of the holy places of Islam, and the country’s fast-rising financial strength earned him respect from the whole Arab.
Economic Development
He initiated a thorough evaluation of the profit-sharing agreement with Aramco, which led to a revision. Faisal directed his focus towards revitalizing industrial, agricultural, financial, and economic enterprises. All this led to an instrumental growth in Saudi Arabia. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of Petromin Corp. Some of the industries of focus were petrochemicals, iron, steel, cement, and mining. In 1973, the Joint Saudi-American Economic Committee was established.
Agricultural Development
In 1965, the Ministry of Agriculture collaborated with multinational consulting firms to establish a comprehensive program for water exploration. The Ministry dedicated all its efforts to improving agricultural practices, promoting livestock and fisheries, conserving plant species, combating desertification, and enhancing date production.
Several projects were a big success. One of them was the Jizam Dam in 1970. Several other dams were also completed. Rainwater collection systems, efficient irrigation, and drainage projects were also part of this development. Agricultural ventures were initiated in many provinces, such as Tabuk Province, Al-Jawf Province, Wadi Sirhan, Al-Qassim Province, Al Aflaj Governorate, Wadi Bisha, and Najran Province.
The Ministry also instructed the Agricultural Bank to offer loans to farmers and fishermen for the procurement of essential equipment, with the condition that the loans be repaid in interest-free, long-term installments
Transportation development
Under his leadership, Faisal oversaw the extensive expansion of modern road networks throughout the Kingdom. These developments facilitated connections with neighboring countries such as Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Kuwait. Additionally, he prioritized the development of agricultural roads, enabling villages and farmers to transport their products to market efficiently. In the realm of aviation, airports were expanded and upgraded, while Saudi Arabian Airlines acquired jet planes to enhance its services. Notably, an institute for civil aviation training was established in Jeddah. In parallel, port traffic experienced significant growth, with the expansion of the Jeddah Islamic Port and the establishment of new ports in Yanbu and Jazan.
Education Development
Education received paramount attention and underwent significant improvements during Faisal’s reign. Reforms were implemented in the curricula, accompanied by an increase in foreign educational missions.
Special provisions were made to financially support families who lacked resources to educate their children, emphasizing equal opportunities for both male and female students. In 1974, Faisal also directed the establishment of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. Furthermore, in 1967, he established the King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. In 1974, he ordered the Council of Ministers to merge the university with the government, converting it to a public university and offering free education to Saudi students. In 1975, the College of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran was converted into the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. Similarly, King Faisal University was established in Al-Ahsa in 1975.
Faisal is recognized for his significant contributions to women’s education in Saudi Arabia, starting from his time as crown prince. In 1956, he established the first regular government school for girls in the country, known as Dar Al Hanan. In 1960, a royal order was issued leading to the establishment of the General Presidency for Girls’ Education. This marked the official beginning of women’s education in Saudi Arabia, providing them with broader access to educational opportunities.
