By Rashid Al-Thuwaini
Okaz/Saudi Gazette

HAIL — “We came today to deliver the letter of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in the hope that you let the spirit of forgiveness and generosity prevail and you forgive the killer of your son, may Allah the Almighty bestow his mercy upon him.”

This is the letter Prince Saud Bin Abdulmohsen, Emir of Hail region, delivered Saturday to the victim’s father Sheikh Khalaf Al-Shammari who then read the letter and decided to pardon Sultan Al-Ghazi, the killer of his son. Al-Ghazi was a few days away from being beheaded for the murder of Sheikh Al-Shammari’s son.

After pardoning his son’s killer, Sheikh Al-Shammari prayed to Allah the Almighty to reward King Abdullah for his good deeds. Prince Saud, on his part, thanked the victim’s father for his noble position and the decision he made.

“Such a magnanimous gesture is not a strange thing in Saudi society, a society whose citizens have set shining examples for honor, generosity and forgiveness,” Prince Saud added.
Despite his grief over his son’s death, Sheikh Al-Shammari did not hesitate to forgive the killer for the sake of Allah and the intercession of King Abdullah and Prince Saud.