His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur may Allah rest his soul in peace
His Late Majesty - may Allah have mercy on him - was born in the city of Salalah in the Governorate of Dhofar, on Shawwal 18, 1359 A.H. / November 18 1940 A.D. He grew up in the city of his birth, and his early upbringing was carefully overseen by his father, Sayyid Said bin Taimur (1351-1390 A.H. / 1932-1970 A.D.). His Late Majesty - may Allah have mercy on him – studied Arabic, science and the teachings of our noble religion in his early years under the guidance of distinguished tutors carefully selected by his father. His elementary education took place at Saidia School in Salalah, after which he was sent by his father to complete his education in the United Kingdom, where he was educated at a private school in Suffolk. In 1379 A.H. / 1960 A.D., His Late Majesty joined the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst as a cadet, and completed the full two-year military training course, graduating with the rank of second lieutenant. His Late Majesty - may Allah have mercy on him - had a wide range of interests which covered areas as diverse as religion, language, history and the Arts. He developed a keen interest in literature, astrology, music and architecture, all of which contributed to shaping his well-rounded personality. His Late Majesty’s wise leadership brought about considerable achievements for Oman which will endure forever. He will be remembered as one of our most distinguished leaders.
His Education in Military and Political Sciences
After graduating from Sandhurst, His Late Majesty - may Allah have mercy on him - joined one of the British battalions operating in West Germany for six months, where he carried out command and staff duties. His Late Majesty then returned to the United Kingdom and received special tuition for two years on subjects related to local government. This was followed by a long tour of a number of friendly countries. In the year 1383 A.H. / 1964 A.D., His Late Majesty returned to Oman, and undertook extensive training in management, receiving tuition on a number of specialized courses concerning the organization and administration of the state.
Returning to the Homeland and Assuming Power
On his return home, he settled in the city of Salalah and followed the wishes of his father by immersing himself in the study of Islamic religion, Islamic civilization, and the history and heritage of the Sultanate of Oman. This was at a time when the war in Dhofar was being bitterly fought. His Late Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said - may Allah have mercy on him - assumed the reins of government in the country on July 23 1970 A.D. On this day, a new dawn emerged over Oman and its people, and the light of hope lit up the country, ignited the fire of enterprise and endeavor, and its people diligently rolled up their sleeves to build the modern Oman, and work towards a better future. His first speech on July 23, 1970, emphasized his determination to realize his vision for the country: “I will work as quickly as possible for a better future and to make you live happily, and each of you shall help in this duty. Our homeland in the past was famous and powerful, and if we work in unity and cooperation, we will restore our past again.” His Late Majesty's words – may Allah rest his soul in peace - were the embers that rekindled inert energies and revitalized rigid systems. The entire population was filled with a sense of optimism, and united behind their leader. His luminous words shone a light on the path to development that was not without its challenges, chiefly those associated with the security and stability of the country, that first had to be overcome. The wellbeing and prosperity of Oman’s citizens was always at the forefront of His Late Majesty's concerns. We look back on the celebrations held at the time of his coming to power, at the photographs and videos documenting the moment of his accession to power, his arrival in Muscat in 1970, and the speeches which he delivered at that time.
His Military Achievements
The fifty years of his reign marked a huge qualitative and quantitative leap, and laid the foundations for development and modernity affecting all aspects of life in Oman, in accordance with the plans and aspirations of His Late Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said - may Allah have mercy on him. During the years of the blessed renaissance, the military sector underwent enormous changes resulting in the significant modernization of its equipment and armaments thanks to the wise vision and sound directives of the late Sultan. The Sultan’s Armed Forces can be proud of its national achievements, most notably, its victory over the forces of aggression in 1975. The date of this victory is etched in national memory and is commemorated by the armed forces annually. Since that day, the Sultan’s Armed Forces have continued to carry out their patriotic duties in defence of the homeland. His Late Majesty, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces - may Allah have mercy on him - paid close attention to all service branches of the armed forces, developing their capabilities in terms of equipment, weapons, means of transportation and manpower to improve efficiency, and ensure combat readiness. Throughout his reign, the armed forces fulfilled their humanitarian role by providing aid and assistance to citizens facing adversity. It is proposed to present the late Sultan’s most important achievements vis-à-vis the Sultan’s Armed Forces in segments of five years spanning the fifty-year period of his reign from 1970 to 2020 as follows: 1970-1975, 1975-1980, 1980-1985, 1985-1990, 1990-1995, 1995-2000, 2000-2005, 2005-2010, 2010-2015, 2015-2020. In each of these 5-year periods, photos and videos show His Late Majesty inaugurating camps and naval bases, inspecting new military installations, and presiding over national celebrations and military parades.
The Personal Life of The Late Sultan
His Late Majesty enjoyed a number of leisure pursuits and hobbies, and spoke about some of his favourite ones: “Since my childhood, I have remained fond of horse riding. Recently, due to my ever-extending schedule of duties, I have done very little, but this hobby is still one to which I am greatly attached. Shooting is another of my favourite hobbies, being a trained military man. Shooting and learning about guns is a priority for anyone with a military background, or who has lived in a society like Oman's where people take pride in being able to take up arms to defend themselves. I take pleasure in trying out new firearms, whether it is a rifle, a machine gun, or a tank. However, the traditional skill of shooting with a pistol, shotgun or crossbow is what most interests me. There are other leisure activities that I engage in, and one of them is walking. This has been one of my most enjoyable pastimes ever since childhood. I derive great satisfaction from walking, particularly before going to bed when I often like to go for a walk along the beach. In addition to being one of the best exercises for one’s body, walking affords me a chance for meditation. I am also interested in photography, which I see as an extension of my lifelong hobby of landscape drawing. However, present conditions and time constraints afford me little opportunity for practising such hobbies. Reading, which was among my favourite hobbies, has now become part of my work. It is difficult for me to continue to read what I like as a hobby, as my focus has shifted to reading within the purviews of work and day-to-day concerns. Astronomy remains a hobby that I am particularly interested in. Stargazing and planet-watching continue to fascinate me. I have a small observatory that I hope to improve in the future, and when the opportunity arises on the appropriate nights, according to astronomical publications, I spend some time observing the celestial planets. Also, as an amateur, I play tennis when time permits. I often watch international tennis games on TV, and follow athletics on media channels.”
Meetings with Heads of State and Dignitaries
From the start of the modern Omani renaissance march and over the ensuing decades, the sultanate’s policies were established and its positions on various Gulf, Arab, regional and international issues were determined by the wise judgement and leadership of His Late Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said - may Allah rest his soul in peace. The positions adopted by the sultanate on the world stage were profoundly influenced by His Late Majesty’s principles and values, foremost among these was his deeply held conviction in peaceful co-existence. Resolving issues and disputes through dialogue and peaceful means is an integral part of an unwavering belief that peace, security and stability are indispensable elements for ensuring that countries and their people can make progress and prosper. The late Sultan had many meetings with heads of state from all over the world, confirming his willingness to strengthen bilateral relations and work towards achieving harmony and peace between nations. He played a major role in resolving a number of international conflicts. Here we record and document these meetings which serve as a testimony to the message of peace conveyed by His Late Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said - may Allah rest his soul in peace.
Visiting Military Sites
The field visits by His Late Majesty the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces - may Allah have mercy on him – to the military units, formations and bases, were an essential first step towards building, developing and modernizing the various components of the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF). SAF was provided with advanced weapons, equipment and qualified trained manpower in order to fulfil their national tasks and duties. As part of His Late Majesty’s legacy, major joint exercises are still held regularly with friendly nations aimed at exchanging military experience and know-how and enhancing inter-operability, cooperation and coordination between forces at the tactical level. All branches of the Sultan's Armed Forces have benefited from the education and qualifications obtained from a number of technical and academic institutions belonging to the Ministry of Defence. These include the Sultan Qaboos Military College, the Sultan Qaboos Air Academy, the Sultan Qaboos Naval Academy, the Command and Staff College and the National Defence College.
Royal Speeches
The late Sultan - may Allah rest his soul in peace - delivered many speeches with memorable turns of phrase. Often resonant with insightful proposals for future plans and policies, and interspersed with allusions to guiding moral principles and divine judgment, they have made an enormous impression on the hearts and minds of Oman’s citizens. His Royal Speeches touched on topics related to the international order, regional crises and peace negotiations, matters of faith, capacity building, and economic reform, as well as aspects related to culture and education, national identity, the role of women, science, employment, financial regulation, justice, equality and the fight against corruption. We will employ modern audio-visual methods to document and preserve the content of these speeches so that they may remain a source of wisdom and inspiration for the benefit of future generations. The following is an excerpt from one of the final speeches to his armed forces: “We share with you a feeling of pride that our armed forces, whose celebrations usually begin with a parade, have made great strides forward since we assumed leadership. I do not like to divulge classified military secrets, but I leave it to them to express their effectiveness in protecting the soil of the homeland and defending its waters. Events have proven the strength and steadfastness of the men of our armed forces against their enemies. Greetings to you, our brave soldiers on land, sea and air. I am proud of you.”
The Death of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur - may Allah have mercy on him
The Death of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur- may Allah have mercy on him The 10th of January 2020 was a sad day for Oman and its people. The Sultanate of Oman lost its sultan, its wise leader, and the builder of its blessed renaissance. Sultan Qaboos bin Said passed away at the age of eighty. He remained faithful to the vision for Oman that he had set out fifty years previously. His resolve never weakened.
