Abdul Elah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Abdul Elah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Arabic: عبد الإله بن عبد العزيز آل سعود ʿAbd al ʾIlāh bin ʿAbd al ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd), also spelled Abdulillah, born 1939) is a member of the Saudi royal family. He is a son of King Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and was an advisor to another of Abdulaziz's sons, King Abdullah. Prince Abdul Elah is the second oldest surviving son of Abdulaziz, the eldest being King Salman.

Abdul Elah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Governor of Al Qassim Province
Reign1982–March 1992
PredecessorFahd bin Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud
SuccessorFaisal bin Bandar
MonarchKing Khalid
King Fahd
Governor of Al Jawf Province
In office1998–2001
PredecessorSultan bin Abdul Rahman Al Sudairi
SuccessorFahd bin Badr Al Saud
MonarchKing Fahd
Born1939 (age 83–84)
SpouseNoura bint Abdul Rahman Al Sudairi
Salwa Al Ahmed
HouseAl Saud
FatherKing Abdulaziz
MotherHaya bint Saad Al Sudairi

Early life

Prince Abdul Elah was born in 1939.[1] He is the son of King Abdulaziz and Haya bint Saad Al Sudairi, a member of the powerful Sudairi family[2] who died in Riyadh on 18 April 2003 at the age of 90.[3][4] He is a full brother of Prince Badr and Prince Abdul Majeed.[5][6]

Career

Prince Abdul Elah was appointed governor of Al Qassim Province on 19 March 1980 replacing Fahd bin Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman in the post.[7][8] In May 1991 he did not allow two radical clerics in Buraidah to deliver Friday sermons.[9] The incident caused conflict, and the thousands of people, led by the local ulema and the religious police, protested against him.[9] Sheik Abdulaziz bin Baz who was the head of the Supreme Religious Council, sent a letter to Prince Abdul Elah backing the preachers.[9] Prince Abdul Elah's tenure ended in March 1992. Then, he was appointed governor of Al Jawf Province in 1998 replacing Sultan bin Abdurrahman Al Sudairi in the post and was in office until 2001 when Fahd bin Badr Al Saud was appointed as governor of the province.[10][11]

Prince Abdul Elah accompanied King Abdullah on diplomatic trips abroad, when Abdullah was Crown Prince.[12][13] He is a member of the Allegiance Council.[14] On 8 October 2008, he was appointed as adviser to King Abdullah with the rank of minister.[14][15] Prince Abdul Elah became an advisor to King Salman in January 2015.[16]

Prince Abdul Elah has also business activities. He is an entrepreneur and chairman of several companies, including the Arabian Jewelry Company, National Investment Company, and the National Automobile Company.[10]

Succession

Although Prince Abdul Elah was considered a candidate for the throne by virtue of seniority, he had some drawbacks such as his ill-starred government career. Since he was twice removed from governorships, there were doubts about his competency.[17] He was passed over in favor of Prince Muqrin for the post of Deputy Crown Prince.

Personal life

Prince Abdul Elah is married to Noura bint Abdul Rahman Al Sudairi[18] and to Princess Salwa Al Ahmed, a medical doctor. His children, two sons and three daughters, are Abdulaziz (born 1965), a stakeholder in Al-Rajhi Bank, Abdul Majid and Fahda (twins, born 1993), Noura (born 2002) and Mashael (born 1970).[19]

Ancestry

References
  1. "HRH Prince Abdul Elah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud". Dhownet. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. Hamid Hussain (August 2017). "Royal Rumble-Dynamics of Saudi Royal Family". Defence Journal. 21 (1).
  3. "Princess Haya bint Saad Al Sudairi, 90, Wife of Modern Saudi Arabia Founder". Sun Sentinel. 7 May 2003. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013. Retrieved 2 April 2013.
  4. "Saudi Princess Haya Dies at 90". Huron Daily Tribune. 2 May 2003. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  5. "Princess Haya, 90; Wife of a Founder of Modern Saudi Arabia". Los Angeles Times. 5 May 2003. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  6. "One of the wives of King Abdul Aziz dies". Albawaba. 3 May 2003. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  7. Gary Samuel Samore (1984). Royal Family Politics in Saudi Arabia (1953-1982) (PhD thesis). Harvard University. p. 462. ProQuest 303295482.
  8. Khaled M. Batarfi (16 February 2015). "From Air Force pilot to Crown Prince". Saudi Gazette. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. Dilip Hiro (13 April 1992). "Too little and 32 years late". The Nation. 254 (14).
  10. Sharaf Sabri (2001). The House of Saud in Commerce: A Study of Royal Entrepreneurship in Saudi Arabia. New Delhi: I.S. Publications. pp. 148–149. ISBN 81-901254-0-0.
  11. "Emirs of al Jouf". Ministry of Interior. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  12. "Crown Prince Abdullah leaves for United States of America". SAMIRAD. 23 April 2005. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  13. "Crown Prince receives Palestinian Premier". SAMIRAD. 30 December 2003. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
  14. "Prince Abdul-Ilah bin Abdulaziz appointed royal adviser". Saudi Embassy, Washington D.C. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  15. Simon Henderson (21 January 2009). "Saudi Leadership Crisis Looms: Health of Crown Prince Falters". The Washington Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  16. "Saudi Leaders Pledge Oath to New King". Riyadh. 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 1 April 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  17. "Cable reference id: #09RIYADH1434 (28 October 2009)". Wikileaks. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  18. "السدارى" (in Arabic). Marefa. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  19. "Family Tree of Abd IIlah bin Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud". Datarabia. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
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