King Fahd was born in 1923 in Riyadh. During his youth, he attended one of the country's first educational institutions. He was also strongly influenced by his father, King Abdulaziz, who taught him religion, history and Arab culture.

In 1953, he became Saudi Arabia's first Minister of Education. Under his guidance, the new ministry laid the foundation for a nationwide school system. In those early days the number of schoolchildren totaled no more than 30,000, and there was only one secondary school in the Kingdom. Today, about five million students are enrolled in universities, colleges, and schools throughout the country. Under successive five-year development plans, the country has placed great emphasis on building its indigenous manpower and has instituted numerous vocational and technical training programs.

Appointed Minister of the Interior in 1962, then-Prince Fahd traveled extensively throughout the developing nation, further acquainting himself with its people and diverse regions. In 1967, he also assumed the position of Second Deputy Prime Minister. In this capacity, he frequently chaired the regular meetings of the Council of Ministers.

King Fahd was introduced early in life to the world of international diplomacy. In 1945, at age 22, he accompanied his elder brother, Prince (later King) Faisal bin Abdulaziz, to the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco. Several years later, he traveled to Great Britain to represent Saudi Arabia at the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

This experience in the world of international relations was invaluable when, as the Kingdom began to emerge as a world leader, Prince Fahd assumed greater diplomatic responsibilities. It was in 1974 that he paid his first official visit to the United States, holding wide-ranging discussions with President Richard Nixon.

Prince Fahd became Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister in March 1975, when Khalid bin Abdulaziz was proclaimed King. The Kingdom's increasing prominence led Crown Prince Fahd to assume an increasingly active role in international affairs. In particular, his relationship with U.S. officials deepened into one of mutual confidence. Meeting with President Jimmy Carter in 1977, the Crown Prince emphasized the need for a just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, reflecting  his deep personal interest in this issue that was later demonstrated in the 'Eight-Point Peace Plan' that he proposed in August 1981, a plan that was unanimously adopted at the 1982 Arab Summit in Morocco as the foundation for the 'Fez Declaration'.

While Crown Prince, he continued to direct the domestic progress of his nation during a period of intensified development. He was particularly instrumental in guiding the second (1975-79) and third (1980-84) five-year development plans, which launched a program to modernize the country's infrastructure. These years saw significant growth in the sectors of education, housing, transportation, industry, agriculture and communications.

King Fahd's reign was marked by his great concern for the Saudi people.  In his desire to ensure the continued development and security of the nation into the 21st century, King Fahd introduced a series of measures aimed at revitalizing and streamlining the existing political and administrative system. On March 1, 1992, he introduced a new Basic Law for the System of Government, which outlines its goals and responsibilities and defines the relationship between the ruler and citizens. That same year, he restructured Consultative Council (Majlis Al-Shura), which by 2005 had grown to 150 members, to give it a more formalized and efficient mechanism. He also promulgated new bylaws for the Provincial System to raise the efficiency of administration of the country's provinces and promote their continued development. The following year, he introduced new bylaws for the Council of Ministers.

King Fahd's dedication to the nation was surpassed only by his commitment to Islam. As Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah, the holiest sites in Islam, he personally supervised a series of projects to facilitate the Hajj for the more than two million pilgrims from around the world who visit the holy sites each year.  In 1985, he launched a major project that almost doubled the area of the two mosques in an effort to allow a larger number of Muslims to make the pilgrimage in comfort and safety.  He has also donated funds for the restoration of other mosques, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site of Islam.

An active and effective player on the global diplomatic scene, King Fahd never hesitated to use his diplomatic and mediation skills in times of crisis, especially when the interests of Muslims and Arabs were at stake. In addition to his constant support for a peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict, King Fahd was also active in supporting negotiated settlements for other crises in the Gulf region and the Arab and Islamic worlds. For example, he sought to mediate the dispute between Kuwait and Iraq in the weeks prior to the Iraqi invasion on August 2, 1990; and then planed a major role in forming Arab, Muslim and international support in the effort for Kuwait's liberation.

King Fahd's standing and experience combined to make him a prominent leader within the Arab and Islamic worlds to whom many have turned for help and assistance.