For years, there have been questions around the number of years that have passed since Saudi National Day was announced. For example, this year marks the 94th anniversary, and some are asking how that could be the case when the first National Day (the day the unification of the country was announced) was in 1932, meaning that this year should be the 92nd, not the 94th. That is, there has been miscalculation.
Some have sought to justify it by claiming the number is based on the Hijri calendar, and they are making another mistake. I will address this matter in detail. Before I do, however, I must emphasize that this question is justified and understandable. Some of the content published by media outlets and repeated in their news and writers' articles, on the other hand, is not. We have seen some make claims like: "On this day, 94 years ago, King Abdulaziz announced the unification of the country and the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia." Here, we see ignorance of both arithmetic and history!
By following (state) documents and sources related to Saudi National Days, one finds that the first National Day of King Abdulaziz's reign was celebrated on January 8, 1930. We know this from an announcement of the order issued by the viceroy of Hejaz on 1 Jumada al-Akhira 1348 AH - November 2, 1929 and published in the state gazette that considered January 8 a National Holiday - a national celebration to commemorate the royal accession.
The announcement also said that “state offices are to be closed on that day, and ceremonies are to be held in celebration, with 21 cannon shots fired. The year’s National Holiday will be on the eighth day of Shaban 1348 (January 8, 1930).”
Here, we see repeated reference to National Day (called National Holiday here), in official statements. This day was maintained and celebrated according to the protocol of national days for 23 years during the reign of King Abdulaziz, from 1930 until 1953 (1348 AH to 1372 AH). It marks the anniversary of our founding king's accession to the throne in Hejaz (Accession Day) or (Anniversary of Accession). After King Abdulaziz's death, November 12 was chosen as King Saud's accession day, becoming National Day for 10 years. It was celebrated on this date between 1954 and 1963 (1374 to 1383 AH).
When King Faisal ascended to the throne, he saw that choosing the date for National Day based on the king's accession made the date unstable, as it changed with each new king. He suggested that the Council of Ministers set a fixed date for National Day. It was decided that the day the unification of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would be the date - the first day of Libra season and the first day of the Hijri solar year, September 23rd in the Gregorian calendar. After the council of ministers made the decision, it was ratified by Royal Decree No. (M/9) on 24 Rabi' al-Thani 1385 AH (August 21, 1965) and September 23 was declared the National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The preamble of the Council of Ministers' decision, which was crowned by the royal decree that set September 23 as the fixed date for the National Day, makes clear that National Day would not break with those that preceded it. That is, although the date of the National Day of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been fixed on the day of the "announcement of the country’s unification of the country" since 1965, those that preceded that date (the national days commemorated between 1930 and 1965) were not nullified. The decree did not stipulate that the date of the decree in 1965 (nor the date of the unification of the country in 1932) would become the starting point for counting the National Day. Thus, the first National Day that was adopted (and was commemorated on January 8, 1930) remained the point of reference.
From the above, it is evident that the date of Saudi Arabia's National Day has changed three times: first it was January 8, then November 12, and finally September 23. The first commemoration was in 1930, before the unification of the country was announced. Thus, it has been 94 years since the first National Day, and this year marks the 94th anniversary of the first National Day during the reign of King Abdulaziz.
It is important to note that there were years when the National Day was not celebrated; hence, the phrase "94th National Day" is not accurate. Instead, it should be stated as "the 94th anniversary of the National Day." This distinction clears up the confusion regarding the correct number of years since the establishment of Saudi Arabia's National Day that emerges every year.
