The history of nations is not merely dusty records of bygone events; rather, it provides the intellectual and political foundation upon which their bright futures are constructed. The most important country of the West Asian region and in particular of the Arabian Peninsula, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—formally established in 1932—carries a magnificent historical legacy spanning three centuries. In the long evolutionary journey and historical struggle of this Kingdom, certain days hold such pivotal importance that their echoes are heard throughout its entire history, shaping the country’s identity.
Interestingly, until the year 2022, only three official public holidays were observed in Saudi Arabia. Two of these were associated with religious festivals (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha), while one holiday of a national nature was celebrated as the ‘Saudi National Day’. However, in 2022, through a historic royal decree by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, February 22 was added as ‘Founding Day’, and then in 2023, March 11 was added as ‘Flag Day’, introducing a new dimension to the Kingdom’s national narrative.
Today is February 22, and for the past five years, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been celebrating its ‘Founding Day’ with elaborate festivities and a deep sense of national pride. This year is actually Saudi Arabia’s 300th Founding Day, commemorating the historic day of 22nd February in 1727 when Imam Muhammad bin Saud (1687–1765) took charge of the emirate of Diriyah, planting the seeds of the first Saudi state. Although this event is three centuries old, its official commemoration only kicked off after the royal decree of January 27, 2022. Prior to this, the only national day celebrated at the state level was the ‘Saudi National Day’ on September 23, commemorating the unification and formal establishment of the modern Saudi state in 1932 under the leadership of King Abdulaziz (1876–1953).(The formal observance of the National Day did not begin itself immediately after 1932 either; rather, the tradition of celebrating it officially started only in 1965 during the era of King Faisal (1906–1975), and it was first granted the status of a public holiday in 2005 during the reign of King Abdullah [1924–2014]).
Regarding the historical narrative before 2022, a traditional viewpoint prevailed among historians and international relations experts that the establishment of the First Saudi State occurred in 1744 (1157 AH), when the ‘Charter of Diriyah’ was agreed upon between Imam Muhammad bin Saud (1687–1765) and the renowned religious reformer Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (1703–1792).This was an ideological alliance that provided religious legitimacy to the House of Saud and paved the way for their future conquests across the Arabian Peninsula. However, in the official narrative following 2022, 1727 was deliberately prioritized to establish the state’s history of origins as a full 300 years deep. The purpose of this shift is to highlight the independent political leadership of the House of Saud and downplay the centrality of the ideological and religious alliance, aligning perfectly with the current leadership’s efforts toward a modern national identity under ‘Vision 2030’.
The 300th Founding Day of Saudi Arabia celebrated today commemorates that crucial historical turning point when Imam Muhammad bin Saud united the scattered Arab tribes under one political banner and laid the foundation of the First Saudi State. On the other hand, the “National Day” celebrated on September 23 is the fruit of the great struggle initiated by King Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (Ibn Saud), who in 1932 united the fragmented political and administrative units of the Arabian Peninsula, naming it the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia”.
Put simply, while Founding Day is a symbol of the state’s longevity and deep roots, National Day is the mark of the modern kingdom’s cohesion and strength. Today, as Saudi Arabia scales new heights of progress under “Vision 2030,” the primary purpose of celebrating these days is to make the new generation realize that their country is not a temporary structure built on shifting sands, but the result of three centuries of resilience, sacrifice, and visionary leadership. King Salman’s decision in 2022 was not merely the addition of another holiday to the Saudi calendar; it was a highly bold and strategic step to redefine Saudi Arabia’s historical lens, its state narrative framework, and its future direction under Vision 2030.
In the following paragraphs, we will examine in greater detail why Saudi Arabia decided to trace its history back to 1727 instead of 1744, what objectives the current leadership aims to achieve through these steps, and why this tricentennial Saudi legacy matters in our modern era.
Pre-1727 Arabia: An Era of Chaos and Anarchy
To understand the significance of the establishment of the First Saudi State in 1727, it is essential to look at the conditions of the Arabian Peninsula during that era. In the early 18th century, the Arabian Peninsula, and particularly the central region of Nejd, lacked any unified authority. Tribes and modest city-states were constantly at war with one another for control over vital resources like water, pastures, and caravan paths.
According to the famous Saudi historian Uthman bin Bishr (1796–1873), Najd during this period faced not only intertribal feuds but also severe environmental and economic woes that had devastated the region. In 1716, a famine struck the towns near Diriyah, severe droughts occurred in 1724 and 1725, and in 1726, a horrific plague spread, leaving many settlements deserted. The city of Diriyah itself suffered from internal rivalries and was divided into two main factions: ‘Ghusaybah’ (dominated by the Rabiah clan) and ‘Al-Mulaybid’ (base of the Muqrin family). (The Al Saud family originates from the Muqrin family; the father of Al Saud’s founder Muhammad bin Saud was Saud bin Muhammad bin Muqrin). In this atmosphere of pervasive hopelessness and vulnerability, there was a need for leadership that could unite the region.
1727: The Rise of Imam Muhammad bin Saud and a Nascent State
February 22, 1727, the date when Imam Muhammad bin Saud took over the emirate of Diriyah, proved to be a major turning point in the history of the Arabian Peninsula. Breaking from the mold of nomadic warlords, Imam Muhammad bin Saud began to think like an organized ruler and governed the region with structure and foresight. His very first achievement was transforming the divided areas of Diriyah into a strong and unified city.
Imam Muhammad bin Saud’s rule was not based merely on force; rather, he pioneered a new “Social Contract” that historians term it as “Consensual Authority”. He convinced his people, neighbouring towns, and tribes that unity and peace, rather than constant warfare, were in everyone’s interest. He secured the routes for trade caravans and pilgrims, bringing economic stability to the region. Furthermore, he set up a ‘Bait-ul-Mal’ (public treasury), through which Zakat and taxes were collected and spent for the needy, education, and community welfare, thereby breaking the old, oppressive economic monopolies.
The Shift in Historical Narrative: Why 1727 Instead of 1744?
This is the most fascinating and crucial aspect of this entire discourse. For generations, it was taught and understood both inside and outside Saudi Arabia that the First Saudi State began in 1744. 1744 is the year when Imam Muhammad bin Saud granted refuge to the famous religious reformer Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab in Diriyah, and a historic agreement (known as the Charter of Diriyah) was forged between them. This framing cast the Saudi state as essentially a byproduct of “Wahhabism.”
However, today’s Saudi leadership and contemporary Saudi scholars deem this narrative ¸as historically flawed or an incomplete truth. According to Dr. Khalid Al-Dakhil, a prominent Saudi Assistant Professor of Political Sociology currently at King Saud University, reducing the history of the Saudi state to a mere religious movement or a “war against polytheism (Shirk)” diminished the stature of the state itself.
The purpose of rewinding the history from 1744 to 1727 is to highlight the significance of those initial 17 years, which earlier historians like Ibn Ghannam (1739–1811) and Ibn Bishr (1796–1873) had overlooked out of religious devotion. The new narrative establishes that when Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab arrived in Diriyah, a stable, thriving, economically prosperous, and politically and militarily independent state already existed there, having been founded in 1727. Therefore, the political legitimacy of the state is not dependent on any specific religious doctrine, but is founded upon the political acumen, governance, and tribe-unifying capabilities of the House of Saud.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Vision 2030, and the State’s New Blueprint
The Founding Day’s refreshed concept is directly linked to the broader objectives of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping ‘Vision 2030’agenda,which seeks to transition Saudi Arabia from an oil-dependent economy into a diversified, vibrant, and forward-looking society. Achieving this goal required major reforms at the social and cultural levels.
In the past, the 1744 storyline provided the religious elite (Ulema) and the religious police with immense justification to interfere in every affair of the Kingdom. To curtail this conservative religious grip (which he also tied to post-1979 extremism and radicalism in a lengthy 2022 interview with ‘The Atlantic’ magazine), Mohammed bin Salman has steered the state back toward its original “political and national foundations.” Through Founding Day, the current leadership is sending a message to the Saudi nationals that their identity is not the product of a Wahhabi religious militia called Al-Ikhwan or any other hardline religious ideologies, but is based on citizenship, the rule of law, and a social contract that exists between the state and the people. This day is a symbol of national unity, bringing all citizens together under one flag, transcending their regional, tribal, or sectarian differences.
Global Reach of the New Narrative and Harnessing Soft Power
The Saudi leadership is wielding this 300-year saga to amplify the kingdom’s soft power worldwide. Western media and policymakers often sarcastically describe the Gulf states including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as “artificial creations from the lines drawn by Britain and France under the ‘Sykes-Picot Agreement’ after World War I” or as “countries built overnight by oil wealth.”
Pointing to year 1727 reminds the world that the Saudi state had already emerged as a sovereign and independent political entity even before the United States (founded in 1776) and the French Revolution (1789).Saudi Arabia possesses a magnificent, indigenous, and purely Arab history of state-building, rise and fall, and survival. The Saudi Kingdom was established three times: The First State (1727 – 1818) was destroyed by Ottoman and Egyptian invasions. The Second State (1824 – 1891) collapsed due to internal strife. The Third, current state was established in 1902 by King Abdulaziz and continues to stand strong today.
This continuity and resilience prove that this state is not merely built the bases of a few lines drawn on a map by Europe and abundant oil wealth, but stands on a strong national spirit, astute leadership, and resolute public support. In the realm of cultural diplomacy, Founding Day has transformed Saudi Arabia’s historical sites, particularly the ‘At-Turaif‘ district in Diriyah (designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2010), into a global tourist hub. Mega-projects worth billions of dollars by the government, such as the “Diriyah Gate,” reflect that culture and heritage are now the new fuel for the Saudi economy and identity.
Significance in the Arab and Muslim Spheres
This evolving narrative also holds deep significance in the Arab and Muslim world. For a long time, the legitimacy of Saudi Arabia’s leadership was based solely on its custodianship of the Two Holy Mosques (religious legitimacy) and petrodollars (financial support for religious causes). Founding Day adds a new dimension to this, which can be termed “civilizational and historical legitimacy.”
This sends a message to other powerful countries in the region that Saudi Arabia is not a new player; rather, its political structure has centuries-old roots, which had no alliance with the Ottomans nor backing from Western colonial powers. This serves as a compelling argument that the foundations of the Saudi state are purely indigenous.
Simultaneously, this process of separating the state from Wahhabism is being viewed as a positive development by the international community and among Muslims. This is helping Saudi Arabia present itself as a modern and tolerant state that, free from the stigmas of extremism, is leading its citizens toward art, culture, entertainment, and a bright future. Since Saudi Arabia rightfully holds the position of a leading centre of the Muslim Ummah globally, the impacts of adopting flexibility, tolerance, and ‘Moderate Islam’ in its state narrative will inevitably influence other Muslim countries as well. As a result of this intellectual shift, far-reaching and positive effects will also be seen in the social and political attitudes of Muslims worldwide in general, and Indian Muslims in particular.
How 1727 Reframes Saudi Arabia’s National Identity
Saudi Arabia’s celebration of Founding Day on February 22 is not merely a historical festivity, but an act of a nation rediscovering itself. This is the story of a kingdom that braved the darkest and most difficult periods of history, rose again from the ashes after destruction, and is today prepared to walk shoulder to shoulder with the modern world. King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s revival of the 1727 date is actually the fulfilment of the Vision 2030 dream, which aims to make Saudi Arabia a country whose roots are deep in its soil and culture, but whose branches touch the heights of the sky. This narrative clarifies that the true secret of Saudi Arabia’s strength lies not in its oil wells, but in the courage of its people, the political acumen of its rulers, and its glorious three-hundred-year history.
