Sheikh Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...

Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah ( ar, سعد العبد الله السالم الصباح, translit=Saʿad al-ʿAbdullāh as-Sālim as-Sabāh) (1930 – 13 May 2008) was the

Emir of Kuwait The Emir of the State of Kuwait is the monarch and head of state of Kuwait, the country's most powerful office. The emirs of Kuwait are members of the Al Sabah dynasty. Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah became the emir of Kuwait on 30 Sep ...

and

Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

of the

Kuwait Military Forces The Kuwait Military Forces ( ar, القوات المسلحة الكويتية, Al-Quwwat Al-Musallahah Al-Kuwaitiyah) are the military forces of the State of Kuwait. They consist of the Kuwait Air Force, the Kuwait Army, the Kuwait Navy & the K ...

during a short reign of nine days (15 to 24 January 2006), succeeding Sheikh

Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sheikh Jaber al-Ahmad Al-Sabah (29 June 1926 – 15 January 2006) ( ar, الشيخ جابر الأحمد الجابر الصباح, translit=ash-Shaykh Jābir al-ʾAḥmad al-Jābir aṣ-Ṣabāḥ) was Emir of Kuwait and Commander of the Kuwai ...

. Saad was a general commander in the

Military of Kuwait The Kuwait Military Forces ( ar, القوات المسلحة الكويتية, Al-Quwwat Al-Musallahah Al-Kuwaitiyah) are the military forces of the State of Kuwait. They consist of the Kuwait Air Force, the Kuwait Army, the Kuwait Navy & the ...

; in addition, the first to head the Kuwaiti Ministry of Interior until 16 February 1978 and the first

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

officer to head the

Ministry of Defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

since 1964.
Nine Ministers headed the Interior Ministry since Kuwait's independence

Early life

Saad, who was born in 1930, belonged to the Al-Salem branch of the Al-Sabah family and was eldest son of Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, who ruled Kuwait from 1950 to 1965. His mother was an enslaved Ethiopian until his father married her. He had two younger paternal half-brothers; Sheikh Khalid and Sheikh Ali. His youngest brother Sheikh Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah is a governor. He attended the Mubarakiya school in Kuwait and

Hendon Police College Hendon Police College is the principal training centre for London's Metropolitan Police. Founded with the official name of the Metropolitan Police College, the college has officially been known as the Peel Centre since 1974, although its origi ...

North London North London is the northern part of London, England, north of the River Thames. It extends from Clerkenwell and Finsbury, on the edge of the City of London financial district, to Greater London's boundary with Hertfordshire. The term ''nort ...

Early career

Saad debuted his career as the first

military officer An officer is a person who holds a position of authority as a member of an armed force or uniformed service. Broadly speaking, "officer" means a commissioned officer, a non-commissioned officer, or a warrant officer. However, absent context ...

to head the

ministry of interior An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

and

ministry of defense {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

in 1962 and 1964, respectively. He served as the general commander of the Directorate of Public Security Force and the Directorate of Police from 1961 to 1962. Following the formation of the 3rd government on 6 December 1964; Saad was appointed both minister of interior and of defense simultaneously and held both posts until 1978. On 16 February 1978, he became Crown Prince and held the post until 13 July 2006.
Sheikh Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, the 14th Ruler and 4th Emir

First Gulf War

Saad was the leader involved in liberating Kuwait from

Saddam Saddam Hussein ( ; ar, صدام حسين, Ṣaddām Ḥusayn; 28 April 1937 – 30 December 2006) was an Iraqi politician who served as the fifth president of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003. A leading member of the revolution ...

's regime. He refused to deal with any of Iraq's ministers attempting to compromise the security of the country. During the exile of

and his declaration of

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

Emir of Kuwait

Saad had suffered from colon disease, which led to speculation that he would refuse the Emirship. A declaration in November 2005 refuted such speculation, and Saad took office as Emir on 15 January 2006 upon Jaber's death. However, Saad attended Jaber's funeral in a wheelchair, and his continued health problems caused some to question his ability to rule. Some members of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repre ...

expressed concern that Saad would not be able to deliver the two-line

oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such ...

, scheduled for 24 January 2006. On 24 January 2006, the National Assembly voted Saad out of office, moments before an official letter of abdication was received. The Kuwait Cabinet nominated Prime Minister

Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ( ar, الشيخ صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح, translit=ash-Shaykh Sabāh al-ʾAḥmad al-Jābir aṣ-Ṣabāḥ; 16 June 192929 September 2020) was the Emir of Kuwait and Commander of the Kuwa ...

to take over as Emir.

Academy of Saad Al-Abdullah for Security Sciences

The college is in charge of training Kuwaiti Police members.

Personal life

Married to his cousin, Sheikha Latifa Fahad Al-Sabah, Saad had five daughters, Maryam, Hessa, Jamayel, Sheikha and Fadya, and one son, Fahad. One of his daughters, Sheika, controlled international marketing at Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). Until late August 1998, she was the executive assistant managing director for international marketing at the body. Another daughter, Hessa, was elected as vice president of the Arab-Italian chamber of commerce in October 2012. She is also the head of the Arab women's business council and representative of Kuwait in the Chamber's general assembly session.

Death

Saad died on 13 May 2008, aged 78, at Shaab Palace in

Kuwait City Kuwait City ( ar, مدينة الكويت) is the capital and largest city of Kuwait. Located at the heart of the country on the south shore of Kuwait Bay on the Persian Gulf, it is the political, cultural and economical centre of the emirate, ...

from a heart attack. "Former emir dies in Kuwait City"
''

BBC News Online BBC News Online is the website of BBC News, the division of the BBC responsible for newsgathering and production. It is one of the most popular news websites, with 1.2 billion website visits in April 2021, as well as being used by 60% of the U ...

'', 13 May 2008

References

Sources

Saad Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah: The Unforgettable Liberation Hero (1930–2008)
', Ambassadors Online Magazine, vol. 11, issue 24 July 2008 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salim Al-Sabah 1930 births 2008 deaths Honorary Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Saad Kuwaiti Muslims Prime Ministers of Kuwait Rulers of Kuwait Muslim monarchs Government ministers of Kuwait Monarchs who abdicated Defence ministers of Kuwait