Mohammad Bin Saud Bin Mohammad Bin Muqrin

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud Bin Mohammad Bin Muqrin Bin Mirkhan Bin Ibrahim Bin Musa Bin Rabiah Bin Mani' al-Muraydi al-Dar'i al-Hanafi (1679 - 1765) was the founder of the First Saudi State in 1727. He also served as the leader of its armies during the early years of the campaigns to unify the Saudi state. He designated Diriyah as the state's capital and adopted Islamic Sharia law as the governing constitution. Imam Mohammad Bin Saud is the fifth great-grandfather of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.

His ancestors trace their lineage to the Banu Hanifa al-Wa'iliyah tribe, which is one of the Adnanite tribes that migrated to Najd two hundred years before Islam. They settled along the fertile banks of Wadi Hanifa. After another migration to the eastern region of the Arabian Peninsula, the ancestors of Imam Mohammad Bin Saud returned to the central region of the Arabian Peninsula and established Diriyah in 1446.

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud was one of the four sons of Saud Bin Mohammad Bin Muqrin. His brothers were Thunayan, Mishari, Farhan, and Mohammad. His father, Saud, ruled the Emirate of Diriyah in 1719. Imam Mohammad's sons were four: Faisal, Saud, Abdulaziz, and Abdullah.

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud led several military campaigns to unify the central region of the Arabian Peninsula. He successfully repelled a series of tribal and regional coalitions that targeted the newly established Saudi state. He built the first unified Arab state on the Arabian Peninsula centuries after the end of the Rashidun Caliphate. The state encompassed most parts of the Arabian Peninsula and became known as the First Saudi State.

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud assumed the leadership of Diriyah in 1727 and established the First Saudi State in the same year. He worked towards unifying its territories, and during his reign, the borders of the First Saudi State extended as far south as Haer Subay', excluding Riyadh, and as far north as Sudair, and to the west, including Durma, al-Qway'iyah, and the areas of al-Washm, except for Tharmada and Ushaiqer.

Upon assuming the leadership of Diriyah, Imam Mohammad Bin Saud was able to provide stability and establish security within its territories. He focused on organizing the pilgrimage routes and securing trade routes passing through Diriyah. He also succeeded in organizing the economic aspects within Diriyah and strengthening relationships with various tribes and settlements in the region. This resulted in the transformation of Diriyah from being an emirate to a state whose influence extended to different parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

Due to the prosperity and stability of Diriyah in the region, as well as the presence of a capable state that could provide support, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdulwahhab decided to move to Diriyah in 1744. This decision came after the Emir of Uyaynah refused to support his reformist efforts. Upon the arrival of Sheikh Mohammad in Diriyah, Imam Mohammad Bin Saud welcomed him and embraced his reformist efforts. The true knowledge of Islamic law, the sciences of monotheism, and creed flourished, and illegitimate practices were abandoned in Diriyah and other parts of the Arabian Peninsula.

He made his political and diplomatic legacy one of the most renowned and impressive among the founders of nations in the history of the Arabian Peninsula and its surroundings. He established a prestigious state that endured despite its eventual demise and subsequent resurgence. This laid the foundation for the Second Saudi State, which eventually evolved into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud worked towards establishing the Saudi state and led a journey that spanned four decades. He laid the foundations of the economy, politics, and society. He led twelve battles to annex Riyadh, and tragically lost his sons, Faisal and Saud, in one of the battles that took place in Diriyah in 1746. However, he won the battles against campaigns from al-Ahsa and Najran that were launched against the Saudi state in 1764.

During his reign, Imam Mohammad Bin Saud built the military and economic systems of the First Saudi State. The financial system of the First Saudi State during his time aligned with the policies followed during the early period of Islamic history. The state relied on multiple sources of income, including Zakat (obligatory Islamic charity) and Ghanima (spoils of war).

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud governed the country with justice, tolerance, and a strong emphasis on promoting knowledge and education. He ended illegal transgressions, attacks, raids, and road blockades. He established the pillars of security within the country and along the pilgrimage and trade routes. Furthermore, he transferred the center of governance in Diriyah from the neighborhood of Ghusaiba, which had been the seat of governance since the establishment of Diriyah, to the neighborhood of al-Tarfiyah in Samhan. This decision demonstrates his foresight, wisdom, and visionary approach.

Imam Mohammad Bin Saud died in 1765 after a reign of forty years. His son, Imam Abdulaziz, succeeded him as the ruler, previously serving as the crown prince.