The 5th of Shawwal 1319 AH / January 15, 1902 CE, witnessed a major turning point in the history of the Arabian Peninsula with the recapture of Riyadh by King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud (may God have mercy on him), marking a significant stage in the history of the Saudi state. All regions and cities submitted to his leadership, and after 1345 AH / 1926 CE, the state was named the "Kingdom of Hejaz, Najd, and its Dependencies," with his official title at that time being "King of Hejaz, Najd, and its Dependencies."
Allegiance and loyalty to King Abdulaziz
One of the most prominent features of this journey was the profound loyalty shown by the inhabitants of cities and villages towards their leadership. They pledged allegiance to King Abdulaziz, vowing obedience and sharing his goals of unity and stability. This loyalty was embodied in the repeated popular demands to unify the name of the state, just as the hearts of its people and its lands were united. After hearts were united and King Abdulaziz saw that the experiment had reached a high stage of maturity, and after a number of events that confirmed the people's loyalty and love for the unity achieved by King Abdulaziz.
Response to changing the name of the Kingdom
He directed the formation of a committee of notables whose task was to consider the idea of changing the name of the Kingdom to a unified name that would be appropriate for the unification of its lands. The committee suggested to King Abdulaziz that the name be changed to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He asked that the people of the Kingdom be consulted, so telegrams were sent to all regions of the Kingdom. Many telegrams returned from various regions of the Kingdom to King Abdulaziz demanding that the country be called «the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia» instead of «the Kingdom of Hejaz, Najd and its dependencies.»
«Umm Al-Qura» documents the demands of the residents
The Umm Al-Qura newspaper documented these petitions in its issue published in mid-Jumada Al-Awwal 1351 AH / September 16, 1932 AD, and published their texts, including the letter that expressed the citizens" hope that the new name would be a symbol of unity, an honor for the people, and an enlightenment of the king who united the country.
"Today we hope and humbly beseech His Majesty to fulfill the various hopes of his people in the hearts of his loyal subjects by announcing the unity of the happy Arab countries, which is called the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd, and making it a united kingdom integrated into each other, whose capabilities are equal in all goodness and whose efforts are combined wherever its reach extends, and that it be named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in order to strengthen its tasks, honor its peoples, and enlighten them with its great leader, the renewer of the era of Al-Farouq, and that the day of its announcement be agreed upon throughout the Kingdom.«
Official announcement of the new name
On the 17th of Jumada al-Ula, King Abdulaziz announced his approval of the proposal and issued Royal Order No. (2716) from his palace in Riyadh, based on similar telegrams sent by all subjects of the Kingdom of Hejaz, Najd and its dependencies, regarding the new name of the Kingdom.
Following the royal decree, the people in all regions of the Kingdom celebrated this news. The Umm Al-Qura newspaper, in its issue 407, described the celebrations that took place in all regions of the Kingdom as "great and beyond description," and mentioned the number of messages it received from correspondents that it was unable to publish in this issue, so it merely referred to them.
The naming of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1351 AH/1932 AD was a declaration of a modern state , combining religious authenticity, Arab affiliation, and political stability. Since that day, the Kingdom has become a state with a civilizational message and a prominent regional and international position, embodying what King Abdulaziz achieved in terms of historical unity and major accomplishments, which made that event a landmark in the journey of Arabs and Muslims in the modern era.
Joining organizations and signing agreements
During the reign of King Abdulaziz, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia acquired a special international status, joining many international organizations and agreements, as a result of its great and established position. It was among the first countries to sign the Charter of the United Nations in 1364 AH (1945 AD) and contributed to the establishment of many international organizations that aim to establish security, stability and international justice, such as the League of Arab States in 1364 AH (1945 AD).
After the death of King Abdulaziz – may God have mercy on him – on the second of Muharram 1373 AH, corresponding to November 9, 1953 AD, his sons followed in his footsteps, completing the establishment and building of the Kingdom according to the noble principles upon which the Saudi state is founded. His sons ruled the Kingdom after King Abdulaziz, continuing along the same path.
