(CNN)Thousands are expected to gather at the Grand Mosque in Riyadh on Friday to say farewell to Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al Saud, a cautious reformer who succeeded in securing broader freedoms in the conservative kingdom but fell short in gaining greater independence for women.
Abdullah died Friday Riyadh time, several weeks afterthe state-run Saudi Press Agency said he was suffering from pneumonia and had been admitted to the hospital. The royal court didn't release an exact cause of death. He was 90.
To ensure a smooth transition, the kingdom quickly appointed his 79-year-old brother, Salman bin Abdulaziz, to the throne.
Ahead of the funeral services -- to be held Friday afternoon at Riyadh's Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque -- condolences and remembrances poured in from all corners of the globe.
"To God we belong and indeed to him we shall return," said the homepage of the English-language Saudi newspaper Arab News on Friday.
Bahrain, Jordan and the Palestinian territories declared days of mourning. The U.N. Secretary General praised Abdullah for his Arab Peace Initiative to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. And U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said he will lead a delegation "in the coming days" to pay respect.
"King Abdullah's life spanned from before the birth of modern Saudi Arabia through its emergence as a critical force within the global economy and a leader among Arab and Islamic nations," U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement.
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