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An overlay of the walls of Old
Riyadh superimposed on a more recent aerial view of the city.
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ArRiyadh is the plural of
the Arabic word 'Rawdah', which means 'Garden' or 'Meadow'. The name has
been derived from the nature of the low location where flood water
collects, and green grasses cover the soil with fragrance of roses. The
city name comes from here. The
city has risen on the ruins of Hajar Al Yamamah ancient City.
The history of that city
goes back to the time of Tasm and Jadees tribes where they have erected
towers and palaces. It is said
that the ruins were seen during the fourth Hegira century. The area was then settled by Hanifa
tribes who have scattered through the Valley where the city has had
flourished and was a market place for Arabs.
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A layout plan of the urban fabric
of Old Riyadh showing the city walls, gates, and some major places in the
city (north is upward in the plan).
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Yagout has stated in his
book "Lexicon of Towns" that the name Hajar goes back to Obeid Al
Hanafi when he had put thirty palaces and gardens under his property and
called them Hajar. The place was formerly called Yamamah.
With the advent of Islam in
Hijaz and its spread in Arab Peninsula, tribes have come from Yamamah to
the Prophet (May Allah's Prayers be upon Him)) to pay Homage. Bani Hanifa
had embraced Islam with other tribes but had again deflected after the
death of the Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) with
other Arab tribes. Abu Baker, the companion of the Prophet (May peace and
blessings of Allah Almighty be upon Him) has waged a war against them until
they surrendered and have entranced Islam once again.
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An aerial view of the
early-twentieth-century al-Masmak Fortress in Old Riyadh.
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At the time of the Caliphs,
Hajar was the leader of Yamamah region with the movement of the Islamic
caliphate outside the Arab Peninsula and the emergence of rich Islamic
regions the importance of Yamamah towns and villages started to decline. As a result, the political and
security affairs were mixed up and that has had an impact on the stability,
growth and development of Yamamah.
During the eighth century ArRiyadh has come out on the remaining
ruins of Hajar and the surrounding villages.
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Al-Masjid al-Jami’ (the
Congregational Mosque) and Qasr al-Hukm as rebuilt in the early 1950s.
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In 1233H, Ad’Diriyah was
destroyed by Ibrahim Basha the Governor of Egypt and the first Saudi state
was devastated. The Ottoman
state was scared by the reform call set up by the family of Saud. The Ottoman state has become a
breeding ground for heresy superstitions and perversity for that reason a
military conflict between the Ottoman state, which was superior, and the
Saudi State.
The result was the
occupation of Hijaz and Najd.
But the Saudi state have recovered and regained power under the
leadership of Imam Turki bin Abdullah in 1240H who has made ArRiyadh the
capital of his state after the destruction of Ad’Diriyah. Imam Turki has
built the city mosque and governorate palace in addition to a fortress
surrounding the city.
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The 1972 master plan for Riyadh
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From that time ArRiyadh has
become the seat of the second Saudi State and then at modern Saudi
State after being
captured by Imam Abdulaziz bin Abdulrehman Al Faisal. ArRiyadh has become
one of capitals characterized by social, political and economic influence
in recent time. This impact is
not limited to the local region but extends to the international arena.
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Riyadh downtown
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Today ArRiyadh is
considered of the fast growing cities. In less than half a century, its area has expanded for
more than hundred times. The city population has increased from 20,000 to
almost four and a half millions. The city is still growing and developing
under the leadership of faithful men who spare no effort for making the
city a minaret for religion welfare and civilization.
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