Image Credits: Sabq

A 120-year-old Saudi man, Khunaifar Al Diyabi, has lived through and seen a lot. With seven daughters and five sons- Al Diyabi says he can barely remember all his 38 grandchildren’s names. 

Al Diyabi told Sabq his national identity papers state he’s only 111-years-old, but he had been told by older people in his family before that he was actually over 120- years-old.  

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When asked about his secrets to a long life.. 

Khunaifar says that there is no official secret, as God chooses the time you have in this world. However, he does swear by drinking camel milk and eating dates. Glorious. 

Going for daily walks in the desert is also another past-time for Al Diyabi. His advice for this generation is for them to “eat homemade food as dishes from some restaurants aren’t healthy.” 

He even met the founder of Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, during a pilgrimage 

He recalls pilgrimage trips would take him two months, by camel, having gone to Hajj three times and even meeting the founder of Saudi Arabia- in one of those trips. 

“We greeted him on Mount Arafat, back then we’d all refer to him as Imam as he was a very religious man,” Al Diyabi said. 

King Abdul Aziz or Ibn Saud in 1910 

Growing up and looking after camels instead of working formal jobs 

Al Diyabi said nobody in his family wanted him to work formal jobs, because at the time their families owned the most amounts of camels in the area. He was tasked to take care of them, a task he says is challenging but something you find pleasure in. 

One of the most fascinating things about camels, Al Diyabi added, is that they have a great sense of memory- and can remember where they grew up. Camels can end up missing old homes, just like humans do, and they stop grazing (to show their owners they want to go back home). 

Camels used to be sold for SAR 40, which only a few people could afford during his time 

Al Diyabi, told Sabq, that he’s shocked at how much the world has changed. With camels that can now cost millions of Riyals as opposed to SAR 40 back then.