Riyadh: Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, who died on Saturday in New York, was buried after a funeral service in Riyadh yesterday.
Several heads of state and high-ranking officials from around the world, joined King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz, Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, and other members of the royal family as well as senior Saudi officials and scholars in funeral prayers held at Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Mosque in Riyadh's Deera after Asr prayer.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, headed the UAE delegation.
Official delegation
The Vice-President was accompanied by a high official delegation that included General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah. Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Hamad Bin Mohammad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, Shaikh Rashid Bin Saud Bin Rashid Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Quwain, Shaikh Mohammad Bin Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, and Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Adviser to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, were also part of the delegation.
Thousands of mourners, including citizens and expatriates, also attended the prayer. Later, the body was buried in the Al Oud cemetery, some five kilometres from the mosque.
Millions of people, including Haj pilgrims, attended funeral prayers held at the Haram Mosque in Makkah, the Prophet's (PBUH) Mosque in Madinah and thousands of other mosques across the Kingdom. This was in line with an order issued by King Abdullah on Monday to offer funeral prayers in absentia (Salat Al Ghaib) for the departed crown prince at all mosques throughout the Kingdom.
A large contingent of leaders, including kings, crown princes, heads of state, prime ministers, and top officials from more than 100 countries gathered in Riyadh to pay respects to Crown Prince Sultan, who is also popularly known as Sultan Al Khair (Prince of Charity).
They included US Vice-President Joe Biden, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, Spanish Crown Prince Felipe de Borbon, Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, Malaysian Prime Minister Najeeb Razak, Kuwaiti Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Comoros President Dr Ikililou Dhoinine, and Brunei Crown Prince Al Muhtadee Billah.
Condolences
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad was represented by his uncle Rafa'at Al Assad. High ranking officials heading delegations of various countries included Indian Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Maldives' Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Abdul Majeed Bari, and Sri Lanka's Senior Minister for Good Governance and Infrastructure Ratnasiri.
The leaders also conveyed condolences to King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz and other key members of the royal family. Security has been beefed up across the capital in view of the presence of a large number of world leaders and dignitaries.
Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz led the procession of thousands of mourners who attended prayers and burial services of the crown prince amid tight security. Prince Sultan was laid to rest at the city's sprawling Al Oud Cemetery in a simple grave in keeping with Islamic burial traditions.
Thousands of people, including Saudis and migrant workers, gathered at the mosque to offer funeral prayers and later at the cemetery witnessing burial rites. The mood among the populace was very sombre.
The cemetery, where the late King Fahd, King Khalid, King Faisal and Prince Sultan's father King Abdul Aziz are also buried, is a common burial ground for the general public as well as for the members of the royal family in the capital city.
Prince Sultan died at a New York hospital on Saturday morning after a prolonged illness. His body was flown into the Kingdom on Monday evening. King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz was in the forefront of royals and top officials who were present at Riyadh Air Base to receive the body that arrived from New York on a Saudi Arabian Airlines' flight at 7.05pm.
— With inputs from WAM
