My Muslim brothers,
We praise before you the Most Generous God, Who has blessed us with the completion of the fast of Ramadan. We ask Him, exalted be He, to accept from us and from you our fasting and our night prayers, and to multiply for us and for you the reward of the righteous deeds we performed therein. I then extend to you my congratulations on the blessed Eid al‑Fitr, which—as you know—is among the greatest of the festivals in which the voices of believers rise in gratitude to God for granting them His aid in fulfilling the obligation of fasting, and for enabling them to exchange sentiments of mercy and brotherhood in Islam.
I seize this happy occasion to draw special attention to the crises, hardships, and events that Muslims are facing in the East and West of the earth, and to affirm that they have no supporter who can secure for them a dignified life except through unity, concord, steadfast adherence to the firm bond of religion, following the path of the righteous forebears in private and in public, and adhering to the guidance of the Prophet—peace be upon him—by treading the straight path: the path of the Qur’an, which is God’s proof upon all peoples in every age, and by upholding the religion of pure human nature, which commands justice, equality, brotherhood, and faith.
This is what I counsel you, my brothers, and counsel myself to uphold. God the Exalted has said:
“God has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession in the land as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will replace their fear with security. They worship Me and associate nothing with Me.”
And He has said:
“Those who, if We establish them in the land, perform the prayer, give the alms, enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong. And to God belongs the outcome of all matters.”
May God make us and you among those who listen to what is said and follow the best of it.
Peace be upon you, and the mercy of God.