Part One


Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah Whose Mercy has encompassed and embraced


all, and whose Might caused all souls to turn to Him in humbleness and subjugation. I praise


Him (Be He extolled) and I thank Him. His favours have been bestowed on His servants


successively and completely. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah with no


associate – a true and flawless testimony that I wish to save for the day when every nursing


woman will forget her nursling1, and I bear witness that our Master and Prophet


Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah –May He be extolled. He performed


genuine jihad until the banners of the religion were flown high far and wide. May Allah send


His abundant Peace and Blessing unto him, his noble and immaculate family who were


honoured by being related to him, and his righteous and true Companions who followed his


guidance and spread his religion, and unto the tabi’in (contemporaries of the Companions of


the Prophet [May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death) in righteousness as


the sun keeps rising and setting, and the stars in the sky keep radiating and fading away.


Now then,


I exhort you, people –and myself– to observe taqwa (fear of disobeying Allah


Almighty). Observe taqwa –May Allah have mercy on you– because taqwa is the best


provision. It is, with Allah’s help, a guardian that never succumbs to slumber, an


embellishment for the rich, consolation for the poor, and protection for the afflicted.


1 This is allegory to the Holy Qur’ān in Surat Al-Hajj, Verse 2.


٢


O servant of Allah!


Follow (our righteous salaf), do not innovate (in religion). Imitate (righteous Muslim


models), do not initiate (innovations in religion). He who holds fast to athar (track/tradition)


will never go astray. A subordinate in the realm of good is superior to a leader in the realm of


evil. If you cannot do your brother/sister (in Islam) good, do not do him harm. If you cannot


make him/her happy, do not make him/her miserable, and if you cannot praise him/her, do


not censure him/her.


Human beings are not blamed for the way they look, but for the way they behave:


So keep your duty to Allâh and fear Him as much as you can;


listen and obey; and spend in charity, that is better for yourselves.


And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are


the successful ones. [Al-Taghābun: 16]


O Muslims!


The advent of a new year is the time for reflection, contemplation and learning from


history. It seems necessary to hold the self to account when taking a good look at oneself and


at the Muslim Ummah, though it is a bitter pill to swallow. What happened to our dignity?


What happened to our unity of hearts? What happened to the state of the Muslim Ummah?


Brothers and sisters in faith!


The avid onslaught against the Ummah and Muslim territory is quite evident. Plots are


being drawn against its autonomy, stability, unity and independence. Despair, frustration and


precipitance are nourished by the hands that work toward debilitating, fragmenting and


dividing the Ummah.


Our enemies have used all ways and means to drive a wedge in the ranks of the


Muslim Ummah, foment discord, create despair, and subdue confidence. The problem ‒O


servants of Allah‒ is that in our age, the myriads and amplitude of communication means and


social networks have made it difficult to filter what is right, true and sincere from what is


bad, untrue and fraudulent.


Nowadays, information travels faster than fire in a hay stack, which makes it


necessary to be careful, not to mention organized sites that instigate agitation among peoples,


spread unrest, and sow seditions.


Dear Muslims!


The malicious use of the social networks and suspicious sites as well as the


dissemination of false rumours is a clear indication of targeting the Muslim Ummah and its


٣


peoples. Other indications include attacking our country, its assets, key public figures and


leaders, shaking its constant principles, discrediting its prominent religious scholars, honest


politicians, and faithful nationalists.


They try to find fault with others, spread their slips, encroach upon the rights of


others, and conceal their achievements. They do that in tweets and comments aimed at


agitating people and causing insurgency. It is sinful enough to forward and disseminate


everything that one receives without verification and validation. Moreover, some comments


which are apparently meant to be funny and amusing are, in fact, very effective in


traumatizing souls, undermining convictions, and blurring visions.


Let the boys and girls of today know that such articles, commentaries and tweets,


albeit seemingly funny and amusing, are the fastest means of disturbing thought, and blurring


vision in such staged information and psychological warfare. They merely aim at destroying


souls, undermining principles, debilitating tenets, and mocking traditions and commendable


customs.


Also, let’s not forget that much of the material exchanged by the targeted novices has


nothing to do with them; most of it is directed to religious scholars, politicians, experts and


specialists.


The Holy Qur’ān provides us with guidance as how to deal with such a situation:


…if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged


with authority among them. [Al-Nisā’: 83]


There is an ocean of difference between the two camps.


O Muslims!


The shortest route to knowledge and cognition is to learn from past lessons and to


benefit from past experiences. This is indicated in the Holy Qur’ān where Allah ‒Sublime be


He‒ says:


Then take admonition, O you with eyes (to see). [Al-Ḥashr: 2]


He ‒To Whom belong Might and Majesty‒ also says:


Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding.


[Yūsuf: 111]


Here are two points –May Allah Almighty grant you success and protection– that


might contribute to raising our awareness and urging us to make reflections so that we might


remember:


٤


The first tells us to look at our brothers and sisters who have been afflicted by such


trials to see how their countries have changed into a battlefield with bloodshed,


homelessness, loss of property, and social upheaval.


They thought their living conditions would improve, their lives would be more


comfortable, and that they would enjoy welfare. As a rule, people who lead their community


to turmoil and rebel against their rulers will certainly suffer from atrocities and fall prey to


major sins. They have realised, as you certainly do, that fitan (trials) undermine security, lead


to bloodshed, belittle the value of life, and trigger crimes against individual reputation.


We beseech Allah Almighty to put a quick end to their misery, save them from harm,


and defeat their enemy. We beseech Allah Almighty to support them and restore their


security and stability, and to unite them in guidance and righteousness, and to replace their


fear with security – He is All Hearing, Most Responsive!


The second point has to do with this blessed and immaculate country. It is the country


of the Two Holy Mosques, the land of sacred sites. It is the world’s purest land, and most


noble spot on the face of the earth. Ours is the country of tawheed (monotheism) and unity. It


is the country whose citizens, residents and visitors savour the favours bestowed on it by


Almighty Allah. He –May He be extolled– has bestowed upon them riches after abject


poverty, unity after disunity, and knowledge after ignorance while people were being taken


away (killed or captured) all around them2.


It is a country that applies shari’ah (religious law), where hudud3 are upheld. It is a


country enjoining good and proscribing evil; a country whose mosques are full of


worshippers and marketplaces close during the times of prayer. It is a country that has made


shari’ah a supreme law encompassing all its legal systems. Here, alcoholic beverages are


strictly outlawed. Alcohol consumption, let alone pushing its sale, is punishable by law.


It is a country that houses Muslim sacred sites, and is, therefore, honoured by taking


care of them and serving visitors thereof be they pilgrims, Omrah performers, or ordinary


visitors.


It is a church-and-temple-free country, whose flag never flies at half-mast. It is the


birthplace of Prophet Muhammad, the selected one (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon


him). It is here that he was entrusted with Allah’s Message, carried out his emigration, and


received Allah’s Revelation. It is the home of belief, and it is enlightened by the mind,


knowledge, tawheed (monotheism) and the purity of faith.


2 This bold expression is paraphrased from the Holy Qur’ān, Surat Al-‘Ankabūt, Verse 67.


3 It is the plural of had ( حد ) which is, in this context, a punishment specified in the Holy Qur’ān for a major


crime, such as murder, stealing or fornication.


٥


Our country has realised great achievements: revival of the Sunnah, routing bid’ah


(innovation in religion), abandoning superstition, and obliterating all forms of reliance except


on Allah –a practice which sometimes amounted to shirk (associating other deities with Allah


Almighty).


Yes, indeed ‒May Allah protect you! The shortest route to knowledge and cognition


is to learn the lesson, and to benefit from past experiences.


In this blessed country, and in this blessed unity, a remote epoch has elapsed with


ancient periods and successive peoples. The Arabian Peninsula was plagued by


fragmentation, disunity, difference, ignorance, disease and feeble religion couched in tribes


fighting among themselves and in hostile principalities and city states.


Yes, it was the borderline between two different periods and historical eras. A blessed


unity and a unification that have brought about complete and colossal change, not only in the


Arabian Peninsula, but also in the whole world especially in the region and Islamic World.


With this unity, the darkness of innovations in religion vanished, superstition disappeared,


and religious aberration was abandoned.


Having terminated its isolation and marginalization, the country went through a


historical change. With unification, the balance of power was upset, and the country adopted


vivacity of influence, change and presence on the regional and international arenas.


Before this blessed unification, the country used to live on the margin of history. It


showed no influence, participation or interaction with the outside world, with the exception


of the Two Holy Mosques – May Allah grant them more honour, blessing, prestige and


reverence. Yet, the road to them was unsafe, as they could not be reached except through a


perilous journey.


None of the rulers of that time could bring about security, unite the people and unite


their ranks, settle a dispute, support religion or promote religious law. Nay! Subsequent to the


guided caliphate, successive Islamic states and caliphs were unable to secure the Hajj route.


Consequently, Muslims’ miseries were to persist for centuries to the extent that the religious


scholars of the Maghreb countries opined that Hajj was no longer a duty vis-à-vis their people


on account of the perils of the journey. There were heart-rending stories of killing, pilferage,


larceny and oppression that would move people to tears.


That state of affairs persisted until Allah Almighty granted the honour of preserving


Hajj security and of unification to this blessed state. Its rising to power has been a bliss and


its assumption of governance a grace. Muslims come to this country as pilgrims, visitors and


Omrah performers where they receive care and enjoy quality service and security, and then


they return home safely and happily. Life has become enjoyable and people feel happy.


Praise and thank be to Allah!


٦


O Muslims! O Muslim youths!


This blessed country does not seek a distinctive language, a specific history, or


particular ethnic group to rely on. Quite the opposite, it is a melting pot of all sectors, tribes,


religious schools, and trends of thought. Islam is but their common denominator; it is a way


of life, a system of law, and a basis of unity.


Any disregard for, or undermining of, the principles of the state’s identity, or any


slackness in maintaining it is an element of destruction whose effect is commensurate to its


size.


It is surprising to see some people calling for state-religion severance believing that


the bond between them is dissoluble. Such a call bespeaks total ignorance of Allah’s tradition


vis-à-vis history, nations and states.


The relationship between this state and religion is the matrix of its very existence.


Any country that relinquishes the matrix of its existence will no longer be able to put up any


resistance. History prior to the appearance of the blessed call that led to the establishment of


this blessed state testifies to this.


Commitment to Islam by calling to it and taking it as the basis of legislation in this


blessed state is not only one of its functions or its activities. Islam is rather its soul, life, aim,


and way; it manifests itself in all its activities, functions, actions, and systems. This has been


clearly stated in its constitution.


O brothers and sisters! O Muslim youths!


A people blessed by Allah in their country with these privileges and characteristics in


this stable nation, cohesive unity, comprehensive leadership, and blissful living are indeed


bound to truly appreciate this blessing and protect it dearly.


Beware, beware! Be those who learn from others’ mistakes and not those whose mistakes


will be learnt from. Beware and beware lest we cry over these wonderful days, Beware and


beware lest we cry over these wonderful days, and perfect security. You live at home with


your children, wives, friends, blood relatives, and your countrymen and visitors; you come


and go to your jobs, homes, bazaars, schools, universities, recreation centres, transportation,


and travels in the security and protection of Allah.


Try to strike a balance ‒May Allah protect you‒ between our interests: unity of the


word, upholding religion and its rituals, solidarity, and the unity of our Muslim leadership.


What brings all this together is faith and homage, adherence to congregation, obeying our


leaders’ orders, consulting knowledgeable Muslim scholars, giving advice and showing


compassion, and practicing religious rituals publically.


٧


Loving this blessed country is a deep hearty feeling, an overflowing longing filling


the hearts, and an authentic sense of friendliness that harmoniously unites feelings.


Salih Al-Dimashqῑ (a Muslim Scholar) said to his son: "O son! If you live your day


and night during which your religion, body, wealth, and children are safe, then increase your


thanks to Allah Almighty; for how many a man whose religion is forced out of him, whose


ownership is robbed, whose honour is violated, and whose back is broken while you are


enjoying good health, security, and Allah’s protection."


And you ‒May Allah increase you in righteousness‒ look at the events taking place


around you in order to acknowledge the blessings of Allah bestowed upon you. Therefore,


praise Allah and thank him, and make supplications for your brothers and sisters asking Allah


to hasten their relief, change their fear into security, unite their word, and lift hardships off


them.


I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan:


And remember when you were few and were reckoned weak in the land,


and were afraid that men might kidnap you, but He provided a safe place


for you, strengthened you with His Help, and provided you with good


things so that you might be grateful. [Al-Anfāl: 26]


May Allah benefit me and you with the great Qur'ān and with the guidance of Prophet


Muhammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him). I say this and ask Allah to forgive


you and me and all the Muslims all our sins and wrongdoings. So ask Him to forgive you; He


is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful!


٨


Part Two


Praise be to Allah! Praise be to Allah no matter what our state is! I praise Him ‒Be He


extolled‒ for all His favours and bounties. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of


worship except Allah alone with no associate, Allah the Most Great, the Most Powerful, and


the Most Honourable! I also bear witness that our Master and Prophet Muhammad is the


Servant and Messenger of Allah, the Seal of prophets and messengers. May Allah send His


Salat (Graces, Honours, and Mercy) and Peace upon him, his family, his honourable


Companions and the tābi'in (contemporaries of the Companions of the Prophet [May Allah’s


Salat and Peace be upon him] after his death) and those who follow them in righteousness for


as long as morning and evening alternate.


O Muslims!


Mistakes and shortcomings do exist. However, no rational human, let alone a sincere


Muslim citizen, will accept that criticism and demands at the expense of the country’s safety


and security or the unity of the word. Yes, indeed. We do not claim perfection, for mistakes


may occur; rather, they exist.


What is needed is advising and exchanging advice, handling problems appropriately


with hearts free of grudge, sincerity in dealing with issues, the intention to do good and


promote it, and to push evil away and deter it.


Justice is the measure of taqwa (piety). It is neither an act of exhortation nor one of


integrity to portray the country as if bereaved of any good. It is neither an act of religious


rectitude nor one of exhortation or integrity to hunt for opportunities in order to spread


disorder and confusion.


Destroying the constants and values of one’s own country and society under the


banner of criticism and freedom of speech is by no means an act of integrity. Likewise, the


belief that there exists contradiction between nationalism and Islam is in no way or form a


token for honesty, exhortation, and integrity, let alone claiming that the implementation of


Shari’ah hinders the country's interests, Allah forbid!


Among the wise sayings: "If you want to know a man, then look at his adherence to


his religion, love of his country, eagerness to meet his mates, and his rapport with his past."


Yes indeed, the most advising and sincerest is the one who is so keen to unite his


people, protect its achievements and the assets of his country. In this respect, a piece of


advice goes thus: "Do not take a friend except one who keeps your secret, covers your defect,


publicizes your good deeds, and keeps under wraps your bad deeds; if you do not find such a


person, then do not befriend anybody."


٩


Now, then:


May Allah protect you and keep bestowing on you His blessings, favours and


security. One of the most important factors of stability is the constant strife with the self in


obedience and good worship, supplication and begging of Allah, acquiring knowledge in


religion, keeping company with righteous scholars, benefiting from the method of the


righteous Salaf (The Prophet's Companions and their followers) and their way of life, and


adhering to the Muslim congregation and their Imam. All this must be carried out in faith and


trust in Allah and reliance on Him.


Hearts then will gather on this and hands will entangle from all sectors and sides of


society in order to protect the country and its people and thank Allah for His blessings


regarding our religion, unity, security, and decent life.


We are all in the same boat; we shall be either all saved or all drowned. When people


disperse, they perish; however, when they unite, they get better and become strong. Indeed,


unity is mercy; disunity is torment.


Therefore, have taqwa, may Allah have mercy on you, and you should know that part


of obedience, good worship, and thankfulness towards Allah's favours is to hasten and do


what your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him) asked you to do:


fasting the Day of ‘Ᾱshūrā’4. This is a day of victory, glory, and thankfulness, for we are


more deserving of Mūsā (than the Jews) ‒May Allah’s Salat and Peace be upon him, upon


our Prophet and all their fellow prophets and messengers.


Ibn Abbās (May Allah be pleased with him and his father), as stated in Sahih Muslim,


is reported to have said: "I did not know that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah's Salat and


Peace be upon him, fasted a day seeking its privilege over other days except this one, i.e. the


Day of Ᾱshūrā’." (See the rest of the hadith)


In the Sahih, narrated by Abu Qatādah (May Allah be pleased with him) that the


Prophet (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him) said: "Fasting the Day of Ᾱshūrā’


forgives the sins of the previous year."


So, do fast it ‒May Allah have mercy on you‒ and whoever intends to fast it, let


him\her fast a day before or a day after. This is to differ from the Jews, as your Prophet


Muhammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him) indicated.


This being said, I advise you to send your salat and peace on the Mercy and Blessing


that Allah bestowed on you, your Prophet Muhammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon


him), the Messenger of Allah, as Your Lord commanded you to do in His wise Book where


He so truthfully and graciously said:


4 It is the tenth of the Hijri month of Muharram.


١٠


Allâh sends His Salât (Graces, Honours, Blessings, Mercy, etc.) on


the Prophet (Muhammad SAW) and also His angels too (ask Allâh to


bless and forgive him). O you who believe! Send your Salât on (ask


Allâh to bless) him (Muhammad may Allah's peace and blessings be


upon him), and (you should) greet (salute) him with the Islâmic


way of greeting (salutation i.e. AsSalâmu 'Alaikum). [Al-Aḥzāb: 56]


O Allah! Send Your Salat (Graces, Honours, Mercy), Peace and Blessing on Your


Servant and Messenger, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace


be upon him), the beloved and the Chosen One, on his virtuous and immaculate family and


on his wives, the mothers of the believers! O Allah! We seek Your satisfaction with the four


Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali, the Prophet’s Companions, the tabi’in and those


who followed them in righteousness until the Day of Judgement! O Allah! We seek Your


Satisfaction with us as well, as You are Most Forgiving, Most Generous, and Most


Beneficent!


O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and


Muslims! O Allah! Grant glory to Islam and Muslims, and fail polytheism and polytheists! O


Allah! Let down tyrants, infidels and all the other enemies of Islam!


O Allah! Grant us security in our homelands, and set right our Imams and leaders! O


Allah! Entrust our government to those who fear You and seek Your satisfaction! O Lord of


the Worlds!


O Allah! Grant our Imam and Leader a success of Your own! Honour him with Your


obedience and make Your word the uppermost through him! Make him an asset to Islam and


Muslims! Grant him sound health and wellness! Guide him, his deputy, his brothers and his


aides to do what You love and what pleases You, and lead them to righteousness and piety!


O Allah! Help the Muslim leaders to abide by Your Book and to follow the Sunnah of


Your Prophet, Mohammad (May Allah's Salat and Peace be upon him)! Make them a


blessing on Your faithful, and unite them on the grounds of righteousness and truth! O Lord


of the Worlds!


O Allah! Set right the conditions of Muslims, O Allah! Set right the conditions of


Muslims everywhere! O Allah! Stop their bloodshed, unite their word around the truth,


guidance (Islam) and the Sunnah! Give leadership to the best amongst them, protect them


against their evil ones, spread security, justice, and prosperity in their countries, and protect


them against evils and trials, whether explicit or implicit!


O Allah! Whoever intends to do any evil against us, our religion, our homeland, our


Ummah, our security, our leaders, our ulamā (religious scholars), the righteous and


١١


benevolent among us, or our unity and accord, O Allah, make him preoccupied with himself!


O Allah! Make him preoccupied with himself! Let his plotting return against him, and make


his destruction in his planning, O You, the Mighty, the Exalted in Power!


O Allah, the Lord of the believers, the Giver of victory to the oppressed, the Helper of


those who seek help, the One of Great Hope, the Protector of the weak! O Allah! We have


weak oppressed brothers and sisters in Palestine, Syria, Burma, and central Africa! O Allah!


They have been touched by harm, stricken by woe, and their condition became awful; they


have been exposed to oppression, tyranny, dispossession, and siege; their blood has been


shed; their innocent killed, their women widowed, their children orphaned, their houses and


facilities destroyed! O Allah, the Giver of victory to the oppressed, the Saviour of the


believers! Grant them victory, take care of them! O Allah! Bring an end to their suffering!


Grant them speedy relief and draw them closer at heart! O Allah! Grant them an aid, a


fighting power and a triumph of your own! O Allah! We beseech You to bestow on them a


victory of your own, relief, blessing and perseverance!


O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and oppressors! O Allah! Defeat the tyrants and


oppressors, and those who sympathize and side with them! O Allah! Disperse their gathering,


scatter their crowds, and tear them apart! O Allah! Make their destruction in their plotting, O


Lord of the Worlds!


O Allah! Destroy the usurpers among the Jews! O Allah! Destroy the usurpers and


occupiers among the Jews! Destroy them, for You are certainly able to do so! O Allah! Inflict


Your wrath –which can never be turned back from the people who are Mujrimūn (criminals,


polytheists or sinners– on them! O Allah! We leave them to You (to deal with them) and seek


refuge in You from their evils!


Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and


bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.


[Al-A͑rāf: 23]


… Our Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the


Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the


Fire! [Al-Baqarah: 201]


Glorified be You, our Lord, the Lord of Honour and Power! You are free from what


they attribute unto You! May peace be upon the messengers! The last of our supplications is


all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!