Lecture 4

The House of Saud

What is the difference between a ‘sign’ and a ‘symbol’?

According to Wiki….

A sign is a representation of an object that implies a connection between itself and its object. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm. A conventional sign signifies by social agreement, as a full stop signifies the end of a sentence. This contrasts to a symbol which stands for another thing, as a flag may be a symbol of a nation. The way a sign signifies is called ‘semiosis’, a topic of semiotics and philosophy of language.

A symbol is something that represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for numbers. Personal names are symbols representing individuals. A red rose can symbolize love and compassion in some cultures.

{Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who studied archetypes, proposed an alternative definition of symbol, distinguishing it from the term sign. In Jung's view, a sign stands for something known, as a word stands for its referent. He contrasted this with symbol, which he used to stand for something that is unknown and that cannot be made clear or precise.}

Why does a group choose a representative symbol?

What are the symbols chosen by a group intended to tell outsiders?

Star and Crescent

The crescent and star have long been used in the Ancient Near East. The Göktürks used the crescent and star figure on their coins. One 1500-year-old coin includes three crescent moon figures and a star near a person.

The crescent was not a symbol used for Islam by Muhammad, as following the ancient Jewish custom, Islam is against appointing "Holy Symbols". During the early centuries, Muslim authorities didn't want any geometric symbols to be used to symbolize Islam, which is why early Islamic coins were covered with Arabic writing, but had no visual symbols.

However, some proponents of the crescent symbol cite verses in the Quran as their basis. Many Islamic nations and charities thus use the crescent on flags or logos. Currently none of the Arab states in Arabia or the Mashreq have crescents on their flags, though the first Saudi flag did. The crescent was the symbol of the Sassanid Empire of Persia and of the Ottoman Empire.

{The crescent is also used as a heraldic symbol but is not affiliated in any way with Islam. As an example, the roots of the Slavic crescent can be traced to the old Slavic pagan beliefs.}

Saudi Arabian FLAG: Green is the official color of Islam. The color green was the color used by Muhammad’s tribe on their flags. According to Muslims the color green symbolizes nature and life. In the Qur'an (Surah 76:21), it is said that the inhabitants of paradise will wear green garments of fine silk. The sword symbolizes both the importance of the Islamic statement of faith by underlining it and the victories and justice of Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud, the first Saudi King. Saudi Arabia is regarded as the ‘holiest land' among the people of Islamic faith.

El-Shahada لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول اللهlā ’ilāha ’illa-llāh muḥammadun rasūlu-llāh

"There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah"

The Saudi Arabian COAT OF ARMS consists of two crossed swords with a palm tree in the open upper space between the blades. The swords represent the justice and strength rooted in faith and the two houses which founded modern day Saudi Arabia: the Wahhabi House of Saud which ruled the kingdom of Najd, and the Hashemite House of Hussein which ruled the kingdom of Al-Hejaz, united under Ibn Saud in 1926. The date palm tree represents vitality and growth.

The House of Saud (Arabic: آل سعود‎ Āl Suʻūd), also called the Al Saud, is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. The family holds thousands of members, descendants of Muhammad ibn Saud and his brothers, though the ruling faction is primarily descendants of Abdulaziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud. The family advocates Salafi Islam and unification of Arabia.

The most influential member of the family is the King of Saudi Arabia. The line of succession is not father-son but brother-brother of the children of Abdul-Aziz. The family is estimated to have 15,000 members. Most power and wealth is with the 2000 descendants of King Abdul-Aziz.

House of Saud is a translation of Al Saud, an Arabic dynastic name formed by adding Al, "family of" or "House of", to the personal name of an ancestor. In the case of the Al Saud, this is the father of the dynasty's 18th century founder, Muhammad ibn Saud . The surname "Al Saud" is carried by any descendant of Muhammad ibn Saud or his brothers. Al Saud's other branches are ‘cadet’; members hold high government positions though not in line to the throne, and intermarry within the Al Saud to re-establish their lineage and continue to wield government influence.

The House of Saud has gone through three phases: the First Saudi State, the Second Saudi State, and the contemporary nation of Saudi Arabia. The First Saudi State marked the expansion of Salafi Islam. The Second Saudi State was marked with continuous infighting. Today, the nation of Saudi Arabia wields considerable influence in the Middle East.