Misplaced Pages

#664335

86-408: " King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz was the first to organize this festival. He fostered it and developed it to become the top Arab festival that showcases the local heritage of all Arabian Peninsula regions as well as the Saudi Arabian heritage." It is organised by the National Guard , and the first was held in 1985. Activities include a camel race, performance of local music and dancing of the Ardah and

172-409: A culture of peace" and calling for "concrete action at the global, regional and subregional levels." It brought together Muslim and non-Muslim nations to eradicate preconceptions as to Islam and terrorism, with world leaders—including former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair , Israeli President Shimon Peres , US President George W. Bush and King Abdullah II of Jordan —attending. In 2011, an agreement for

258-515: A debate among hundreds of princes in Riyadh. Abdullah did not relinquish authority of SANG in that he feared that this would weaken his authority. In March 1979 when Crown Prince Fahd left Saudi Arabia and stayed in Europe for a long time Prince Abdullah presided over the council of ministers and held a much more active role in diplomatic affairs of Saudi Arabia. During the same period he was one of

344-534: A formal back channel of communication between the two leaders. Abdullah said he had agreed, and the channel was established, with Velayati and Saud Al Faisal as the points of contact. In the ensuing years, the King noted, the channel had never been used. In April 2008, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable , Abdullah had told the US Ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker , and General David Petraeus to "cut off

430-471: A group of Sunni clerics that had previously expressed their loathing for the Shi'i minority. Abdullah succeeded to the throne upon the death of his half-brother King Fahd. He was formally enthroned on 2 August 2005. In 2005, Abdullah declared that the national day of the country, 23 September, would be a public holiday in an attempt to reduce the influence of religious figures and some social restrictions. It

516-683: A guaranteed oil supply in return for Chinese pressure on Iran not to develop nuclear weapons. In late March 2011, Abdullah sent Bandar bin Sultan, Secretary General of the National Security Council , to China to gain its support regarding Saudi Arabia's attitude towards the Arab Spring. In turn, lucrative arms contracts were secretly offered to China by the Kingdom. Furthermore, Abdullah believed that China as well as India were

602-678: A historic Shammar dynasty on the Arabian Peninsula. They were the most formidable enemies of the House of Saud in Nejd. They were centered in Ha'il, a city in northern Nejd that derived its wealth from being on the route of the Hajj . The Al Rashid derived their name from the grandfather of Abdullah , the first Rashidi amir of Ha'il, who was named Ibn Rashid. The Rashidi emirs cooperated closely with

688-695: A longtime close ally of the United States. In October 1976, as Prince Abdullah was being trained for greater responsibility in Riyadh, he was sent to the United States to meet with President Gerald Ford . He again traveled to the United States as Crown Prince in October 1987, meeting Vice President George H. W. Bush . In September 1998, Crown Prince Abdullah made a state visit to the United States to meet in Washington with President Bill Clinton . In September 2000, he attended millennium celebrations at

774-579: A more moderate cleric, state news agency SPA reported, without giving reasons. Abdullatif Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh was named, in place of Sheikh Abdulaziz al Humain, to head the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice . Abdullah had appointed Humain in 2009 to head the "mutaween," which ensures the strict application of the country's ultra-conservative version of Islam, as a step towards reforming it. Humain hired consultants to restructure

860-522: A new department for female students. He promoted the construction of the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (the country's new flagship and controversially co-ed institution for advanced scientific research). The Kingdom's 2010 budget reflected these priorities—about 25 percent was devoted to education alone—and amounts to a significant economic stimulus package. The Saudi government's response to homegrown terrorism

946-674: A paper on dialogue with monotheists—highlighting the monotheistic religions of southeast Asia, including Sikhism —in the third axis of the fourth meeting, titled "With Whom We Talk," presented by Sheikh Badrul Hasan Al Qasimi. The session was chaired by Ezz Eddin Ibrahim, cultural adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates. The session also discussed a paper presented on coordination among Islamic institutions on Dialogue by Abdullah bin Omar Nassif, Secretary General of

SECTION 10

#1732787067665

1032-467: A provision obliging employees to report instances of abuse in the workplace to their employer. The move followed a Twitter campaign. The new laws were welcomed by Saudi women's rights activists, although some expressed concerns that the law could not be implemented successfully without new training for the judiciary, and that the tradition of male guardianship would remain an obstacle to prosecutions. In November 2007, Abdullah visited Pope Benedict XVI in

1118-434: A single entity", Abdullah said at the opening session of a GCC meeting in Riyadh in comments aired on Saudi state television. "No doubt, you all know we are targeted in our security and stability". On 16 February 2003, Parade magazine's David Wallechinsky rated King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah as the second worst dictators in the world. Most of this criticism stems from the fact that most of Saudi citizens live under

1204-433: A strict Wahhabist interpretation of Sharia law , which mandates the amputation of hands as a punishment for theft and floggings for crimes like drunkenness. Execution by public beheading is common for murder, rape, drug trafficking and witchcraft, and Abdullah's policies towards the rights of women have also been criticized. In a slight rebuff to accusations of human rights violations, Saudi inmates of Najran Province sent

1290-723: Is Iraq 's largest Arab tribe, along with the Jubur , with more than 1.5 million members. Under the leadership of Banu Mohamad, known as Al Jarba, there was a massive exodus into Iraq. Most of the Shammar in Iraq gave up their nomadic lifestyles to settle in major cities, especially the Jazirah plain, the area between the Tigris and Euphrates from Baghdad to Mosul . Droughts triggered several migrations of Shammar into Iraq, which, according to

1376-521: Is composed of groups such as Al-Zuhairy and Al-Towej in Najaf . The Shammar became one of the most powerful Iraqi tribes, owning vast tracts of land and provided strong support of the Hashemite monarchy . Shammar power was threatened after the overthrow of the monarchy in 1958 by Abdul-Karim Qassem , and the Shammar welcomed Ba'athist rule. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein , Ghazi al-Yawar , from

1462-543: Is mainly Sunni , while the southern branch, Shammar Toga, converted to Shia Islam around the 19th century after settling in southern Iraq. The Shammar that remained in Arabia had tribal territories extending from the city of Ha'il northwards to the frontiers of the Syrian Desert . The Shammar had a long traditional rivalry with the confederation of 'Anizzah , who inhabited the same area. The city of Ha'il became

1548-688: Is not." In September 2014, following the spread of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), he issued a statement, "From the cradle of revelation and the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, I call on leaders and scholars of the Islamic nation to carry out their duty towards God Almighty, and to stand in the face of those trying to hijack Islam and present it to the world as a religion of extremism, hatred, and terrorism, and to speak

1634-468: The 2011–2012 Saudi Arabian protests , in September 2011, the King announced women's right to vote in the 2015 municipal council elections , a first significant reform step in the country since the protests. He also stated that women would become eligible to take part in the unelected shura . In January 2012, Abdullah dismissed the head of Saudi Arabia's powerful religious police, replacing him with

1720-539: The Apostolic Palace , being first Saudi monarch to do so. In March 2008, he called for a "brotherly and sincere dialogue between believers from all religions". In June 2008, Abdullah held a conference in Mecca to urge Muslim leaders to speak with one voice with Jewish and Christian leaders. He discussed with, and obtained approval from, Saudi and non-Saudi Islamic scholars to hold the interfaith dialogue. In

1806-778: The Arab Peace Initiative , commonly referred to as the "Abdullah plan", to achieve a mutually agreed-on resolution of the Arab–Israeli conflict . The initiative was adopted at the Arab League 's Beirut summit in March 2002. On the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks , Crown Prince Abdullah wrote a letter to US President George W. Bush , which ended with the following words: "God Almighty, in His wisdom, tests

SECTION 20

#1732787067665

1892-739: The Byzantine and Sasanian Empires. Since some sections of Tayy, and most of the Ghassanids and Lakhmids, were present in Mesopotamia and the Levant prior to Muhammad's preaching of Islam in the early 7th century . In the Namara inscription (the second oldest pre-Islamic Arabic inscription, dating from 328 CE), the name "Shammar" is believed to refer to a city in Yemen, though it may refer to

1978-581: The Conquest of Ha'il in 1921. Following Al Rashid's defeat many Shammar fled to Syria and Iraq. Eventually the clan of their uncles, Al Sabhan pledged allegiance to Ibn Saud in Riyadh . Ibn Saud also married a daughter of one of the Shammari chiefs, who bore him one Saudi King, Abdullah . After the establishment of modern borders, most Bedouins gradually left their nomadic lifestyle. Today, most members of

2064-573: The Mizmar . The festival draws more than one million visitors every year. The festival "normally falls during the month of February or March... Long ago, Janadriyah was known as 'Rowdhat Souwais' and was mentioned by numerous historians and writers." In July 2019, the Saudi cabinet transferred the responsibility of organizing the festival to the Ministry of Culture after it was under the responsibility of

2150-561: The Ottoman census upon its annexation, had only 1.5 million inhabitants. The Shammar took over the Jazirah after displacing Al-Ubaid tribe. According to Sheikh Abdullah Humaid Alyawar, the son of the sheikh of Shammar, in Iraq the total population of Shammar is estimated to be more than 1.5 million. The Shammar Al-Sayeh, a tribal confederation of tribes from Shammar, is the branch of Shammar who were independent of Aljraba's authority. Shammar

2236-531: The Ottoman Empire . However, this cooperation became problematic as the Ottomans lost popularity. As with many Arab dynasties, the lack of a generally accepted rule of succession was a recurrent problem with Rashidi rule. The internal dispute normally centered on whether succession should be horizontal (i.e. to a brother) or vertical (to a son). These divisions within the family led to bloody infighting. In

2322-677: The Syrian Civil War . In August 2011, Abdullah recalled the Saudi Ambassador from Damascus due to the political unrest in Syria and closed its embassy. In December 2011, Abdullah called on leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council to strengthen their alliance into a united "single entity" as they confront threats to national security. "I ask you today to move from a stage of cooperation to a stage of union in

2408-705: The World Trade Organization , surprising some. In August 2001, he ordered then Saudi Ambassador to the US, Bandar bin Sultan , to return to Washington from Aspen to deliver a message. This reportedly occurred after Crown Prince Abdullah witnessed brutality inflicted by an Israeli soldier upon a Palestinian woman. “This is it. Those bastards!" Abdullah yelled over the phone, according to an account that Bandar has given associates. “Even women they're stepping all over them." Later, he also condemned Israel for attacking families of suspects. In 2002, he developed

2494-474: The full brothers of King Fahd . Upon becoming king in 2005, Abdullah appointed his half-brother Sultan bin Abdulaziz as crown prince. When Sultan died in 2011, Sultan's full brother Nayef was named heir to the throne, but Nayef himself died the next year. Abdullah then named Salman bin Abdulaziz as crown prince. According to various reports, Abdullah married up to 30 times and had more than 35 children. He

2580-514: The 'Abda family of Dhaigham, who ruled Shammar from Jabal Shammar. In the 17th century, a large section of the Shammar left Jabal Shammar under the leadership of the Al Jarba and settled in Iraq, reaching as far as the northern city of Mosul , their current stronghold. The Shammar are currently one of Iraq's largest tribes and are divided into two geographical , as opposed to genealogical , subsections. The northern branch, known as Shammar al-Jarba,

2666-444: The 14th century, after the tribe changed their name, to Jabal Shammar . There, Tayy, later Shammar, became either city-dwellers in the city of Ha'il , nomadic pastoralists , camel-herders and horse-breeders in northern Najd , or agriculturists in the countryside outside Ha'il or in the surrounding desert oases . These divisions were based on profession, personal interest and skill, and not family or blood-line stratifications within

Jenadriyah - Misplaced Pages Continue

2752-527: The Al Jarbah clan, was unanimously chosen as interim president. Ghazi Al-Yawar's uncle is the current Sheikh of Sheikhs of Shammar. The Shammar tribe have been present in Syria since at least the 1920s when rivalry between Syrian and Iraqi Shammar culminated in violence reported by the League of Nations in 1926. Syrian Shammar Sheikh Diham al Hadi, the paramount Shammar sheikh in Syria, conducted an attack at

2838-610: The Al Saud Family Council was established by Crown Prince Abdullah to discuss some private issues, including the business activities of House of Saud members and the marriages of princesses to nonroyals. In May 2001 he did not accept an invitation to visit Washington due to the US support for Israel in the Second Intifada . He also appeared more eager than King Fahd to cut government spending and open Saudi Arabia up economically. He pushed for Saudi membership of

2924-598: The Consultative Assembly or Shura Council and modified the related law to mandate that no less than 20 percent of 150 members would be women. In August 2013, the Saudi cabinet, for the first time, approved a law making domestic violence a criminal offence. The law calls for a punishment of up to a year in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 riyals (€11,500/US$ 13,000). The maximum punishments could be doubled for repeat offenders. The law criminalizes psychological, sexual as well as physical abuse. It also includes

3010-639: The Grand Mufti to identify eligible scholars. In light of the Arab Spring , Abdullah laid down a $ 37 billion (€32.8 billion) programme of new spending including new jobless benefits, education and housing subsidies, debt write-offs, and a new sports channel. There was also a pledge to spend a total of $ 400 billion by the end of 2014 to improve education, health care and the kingdom's infrastructure. However, Saudi police arrested 100 Shiite protesters who complained of government discrimination. Later during

3096-585: The House of Saud. SANG, which had been based on the Ikhwan , became a modern armed force under his command. Beginning 1985, SANG also sponsored the Janadiriyah festival that institutionalized traditional folk dances, camel races and tribal heritage. King Khalid appointed Abdullah as second deputy prime minister on 29 March 1975 just four days after his kingship which was a reflection of his status as second in

3182-773: The Iranians "launch missiles with the hope of putting fear in people and the world". The King described his conversation with Iranian foreign minister Mottaki as "a heated exchange, frankly discussing Iran's interference in Arab affairs". When challenged by the King on Iranian meddling in Hamas affairs, Mottaki apparently protested that "these are Muslims". "No, Arabs", countered the King. "You as Persians have no business meddling in Arab matters". Abdullah said he would favor Rafsanjani in an Iranian election. He told General Jones that Iranian internal turmoil presented an opportunity to weaken

3268-620: The King well-wishes from jail and wished him a speedy recovery. Abdullah has also been criticized for his policies on religious freedom and the Saudi government allegedly has arrested Shiite pilgrims on the Hajj . On 24 January 2007, Human Rights Watch sent an open letter to Abdullah asking him to cease religious persecution of the Ahmadi faith in Saudi Arabia. Two letters were sent in November 2006 and February 2007 asking him to remove

3354-696: The Ministry of National Guard. The festival opens with the opening ceremony master; it then proceeds with various events, including: Every year Saudi Arabia has hosted a guest of honor such as: This Saudi Arabia related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud ( Arabic : عبد الله بن عبدالعزيز آل سعود ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd , Najdi Arabic pronunciation: [ʢæbˈdɑɫ.ɫɐ ben ˈʢæbdæl ʢæˈziːz ʔæːl sæˈʢuːd] ; 1 August 1924 – 23 January 2015)

3440-584: The Saudi realm, finally taking the Saudi capital Riyadh in 1895 and expelling the Saudi leaders to Kuwait . The Bedouin Shammari tribesmen provided the majority of the Al Rashid's military support. Later, in the first two decades of the 20th century, Al Rashid were defeated by Ibn Saud and his Wahhabi forces when his campaign to restore his family's rule in the Arabian Peninsula culminated in

3526-548: The Shammar live modern, urbanized lifestyles in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and some sections settled in Syria and Jordan . Despite this, the vast majority of Shammar continue to retain a strong tribal identity and loyalty to their tribe. Many also participate in Cultural Festivals to learn about their ancient lifestyles, and to take part in traditional activities such as folk dancing . The House of Rashid (Rasheed) were

Jenadriyah - Misplaced Pages Continue

3612-626: The Tayy expanded north into Iraq all the way to the capital at the time, Al-Hirah . The area of the two mountains subsequently came to be known as " Jabal Shammar " ("Shammar's Mountain") from the 14th century, the first time that the Shammar as a tribe were noted in literature. Led by Usma bin Luai, the Tayy invaded the mountains of Ajaa and Salma from Banu Assad and Banu Tamim in northern Arabia in their exodus from Yemen in 115 CE. These mountains were renamed to Jabal Tayy (Tayy's Mountain), and then again in

3698-564: The Tayy. Led by Usma bin Luai, the Tayy invaded the mountains of Ajā and Salma from Banu Assad and Banu Tamim in northern Arabia in their exodus from Yemen in 115 CE. These mountains are now known as the Shammar . The Tayy became nomadic camel-herders and horse-breeders in northern Najd for centuries. Because of their strength and blood relations with the Yemenite dynasties that came to rule Syria (The Ghassanids) and Iraq (The Lakhmids),

3784-498: The UK. Shammar The tribe of Shammar ( Arabic : شَمَّر , romanized :  Šammar ) is a tribal Arab Qahtanite confederation, descended from the Tayy , which migrated into the northern Arabian Peninsula from Yemen in the second century. It is the largest branch of the Tayy, and one of the largest and most influential Arab tribes. The historical and traditional seat of

3870-788: The United Nations in New York City. In April 2002, Crown Prince Abdullah made a state visit to the United States with President George W. Bush and he returned again in April 2005 with Bush. In April 2009, at a summit for world leaders President Barack Obama met with Abdullah, while in June 2009 he hosted President Obama in Saudi Arabia. In turn, Obama hosted the King at the White House in the same month. Abdullah showed great support for Obama's presidency. "Thank God for bringing Obama to

3956-431: The United States and the United Kingdom and bought billions of dollars worth of defense equipment from both states. Abdullah maintained the status quo when there were waves of protest in the kingdom during the Arab Spring . He held four of his daughters, which he fathered with Al Anoud Al Fayez whom he married when she was age 15, captive against their will. The three crown princes during Abdullah's reign were among

4042-434: The United States" and are considered property of the US government. The Bush administration ignored advice from him and Saudi foreign minister Saud Al Faisal against invading Iraq. However, other sources said that many Arab governments were only nominally opposed to the Iraq invasion because of popular hostility. Before becoming king, Prince Abdullah was thought to be completely against the US invasion of Iraq; this, however,

4128-418: The United States. The military personnel were part of the Peninsula Shield Force , which is stationed in Saudi Arabia, but not affiliated to one country alone. In December 2010, leaked diplomatic cables published by WikiLeaks revealed that Abdullah wanted all released detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp to be tracked using an implanted microchip, in a way similar to race horses. The King made

4214-403: The World Islamic Council for Preaching and Relief and a paper on dialogue with divine messages, presented by Professor Mohammed Sammak—Secretary General of the Islamic Spiritual Summit in Lebanon. In November 2008, Abdullah and his government arranged discussion at the United Nations General Assembly to "promote dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, as well as activities related to

4300-417: The World Trade Center: a world that is blessed by the virtues of freedom, peace, prosperity and harmony." By late 2003, after the Saudi Arabian branch of al-Qaeda carried out a series of bombings that threatened to destabilize the country, Crown Prince Abdullah, together with other decision-making elites began to deal with political concerns. As Toby Jones wrote in Middle East Report : One of such moves

4386-403: The bone", he stated. He was the leading gift-giver to the US president and his office in his first two years in office, his gifts totaling more than $ 300,000. A ruby and diamond jewelry set, given by the king and accepted by First Lady Michelle Obama on behalf of the United States, was worth $ 132,000. However, according to US federal law, gifts of such nature and value are accepted "on behalf of

SECTION 50

#1732787067665

4472-447: The children of his mother's first marriage to Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Rashid . Madawi Al-Rasheed argues that Abdullah's maternal roots and his earlier experience of a speech impediment led to delay in his rise to higher status among the sons of King Abdulaziz. In August 1963, Abdullah was made commander of Saudi National Guard replacing Saad bin Saud , a son of King Saud , in the post. This post allowed him to secure his position in

4558-418: The city where the Himyarite King Shammar Yahri'sh lived, Radda District (located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Dhamar , an ancient historic site). Since King Shammar Yahri'sh ruled during the last decade of the third century, it could be referring to the city he lived in or one named after him. It could also be referring to the city of Ha'il, although there is no evidence that Imru Al-Qays fought

4644-430: The early famous figures from the tribe was the legendary Hatim Al-Ta'i (Hatim of Tayy; died 578), a Christian Arab renowned for generosity and hospitality who figured in the One Thousand and One Nights . The early Islamic historical sources report that his son, Adi ibn Hatim , whom they sometimes refer to as the "king" of Tayy, converted to Islam before Muhammad 's death. Another figure from Tayy during this period

4730-432: The end of March 1926 upon 'Ajil al Yawar, a Sheikh of the Iraqi Shammar. In April 1959 however, the CIA 's Foreign Broadcast Information Service reported that the Iraqi and Syrian branches of the Shammar were able to bury their differences, both joining an alliance with the Syrian Baath Party against a common enemy. The current leader of the Syrian Shammar is Sheikh Humaydi Daham al-Hadi . His son Bandar al-Humaydi

4816-463: The entire Saudi team might have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination. The public participation of women in sport was still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives. There had been almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country. Saudi officials said that, if successful in qualifying, female competitors would be dressed "to preserve their dignity". On 11 January 2013, Abdullah appointed thirty women to

4902-400: The establishment of the Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna was signed between the governments of Austria, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. The official opening of the centre was in November 2012, with foreign minister Saud Al Faisal as its first general secretary and Austria's former federal justice minister Claudia Bandion-Ortner as

4988-412: The faithful by allowing such calamities to happen. But He, in His mercy, also provides us with the will and determination, generated by faith, to enable us to transform such tragedies into great achievements, and crises that seem debilitating are transformed into opportunities for the advancement of humanity. I only hope that, with your cooperation and leadership, a new world will emerge out of the rubble of

5074-413: The first by a Saudi head of state to China since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1990. Bilateral trade with China has more than tripled, and China would soon be Saudi Arabia's largest importer. Saudi Arabia also committed significant investments in China, including the $ 8 billion Fujian refinery. Based on a WikiLeaks cable, the King told the Chinese that it was willing to effectively trade

5160-498: The first deputy general secretary. Abdullah called for the establishment of an Arab common market in January 2011. Saudi foreign minister, Saud bin Faisal, stated that the Arab Customs Union would be ready by 2015, and that by 2017 the common market would also be in place. There have been intensive efforts to link Arab countries with a railway system and an electricity power grid. Work on the power grid project has started in some Arab countries. Abdullah had long been pro-American and

5246-537: The future markets for Saudi energy. Abdullah visited Turkey in August 2006 being the first Saudi king who paid an official visit there. In November 2009, Abdullah was received by Nicolas Sarkozy , who committed various diplomatic faux pas. The diplomatic relationship Jacques Chirac had with Saudi Arabia was not evident with Sarkozy. In January 2011, the Kingdom granted asylum to the ousted Tunisian leader, Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali , under conditions of no further political involvement. According to leaked cables, Abdullah

SECTION 60

#1732787067665

5332-431: The head of the snake". Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Washington, Adel al-Jubeir , "recalled the King's frequent exhortations to the US to attack Iran" and to put an end to that country's nuclear program . Abdullah asserted that Iran was trying to set up Hezbollah -like organizations in African countries, observing that the Iranians didn't think they were doing anything wrong and didn't recognize their mistakes. He said that

5418-435: The heart of the Jabal Shammar region and was inhabited largely by settled members of Shammar and their clients. Two clans succeeded each other in ruling the city in the 19th century. The first clan, the Al Ali , were replaced by the Al Rashid . During the civil war that tore apart the Second Saudi State in the late 19th century, the emirs of Ha'il, from the house of Al Rashid, intervened and gradually took control of much of

5504-468: The last years of the nineteenth century six Rashidi leaders died violently. Nevertheless, The Al Rashid family continued to rule and fight together against Ibn Saud. Saudi Arabia- The first twenty years of the 20th century on the Arabian Peninsula featured a long-running series of wars as the Saudis and their allies sought to unite the peninsula. Some members of the Rasheed family left the country and went into voluntary exile, mostly to Kuwait. The Shammar

5590-466: The line of succession to the Saudi throne. Therefore, he became the number three in the Saudi administration. However, his appointment caused friction in the House of Saud. Then-Crown Prince Fahd, together with his full-brothers, known as the Sudairi Seven , supported the appointment of their own full brother, Sultan. Abdullah was pressured to cede control of SANG in return for his appointment as second deputy prime minister. In August 1977, this generated

5676-474: The members of the inner family council which was led by King Khalid and included Abdullah's half-brothers Prince Mohammed, Crown Prince Fahd, Prince Sultan and Prince Abdul Muhsin as well as his uncles Prince Ahmed and Prince Musaid . On 13 June 1982 King Khalid died, and Fahd bin Abdulaziz became King. Abdullah became Crown Prince the same day who also maintained his position as head of the National Guard. During his years as crown prince, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz

5762-510: The organisation, met local human rights groups and consulted professional image-builders in a broad public relations campaign. Under his leadership the commission also investigated and punished some "out-of-control" officers for misbehaviour. In July 2012, Saudi Arabia announced that it would allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time and that the country's Olympic Committee would "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify". The decision ended speculation that

5848-417: The presidency", he said, adding that Obama's election created "great hope" in the Muslim world. He stated, "We (the US and Saudi Arabia) spilled blood together" in Kuwait and Iraq, that Saudi Arabia valued this tremendously and that friendship could be a difficult issue that requires work, but that the United States and Saudi Arabia had done it for 70 years over three generations. "Our disagreements don't cut to

5934-401: The private suggestion during a meeting in Riyadh in March 2009 with White House counterterrorism adviser, John O. Brennan . Brennan replied that "horses don't have good lawyers" and that such a proposal would "face legal hurdles" in the United States. Since Abdullah's visit to Beijing in January 2006, Saudi-Chinese relations have focused predominantly on energy and trade. The king's visit was

6020-442: The regime—which he encouraged—but he also urged that this be done covertly, stressing that public statements in support of the reformers were counterproductive. The King assessed that sanctions could help weaken the government, but only if they are strong and sustained. Saudi Arabia, by the endorsement of the Gulf Cooperation Council , sent 1,200 troops to Bahrain to protect industrial facilities, resulting in strained relations with

6106-454: The same month, Saudi Arabia and Spain agreed to hold the interfaith dialogue in Spain. The historic conference finally took place in Madrid in July 2008, wherein religious leaders of different faiths participated, and which later led to the 2010 proclamation of World Interfaith Harmony Week . Abdullah had never previously made overtures for dialogue with eastern religious leaders, such as Hindus and Buddhists . The Mecca conference discussed

6192-436: The travel ban on critics of the Saudi government. Human Rights Watch has not yet indicated whether they have received any response to these letters. On 30 October 2007, during a state visit to the UK, Abdullah was accused by protestors of being a "murderer" and a "torturer". Concerns were raised about the treatment of women and homosexuals by the Saudi kingdom and over alleged bribes involving arms deals between Saudi Arabia and

6278-523: The tribe's leadership is in the city of Ḥaʼil ; where most of the people of the tribe of Shammar are found, in what was the Emirate of Jabal Shammar in what is now Saudi Arabia . In its "golden age", around the 1850s, the Shammar ruled much of central and northern Arabia from Riyadh to the frontiers of Syria and the vast area of Upper Mesopotamia ( Arabic : الجزيرة , romanized :  al-Jazīra , lit.   'the region'). One of

6364-425: The tribe. It is common for the same nuclear family to have members living each of the three different lifestyles. Because of their strength and blood relations with the Yemenite dynasties that came to rule Syria (Ghassanids) and Iraq (Muntherids), the Tayy expanded north into Iraq all the way to al-Hira , the capital at the time. Oral tradition mentions that the first chiefs of the Shammar tribe, Arar and Omair, were of

6450-409: The word of truth, and not fear anybody. Our nation today is passing through a critical, historic stage, and history will be witness against those who have been the tool exploited by the enemies to disperse and tear the nation and tarnish the pure image of Islam". In 2006, Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei had sent his adviser Ali Akbar Velayati with a letter asking for Abdullah's agreement to establish

6536-684: Was King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 1 August 2005 until his death in 2015. Prior to his accession, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia since 13 June 1982. He was the tenth son of King Abdulaziz , the founder of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah was the son of King Abdulaziz and Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim . His mother was a member of the Al Rashid dynasty , historical rivals of the Al Saud dynasty . Abdullah held important political posts throughout most of his adult life. In 1961 he became mayor of Mecca , his first public office. The following year, he

6622-563: Was Zayd al-Khayr , a prominent member of Tayy who is said to have led Tayy's delegation to Muhammad accepting Islam. The Shammar are a tribal confederation made up of three main branches: Abdah, Al-Aslam, and Sinjarah. The earliest non-Arab sources refer to Arabs as Taits, thought of as referring to the Tayy, as Iyas ibn Qabisah al-Ta'i , a governor of al-Hirah in Lower Mesopotamia in the Lakhmid kingdom , had contact with both

6708-502: Was a series of crackdowns including raids by security forces, arrests, torture and public beheadings. In August 2010, Abdullah decreed that only officially approved religious scholars associated with the Senior Council of Ulema would be allowed to issue fatwas . Similar decrees since 2005 were previously seldom enforced. Individual fatwas relating to personal matters were exempt from the royal decree. The decree also instructed

6794-453: Was among the wealthiest royals in the world. Upon his death in 2015 at age 90, he was succeeded as King by his half-brother Salman, although Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would become de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. Abdullah is said to have been born on 1 August 1924 in Riyadh. However, some sources state that this date is incorrect, and that he was approximately eight years older. He

6880-524: Was appointed commander of the Saudi Arabian National Guard , a post he was still holding when he became king. He also served as deputy defense minister and was named crown prince when his half-brother Fahd took the throne in 1982. After King Fahd suffered a serious stroke in 1995, Abdullah became the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia until ascending the throne a decade later. During his reign, Abdullah maintained close relations with

6966-519: Was criticized by the religious figures who argued that such celebration was not part of Islam. Abdullah implemented many reform measures. He re-shuffled the ministry of education's leadership in February 2009 by bringing in his pro-reform son-in-law, Faisal bin Abdullah , as the new minister. He also appointed Nora Al Fayez , a U.S.-educated former teacher, as deputy education minister in charge of

7052-591: Was described as a supporter of accommodation. He managed to group a large number of fringe and marginalized princes discontented with the prospect of the succession being passed among the Sudairi brothers one after the other. His control of the National Guard was also a key factor to his success in becoming crown prince. When King Fahd was incapacitated by a major stroke in 1995, Crown Prince Abdullah acted as de facto regent of Saudi Arabia. On 4 June 2000,

7138-460: Was his project to promote more tolerance for religious diversity and rein in the forces of politico-religious extremism in the kingdom, leading to the establishment of National Dialogue . In the summer of 2003, Abdullah threw his considerable weight behind the creation of a national dialogue that brought leading religious figures together, including a highly publicized meeting attended by the kingdom's preeminent Shi'i scholar Hasan al-Saffar, as well as

7224-510: Was more receptive than Crown Prince Sultan to former Yemeni President Saleh . Abdullah supported renewed diplomatic relations with the Syrian government and Bashar al-Assad . They met in Damascus on 7 October 2009. In addition, Assad attended the opening of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in October 2009. Relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia deteriorated as a result of

7310-542: Was not the case. Riyadh provided essential support to the United States during the war and proved that "necessity does lead to some accommodations from time to time". The King expressed a complete lack of trust in Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and held out little hope for improved Saudi-Iraqi relations as long as Al Maliki remained in office. Abdullah told an Iraqi official about Al Maliki, "You and Iraq are in my heart, but that man

7396-553: Was the tenth son of King Abdulaziz. His mother, Fahda bint Asi Al Shuraim, was a member of the Al Rashid dynasty, longtime rivals of the Al Saud dynasty. She was descended from the powerful Shammar tribe and was the daughter of former tribe chief Asi bin Shuraim . She died when Abdullah was six years old. Abdullah had two younger full-sisters, Nouf and Seeta , and two maternal half-brothers, Abdulaziz and Mishaal , who were

#664335