JEDDAH, 2 August 2005 — Jeddah residents were glued to their TV sets as the news of the death of King Fahd broke yesterday morning.
The streets of Jeddah were slightly emptier compared with normal daily traffic. Shops, banks, supermarkets, gas stations, work places and mega malls were open for business; business life continued normally, reported residents.
No extra security forces, patrol cars or checkpoints were reported on the streets of Jeddah. “On the contrary there were less police patrols on the streets than normal days,” said a Jeddah resident.
Abdul Majed Salem, said when he heard the news this morning that he and his mother were in the market shopping for his sister’s wedding due next Wednesday, when a shop owner came up to him and said, “King Fahd died.”
“We were shocked; I was dying for a TV set to see all the updates, a lot of things were going through my mind,” he said. “We immediately stopped shopping and headed home.”
Ghazi Jeradi ibn Fitin Al-Shareif, Saudi businessman, who granted his employees a three-day mourning leave, said that he sat for hours in front of his TV set.
“I feel very sad and upset for myself and for both Arab and Islamic nations around the world for the loss of a great leader who had a positive effect on world developments.”
Ahmad ibn Nasir, a Saudi stockbroker, said “The news was shocking and surprising as the Islamic world lost a great leader, especially because three days ago we received the news of his health improvement and of the royal pardon for prisoners. Then the shocking news came in today; may God have mercy on his soul.”
Religious scholars all consider King Fahd’s death as a loss to the Islamic world, Abdul Mohsin Al-Obeikan, Member of Council of senior Islamic scholars, said. “We received the news with deep sorrow. He was renowned for his generosity and support of Muslims all over the Muslim world.”
He said that King Fahd will be remembered for the way he developed the country and dealt with its problems during his time. Two of his most significant contributions was the Holy Qur’an printing complex in Madinah and the expansion of the holy Mosques; “We ask god to grant the royal family and Saudi public patience for their great loss. And may god bless King Abdullah, his brothers and sons.”
He added that the people of Saudi Arabia are happy with the accession of King Abdullah as the new leader for the Saudi and the Islamic nations.
Gen. Attiq Al-Harbi, Head of Makkah Police Department, said, that he received the call in the morning and “It came as a shock. May God be merciful to his soul and grant his family and citizens of our country patience for our great loss.”
