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Muhammad bin Saud [1744-1765]

The House of Sa'ud has a long history. It can trace its roots back 500 years, making it one of the most distinguished families in Arabia. Traditionally, the family was associated with the Najd cities of al-Dir'iyah, in the center of Najd, and later Riyadh. Around 1500 ancestors of Saud ibn Muhammad took over some date groves, one of the few forms of agriculture the region could support, and settled there. Over time the area developed into a small town, and the clan that would become the Al Saud came to be recognized as its leaders.

The first ruler of the First House of Saud was Muhammad bin Saud (forebear of the present rulers). He started as ruler of Ad-Dar'iyah, where he joined forces with Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the eminent religious leader, in what could be called the first alliance.

Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab was profoundly perturbed by contemporary deviations from Islamic teachings which included serious deviations from the teachings of the Prophet, peace be upon him. He therefore undertook to bring about a revival of Islam in its simplest and original form. Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab did not found a new sect. His sole purpose was to re-establish Islam in its purest form. When he and his family were driven out of Uyaina, Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab sought the protection of Muhammad bin Saud, in Ad-Dar'iyah, the home of the House of Saud.

Muhammad bin Saud and Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab found they had interests in common, pre-eminently a desire to see all the Arabs of the Peninsula brought back to Islam in its simplest and purest form. In 1744, they therefore took an oath that they would work together to achieve this end. Muhammad bin Saud's son, Abdul Aziz, married the daughter of Imam Muhammad. Thus, with an oath and a marriage, the two leaders sealed a pact between their families which has lasted through the centuries to the present day. Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab died in 1792.

By combining the religious reform ideology of Ibn Abdul-Wahhab with his own quest for political unification, Muhammad ibn Saud sought to eliminate inter-tribal fighting by superimposing religious allegiance over clan identity. By aligning themselves with a religious movement that advocated the establishment of traditional Islamic law, the Saudis differentiated themselves from less noble tribal leaders who sought only power and prestige. Their respect for Islam legitimized their claim to rulership, earned the Bedouins respect, and enabled them to maintain popular support through difficult times.

The founder of the First Saudi State, Emir Muhammad bin Saud set the tone of government for his successors. He institutionalized a set of principles that has served as the main pillar of the Saudi State ever since - the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah (practices and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). A devout Muslim, he practiced the concept of shura (consultation) embodied in Islamic teachings and met regularly with notable citizens and religious scholars to discuss issues of importance to his people, in the running of his fledgling state in Najd which is in the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula, and its relations with neighboring sultanates and tribes.