«نجد شامت» وسيف المؤسس صانع وحدة الوطن..

On Saudi National Day, "Najd Shammet" returns from the memory of the Ardah to narrate a part of the story of King Abdulaziz and his men in the journey of unifying the country; a poem that began with the name "Abu Turki," carrying within its verses Najd, the sword, the word of unity, and loyalty to the leader, and has remained a part of the national memory decades after the establishment of the Kingdom.

The story of the poem aligns with the identity of National Day, "Our Pride is in Our Nature," reflecting meanings of courage, authenticity, and determination; behind the words of Fahd bin Duhim lies a historical scene that brings together King Abdulaziz, his sword, his men, and a poet who overcame his illness to attend the Ardah.

From War to Pride in the Homeland

The King Abdulaziz Foundation places "Najd Shammet" among the most famous poems of the Saudi Ardah, documenting its opening lines: "Najd Shammet for Abu Turki, and take it, our Sheikh."

The foundation explains the historical context from which the poem emerged; the Ardah was associated with wars, performed in preparation for confrontations and in celebration of victories, and later transformed into an expression of joy and pride in the homeland after security was established.

The foundation identified the main elements of the Ardah as the flag, the sword, the drums, and the poem; these are the same elements that surround the story of "Najd Shammet" and King Abdulaziz.

The King Misses the Ardah Poet

The scene that gives the story its uniqueness is preserved by the writer Abdullah bin Khamees in his discussion about Fahd bin Duhim and the poetry of the Ardah.

Fahd bin Duhim was one of King Abdulaziz's men and a well-known poet of enthusiasm, and bin Khamees describes his status by saying that when the serious matters arose, and the men gathered, and the drums were beaten and weapons donned, all eyes turned to him, and ears awaited what he would chant.

On one occasion, bin Duhim was absent due to illness. King Abdulaziz noticed his absence and inquired about him, and when he was informed of his illness, he said:

"Bring him to me, even if he is carried."

And bin Duhim came, struggling against his illness, raised his sword, and then proclaimed:

"Najd Shammet for Abu Turki, and take it, our Sheikh

And the lovers of it were subdued after the blows to their noses." "Abu Turki" Takes His Sword

"Abu Turki" was King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud.

A Picture from the Time of Unification

Abdullah bin Khamees relays that King Abdulaziz was moved by the poem, took his sword, and began to sway among his soldiers, proud and elated, which increased the soldiers' enthusiasm and response for sacrifice.

Here, "Najd Shammet" transcends the boundaries of poetry into a representation of the time of unification: a poet reciting a poem, the king taking his sword, and the men echoing, while the words evoke Najd, the leader, and unity.

The sword that appeared in the scene of the Ardah was held by the king who led the decades-long journey of unifying the regions of the country, until the royal decree was issued in 1351 AH/1932 AD to unify them under the name of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; a memory that Saudis celebrate on National Day.

A Poem that Carries Unity in Its Verses

Fahd bin Duhim places the king at the forefront of the poem, followed by images of the sword, courage, sacrifice, and unity:

Najd Shammet for Abu Turki, and take it, our Sheikh

And the lovers of it were subdued after the blows to their noses

For Najd, the beloved, tears flow from us

With the henadi, the mustaches of its people are short

We are the ones who have the customs, and our swords are stained

And the wandering birds are tearing their flesh

Our actions are difficult for those who want them from others

And the word of unity, we are the builders of its symbols.

Then the poet returns to the leader:

We are ready to sacrifice our necks, our Sheikh has not forsaken us

And all the tribes, our Sheikh is their leader. He concludes by invoking history:

In the histories of the Arabs, we are marking our knowledge

And the ways of the world fade and endure its knowledge. There are limited differences in the wording of the poem among printed versions, due to the oral transmission of folk poetry before it was documented, while its opening lines and attribution to Fahd bin Duhim and its story with King Abdulaziz have been established in the historical studies that addressed it.

A Historical Study of "Najd Shammet"

In the book "The Saudi Ardah" by Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Khalib and Salman bin Salem Al-Jamal, published by the King Abdulaziz Public Library, the researchers included "Najd Shammet for Abu Turki" among the section on famous poems in the chapter "Poetry of the Ardah."

The book also addressed in a separate chapter the relationship of the Ardah with the kings of the Saudi state, including the Ardah during the reign of King Abdulaziz, placing the poem within its historical context related to the unification phase.

"Our Pride is in Our Nature"… and the poem is a witness

After 96 years from the declaration of the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, "Najd Shammet" appears to be more than just a passionate poem that has remained in heritage books.

On National Day, under the identity "Our Pride is in Our Nature," the poem recalls meanings of courage, authenticity, and determination in a preserved scene from the time of King Abdulaziz: a leader among his men, a poet who attended despite his illness, a sword in the hand of the unifier, and words that elevate "Abu Turki" and "the word of unity" in the ranks of the Ardah.

The story began with the voice of Fahd bin Duhim, was preserved by Abdullah bin Khamees, and has been placed by the King Abdulaziz Foundation among the most famous poems of the Ardah.

And after 96 years, the last line remains as if it were written to describe the journey of the poem and the journey of the homeland together: "And the ways of the world fade and endure its knowledge."