‘it is clear that i have sought and continue to seek to provide all the means of prosperity and reassurance to our dear country in secret and in public. i still hear things that i do not like to hear about some young people who do not appreciate the consequences of things and do not take long views, but i avoid upsetting them, hoping that they will take care of themselves or listen to the advice of rational people.
‘i have warned time and time again about disturbing relations between us and all our arab friends and brothers, as required by the country’s interest. there is no benefit for us in upsetting relationships that must be maintained as well as possible, but these young people have set their heads high and turned a blind eye to the public interest, to the point where their ignorance has reached the point of neglecting me personally in societies, despite the well-being and good things known about my era, for which we thank god and for which we are greatly envied.
‘as for the mistakes and criticisms that they see as existing in some circles, they are mistakes that no country is free of, no matter how civilized and organized it is, and they are cases that will be subject to amendment and reform in the near future, god willing. i have instructed to deter these people from continuing in their ignorance, hoping that this will fill a gap through which a wind that we do not want might come to us. ‘
‘as it was said: and among the intoxicating poisons is medicine i ask all members of the dear people to take care of the improvement of their own affairs, and my door is open to anyone who comes forward with a correct suggestion, complaint, or statement, for this involves correct cooperation between the ruler and the ruled and sincere patriotism. as for ignorance, its consequences are known. may god guide everyone’ -- abdullah al-salem al-sabah.
these words were said 64 years ago, so today is nothing like yesterday!
despite all the love and respect that we all have for our respected rulers, the late sheikh abdullah al-salem had his own flavor, and he was unique, even with his white headband, and for what he accomplished during his relatively short rule (1950-1965).
in an interview with the journalist nayla tueni with the great poet and thinker adonis, and i am one of his biggest admirers, he described the arabs as lazy, as they look for easy things and avoid research and reading. he said that he had never found, despite all his readings, a single arab ruler who sought power and asked himself how to build a free and just society. rather, his concern was to continue ruling and benefit materially from his exceptional situation!
i do not blame our great thinker for not knowing the personality of the late abdullah al-salem, who was a phenomenon not only in kuwait but in its surroundings as well, with the necessity of putting matters in their time frame and historical context.
i also wish for him, and for the rest of the nation’s thinkers, despite their rarity, to abandon their superior feelings towards the gulf arabs, as we actually have things that cause us to be proud, but they often did not know about them, or seek to know them!
since the 1930s, oil exploration concessions, in all countries of the region, have been between the ruler and american and european companies. that is, the oil company pays the ruler’s full share of the oil it extracts, so he can dispose of it in his own way. only abdullah al-salem, on his own initiative, and with the asceticism and wisdom he was famous for, ceded his “right” to the state and directed all revenues to it, after the state’s constitution was approved, and the general budget became approved by parliament and subject to the scrutiny of regulatory authorities.
he also ceded his personal account balances in british banks, which had been collected from oil revenues to the state, and that money formed the beginning of our investments abroad, which today exceed 750 billion dollars, and all of this thanks to his “self-denial.”
he also agreed that the annual allocations of the amir of the country would be determined by law, and this is what has continued to be implemented until today.
he also, on his own initiative, abdicated his absolute powers as ruler, placed the matter in the hands of the nation, and made it the source of authority.
during his reign, the state’s lands were organized, vast areas of them were withdrawn from the hands of influential people, and the constitution was approved, which was adopted without making any amendment to any of its articles, and other achievements that we still enjoy, and which our great thinkers may not have heard of.
abdullah al-salem will remain an eternal symbol.