KNOW OSAMA-BIN-LADEN, A MYSTERIOUS PERSONALITY
Born in 1957 from Syrian mother, Osama Bin Laden was the seventh
son among fifty brothers and sisters
His father Mohammed Awad bin Laden came to the kingdom from
Hadramout (South Yemen) sometime around 1930. The father
started his life as a very poor laborer (porter in Jeddah port), to end
up as owner of the biggest construction company in the kingdom.
During the reign of King Saud, bin Laden the father became very
close to the royal family when he took the risk of building King Saud’s
palaces much cheaper than the cheapest bid. He impressed King
Saud with his performance but he also built good relations with other
members of the royal family, especially Faisal. During the Saud-
Faisal conflict in the early sixties, bin Laden the father had a big role
in convincing King Saud to step down in favor of Faisal. After Saud’s
departure the treasury was empty and bin Laden was so supportive
to King Faisal that he literally paid the civil servants’ wages of the
whole kingdom for six months. King Faisal then issued a decree that
all construction projects should go to bin Laden. Indeed, he was
appointed for a period as the minister of public works.
In 1969 the father took the task of rebuilding Al-Aqsa mosque after
the fire incident. Interestingly the bin Laden family say that they have
the credit of building all the three mosques, because later on their
company took over the task of major extension in Mecca and Medina
mosques.
The father was fairly devoted Moslem, very humble and generous. He
was so proud of the bag he used when he was a porter that he kept it
as a trophy in the main reception room in his palace. The father used
to insist on his sons to go and manage some projects themselves.
The father had very dominating personality. He insisted to keep all his
children in one premises. He had a tough discipline and observed all
the children with strict religious and social code. He maintained a
special daily program and obliged his children to follow. At the same
time the father was entertaining with trips to the sea and desert. He
dealt with his children as big men and demanded them to show
confidence at young age. He was very keen not to show any
difference in the treatment of his children.
Early life, school and marriage