Praise be to God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth; to Him belongs praise in the Hereafter, and He is the All‑Wise, the All‑Aware. I praise Him with the gratitude of one who acknowledges His blessings and seeks from Him further bounty for ourselves and for all Muslims. I send prayers and peace upon the best of His Prophets, who brought us clear signs and guidance—who left no good without directing us to it, and no evil without warning us against it; who clarified the path and made the way plain. Whoever disobeys him and strays from his guidance harms only himself. We ask God, exalted be He, to keep us firm upon the guidance of His Prophet and to bind us to the practice of His law.
My brothers, these are among the days of God—days in which He has honored us with the pilgrimage to His Sacred House and the standing in its great sacred sites, that we may remember His name and witness benefits for ourselves in this world and the next. Welcome to you, brothers whom Islam has joined together, whose hearts and direction turn five times each day toward this Ancient House. We ask God, who has directed our faces toward His House, to unite our hearts upon what pleases Him and brings honor to Islam and the Muslims in the East and West of the earth.
My brothers, it is my duty in these blessed days to call upon you with the call of Abraham the Friend of God—a call renewed by our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him: the call to sincere worship of God alone. We call upon Him and none besides Him; we worship Him and none besides Him; we seek His help as He commanded: “You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.” We worship none but You, call upon none but You, and seek assistance from none but You. This is what I call myself and you to, and I ask God to keep us firm upon His religion, to guide us to true faith, and to protect us from all forms of idolatry, misguidance, or innovation.
My brothers, you have gathered in this secure land from every distant path—each of you driven by faith in God alone, and by the desire to know your Muslim brothers and to cooperate with them in righteousness and piety, in all that preserves the strength of Islam and the dignity and sovereignty of the Muslims, as God has declared: “Honor belongs to God, His Messenger, and the believers.”
My brothers, Muslims across the world have long struggled against enemies who lie in wait for them—forces of colonialism and their followers. Our only stance in such times is steadfastness, holding fast to the Book of God, patience in hardship, and mutual support—so that we may overcome all who seek harm against any land of Islam or the Arabs.
My brothers, the strength we must cling to is true faith, firm creed, and certainty in victory from God. We must exert our efforts to remove the divisions that weaken our ranks and embolden our enemies.
My brothers, the struggles of Muslims and Arabs are known to all. Our brothers in Palestine remain refugees in the open, suffering deprivation. Our brothers in Algeria fight with steadfastness and sincere faith—acknowledged by friend and foe alike. Our brothers in the southern and southeastern parts of the Arabian Peninsula endure the burdens of colonialism.
There are also plots woven in secret and in public by the enemies of Islam and the Arabs—by global Zionism, which has harnessed the powers of colonialism across the world for its own aims, exerting influence over major nations to force the Arabs to accept the usurper’s claim and to recognize the criminal in his crimes. When these Zionist forces recently attempted their maneuvers against an Arab vessel—imagining they could achieve their aims through deceit and conspiracy—they found us united, resisting with all our strength this unjust aggression and these exposed plots. They retreated in failure when they saw that the Arabs, in times of hardship, stand as one; that when duty calls, they respond without fear or hesitation.
My brothers, this is but one example I place before every Muslim and Arab, and before our friends and adversaries alike—to show that Muslims and Arabs know their duty in times of trial. What I hope from every Muslim and Arab is that he remain mindful of God, work to unite the ranks, resist colonialism, and uphold the religious and social principles of Islam—for in them lies salvation, and a life of dignity and happiness in this world and the next.
My brothers, there is no noble principle that ensures human happiness except that our religion has already guaranteed it. For this reason, we are content with God as our Lord, with Muhammad—peace be upon him—as our Prophet and Messenger, with Islam as our religion, and with the Qur’an as our constitution—no constitution but it, and no guidance but the guidance of our Prophet. Consider what Islam accomplished for its followers. The Prophet said: “I was sent to the black and the red.” Bilal the Abyssinian and Suhayb the Roman had the same rights and duties as Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali. Meanwhile, those who claim perfection in civilization deny equal rights to those of different color. Our religion and the noble principles taught by our Arab Qurashi Prophet need no addition. We take them, follow them, and hold fast to them with all our strength.
Each of us must work within his sphere to uphold the principles of Islam. We must strengthen our resolve to support our brothers suffering under colonialism, unite our word, and close our ranks—for division brings only weakness, while unity brings strength and might.
I pray to God in this place—as I prayed last year and the year before—that He support our brothers in Palestine, granting them steadfastness until He decrees their return to their homeland, victorious and secure, ruling independently after the removal of the usurping enemy. I pray that He grant victory to our brothers in Algeria and the Arab South, so that their lands may return to them. I ask Him to aid every Islamic or Arab nation striving for freedom and independence.
In conclusion, I ask God to make our pilgrimage accepted, our efforts rewarded, and to return you to your homelands safe and blessed, with His pleasure and mercy.
Peace and God’s mercy and blessings be upon you.