The loss of Prince Naif

The loss of Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz is an irreplaceable one.

Gone is a good, tolerant, strong and wise man, holding several of the most important keys to the gates of the presidential palace in Saudi Arabia.

Since 1952, the man was a fundamental and increasingly major player in the life of his country.

He accumulated experience in the agencies of Riyadh Province and then as Governor of the province itself. After that he became Interior Minister, Second [and later First] Deputy Prime Minister, and finally the Crown Prince.

Prince Naif was a man with a comprehensive knowledge of Saudi internal issues; he knew every region and every governor, and all the border villages.

The man treated the issues of terrorism and extremism with a mixture of force and wisdom at the same time, he sought to “strike a blow to terrorism” when it was necessary, and other times, when it was appropriate, he sought to engage in dialogue and ideological reform with groups that had lost their way.

Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz, may God have mercy on him, had an unprecedented knowledge of the issues affecting tribes and extended families in the Kingdom, to the extent that he would know the family tree of one of them with all its branches over many years, and this, for those who know the Kingdom, is crucial in the process of governance.

The death of Prince Naif leaves behind several vacant positions, most notably that of the Crown Prince. However, what is more important than that is Prince Naif’s unprecedented strong network of relations with the religious establishment and senior ulema on the one hand, and senior statesmen on the other.

Yemen was one of the most significant external files taken up by Prince Naif, and with his wisdom and decisiveness he was able to deal with its consequences, especially as Yemen has the largest border with Saudi Arabia.

In fact, Prince Naif was one of the unknown soldiers behind the success of the scenario of handing over power with minimal losses in Yemen, with his deep knowledge of the country’s affairs.

After the will of God Almighty, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, the royal family, the family council and the Saudi people have – God willing – the ability to overcome the loss of Prince Naif’s death, and the ability to continue with the transition of power as represented by the Crown Prince position.

These are difficult moments in the history of the country, but with the mercy of God and his care and wisdom, the country and the ruling family will be able to pass through it calmly and safely.