S.H.MOULANA
RIYADH– Today, the 22nd of February, Saudi Arabia is celebrating its Founding Day. It was on this day in the year 1727 Mohammed bin Saud established the First Saudi State in Diriyah.
However, in 1932 King Abdulaziz formalized his reign and renamed the Kingdom of Najd and Hejaz as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is now being celebrated as Saudi Arabia’s National Day on the 23rd of September. Under every ruler and his loyal government the country grew up with strength to be formidable and one to stand shoulder to shoulder with any developed country in the western world. Loyal citizens and the grateful expatriate communities are celebrating the occasion with the government with very high enthusiasm.
Having spent a better part of my life here I have become so accustomed to Saudi traditions. They are a very friendly society and I am yet to face something that I can complain about. They show very high respect to elderly people irrespective of their nationality.
During my vacation a few years ago, in my home country, Sri Lanka, I made a visit to a friend’s place, who was in Saudi Arabia for well over two decades. He had a well displayed glass container in his sitting room with something like brown sugar in it. With inquisitiveness overcoming me I asked him ‘What is that brown sugar displayed in that container?’ He said with a broad smile ‘That is not brown sugar but Saudi sand’. He said ‘How can I forget a country which helped me to own a house and a moderate car, and educate all my three children to obtain good jobs.’ I started to wonder how many more families would have benefited like him in our home country, leave alone the foreign exchange remittances the Sri Lankan expats send home. We are also grateful to Saudi Arabia’s financial aid for numerous projects in the island nation.
We take this opportunity to congratulate the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the government of Saudi Arabia and all Saudi nationals on this historic Founding Day of this great country.
