'File 8/15 Arab Series - 1933-1939' [‎16v] (32/434)

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3. The King preached from his usual text, the need for unity in Islam, but
ic seems to ha\ e restrained almost entirely the tendency which he has sometimes
shown in the past to give offence by his utterances regarding people who do not
share his "views. I understand that the published version of his speech represents
the original pretty accurately, although the actual language used in certain
passages may have been more emphatic. I have heard only one definite suggestion
of any important omission. According to my Persian colleagues the King gave
as one of tlie reasons why he could not aspire to the Caliphate the fact that so
man} Muslim countries are under alien denomination. He is said to have included
m the number Egypt as being under the thumb of Great Britain. If he really
said this, it cannot have been pleasing to all his Egyptian hearers, though it might
gratify some of them. &
4. I am sending copies of this despatch and enclosure to His Excellency
the Viceroy of India (Foreign and Political Department), to His Majesty’s Am
bassador at Baghdad, and to His Majesty’s High Commissioners for Egypt and
Transjordan Used in three contexts: the geographical region to the east of the River Jordan (literally ‘across the River Jordan’); a British protectorate (1921-46); an independent political entity (1946-49) now known as Jordan .
Enclosure in No. 1.
Summary of the Speech delivered by His Majesty King Abdul Aziz-ibn-Saud at the
Banquet given on March 31,1933, at the Royal Palace at Mecca.
(As published in Umm-al-Qura, April 6, 1933.)
people, His Majesty said, enjoy one great blessing from God
in the teachings of the Prophet, which have descended on them like the fertilisiim
ram on the earth, and have been the means by which they have spread their
influence over vast territories. All Moslems were indebted to that great Teacher
for the good that they had ; and if they would but adhere to the commands of
God, as given m the Koran and the sacred writings, they would be successful
and degraded Ut ^ ^ theSe commands tlie y woul <i become separated
• + And * S is ’ Ki ?. g . wen * on ’ is what is happening now ; and he drew a
picture of the sad condition of the Moslem world in general and the Arab people
m particular at the present time. Some people imagine, he said, that the only
remedy for this state is for Moslems to adopt European civilization ; but this
was not true, for the teachings of the Koran guarantee prosperity, unity and
happiness to those who follow them, because they make no differentiation between
King and commoner, save in respect of piety alone.
Nor were foreigners alone to blame for all the calamities which had overtaken
Islam for amongst Moslems themselves they found some who were misonided
and who were willing to aid them to work against Islam.
“I am the Herald of Islam ”, the King concluded. He was an Arab Moslem
who served Islam and who worked for the spread of Islam and for Moslem unity •
and he was prepared to sacrifice himself and his family in the defence of Islam!
He did not aim to be a chief on earth ; of greatest importance to him was to make
God s word supreme, and m pursuit of this he cared for no difficulties Many had
opposed him since he first put forward this aim, but had been vanquished.
t , , ^ l iat dld ^ want hlm ? His actions were clear ; he followed the Way
It had been said that he claimed to be Khalif over all Islam. He made no such
claim. A Khalif must enforce the commands of the Islamic religion over the
whole world of Islam, and this was possible in the time of the Khilafat; but
was there a man who could so do at the present time ? It was clearly impossible
and ail he himself desired was unity and co-operation among Moslems.
Behind him were more than 400,000 warriors ; if he wept they wept • if he
rejoiced they rejoiced ; and if he commanded they obeyed his commands. ’ These
were the Troops of Unity, the brethren of all who obeyed God, ready to fight for
God and expecting nothing from it except to satisfy God ; and this was the force
(t0 ?°j drm Religious Law and Islam throughout the territories over
which he ruled.
MC364FD—25—19 -8-33—G IPS The branch of the British Government of India with responsibility for managing political relations between British-ruled India and its surrounding states, and by extension the Gulf, during the period 1937-47.