Ahl Al-Awja
Ahl Al-Awja is a historical noble epithet used to stir enthusiasm, pride, and the national spirit, and it has been associated with the Saudi state since its founding, and with everything that falls under its banner.
By "Al-Awja" is meant the city of Diriyah, and the term "Ahl Al-Awja" expanded from being exclusive to Al Saud to a term that includes the people of Diriyah, the people of Al-Arid, and the people of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Meaning of Al-Awja epithet
There have been various interpretations of the epithet "Al-Awja", and the correct view of its meaning is that it goes back to the place—here, Diriyah, the capital of the First Saudi State, as "Al-Awja" was applied to Diriyah because its location is on a bend and curve of Wadi Hanifa.
The connection of Al-Awja epithet to Al Saud family
The Al-Awja epithet has been associated with the ruling Al Saud family since the founding of the First Saudi State and their choosing Diriyah to be the capital of the state. It also comes within the context of the poetry of fervor for which the Arabs were famous throughout their history—verses that are composed and chanted in a collective performance known as Al-Ardah, an authentic Saudi heritage linked to the battles to unify the country. The term "Al-Awja" was used in the most famous Saudi Ardah poems, and was chanted by Fahd bin Dhuhayyim, Mohammed Al-Ouni, Al-Araini, and other poets.
This epithet had an effect in arousing the enthusiasm of Saudis, and King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud used it in his battles, through which he would instill enthusiasm in his army to repel the aggressors. Therefore, the word Al-Awja retained its connotations associated with horsemanship, bravery, boldness, and pride. It also appeared in a number of phrases such as: We are the people of Al-Awja; the steed of Al-Awja and I am Ibn Muqrin; and the master of Al-Awja.
The book "Ahl Al-Awja"
The King Abdulaziz Foundation documented this epithet in a book titled "Ahl Al-Awja", authored by Dr Fahd Bin Abdullah Al-Sammari, based on an explanation about it provided by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, when he was Governor of Riyadh Province. It was published in the press years ago, and the explanation was comprehensive, as it highlights King Salman Bin Abdulaziz’s extensive expertise and his deep national historical knowledge.
The book stated that the word "Al-Awja" was used to indicate that it means the place, not as mentioned in some other views. For example, what the poet Mohammed Abu Nahyah said in the late period of the First Saudi State, the poet Fahd bin Dhuhayyim, and the saying of King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became famous:
We are the people of Al-Awja, with no turning back
Drinking misfortunes to us is like drinking cups of coffee