RIYADH, 21 November 2006 — Governor of Riyadh Prince Salman has said that preserving Arab and Islamic history is not an obstacle to progress as a nation. He was speaking at the inauguration of “The Program of the 6th International Symposium Studies in the History of Arabia’ held at King Saud University on Sunday.
“It is unfortunate that I hear many people say that preserving our Arab and Islamic history hinders our progress. I say no to this. On the contrary, it inspires us to progress. Our rich past makes us look forward to a potential and prosperous future,” he said, adding, “The people of Saudi Arabia and their brethren in the Islamic world need to preserve the history of Arabia more than others.”
He said that nations around the world take pride in their history and that the people of Saudi Arabia were no different. “History is an important part of our lives that we cannot be separated from. Those who do not have a past do not have a future,” stressed the prince.
Prince Salman added that Arabs and Muslims were the first to cement modern science in many areas at a time when Europe was in darkness.
On his part, the president of the program, Dr. Suleiman Al-Thayeeb, said that people of the Arabian Peninsula have transferred their knowledge to other civilizations such as the civilization in Iraq and in Europe.
He noted how Arabs were keen on learning from other civilizations and had become pioneers in the fields of science, medicine and astronomy. He also mentioned that there were many academic researchers who had participated in the program to share their knowledge with other local researchers who specialize in studying Arab history and civilization, and Arab tribes and their origins.
“Some of these researchers have come from friendly countries such as the United States, the UK, France, and Spain,” he said, adding that other academics have come from Yemen, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and the UAE.
The program aims at giving an integrated study of the history of the Arabian Peninsula between the fifth and the end of the seventh century Hijrah. The program discusses the nature of governing authorities and their interrelations in the regions and towns of Arabia. It also studies the influences of the major Islamic powers in Arabia such as the Abbasids, Fatimids, Ayyubids and Mamelukes.
In addition, the program discusses economic and social conditions, trade, agriculture, crafts, pastoralism, relations with the international centers and the Muslim world as well as the role of pilgrimage in the exchange of trade.
Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari, the rector of King Saud University Dr. Abdullah Al-Faisal, as well as other senior officials attended the event.
