Brothers, sons of our sacred land,
Our hearts would not allow us to depart from your blessed country—the land of the Two Holy Mosques—without bidding you farewell, expressing our appreciation for your noble sentiments, and offering our heartfelt thanks for the warm welcome and sincere devotion we encountered among you, across all classes, throughout our stay in your midst.
I leave this honored land, which God has exalted by placing within it the Kaaba—His Sacred House, the eternal qiblah of Muslims—whose pilgrimage He has ordained, and which He has made a blessed sanctuary and a guidance for all peoples. He further honored us by making this land the dwelling place of His revelation and His Book, and the source from which the light of His message spread.
Yes, I depart this sacred land, rich with the holiest memories and the most sublime signs of God, with a heart overflowing with praise and gratitude to Him for enabling us to perform the pilgrimage, and for granting us His help and success in establishing the means of security, health, and comfort for the pilgrims—allowing them to complete their rites in the best manner.
We shall never forget the assistance rendered by the sons of this land to their pilgrim brothers. We value this deeply and hope that they will always remain a support to their government in the duties it has undertaken—working to improve all vital sectors of the country, so that it may live in honor and strength, and rise to the level befitting its dignity among nations.
As we bid you farewell at this hour, we wish to affirm that our visit to this sacred land, and the sincere sentiments you expressed toward us throughout it, have left a profound impression on my heart. This visit, which lasted five months, brought us the greatest benefit: it enabled us to meet you repeatedly, to learn much about your circumstances, to study the needs of the country closely, and to observe firsthand what will help us take practical steps toward reform.
We cannot conceal from you that the nearer the time of our departure approached, the more our sorrow grew. Yet the joy, goodwill, and knowledge gained during this visit ease the pain of parting—especially since we depart from one blessed region to another, and bid farewell to dear brothers who are to us like a cherished eye, only to meet other dear brothers who are likewise a cherished eye. All of you are equal in our sight, and our sense of duty toward you is one. You are a unified body—praise be to God—each part supporting the other, bound by the ties of Islamic brotherhood, united by one Book, returning to one Creator, and guided by one noble message.
We have spared no effort in doing good for all of you and in developing your land, under the care of His Majesty the Great King—may God preserve him—and through his wise guidance.
With God’s permission, we shall achieve this so long as we remain united—government and people—and so long as our hearts remain pure, our intentions righteous, and our only guide faith in God and the public good.
I conclude by urging you to hold fast to the surest path to happiness in this life and the next: adherence to the religion of Islam and steadfastness upon the rulings of the Qur’an. It is the guiding light, the trustworthy guide, the caller to truth and justice. It shows us the path to a blessed life, the way to reform, success, and lasting peace.
Finally, we must express our deep appreciation and admiration for the profound loyalty and devotion shown by the sons of this land on every occasion—loyalty overflowing with love and sincerity toward His Majesty our revered King—may God strengthen him and preserve him as a precious treasure for our beloved country in particular, and for Islam and the Arabs in general.
Peace be upon you.