Opinion piece

On the evening welcoming His Royal Highness Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz after his medical journey, the prince's eyes narrated during his speech more than four decades that made the relationship between the Governor of Tabuk and its people transcend the limits of office, so that every village has a story, every city a memory, and every face a tale. Hence, it was no surprise that Tabuk received its prince with such love, and that he told them, 'I don't just love you... I adore you with passion,' and then his eyes teared up.

I grew up with the presence of Prince Fahd bin Sultan. Whenever I saw him, my father and brother—may God have mercy on them—came to mind. Both served years of their lives in the emirate, and working in Tabuk was part of our life details, part of the conversations we grew up with, and the movements between Tabuk's cities and villages for many years. Amid those memories, a small incident stays with me whenever I see the prince. When I was a child in elementary school and my dream was to own a PlayStation, His Highness that day simply fulfilled that wish for that child. The value of that gift grew with me, and over the years I realized that this gesture was not an exception. He used to give gifts, lift injustice, restore rights, show compassion to the young, and respect the elderly. That was well-known about him among people, and he was famous for his exceptional memory, attested by many who knew him.

Returning to the rain, the prince has a story with rain that the people of Tabuk know well. He would ask about its locations, the lands that were watered, and the villages that welcomed it during the Wasm season, waiting for spring. With the onset of winter, he was keen that no one in Tabuk would feel the severity of cold. So trucks loaded with provisions, winter clothing, blankets, covers, and heating supplies would reach needy families among citizens and residents year after year, guarding them against the cold of the north. I witnessed that they reached shepherds in the middle of the Tabuk desert, after reaching all those in need in cities and villages.

We ask God to clothe His Royal Highness Prince Fahd bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz in the garment of health and wellness, and bless his life. May Tabuk remain as we have known it—preserving its men, and not forgetting those who loved it and were loved by it.

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