Our brothers, sons of our sacred land,
Our hearts did not permit us to leave your land—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 loyalty we received from all of you, across all classes, throughout our stay among you.
I depart this honored land, which God has exalted by placing within it the Kaaba—His Sacred House—an eternal qiblah for Muslims. He ordained its pilgrimage, made it a blessed place and a guidance for all peoples, and honored us further by making it the dwelling place of His revelation and His Book, and the source from which the light of His message shone forth.
Yes, I leave this sacred land, filled with the holiest memories and the most sublime signs of God, and my heart overflows with praise and gratitude to Him for enabling us to perform the pilgrimage, and for the help and success He granted us in establishing the means of security, health, and comfort for the pilgrims—allowing them to perform their rites in the best manner.
We shall never forget the efforts made by the sons of this land in assisting us in serving 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—reforming 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 and the world.
As we bid you farewell at this moment, we wish to affirm that our visit to this sacred land, and the sincere sentiments you showed us throughout it, have left a profound impression on my heart. This visit, which lasted five months, brought us the greatest benefits: it enabled us to meet you repeatedly, to learn much about your conditions, to study the needs of the country closely, and to observe firsthand what will help us take practical steps toward improving the state of our nation.
We cannot conceal from you that the closer the time of our departure approached, the more our sorrow grew. Yet the joy, affection, and knowledge gained during this visit ease the pain of separation—especially since we depart from one blessed region to another, and bid farewell to noble brothers who are to us like a cherished eye, only to meet other noble brothers who are likewise dear to us. All are equal in our regard, and our sense of duty toward them is one. They form, praise be to God, a single solid body, each part supporting the other, bound by the ties of Islamic brotherhood, united by one Book, returning to one Creator, and sharing one noble message.
We have spared no effort in doing good for all of them and in developing their 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 and our intentions righteous, guided only by faith in God and the public good.
I conclude this address by urging you to hold fast to the best means for your happiness in this world 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 good life, and the way to reform, success, and lasting peace.
Finally, we must express our admiration and appreciation for the deep feelings of love and loyalty shown by the sons of this land—on every occasion—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.
Umm al‑Qura Newspaper