JEDDAH — The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proudly celebrating Feb. 22 as its Founding Day. This date in the year 1727 precedes the historic meeting between the founder of the first Saudi state Imam Muhammad Bin Saud and Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab by nearly two decades. This day marks a unique celebration of the Kingdom's deep historical roots, of which many major elements were hitherto unknown or not highlighted even by historians and researchers in the past. History is not a sacred book, but it possesses a degree of holiness as it allows modifications only if there is an emergence of any new evidence or a different reading of history from what was prevalent before. However, this holiness was beyond the capacity of contemporary academic schools while dealing with Saudi history, as readers of history and professors in universities and research centers are obsessed with reading what was scripted by early historians such as Othman Bin Bishr, Hamad Bin Laaboun and Ibn Ghannam. Although Imam Muhammad Bin Saud came to power in Diriyah in 1727, the establishment of the First Saudi State is usually dated to 1744. It was in this year that he allied with Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab, who led a movement that called for a return to the true version of Islam. Many historians have neglected the initial 17 years of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud's rule and the preceding era, even though this was the foundational period of the state. The significance of the year 1727 in the history of Saudi Arabia has become even more apparent of late in the light of the extensive research carried out by historians and archeologists. In this context, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman issued a royal decree to approve February 22 as the Founding Day, the date that coincides with the establishment of the first Saudi state three centuries ago. The move is "out of pride in the well-established roots of this state and the close connection of its citizens with its leaders since the era of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud three centuries ago", the royal decree said. The decree noted that this comes to strengthen the citizens' bonds with their roots that date back to 1727. February 22 is chosen as a day in which the memory will be restored, and it will be adopted as an official national holiday, the King said. In the previous period when there was no official documentation, 1744 was considered as the date of the beginning of the first Saudi state, as the date on which Imam Muhammad Bin Saud, founder of the first Saudi state, met Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab, but the official date set by the royal order precedes the meeting of the Imam and Sheikh by 17 years. Retrieving history It is worth mentioning that the concept of 'the state' did not exist during the founding period of the first Saudi state, and hence the divergence of opinions over the date of its beginning is understandable. The classic reading was presented by a number of earlier historians who laid the first stone in the epistemological sequence to read the history of Najd and Saudi Arabia since the founding of the first Saudi state. I searched for a moment from where history of the Saudi state begins, regardless of its accuracy — a turning point with a dramatic dimension. The history of the birth of a large state spanned over nearly 300 years after this, at intermittent intervals, and this moment witnessed the concluding of the Diriyah Agreement. This way the Saudi state had to cost nearly two decades of its age, and then historians dealt with history in a narrative way rather than a critical manner, and they continued to transmit despite the availability of new and significant theses with the development of the academic sector in the country. The first historical readings considered the Diriyah Agreement as the moment of foundation. It was based on giving the state a religious dimension by considering the Diriyah Charter between the first Prince Muhammad Bin Saud and Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab as the moment of foundation. On the other hand, religious control over public space in education and social influence contributed until recently to the preservation of this narrative, as it confers legitimacy on hard-line and religious politics as an extension of the foundation of the country, as the local religious schools presented itself. This, along with the weakness of research and academic activity in the social and historical realms in Saudi Arabia, contributed to the failure to present new narratives that deal with history critically, except within a limited framework. One of these was presented by Abdul Rahman Al-Arini, an academic and researcher, in his book titled "Imam Muhammad Bin Saud and his efforts in establishing the first Saudi state." History is not a dramatic moment The most prominent feature of Al-Arini's thesis is that it placed the beginning of the Saudi state in its historical context. The academic recounted the start of the settlement of Banu Hanifa family in Al-Arid region of Najd. The Saudi ruling family belonged to Banu Hanifa. Then a part of the family moved to the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula before the emergence of a Najdi leader named Ali Bin Deria, from whom Diriyah derived its name, in the 15th century. The circumstances at that time led a section of Banu Hanifa family to return from the eastern part of the Peninsula. They were called Al-Marada, which was associated to their grandfather Manie Bin Rabiah Al-Muraidi. After their return, Ibn Deria gave them land in areas called Al-Mulaybid and Ghusaiba in Najd, which represented the two parts of the family in Najd — Al-Muqrin and Al-Rabiah. There was a transfer of power in the town of Al-Najda from the Watban Bin Rabiah family to the Muqrin family in 1727. This was after the death of Zaid Bin Markhan, who was succeeded by Muhammad Bin Saud to assume power. This can be considered as an important phase containing several factors that can be considered as the foundation of establishing a state, as mentioned in several reference books and records. The first is what was reported by the historian, Ibrahim Bin Saleh Bin Isa, in the book titled "The history of some realistic incidents in Najd." He stated that the Emirate of Al-Watban, the branch that controlled power in Diriyah before Muhammad Bin Saud assumed power, was characterized by "violence and bloodshed." So internal conflicts and division were one of the hallmarks of the emirate. But the rule of Muhammad Bin Saud put an end to these conflicts and emerged as a key factor of stability, as his authority was consensual over his predecessors, which contributed to the creation of authority with broad legitimacy. This consensus, which is derived from personal factors and social prestige, in addition to the shifting of most of the members of Al-Watban to Al-Zubayr area, has contributed to the unification of the divided town. This represented a second factor that can be considered as symbolic of the beginning of its establishment, as the new prince offered in the beginning of his reign in the 1720s to unite the two parts of Diriyah – Al-Mulaybid, which belonged to the Muqrin family, and Qusaiba, which was inhabited by the Rabiah family. These domestic efforts were what historians relied on to justify the scarcity of information about his early years, because he devoted himself to building at home. However, this did not prevent him from exercising influence over his region, as history recorded several pieces of evidence that were indicative of the authority that Diriyah now enjoys in its region. Ibn Bashar gives an account about the killing of Zaid Bin Markhan, who was succeeded by Muhammad Bin Saud. Ibn Bashar narrated the story of the war between Diriyah and Uyayna, saying that several tribes were part of the Diriyah alliance, and that those killed in the ambush of Ibn Muammar also included several notables and sheikhs who accompanied Zaid. This was not the only incident in which the extent of the influence and alliances formed by Diriyah within its surroundings became clear. Rather, Muhammad Bin Saud established stable relations with the neighboring emirates, as in the case of its support to appoint Daham Bin Dawas as governor of Riyadh after he seized power but its people refused to obey him. He was also successful in creating stability in the relationship with Uyayna. Historical contexts of the religious alliance The tribal and policy dimensions of the establishment of the first Saudi state shaped the historical context where there was a harmonious relationship between state and religion. Prince Muhammad Bin Saud's rule lasted for 40 years, from 1727 to 1765. In the first part, he exercised an unparalleled rule over the region of Al-Arid, which went beyond Diriyah with influence over neighboring towns and tribes loyal to the Muqrin family. As for the second part, it can be documented from 1744, the date of his meeting with Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab, to start what was termed the "wars of unification" and its extension to Oman and Yemen in the south and even Iraq in the north. This is what the classic reading of history considers the foundation of the state. But absent from this reading were the factors that made the religious call made by Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab through Muhammad Bin Saud successful, while the Sheikh's first experience with Othman Bin Muammar, the ruler of Uyayna, was a failure. In the details of what was published by Othman Bin Bishr, one of the most prominent historians of the country, we find details of what preceded the meeting. He said that the Sheikh, who was residing in Huraymila, then moved to Uyayna and offered his call to its emir Othman Bin Muammar, who accepted it and pledged to support him before he changed his mind under the pressures of the great ruling political entity in Al-Ahsa, who was exercising influence over the authority of Ibn Muammar in Najd. Subsequently, Bin Muammar ordered Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab to leave his emirate of Uyayna. As for the second experience, it was in Diriyah, where the Sheikh moved after being summoned by its Emir Muhammad Bin Saud. Here the Sheikh made the same offer and then agreed on the limits of the relationship between religion and the state in the famous charter which says: "Therefore, Ibn Saud wanted to have a covenant and pact between him and the proponent of dawa. He said to him: Oh Sheikh, this is the religion of God and there is no doubt about His Messenger. And I give glad tidings of victory to you and for what I have commanded, and to wage jihad against those who oppose monotheism. I also want to put forward two conditions. Firstly, if we support you and carry out jihad in the way of God and if God brings you and me victories over countries, I fear that you will leave us and replace us with others." Muhammad Bin Saud feared that the Sheikh might move to the presence of another emir, as in the case of his move from Uyayna to Diriyah. Secondly, I have a code of law in Diriyah, under which what the weak give to the strong to protect and defend him, I will take it from them at the time of harvest, and I am afraid that you will say: do not take anything from them. It was known that the Sheikh has forbidden taxes. But he replied, "Oh, Prince, as for the first, extend your hand; blood for blood and demolition for demolition. As for the second, perhaps God would give you victories. So God will compensate you from the spoils that is better than that wealth. Then Muhammad Bin Saud extended his hand and pledged allegiance to Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab..." (The History of Najd by Othman Bin Bishr). There was a divergence of opinion among historians on whether the Sheikh moved to Diriyah on his own and offered Imam Muhammad Bin Saud his dawa or the imam summoned him. Anyhow the result is the same. The Sheikh made his dawa to the two towns of Uyayna and Diriyah. Another thing that can be seen from the charter is that it was an agreement on the limits of religious interference in the political system. The Diriyah Pact also gave legitimacy to the expansion of the state. However, excluding 17 eventful years of the state after its founding was an aberrated historical narrative based on a religious story. In announcing the Founding Day, the Royal Court noted that the age of the first Saudi state was from 1727 to 1818, and then it was followed by the second Saudi state after seven years from 1824 to 1891. The third state of modern Saudi Arabia came into being after 10 years at the hands of King Abdul Aziz in 1902.
