His Majesty the Sultan is the Head of State and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, his person is inviolable, respect of him is a duty, and his command is obeyed. He is the symbol of national unity and the guardian of the preservation and the protection thereof.
Article 42 of the Basic Law of the State defines the duties of His Majesty.
His Majesty’s birth
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, May Allah protect and preserve him, was born in Muscat on the 11th of October 1955 AD.
H. M. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
After the death of his first cousin Sultan Qaboos on 10 January 2020, Haitham bin Tariq was named by the royal family and Qaboos’s will as Sultan of Oman the next day and took an oath before an emergency session of the Council of Oman in Al-Bustan. Oman state TV said the former sultan’s letter was opened by the Defence Council and his identity was announced shortly thereafter. As sultan, he also holds the positions of prime minister, supreme commander of the armed forces, minister of defence, minister of finance, and minister of foreign affairs. In his first public speech, he promised to uphold his predecessor’s peace-making foreign policy and to further develop Oman’s economy.
Born: 13 October 1954. Muscat
Haitham bin Tariq attended Pembroke College, University of Oxford, graduating from the Foreign Service Programme (FSP) in 1979. Haitham’s father was Tariq bin Taimur, son of Sultan Taimur bin Feisal. His half-brother Asa’ad bin Tariq is the deputy prime minister.
His Majesty’s Education
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said received his elementary education at the Sa’idiyya School in Muscat. His late father, Tariq bin Taymour, was keen that his children receive modern education, so His Majesty Sultan Haitham enrolled in Broumana High School in Lebanon where he received his education in the preparatory stage.
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may Allah protect him, did not stay long in Beirut. He left in 1972 heading to the United Kingdom to pursue his secondary and then university studies. He enrolled in one of the most prestigious universities in the world, which is the University of Oxford at Pembroke College in Oxford.
His Majesty’s interests
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has wide interests, including sports. He chaired the first Omani Football Association during the period from 1983 to 1986, which is the stage that saw the establishment of many organizational aspects in the work of football and sports clubs in the Sultanate. During this time period, the Sultanate hosted the seventh Gulf Cup. His Majesty also chaired the organizing committee of the second Asian Beach Games that the Sultanate hosted in 2010.
The high decorations received by His Majesty
During his career, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq has received several royal decorations, in the forefront of which was the Order of Alrusoukh (Firmness), which he received from the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, may Allah rest his soul, in November 2010.
In March 2001 he was awarded the Decoration of Honour for Services provided by the Republic of Austria, and in December 2006 he received the King Abdul Aziz Sash (First Class). He received the Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order from the United Kingdom in November of 2010.
His Majesty’s assumption of power
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, May Allah protect and preserve him, took power in the country on January 11, 2020, succeeding the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taymur, may Allah rest his soul, in a smooth transition of power in the Sultanate that was appreciated and admired by the world.
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may Allah bless and preserve him, confirmed in his first speech after his inauguration as Sultan of the country that he would be distressed by the brilliant steps of the late Sultan who steadfastly and resolutely stepped into the future and to preserve and build upon what he had accomplished.
He also affirmed that he would follow the footsteps of the late Sultan in foreign policy, stressing the principles he had set for the Sultanate’s foreign policy based on peaceful coexistence between nations and peoples, good neighborhood, non-interference in the internal affairs of others, and respect for the sovereignty of states.
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, may Allah bless him, held a number of positions during his practical career. It is no coincidence that the late Sultan, may Allah bless him, appointed His Majesty Sultan Haitham in the two most important schools that can prepare a man fit for the leadership of Oman. The first was the diplomatic school when he became involved in the work in the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs and graduated to the position of Secretary General of the Ministry.
As for the second school, it was the school of heritage and culture, when he worked as Minister of Heritage and Culture for nearly 18 years, during which he approached the greatness of Omani history, heritage and culture, and knew closely the history of the country.
His Majesty, may Allah preserve him, also assumed the chairmanship of several committees, the most important of which was the main committee for the future vision “Oman 2040”.
The family of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq
His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq is a descendant of the esteemed Al Busaid dynasty. He is the cousin of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said—may he rest in peace. His wife, Her Highness Sayyida Ahad bint Abdullah bin Hamad Al Busaidiyah, was born in the Governorate of Muscat. She belongs to a noble family with lineage tracing back on both her parents’ sides to Imam Ahmad bin Said Al Busaidi, the founder of the Al Busaid state. Her Highness is particularly dedicated to humanitarian and social work, focusing on family, education, and environmental issues.
HM Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and HH Sayyida Ahad Al Busaidiyah have two sons and two daughters:
1. His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth, and the eldest son of His Majesty the Sultan.
2. His Highness Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
3. Her Highness Sayyida Thuraya bint Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
4. Her Highness Sayyida Umaima bint Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
