In 1990, Iraqi forces under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, placing the Iraqi army (then the largest in the Middle East) on the Saudi-Kuwaiti border. King Fahd agreed to host American-led coalition troops in his Kingdom and later allowed American troops to be based there. This decision brought him considerable criticism and opposition from many Saudi citizens, who objected to the presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil; this was a casus belli against the Saudi royal family prominently cited by Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda. His decision was also objected to by his full brothers or the Sudairi Seven. Another cause for criticism came when during an event with the British Royal Family, King Fahd was seen wearing a white decoration in the shape of a cross; in 1994 Bin Laden cited this as "abomination" and "clearly infidelity".
Reform and industrialization
King Fahd showed little tolerance for reformists. In 1992, a group of reformists and prominent Saudi intellectuals petitioned King Fahd for wide-ranging reforms, including widening political representation and curbing the royal family's wasteful spending. King Fahd first responded by ignoring their requests and when they persisted, reformists were harshly persecuted, imprisoned, and fired from their jobs.
During King Fahd's rule, the royal family's lavish spending of the country's wealth reached its height. In addition, the biggest and most controversial military contract of the century, the Al-Yamamah arms deal was signed on his watch. The contract has cost the Saudi treasury more than $90 billion. These funds were originally allocated to building hospitals, schools, universities, and roads. As a result, Saudi Arabia endured a stagnation in infrastructure development from 1986 until 2005 when the new King, Abdullah, fully came into power.
Like all the countries bordering the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia under King Fahd focused its industrial development on hydrocarbon installations. Up to this day, the country is reliant on imports for nearly all its light and heavy machinery.
King Fahd established a Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs directed by senior family members and technocrats in 1994. The council was planned to function as an ombudsman of Islamic activity concerning educational, economic, and foreign policy matters. The chairman of the council was Prince Sultan. Prince Nayef, Prince Saud Al Faisal and technocrat Mohammed bin Ali Aba Al Khail were appointed to the newly established council. One of the covert purposes of the council was thought to be to reduce the power of the Ulemas Council had been increasing its power.
Succession mechanism
In an effort to institutionalize succession King Fahd issued a decree on 1 March 1992. The decree expanded the criteria for succession, which had been only seniority and family consensus, and led to speculations. The most significant change by the edict was that the King did acquire the right to appoint or dismiss his heir apparent based on suitability rather than seniority and that the grandsons of Abdulaziz became eligible for the throne.
1995 stroke and aftermath
King Fahd was a heavy smoker, overweight for much of his adult life, and in his sixties began to suffer from arthritis and severe diabetes. He suffered a debilitating stroke on 29 November 1995 and became noticeably frail, and decided to delegate the running of the Kingdom to Crown Prince Abdullah on 2 January 1996. On 21 February, King Fahd resumed official duties.
After his stroke, King Fahd was partly inactive and had to use a cane and then a wheelchair, though he still attended meetings and received selected visitors. In November 2003, according to government media, King Fahd was quoted as saying to "strike with an iron fist" at terrorists after deadly bombings in Saudi Arabia, although he could hardly utter a word because of his deteriorating health. However, it was Crown Prince Abdullah who took official trips; when King Fahd traveled, it was for vacations, and he was sometimes absent from Saudi Arabia for months at a time. When his oldest son and International Olympic Committee member Prince Faisal bin Fahd died in 1999, the King was in Spain and did not return for the funeral.
In a speech to an Islamic conference on 30 August 2003, King Fahd condemned terrorism and exhorted Muslim clerics to emphasize peace, security, cooperation, justice, and tolerance in their sermons.
Wealth
Fortune Magazine reported his wealth in 1988 at $18 billion (making him the second-richest person in the world at that time). Forbes estimated Fahd's wealth to be $25 billion in 2002. In addition to residences in Saudi Arabia, he had a palace on Spain's Costa del Sol which made Marbella a famous place.
Recreational activities
King Fahd was known to enjoy luxurious living abroad and a lavish lifestyle. He visited the ports of the French Riviera in his 147-metre (482 ft) yacht, the US$100 million Prince Abdulaziz. The ship featured two swimming pools, a ballroom, a gym, a theatre, a portable garden, a hospital with an intensive-care unit and two operating rooms, and four American Stinger missiles.[66] The king also had a personal $US150 million Boeing 747 jet, equipped with his own fountain. In Fahd's younger years, he used to engage in activities considered un-Islamic, such as drinking and gambling. Fahd reportedly lost millions of dollars in casinos and started using illegal methods to regain the same amount. When Fahd's brothers found out about his habits which were considered a disgrace to the House of Saud, he was immediately summoned to King Faisal's palace. Upon arrival, King Faisal slapped him across the face. From then on, Fahd was more circumspect and put a stop to his un-Islamic habits.
Personal life
King Fahd was married at least thirteen times. The spouses of King Fahd were as follows:
- Al Anood bint Abdulaziz bin Musaid Al Saud, mother of his eldest five sons, Prince Faisal, Prince Mohammed, Prince Saud, Prince Sultan and Prince Khalid.
Al Jawhara bint Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, mother of Prince Abdulaziz bin Fahd
- Noura bint Turki bin Abdullah bin Saud bin Faisal Al Saud, who died in September 2018. King Fahd and Noura had a daughter, Al Anoud bint Fahd.
- Jawza bint Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Divorced)
- Al Jowhara bint Abdullah Al Sudairi (Deceased)
- Joza'a bint Sultan Al Adgham Al Subaie (Divorced)
- Tarfa bint Abdulaziz bin Muammar (Divorced)
- Watfa bint Obaid bin Ali Al Jabr Al Rasheed (Divorced)
- Lolwa al Abdulrahman al Muhana Aba al Khail (Divorced)
- Fatma bint Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Aldakhil
- Shaikha bint Turki bin Mariq Al Thit (Divorced)
- Seeta bint Ghunaim bin Sunaitan Abu Thnain (Divorced)
- Janan Harb (Widowed)
- King Fahd had six sons and four daughters. His sons are:
- Faisal bin Fahd (1945–1999) Died of a heart attack. Director-general of youth welfare (1971–1999), director-general at ministry of planning and minister of state (1977–1999)
- Muhammad bin Fahd (born January 1950), former governor of the Eastern province
- Saud bin Fahd (born 8 October 1950), former deputy president of the General Intelligence Directorate
- Sultan bin Fahd (born 1951), retired army officer and former head of Youth Welfare
- Khalid bin Fahd (born February 1958)
- Abdulaziz bin Fahd, (born 16 April 1973), Fahd's favourite and youngest son and former minister of state without portfolio. He is the son of Princess Jawhara Al Ibrahim, Fahd's reportedly favourite wife.
- One of his daughters, Latifa bint Fahd, died at age 54 in Geneva in late December 2013. Another daughter, Al Jawhara bint Fahd, was the wife of Turki bin Mohammad bin Saud Al Kabeer and died in June 2016.Another daughter princess Lulwa bint Fahd also died on 18 April 2022.
Death
Main article: Death and state funeral of Fahd of Saudi Arabia
King Fahd was admitted to the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh on 27 May 2005 for unspecified medical tests. An official (who insisted on anonymity) told the Associated Press unofficially that the king had died at 07:30 on 1 August 2005 at age 84. Official statement was announced on state television at 10:00 by Information Minister Iyad Madani.
Funeral
King Fahd was buried in the last thawb (traditional Arab robe) he wore. Fahd's body was carried to Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque, and funeral prayers were held at around 15:30 local time (12:30 GMT) on 2 August. The prayers for the late monarch were led by the Kingdom's grand mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Sheikh.
The King's son Abdulaziz carried the body to the mosque and to the Al Oud cemetery, Riyadh, some two kilometres away, a public cemetery where Fahd's four predecessors and other members of the Al Saud ruling family are buried.
Arab and Muslim dignitaries who attended the funeral were not present at the burial. Only ruling family members and Saudi citizens were on hand as the body was lowered into the grave.
Muslim leaders offered condolences at the mosque, while other foreign dignitaries and leaders who came after the funeral paid their respects at the royal court.
In accordance with regulations and social traditions, Saudi Arabia declared a national mourning period of three days during which all offices were closed. Government offices remained closed for the rest of the week. The state flag was not lowered (since the flag of Saudi Arabia bears the Shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith, the flag's protocol requires the flag not to be lowered).
After Fahd's death, many Arab countries declared mourning periods. Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Syria, Yemen, the Arab League in Cairo, and the Palestinian Authority all declared three-day mourning periods. Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates declared a seven-day mourning period and ordered all flags flown at half-staff. In Jordan, a national three-day mourning period was declared and a 40-day mourning period was decreed at the Royal Court.
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