Broken in body, but never in spirit
Sheikh Saad one of the most cherished royal family members
This is the first in a series of articles on His Highness Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Salem Mubarak Al Sabah (1930-2008), the former Amir, former Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Special to the Arab Times n the galaxy of Kuwaiti pioneers and personalities, HH Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Salem Mubarak Al Sabah is perhaps one of the most tragic figures in the modern history of Kuwait; for, after spending the best years of his life, giving all of himself — heart and soul to his country and to the Arab cause, the chain of disappointments that befell him worsened his physical condition, depriving him of the vitality needed in continuing his position of Prime Minister, from which he resigned in 2005, then as Amir of Kuwait in 2006.
Broken in body, but never in spirit, Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah was much loved and cherished by his people, because of his indefatigable caring and concern for their well-being, ensuring which he kept his office door open to all his citizens from the time he became involved in state affairs in 1954 until 2005, the time he resigned from office.
Those who worked under HH Sheikh Saad’s guidance cherish the memories of the time they spent with him, inspired by his promptness in taking action, his wisdom in dealing with delicate situations, his unflinching loyalty to his country, and his brave stand in many situations that demanded courage, stamina and presence of spirit, which never failed him even in the most trying of circumstances.
HH Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah demised on May 13, 2008, at the age of 78, leaving a legacy of good deeds that made him one of the most cherished members of the Royal family.
I— Editor
By Lidia Al Qattan
HH Sheikh Saad was the primogenitor of the late Amir, the lovable Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Mubarak Al Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1950-65; also known as the Father of modern Kuwait, who in little more than one decade brought his country out of secularism into the modern era with a new status quo in the international arena .
Invasion
HH Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah’s life can be divided into three stages; before the invasion, during the invasion and after the liberation. The years of struggle, especially during the Iraqi invasion and in the aftermath strongly affected his health.
Born in an era when Kuwait was struggling to keep afloat of events, when the frugality of life made his people resourceful and resilient, Sheikh Saad grew up absorbing that proud, enterprising spirit that made Kuwait prosperous and renown throughout the Gulf. Having witnessed the transformation of his people by the sudden wealth engendered by the oil, he was happier with the lifestyle of the older days when people’s feelings were genuine, unspoiled by the ostentation of modern living.
Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah was born in 1930, a decade of unusual activity in the field of reforms in his country, triggered by the cultural awakening born at the turn of the twentieth century during the rule of his great-grandfather, Sheikh Mubarak Al Sabah.
New circumstances create new needs. The great prosperity Sheikh Mubarak engendered by his strong rule, promoted an era of unprecedented
Lidia Qattan
nationalism and democracy that were affecting every nation in the world especially in the Arabian world. Even Kuwait, which had never been ruled by a totalitarian form of government, fell under the new ideology.
Indeed from the start, Kuwait had been ruled by a special form of democracy derived from the tribal system in which the ruler was chosen on merit of his good leadership qualities. His word was law, but he could only take action after he consulted his Majles Al Shura (Council of Advisors), especially in decisions of war.
This system worked well until the spreading of a new political awareness prompted intellectuals and members of the elite merchant class to seek involvement in governmental affairs.
HH Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem Al Sabah held the conviction that only through a true democracy could people live a more dignified and self-rewarding life, for, it is in the freedom of expression and action that new ideas take root and spread, thereby spurring the development of human potential, enhancing creativity and diversity. Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem was therefore in favor of the first attempt by a group of intellectuals seeking a foothold in governmental affairs at the time his father, HH Sheikh Salem Mubarak Al Sabah, died in 1921, and a new Amir was about to be chosen.
The financial situation of Kuwait at that time was critical, due to a number of factors: In the aftermath of the First World War was the transformation of the political map of the Gulf countries on which the traditional Kuwaiti trade depended; then there was the flood of Japanese cultivated pearls that killed the local market, till then the pearl industry had been the backbone of Kuwaiti economy; then there was the Battle of Jahra in October 1920 that practically depleted the treasury.
To be continued