The Kingdom of Saudi celebrates the 94th Saudi National Day in 2024. It is commemorated every year on September 23rd and is locally known as Al-Yaom-ul-Watany. The Kingdom marks National Day with folk dances, songs, and traditional festivals. The roads and buildings are decorated with Saudi flags. People display their patriotism by getting together, carrying the Saudi flag, exchanging inspiring messages, and more. This year, the KSA has a special theme for National Day. A dedicated website has been created to showcase celebrations and offers to go on in different parts of the country.
The Saudi National Day was first celebrated in 1932 when King Abdulaziz announced the unification of the country as a kingdom. In 2005, Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz declared that from the 75th National Day, the occasion will be an annual national holiday thereafter. The Saudi Arabia National Day was declared to be a public holiday in 2007.
Saudi National Day 2024
Like always, this year’s celebrations are also going to be grand. It will be a celebration of the new spirit of Saudi Arabia, inspiring patriotism and belongingness. The theme for Saudi National Day 2024 is ‘this is our home’. A government website dedicated to this day showcases some beautiful versions of the national anthem and a range of ready-to-download applications. It also shares critical development information regarding Saudi’s ambitious Vision 2030. The report covers detailed information on key Saudi projects, such as Diriyah Gate, The LINE, the Amaala project, and others.
Saudi National Day History
In the pre-Islamic times, the Arabian peninsula had been the habitat of the nomadic tribes. It was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who brought these tribes together to create a single Islamic religious state. After he died in 632, the territory under Muslim rule immediately expanded across the middle east, from Spain in the west to modern-day Pakistan in the east. In the 16th century, the region was earlier under the reign of the Ottoman Empire and although various sultanates were forming from time to time. It wasn’t until the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I that the modern Saudi Arabia emerged.
Ibn Saud (the immediate successor of Abdul Rahman bin Faisal who had been the last ruler of the ‘Second Saudi State’), became the Sultan of Najd, the central region of Arabia in 1921. He was declared the King of the Hejaz in 1926. Even after being King of both regions, he ruled the two parts of his kingdom separately for the next five years. It wasn’t until 1932 after a two-year campaign subdued and defeated the former allies, that the kingdoms of the Hejaz and Nejd were renamed and unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Abdul Al-Aziz ibn Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia, then became the Kingdom’s first king as well as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques – Masjid Al Haram and Masjid Al Nabawi. Ever since, the day is also known to be the Independence Day of Saudi Arabia or the KSA National Day.
The Saudi National Anthem
Listening to or singing the Saudi national anthem fills its citizens with the feelings of immense pride and patriotism. Interestingly, until 1947, Saudi Arabia did not have a national anthem. When King Abdulaziz came to visit Egypt that year, he asked the Egyptian composer Abdul Rahman Al-Khateeb to create an anthem. That’s when ‘Aash Al Maleek’ was created. The melody, an Arab fanfare style, resembles those of other Arab states in the area at the time. In 1958, the first set of lyrics were composed by Mohammed Talat. Back in the 1960s and 1970s, ‘As-salam al Malaki as Saud’—the Royal Salute of the House of Saud by Abdul Rahman Al-Khateeb—was often presented and played as the Saudi anthem in recordings, even though ‘Aash Al Maleek’ continued to be the national anthem. In 1984, King Fahd asked poet Ibrahim Al Khafaji to write new lyrics, which are the official lyrics today. Lyrics and their translation are as given below. The basic meaning behind the anthem is that the lyrics call for the country to hasten towards greatness while raising its flag, glorify God, and bless the Saudi Arabian King to live a long life.
Video Credit – Indra Setyo Rahadhi
Saudi National Anthem in Arabic
سارعي/ للمجد والعلياء/ مجدي لخالق السماء/ وارفعي الخفاق الأخضر/ يحمل النور المسطر/ رددي الله أكبر/ يا موطني/ موطني/ عشت/ فخر المسلمين/ عاش الملك/ للعلم/ والوطن
Transliteration:
Sārʿī/ Li-l-majdi wa-l-ʿalyāʾ,/ Majjidī li-xāliqi s-samāʾ!/ Wa-rfaʿī l-xaffāqa ʾaxḍar/ Yaħmilu n-nūra l-musaṭṭar/ Raddidī: Allāhu ʾakbar,/ Yā mawṭinī!/ Mawṭinī,/ ʿišta faxra l-muslimīn/ ʿĀš a-l-malik/ Li-l-ʿalam/ Wa-l-waṭan!
Translation:
Hasten/ To glory and supremacy,/ Glorify the Creator of the heavens!/ And raise the green flag/ Carrying the written light-reflecting guidance,/ Repeat: Allahu Akbar![1]/ O my country!/ My country,/ Live as the pride of Muslims!/ Long live the King/ For the flag/ And the homeland!
The National Flag of Saudi Arabia
On the occasion of the Saudi Arabia National day, one can see the Saudi flag everywhere. Citizens take a lot of pride in carrying their flag, hence it is important to know the Saudi flag’s meaning and interpretation. The color green is the dominant color and there’s bold white calligraphy set on a green backdrop that reads, ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God’. These words are an expression of faith that every Muslim utters as they perform their daily prayers. Green is the color of the Prophet (PBUH) and is hence considered sacred in Islam. Also, the sword in the flag is the symbol of the House of Saud, the dynasty that’s been ruling KSA since its founding. The tallest flagpole in KSA, the Jeddah Flagpole is also the world’s tallest flagpole standing 170 mts high. Located in King Abdullah Square, it was inaugurated in 2014 on the occasion of the National Day of Saudi Arabia.
The flag of Saudi Arabia bears strong resemblance to that of Nejd, which was a precursor to Saudi Arabia itself. The flag of Nejd which was used from 1921 to 1926 had a similar green field as the flag of Saudi Arabia, which is quite similar to many Islamic nations. It also bore a white sword and the Islamic declaration of faith, even though it differed from the Saudi flag as the text and emblem were significantly larger and the sword faced in the opposite direction. From 1926 to 1932, Nejd adopted a different pattern for its flag; it added a white border and removed the sword.
Those flags were likewise a strong influence on Abdulaziz Al-Saud, who founded the nation of Saudi Arabia. His banner brought the basis for the nation’s flag. The first flag design was adopted in 1932. It had white stripe and a different design of the sword. Later the changes shrank the white stripe and were eventually removed completely. The most recent design was adopted by the government of Saudi Arabia in 1973, and it changed the flag by altering the shape of the sword.
Suggested Read: 9 Must-Try Things To Do In Saudi Arabia For Experience Of A Lifetime
Saudi Arabia National Day Celebrations
Saudi citizens celebrate the National Day extravagantly. Saudi Hawks, a branch of The Royal Saudi Air Force put up a colorful and vibrant air show. They fly over the country’s top cities and beaches performing breathtaking stunts throughout the day. The show is extremely popular in Saudi, people gather in large numbers to catch a glimpse of the show. Celebrations such as light shows and cultural exhibits are held in the country’s capital during the commemoration. Malls, hotels, restaurants, and all small and big establishments readily offer special and magnanimous deals and discounts on their services and products.
Not only this, fireworks are launched from different places in the capital city on the Saudi Arabia National Day. Riyadh is home to the country’s most magnificent fireworks displays which can be seen from anywhere in the city and around. Laser/light shows beautifully compliment Riyadh’s fireworks shows at night. The National Day has also traditionally been the day for historical inaugurations and announcements. For example, King Abdullah University of Technology was formally inaugurated on 23 September 2009 in the presence of significant faces from all over the nation. In 2014, it was the city of Jeddah’s chance to impress as they unveiled the world’s tallest flagpole that specifically stood high to commemorate the National Day.
The National Day celebrations provide an excellent opportunity for the younger generation to learn and come closer to their heritage and culture. It is presented as an opportunity to take some time off from work and get together with friends or family on a two-day (or more) public holiday. Usually, if the National Day falls on Saturday, Sunday becomes a public holiday as compensation. Similarly, if it is falling on a Friday, the Thursday before is declared a holiday. However, if these changes coincide with other holidays, an extra day of compensation will not be given.
Saudi National Day Greetings
On every Saudi Arabia National Day, people greet and wish each other with the following phrase,
“اليوم الوطني المملكة العربية السعودية”
It is transliterated as “al-yawm al-waṭanī al-mamlaka al-ʿArabiyya as-Suʿūdiyya”. The meaning of this phrase is Happy Saudi National Day. The people wish for constant prosperity and peacemaking for their Nation as they greet and celebrate The National Day of Saudi Arabia.
Popular Messages
Freedom in our minds, faith in our words, pride in our hearts, and memories in our souls. Let us all cheer and greet the nation—happy Saudi National Day.
On this patriotic occasion, do not ask what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. Happy Saudi Arabia National Day.
The freedom of a country lies in its citizen’s freedom to think freely, speak without fear, and be free from wrongdoing. Happy Saudi National Day.
Inspiring Quotes by the King, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
“I am but one of You; whatever Troubles you, troubles me; whatever pleases you, please me”
“We will continue, God willing, to hold the straight course that this country has followed since its establishment by the late King Abdulaziz.”
“States, be what they may, can never ever rule the world. Reason rules the world; justice rules the world; ethics rules the world. These can rule the world. The world is not ruled by those who commit violent deeds.”
Mohammed bin Salman Quotes
“It’s not Neom’s duty to create jobs for Saudis. Neom’s duty is to be a world hub for everyone in the whole world.”
“My dream as a young man in Saudi Arabia, and the dreams of men in Saudi Arabia are so many, and I try to compete with them and their dreams, and they compete with mine, to create a better Saudi Arabia.”
“We have our values: it is important to us, the participation in decision making; it is important to us to have our freedom of expression; it is important to us to have human rights. We have our own factors, values and principles as the Saudi society and we try to make progress according to our own needs.”
“We seek to be proud of our country, and allow the latter to contribute to the development of the world, whether on the economic, environmental, civilizational, or intellectual levels.”
In Saudi Arabia, the National Day is one of the most important days of the year. It is the day that celebrates the mercy of Allah, the bravery of the martyrs, the inspiration of the great Saudi leaders, and the spirit of prosperity and brotherhood of the Saudi citizens. Additionally, since the inception of vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is evolving at a rapid pace. The economic growth of the country has seen a drastic enhancement with significant investments being made on the tourism and other fronts. It is a matter of great pride for the kingdom and citizens celebrating this Saudi National Day. Check out how the Kingdom is observing this day in 2023.
Saudi National Day 2024 FAQs
What is Saudi National Day history?
September 23 is celebrated as Saudi National Day. In 1932, the unified nations became the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, following the unification of Najd and Hijaz regions.
How long is the National Day celebrated in Saudi Arabia?
Usually, the celebration of Saudi Arabia National Day is a two-day extravaganza. If the National Day falls on Saturday or Friday, accordingly the following Sunday or the Thursday before becomes a public holiday.
Why is Saudi national day special?
Also known as al-Yaum al-Wathani, Saudi Arabia National Day is special because this is when different regions were merged to become the modern Saudi Arabia. It is the day when Saudis celebrate their patriotism by hoisting the national flag and singing the national anthem.
What happens on National Day in Saudi Arabia?
On the occasion of the Saudi National Day, citizens celebrate with music, dance, and traditional festivals. One can see decorations on roads and buildings using Saudi flags of different sizes. There are fireworks in different parts of the country and the Saudi Hawks put up a spectacular air show.
Who wrote the national anthem of Saudi Arabia?
The original composition of the anthem was created by Abdul-Rahman al-Khateeb in 1947 but it was officially adopted as the national anthem of KSA in 1950.
When did the Saudi Government first declare a holiday on the National day?
From 2005 onwards, the kingdom observes a holiday on Saudi National Day.
The Saudi National Day is being celebrated since how many years?
Saudi National Day 2024 is the 94th anniversary of the day.
