Saeed Haider

Saudi Gazette

DAMMAM — It was an unusual Friday morning in the Eastern Province. People woke to the sorrowful news of the death of their King. A pall of gloom spread all over and the region as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states went into a state of mourning.



The day being Friday, all offices, business institutions and schools were closed but at the mosques during the Friday congregation, people were exchanging condolences with traditional “Azm Allah Ajrak” (May Allah increase your blessings). The imams in their Friday sermons prayed for the departed soul of the King and eulogized him as a great leader and servant of Islam.



Although officially the government does not declare any mourning on the death of any dignitary but people in the region and in neighboring Bahrain, Qatar and UAE went into a state of mourning with all the radio channels canceling their routine programs and relaying recitations of verses from the Holy Qur’an.



Market place and streets of Dammam, Alkhobar, Dhahran, Thuqba, Sihat, Qatif and Safwa wore a deserted look.



People were in absolute state of shock and many were short of words to express their feelings. Ali Abdul Aziz Kanoo, deputy managing director of Kanoo Group of Companies in Saudi Arabia, called King Abdullah a people’s King who drew a fine balance between modernity and Islamic tradition.



“In 2005 when he took the reins it was a difficult time for the entire region. King Abdullah took the country out of several crises and worked for the upliftment of his people.”



Kanoo praised the departed King for his farsightedness and vision. “He scented the changing pattern of global economy and immediately worked for the liberalization of investment procedures in the country.”



Saleh Al-Humaidan, managing director of Al-Youm Group of Publications called King Abdullah a “great visionary”. He was truly a statesman who understood his national, regional and international role. He had absolute clarity about his priorities and ensured that his people and his country flourished. In a short span of 10 years he not only implemented dozens of reforms but also changed the psyche of the nation,” Al-Humaidan said.



He said King Abdullah put the country on the road of total modernization, without compromising on Islamic values and traditions. He brought drastic social changes, empowered our women and encouraged youth for higher education. His scholarship program changed the whole perception of education.



Al-Humaidan expressed his trust in Salman Bin Abdulaziz and said that he would carry forward the dream and vision of King Abdullah.



Abdul Aziz Al-Qahtani of Qahtani Maritime, called King Abdullah the father of modern Saudi Arabia. In a very short period of time he changed the whole pattern of the national economy. He redefined the concept of free economy and its role in industrialization. Al-Qahtani expressed his faith in the new King and hoped economic reforms will continue.



Jassim Al-Yaqout, former director of foreign media in the Ministry of Information in the Eastern Province said with the death of King Abdullah the country has lost a leader of international stature. He had a vision not only for Saudi Arabia but for the region and world peace.



The expatriate community in the Eastern Province was also in a numbed state after hearing the news of the King’s death. Several organizations and social groups called the Saudi Gazette office to express their grief. More than a dozen condolence meetings have been lined up for the next two days by several social groups.



Safi Jannaty of Ghazzawi Law firm called King Abdullah a visionary who steered his nation well in troubled times.



Abdullah Manjeri, chairman of International Indian School called his death a great loss not only for Saudi Arabia but the world community. He was working for a lasting peace in the region, he said.



Abdullah Rizvi, marketing manager Bitumat, called King Abdullah a true statesman who understood the undercurrents of world politics and carried a very definite agenda for world peace.