From Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al‑Faisal Al‑Saud,
King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
to our sons and citizens in the Eastern Province.
My beloved people,
We praise God, Who has guided us to our path, for we would not have been guided had He not guided us. And we send prayers and peace upon His Messenger, Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets.
We have come to you to visit you, to look into your affairs, and to seek the means of reform for your conditions—matters that occupy the greatest share of our care, our thought, and our effort. My heart was gladdened and my spirit uplifted by what I witnessed among you—individuals and groups—of sincere devotion, deep loyalty, and noble sentiments, all of which were clearly reflected in your warm reception and the affection and fidelity you surrounded us with. This left the finest impression upon me.
What further reassured me about the future of my people was witnessing your determination to advance and your commitment to the causes of progress—an aspiration that will receive from us all that strengthens it and fulfills its noble hopes, through the cooperation of all, so that our country may attain the most honored place among nations. In this, we follow the great objectives set before us by our late father—may God bless his soul and grant him Paradise—walking in his blessed footsteps, drawing from his pure example, and following his upright path.
Let all know that the highest goal we seek, and for which we strive with utmost dedication, is to restore to Muslims their glory and strength. This can only be achieved by devoting worship sincerely to God alone and by upholding the rites of religion as He commanded. I have devoted—and will continue to devote—my greatest effort and care to this noble purpose.
I also declare that my door is open to all, so that I may learn of your conditions, safeguard your affairs, and establish the pillars of justice among you, implementing the rulings of the Book of God and the Sunnah of His Messenger. My approach with you and among you is founded upon mercy and firmness: your young are my sons, your elders my brothers; the strong among you is weak before me until I take the right from him, and the weak among you is strong before me until I restore his right to him.
My noble people,
Let each of you make his highest and sole aim the elevation of truth, the advancement of the nation, its safety, and its progress. Whoever lags behind, obstructs, or sows discord among its members will find from us what brings him back to the right path and ensures the safety of the nation, God willing.
My noble people,
My confidence in you is firm, and my hopes for you—and with you—are great. Let us all work, each in his sphere, with sincerity and cooperation, to achieve our goals: the advancement of the nation and the elevation of the word of Islam.
We ask God to watch over us with His care and to grant us continued success and peace.
15 Jumada al‑Ula 1373