It is not an overstatement to say that the greatest event in the Arabian Peninsula’s history in the last millennium was the establishment of the First Saudi State in 1727 by its founder, Imam Muhammad bin Saud, may God’s mercy be upon him.
Since the murder of the third Muslim Caliph Uthman bin Affan and the transfer of the Caliphate capital to Kufa in Iraq, and then to Damascus with the establishment of the Umayyad state, the history of the Arabian Peninsula was enshrouded in deep oblivion.
Period of chaos and disunity
Throughout this period, chaos, insecurity, and political instability prevailed in the region — particularly in the central Arabian Peninsula.
Some historians label that long epoch as ‘the mysterious centuries’, as did Abdul Rahman bin Zaid Al-Suwayda in his book, “The Obscure Millennium of Najd’s History”.
Several other orientalists and historians agree with this label. In his book, “The Modern History of Najd”, writer and historian Amin Al-Rihani says that since the reign of the second Islamic Caliph Omar bin Al-Khattab, Arabs were not interested in any attempts of unification until the emergence of the First Saudi State.
Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt (died 1817) also noted this in his description of the sense of security brought upon by the establishment of the First Saudi State.
Burckhardt says that in an area where people never rejoiced at anything more than looting and theft, collective and individual looting almost ceased entirely in both the urban Arabian Peninsula and its desert.
Security restored
Perhaps for the first time since the days of Prophet Muhammad, the historian says, merchants could travel alone across the desert of the Arabian Peninsula in absolute security, and Bedouins could sleep tight without fearing that a night thief will take their ‘beast of burden’.
It would be fitting, on the commemoration of Founding Day, to recall the grand historic achievements of the leaders and founding fathers of the Saudi state, who guided a country that was sinking in a sea of turmoil and insecurity to the shore of stability, revival, and prosperity.
In that respect, Uthman bin Bishr, a historian from Najd, depicts Imam Abdulaziz bin Muhammad, the second ruler of the First Saudi State, as “worthy of being called a savior.”
Under his reign, anyone could travel with large amounts of money at any time in winter or summer and in any direction across Najd, Hijaz, Tuhama, or anywhere he wishes without fearing anything except the Almighty God.
During spring, the historian recounts, people from all the regions of Najd, such as Al-Arid, Al-Kharj, Al-Qassim, the south, or elsewhere, would leave all their livestock – camels, horses, cows, and sheep – grazing shepherdless in the prairies.
When thirsty, he said, the animals would go quench their thirst from the available water sources then return to their pastures until the end of spring or until their owners utilised them for irrigating their crops or palm trees, without fearing any theft or looting.
These animals would even reproduce in the wilderness and their owners would only know of it when they came back with their new cubs.
It was the civil life in the centre of the Arabian Peninsula that benefited most from the newfound security and socio-economic prosperity. Thus, Diriyah became the capital of the First Saudi State and a major Arab city, attracting those seeking knowledge and economic opportunities.
