Naif Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

His Royal Highness Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud (1934 - 2012), one of the sons of the Founder King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, served as Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Interior, and Honorary President of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers. He held the longest tenure as Minister of Interior in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, spanning approximately thirty-seven years, from 1975 to 2012.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz was born in Taif Governorate in Makkah al-Mukarramah Province and was raised by his father King Abdulaziz. He began his education under the guidance of prominent scholars, studying in circles of Sharia sciences, followed by literature and classical Arabic poetry. Later, he delved into administration, diplomacy, and politics, benefiting from his father's approach.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz held various positions and responsibilities throughout his professional life. Among them were: serving as Acting Governor of Riyadh Province Emirate in 1951, then appointed as Governor of Riyadh Province in 1953. In 1970, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Interior, and four years later, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Interior at the rank of minister. In the same year, 1974, he was appointed Minister of State for Interior Affairs, and the following year, 1975, he became Minister of Interior. He remained in the position for about thirty-seven years before being appointed as the Second Deputy Prime Minister in 2009, and Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister in 2011, while retaining his position as Minister of Interior.

Prince Naif chaired several councils and committees, including his honorary presidency of the Council of Arab Interior Ministers in 1984, his honorary presidency of the Saudi Association for Media and Communication in 2002, his presidency of the Labor Force Council in 1991, his honorary presidency of the Saudi Charitable Society for the Welfare of Saudi Families Abroad 'Awasser', in addition to his general supervision of relief and humanitarian campaigns and committees in the Kingdom. He also chaired the Board of Directors of the Human Development Fund in 2002 and supervised the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution in 1989.

Among the responsibilities undertaken by Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz were chairing the Board of Directors of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, as well as presiding over the High Commission for Industrial Security in 1977, chairing the Council of Governors of Provinces in 1975, heading the Supreme Civil Defense Council in 1967, and chairing the Supreme Hajj Committee in 1965. Additionally, he chaired the Supreme Council for Tourism and served as deputy to the president of the National Commission for Wildlife.

During his leadership of various sectors, Prince Naif focused on developing human potential and capabilities through continuous training and education. Additionally, he emphasized modernizing administrative systems, improving infrastructure, and continuously updating and enhancing technologies.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud delivers a speech at an event. King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah).

Prince Naif's efforts led to comprehensive development in several security sectors of the Kingdom, including the General Directorate of Border Guard, the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the General Directorate of Prisons, the General Directorate of Public Security, the General Directorate of Investigation, the General Directorate for Narcotics Control, the General Directorate of Passports, Special Security Forces, and Facility Security Forces.

One of Prince Naif's notable security efforts during his career was combating terrorism and extremism through intellectual approaches. He established and funded the Chair of Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz for Intellectual Security Studies at King Saud University in 2007, as well as funding the Prince Naif Chair for National Unity Studies at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in 2009. He also established a specialized department called the 'Intellectual Security Administration' within the administrative structures of the Ministry of Interior. Additionally, he encouraged and supported numerous research projects and studies aimed at addressing the phenomenon of extremism and its associations. Furthermore, he worked on forming a team of professors from several universities to develop major strategic plans for Arab intellectual security.

In the field of combating narcotics, Prince Naif's strategy was embodied in the establishment of a General Directorate for Narcotics Control, which later evolved into an independent sector. He also founded the National Committee for Narcotics Control in 2007 and organized several regional and international bilateral agreements to combat the spread of narcotics.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz made numerous efforts at both the Arab and international levels. Among these efforts was his supervision of relief campaigns and their committees in humanitarian activities, as well as governmental donation projects and national campaigns adopted by the Kingdom to support multiple nations. He also played a significant role in supporting efforts to assist and provide relief to the Palestinian people, in addition to endorsing and implementing humanitarian projects for the benefit of those affected by wars.

Prince Naif's efforts were distinguished by his support for the poor, the disabled, and the wounded, as well as his sponsorship of orphans. He provided medicines and medical supplies, constructed charitable housing, established centers specialized in cancer treatment, and supported university education. Additionally, he supported relief efforts outside the Arab regions, such as aiding the Afghan people and providing relief to those affected by the tsunami disaster in Indonesia. He also launched the Saudi Committee for the Relief of Kosovo and Chechnya and supported those affected by floods and earthquakes in various countries around the world.

Prince Naif supported fields of knowledge and sciences through several decisions, including the establishment of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to develop security and judicial expertise. He also launched the Prophetic Sunnah Award to support scholars and researchers in the fields of Sunnah and its sciences. Additionally, he initiated the Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Competition for Memorizing Prophetic Hadith, established several international and local scientific chairs, supported students with scholarships for postgraduate studies inside and outside the Kingdom, and supported several scientific and public institutions such as the National Association for Retirees, the Saudi Association for Communication and Media, and the Saudi Charitable Society for the Welfare of Saudi Families Abroad 'Awasser'.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz was awarded several orders and received multiple degrees in recognition of his efforts and achievements. These include the Order of King Abdulaziz, First Class, which is the highest honor in the Kingdom, as well as the Cloud Order from the People's Republic of China, the Legion of Honor from France, the Order of the Star from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and the Order of the Liberator from Venezuela, all in 1977. Additionally, he was awarded the Order of the Cedar from the Republic of Lebanon in 2009.

Prince Naif was awarded several honorary degrees from international universities, including an honorary Doctorate in Law from (Shenzhen) University in China in 1979, another honorary Doctorate in Law from South Korea, an honorary Doctorate in Sharia Policy from Umm al-Qura University in Makkah al-Mukarramah, an honorary Doctorate in Political Science from the Lebanese University in 2009, and an honorary Doctorate from the National Ribat University in the Republic of Sudan.

Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud passed away outside the Kingdom on Saturday, June 16, 2012. His funeral prayer was held at the Grand Mosque after the Maghrib prayer on Sunday, June 17, 2012.