King Fahd’s Kindness and Respect for Elders
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Author: Michael Saba
Released 15 August 2005
ARAB NEWS (SAUDI ARABIA), August 11, 2005: I had the opportunity to meet King Fahd of Saudi Arabia only once. It was a particularly memorable experience — not only my meeting with the king, but also the meeting that preceded my introduction to the king.
The 1991 annual conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council heads of state was scheduled to be held in the newly liberated state of Kuwait. Preparations to ready Kuwait city for the conference were intense after combined forces had driven the Iraqi forces out earlier in the year. A few Westerners were invited to attend and observe the meeting. Having been one of Saddam’s American “guests” in Iraq in August of 1990 and having escaped by the middle of that month, gave me the opportunity to assist the other hostages that remained until all of the Americans were released later in the fall of 1990. Our group, “Coming Home” worked day and night to have those hostages freed peacefully.
As invited guests, we were told that we would have the opportunity to meet each Gulf Cooperation Council head of state. A few of us were finally ushered into a private room where King Fahd was scheduled to meet us. There were to be no cameras, television or media present. It was quite an honor to have the opportunity to meet the king and have a discussion with him. As King Fahd came into the room and positioned himself to shake our hands, we all noticed that he acknowledged us with a kind smile and glance in our direction.
We formed a small line and were about to move forward and shake his hand prior to sitting down with him for a short conversation when the door opened and a very elderly Kuwaiti gentleman was brought into the room in a wheelchair. King Fahd immediately looked in his direction and moved toward this gentleman. All of the rest of us moved aside so that the elderly man could move forward.
King Fahd stopped a few feet before reaching this man as he saw that the man wanted to try to stand and greet the king on his own two feet.
The old man struggled to reach his feet and walk on his own. The king knew how important it was for this man to greet the king standing and walk forward on his own strength. Finally he reached the king and they gave each other the traditional hug and kiss. The king then looked to all of us and asked so kindly if he could spend a few minutes with his old friend though this was an unscheduled visit. No TV or cameras were there to capture this moment and we all knew that the king would not allow this to happen even if they were there. All of us had experienced Western politicians greeting elderly people and kissing babies but only when the cameras were there.
The king and the old man sat together for some time and you could feel the great respect King Fahd had for his old friend. We later discovered that this man was not a member of the Kuwaiti royal family or the Kuwaiti government and not a prominent Kuwaiti businessman but rather a simple Bedouin who had met the king when they were both young.
Once the king finished his discussion with his old friend, his staff explained to us that he now only had time to shake our hands, as his official schedule was very tight. As he greeted each and every one of us and thanked us for the role we had played in helping with the liberation of Kuwait, he so kindly apologized for not having the time to visit with us. We all understood. His kindness and respect for his elders precluded our needs. None of us will ever forget him, particularly for his meeting with the old Kuwaiti before our meeting.
Note:
Michael Saba is an American and is the executive director of the Friends of Saudi Arabia, a people-to-people organization based on common respect.