King Fahd To Be Buried, Dignitaries Pay VisitBorn in 1923 in Riyadh and raised as one of the most influential political figures in Saudi Arabia,
Fahd bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud led this country since 1982.
His father, King Abdud Aziz Al Saud, had previously founded it in 1932.
A heart disease suffered in 1995 forced Fahd to leave the leading role to
Crown Prince Abdullah. He died on August 1, 2005 and dignitaries from around the world are now going to pay a visit in his honor.
"We feel sorrow and pain over the death of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd. We have known this man for a long time... he showed support and commitment to the Palestinian revolution and to Fatah since the 1960s," said the first to arrive,
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The Saudi Ambassador for the UK, Prince Turki al Faisal, wanted to underline some political goals reached by the monarch:
"[Fahd was responsible for] the establishment of human rights, stress on the fact that women should play an equal role in the development of Saudi Arabia as men, and also stressing of the fact that the practice of Islam in Saudi Arabia is a practice of the middle road, as the prophet Mohammed defined it."
French President Jacques Chirac said the king was an important diplomatic figure as well as a good mediator:
"King Fahd was also committed to the strong and trusting relations between France and Saudi Arabia. This old friendship, which began with an exceptional link established by General De Gaulle, took on a new dimension under his reign, helped by a shared vision of what was at stake regionally and internationally," said the French politician.
George W. Bush said:
"King Fahd was a man of wisdom and a leader who commanded respect throughout the entire world. He was a friend and strong ally of the United States for decades."
UK Prime Minister
Tony Blair's words appeared very sincere:
"King Fahd was a man of great vision and leadership who inspired his countrymen for a quarter of a century as king. He led Saudi Arabia through a period of unparalleled progress and development."
According to the heritage of
Wahhabism, the funeral ceremony will be short and simple. Also the King, who died at the age of 84, will be buried among his half brothers Saud, Faisal and Khaled, at the al-Oud cemetery, near the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque.
"His grave will be like the grave of all Muslims...
There is no difference between him and other Muslims," as Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh explained.
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Il Romanaccio at 1:12 PM
